NEW YORK _ Duke took advantage of the Kansas Jayhawks' sloppy play to open the season with a big win.
No. 4 Kansas turned the ball over 27 times and No. 3 Duke rallied from a nine-point, second-half deficit to win 68-63 in the Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden.
Tre Jones scored 15 points to lead the Blue Devils with freshman Cassius Stanley adding 13.
Duke trailed 61-59 before Stanley drove the lane to score and draw a foul with 2:29 to play. His free throw put the Blue Devils up 62-61.
Kansas guard Devon Dotson's drive resulted in a layup try that bounced off the rim. Duke's Jack White grabbed the rebound and also rebounded a missed Blue Devils' 3-pointer on the other end.
That allowed Jones to sink a pull-up jumper with 1:33 left giving Duke a 64-61 lead.
With Duke leading 64-63, a Vernon Carey missed shot allowed Kansas a chance to take the lead. But White's steal under the basket thwarted that Jayhawks possession.
Jones hit two free throws with 26.2 seconds left putting Duke up 66-63.
Matthew Hurt and Carey had 11 points each for Duke.
After trailing by nine points early in the second half, Duke used Kansas turnovers to get its transition game going and fought back.
With Kansas up 52-48, Cassius Stanley drilled a 3-pointer with 9:44 to play. After Kansas missed a 3-pointer, Alex O'Connell hit two free throws to put Duke up 53-52. A Jayhawks turnover allowed Vernon Carey to score inside while drawing a foul with 8:42 to play. His free throw gave Duke a 56-52 lead.
The Blue Devils went six consecutive possessions without scoring and Kansas moved ahead 58-56 with 4:38 to play when Udoka Azubuike slammed home two points and added a free throw.
Hurt ended Duke's scoring drought at 4:54 seconds with a 3-pointer to put Duke up 59-58.
