Overview
- No. 17 Michigan State beat No. 12 Kentucky 83-66 in the Champions Classic opener at Madison Square Garden, moving to 4-0.
- Jaxon Kohler led the Spartans with 20 points, Kur Teng added a career-high 15 off the bench, and Jeremy Fears Jr. tallied 13 assists.
- Michigan State shot 11-for-22 from three and controlled the boards 42-28 after entering as one of Division I’s worst 3-point shooting teams.
- Kentucky shot 35% overall and 7-for-30 from deep, dropped to 3-2, and was without point guard Jaland Lowe as center Jayden Quaintance continues ACL rehab.
- The showcase also featured Duke vs. Kansas, with KU freshman Darryn Peterson still out with a hamstring issue, while Duke’s Cameron Boozer remains a top-prospect focus after a recent 35-point, 12-rebound, 5-assist performance.