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Michigan State Basketball: Preview, prediction vs. Kansas in Champions Classic

By Connor Muldowney

EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 20: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans drives to the basket while defended by Te'Jon Lucas #3 of the Illinois Fighting Illini in the first half at the Breslin Center on February 20, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 20: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans drives to the basket while defended by Te'Jon Lucas #3 of the Illinois Fighting Illini in the first half at the Breslin Center on February 20, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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Opening the season with the annual Champions Classic, Michigan State basketball will get the tough task of facing No. 1 Kansas.

Michigan State and Kansas had some differing luck in the NCAA Tournament a year ago. The Jayhawks made a run to the Final Four under Bill Self, losing to eventual national champion Villanova while the Spartans went 30-5 with a loss to Syracuse in an ugly Round of 32 matchup.

Both teams enter the 2018-19 season with high expectations and they’re each ranked in the top 10 of the preseason AP Top 25. Michigan State starts the season at No. 10, returning the trio of Nick Ward, Cassius Winston and Josh Langford while Kansas brings back Lagerald Vick and Udoka Azubuike along with transfers Charlie Moore, Dedric Lawson and K.J. Lawson.

Self also brings in one of the nation’s top-ranked recruiting classes and his team is ranked No. 1 in the land.

The annual Champions Classic will have some premier matchups, headlined by the Spartans and Jayhawks, but Duke and Kentucky will follow as a top-five matchup.

Can the Spartans pull off the upset of the nation’s No. 1 team or will the Jayhawks prove that returning just two starters won’t hurt their title chances?

Here’s how you can watch Tuesday night’s big game:

Date: Tuesday, Nov. 6
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Indianapolis, Ind.
Venue: Bankers Life Fieldhouse
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN or FuboTV

Keys to Victory

Michigan State must find a way to feed Ward early and often. The offense should run through the big man as the Spartans will attempt to get Udoka Azubuike into some foul trouble and stretch the Jayhawks’ post play thin. Ward must win that matchup in the post if the Spartans are going to have a chance at an upset.

Defensively, the Spartans should force the Jayhawks out to the perimeter. This means that Cassius Winston must be on top of his game, staying in front of transfer Charlie Moore or freshman Devon Dotson. Forcing the Jayhawks to the perimeter could work to their favor, especially since shooting long-range jumpers wasn’t something Kansas did well last season. Smothering defensive inside the arc could be the difference in this one.

Next. MSU basketball: 5 bold predictions for November. dark

Prediction

Michigan State could take advantage of a Kansas team that brings in three transfers and some inexperience with the freshman class. The Jayhawks have plenty of talent coming in, but if it’s not working well enough together, they could find the Champions Classic matchup with Michigan State disastrous, especially against a veteran Spartan team. Winston will come up clutch yet again and Ward dominates in the post as the Spartans steal a win in the opener.

Final Score: Michigan State 73, Kansas 71

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