Duke and Michigan State square off in the Champions Classic in Durham.
The college basketball season is off to a great start and it is set to continue this week with the Champions Classic. Traditionally an event that is played as a doubleheader at one site, the pandemic has split up the games, with Duke hosting Michigan State and Kansas taking on Kentucky in Indianapolis.
The matchup in Durham is up first and it should be a fun rematch of 2019’s memorable regional final when the Spartans upset Zion Williamson’s Blue Devils on their way to the Final Four. Duke got a taste of revenge last year when they toppled Michigan State in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge, setting the stage for tonight’s matchup.
Michigan State enters with a 2-0 record after scoring a pair of home victories over Eastern Michigan and Notre Dame. Former Marquette product Joey Hauser had a huge game in the win over the Fighting Irish, racking up 10 points and 16 rebounds as he looks to become the stretch four that the Spartans haven’t had since Jaren Jackson went pro.
The Blue Devils have just one game under their belt to this point, a 10-point win over Coppin State at home. The story for Duke was the brilliant debut of freshman forward Jalen Johnson, who scored 19 points and grabbed 19 rebounds in the win. Fellow freshman D.J. Steward led the Blue Devils with 24 points as Duke’s freshman class looks poised to make some serious noise this season.
This game will offer a huge non-conference test for both programs ahead of next week’s Big Ten-ACC Challenge, when Michigan State takes on Virginia and Duke faces off with Illinois. A win here would really offer a chance to build some serious momentum in the early going.
How to watch and bet on Michigan State at Duke
- Date: Tuesday, Dec. 1
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Durham, NC
- Venue: Cameron Indoor Stadium
- TV: ESPN
- Live Stream: WatchESPN
- Odds: Duke -4.5 (FanDuel)
- Prediction: Duke wins 70-62
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