headtopics
The No. 5 Michigan State Spartans are set to encounter their first genuine test of the regular season, and it promises to be a substantial one. They will square off against the Duke Blue Devils at the United Center in Chicago as part of the annual Champions Classic. The game is scheduled to tip off at approximately 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN.
Both squads have performed largely as anticipated thus far. The Spartans handled their first two opponents at home, while the Blue Devils opened their regular season with a pair of home games against weaker competition, defeating Army and Coastal Carolina. Neither team has faced a demanding schedule yet, though Michigan State's two buy games were slightly more challenging than Duke's. The average KenPom ranking of Quinnipiac and Toledo, MSU's opponents, is 188.5, compared to 297 for Army and Coastal Carolina. Nevertheless, Duke won those two games with ease, by margins of 34 and 51 points, respectively—exactly what a legitimate national championship contender should do against low-major foes.
The Blue Devils also played exhibition games, and head coach Jon Scheyer followed a similar blueprint to Tom Izzo's: an easy home game, a big home game, and then a road game. Duke started by brushing aside Belmont, but then delivered impressive performances by dismantling Tennessee and winning at Kansas. While exhibition results should be taken with a grain of salt—just like Michigan State's losses to UConn and Marquette—beating a respected SEC team by 39 points and winning at Allen Fieldhouse clearly signals that the Blue Devils are elite, as they have been in recent years.
Key Analysis
This game represents a significant challenge for Michigan State's frontcourt, which has yet to receive consistent production at the power forward and center positions. The Spartans' first two opponents haven't exposed those concerns, but Duke will likely target that area. The Blue Devils boast two of their best players at center: Patrick Ngongba II, who has been their top performer with averages of 19.0 points and 8.5 rebounds, and elite freshman Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, who is contributing 12.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks in just 19.0 minutes per game. Ngongba provides muscle at 6-foot-11 and 250 pounds, while Boumtje Boumtje offers size and athleticism at 7-foot-2. Both big men can also shoot from beyond the arc. Boumtje Boumtje, who is only 17 and not yet NBA draft-eligible, might be the top pick in a future draft.
Duke's backcourt is equally talented, featuring point guard Cayden Boozer, Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell at shooting guard, and Dame Sarr on the wing. Blackwell, a Michigan native, has averaged 13.8 points per game in five career matchups against MSU, including a 24-point outburst with the Badgers last season. He will be a key focus for the Spartans' defense, presenting a tough assignment for freshman guard Jeremy Fears Jr.
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo has structured the non-conference schedule thoughtfully, mixing challenging games with confidence-builders against low- and mid-major opponents. After this game, the Spartans will host Northern Iowa on Friday before traveling to Tennessee. However, Duke's overwhelming talent may be too much to handle in this early-season November matchup, where teams are still finding their identity. The Spartans will likely keep it competitive, but the Blue Devils may continue to be a thorn in MSU's side.
Originally reported by headtopics.