Duke Faces Michigan State in Chicago
Three top 25 matchups feature on Tuesday's college basketball schedule, headlined by a showdown at the United Center.
By Amina Howard ·
No. 2 Duke and No. 5 Michigan State will meet at 7:00 p.m. ET Tuesday at the United Center in Chicago. The game serves as the centerpiece of a Tuesday slate featuring three top 25 matchups, including contests between Illinois and Texas Tech, and Kentucky and Kansas. These early-season games occur as part of the State Farm Champions Classic and other nonconference events that often receive less attention than March Madness.
Duke enters the game with a 2-0 record, while Michigan State is also 2-0. The Blue Devils are favored by 7.5 points with a total of 145.5. Tom Izzo's Spartans retain Jeremy Fears Jr., who led the nation with 9.4 assists per game last season. Coen Carr also returns. The team must replace starting big men Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper. Duke returns four of its top six scorers, including Patrick Ngongba II and Cayden Boozer, and added Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell. Both TeamRankings and KenPom placed Duke first in their Nov. 1 preseason ratings.
Illinois hosts No. 16 Texas Tech at 8:00 p.m. ET on Peacock. Illinois is favored by 2.5 points with a total of 166.5. Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland has taken the Red Raiders to the NCAA Tournament in each of his first three seasons. Star forward JT Toppin is recovering from a torn ACL and targets a return by the end of December. Point guard Christian Anderson left for the NBA. Donovan Atwell returns after making 130 three-pointers last season. Illinois, which reached the Final Four last year, is missing David Mirkovic and Jake Davis due to injuries. The Illini have scored 232 points in their first two games.
No. 24 Kentucky plays No. 15 Kansas at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Kansas is favored by 4.5 points with a total of 158.5. Kansas lost Darryn Peterson to the NBA and Flory Bidunga to Louisville. Tyran Stokes, the nation's top recruit, is on the roster. Guard Melvin Council Jr. broke his foot in practice on Monday and is out for the game. Kentucky added Milan Momcilovic from Iowa State, who shot 48.7% from deep last season. He scored 24 points and hit six three-pointers in Kentucky's opener against Manhattan. Kentucky allowed James Madison to score 80 points in Friday's game.
The analytics models generally favor the higher-seeded teams in these matchups. TeamRankings and KenPom rated Michigan State eighth, Illinois fourth, and Kansas fifth or sixth in their preseason ratings. These numbers suggest the higher-ranked teams are strong contenders despite roster changes. The early season schedule provides a test of these teams against competition other than their own conference members. The games will be broadcast on ESPN and Peacock.
The United Center will host the Duke and Michigan State game. The venue is known for large crowds and significant nonconference basketball events. The other two games will be played in Lubbock and on a neutral or home court not specified in the betting lines. The spread and total lines reflect the betting market's assessment of each team's strength. The games are scheduled for the same evening, allowing fans to watch all three matchups in sequence.
