Michigan State opened its season with two convincing victories at the Breslin Center. Now, the Spartans head to Chicago for a much bigger challenge against a familiar opponent.
No. 5 Michigan State will face No. 2 Duke in the State Farm Champions Classic on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at the United Center. Both teams enter 2-0, with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The Spartans combined for 187 points in wins over Quinnipiac, 96-59, and Toledo, 91-61. Five players are averaging double figures, and nine are scoring at least six points per game, giving Tom Izzo several encouraging performances to build on as he works through his rotation.
Duke, however, will present a different level of difficulty. During his press conference Monday morning, Izzo described the Blue Devils as one of the best Duke teams he has seen in years and a team he considers capable of being the best in the country.
Much of that assessment comes from the Blue Devils’ experience, something Izzo noted has not always been the defining characteristic of Duke’s most talented teams.
