The Jayhawks have more experienced returning talent, which is why they have emerged as a short favorite in this classic matchup Tuesday to kick off the college basketball season. Duke will not have quite the superstar-studded roster it boasted the last two seasons, which resulted in a wealth of NBA lottery picks and zero Final Fours. Even so, coach K's clubs tend to come out a little more prepared in these spots and grabbing Duke as an underdog remains a strategy with self-explanatory value.

Duke is 7-5 all-time versus Kansas but has lost each of their last three matchups. However, the Blue Devils have won 19 straight season openers and are 37-2 in such games under coach Mike Krzyzewski. The series has been tightly contested of late, with the last seven meetings being decided by an average of 5.7 points. Look for Duke to prevail in another close one at Madison Square Garden.