The good news in all this.. is that Duke will FINALLY have to play a decent opponent in the Champions Classic. I remember looking back since it started.. and this is completely by chance.. but Kentucky always had the hardest opponent that year, be it MSU, Duke or KU... yet Duke would somehow got whichever program was down.
This year they were about to get a paltry Kansas, while top3 programs MSU and Kentucky faced off.
2011 Kentucky: played Kansas, well ranked all season, makes it to title game.
2011 Duke: Played MSU, well off the mark from Kentucky or Kansas. Kansas was better all year despite being the #2 seed.
2012 Kentucky plays Duke: Kentucky was coming off of a title year and was our worst year under Cal. Easy pickings for Duke.
2013 Kentucky: MSU. One of the preseason favorites to win the title
2013 Duke: Kansas. Again, the 3rd team well off the mark from the other two.
2014 Kentucky: Kansas, Railed them, but was considered to be a great team. Ended up with eligibility issues.
2014 Duke: MSU. Duke again avoids Kentucky when we are at our best.
2015 Kentucky plays Duke. MSU and Kansas have the experience, Kentucky largely unknown. But all in all, a pretty even year, maybe the most amongst the four teams since inception.
Again, it was by total chance. Just the way things rolled out. But it's crazy that every year, Duke was able to dodge the juggernauts and that the lesser of 3 teams. Duke, not once had to play the best team of the three.