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Kansas beat Kentucky 89-69 in the Champions Classic in Chicago on Tuesday night, with five-star freshman Tyran Stokes scoring 23 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Stokes, a projected No. 1 pick in the 2027 NBA draft who grew up in Louisville, said the game was personal for him, having considered Kentucky before signing with Kansas. Kansas forced 15 Kentucky turnovers and scored 22 points off them, while Kentucky scored none off Kansas' 10 turnovers. Tre White III led all scorers with 30 points, and Trey Kaufman-Renn added 12 points, six rebounds and six assists after the team's turbulent offseason of legal clearances. Coach Bill Self praised Stokes for handling the moment well. Kentucky coach Mark Pope left dejected after the lopsided loss, which ESPN noted was one of five 20-point losses he has suffered in 75 games, a year that could define his tenure. ESPN reported that Pope's third season now hinges on whether he can recover from the defeat and meet the standard of Kentucky's program. Pope said, "We did not play up to our standard," and that the team did not deal well with disruption.