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Michigan State basketball will host Duke for first time since 2003-04

By Connor Muldowney

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 31: Xavier Tillman #23 of the Michigan State Spartans is defended by Javin DeLaurier #12 of the Duke Blue Devils during the second half in the East Regional game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 31, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 31: Xavier Tillman #23 of the Michigan State Spartans is defended by Javin DeLaurier #12 of the Duke Blue Devils during the second half in the East Regional game of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Capital One Arena on March 31, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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For the first time since the 2003-04 season, Michigan State basketball will play host to Duke as part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

Michigan State will be in relatively unfamiliar territory when it takes on Duke in 2019-20. No, this isn’t an unfamiliar foe, but the Spartans haven’t hosted a Mike Krzyzewski-coached Blue Devils team since the 2003-04 season.

According to a press release, the Blue Devils will travel to East Lansing for the first time in over 15 years to take on the Spartans in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

In case you’re wondering, the last time Duke came to the Breslin Center, it wasn’t pretty. The Spartans just didn’t have the firepower to hang with the No. 6-ranked Blue Devils as Duke ran away with a 72-50 win. That was a forgettable season for the Spartans who finished 18-12 with a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Nevada.

Tom Izzo’s all-time record against Coach K isn’t great, but it improved by one win in the 2019 NCAA Tournament as the Spartans shocked No. 1 overall seed Duke in the Elite Eight to advance to another Final Four.

Coming off that big win and essentially the same team — minus Nick Ward, Kenny Goins and Matt McQuaid — returning, Michigan State feels as if it has momentum and can finally hang with the Blue Devils after being dominated for years.

Cassius Winston will be a favorite for national player of the year and he’ll have his hands full with Tre Jones again, but Michigan State will be favored in this contest, presumably.

Next. MSU Football: 10 post-spring bold predictions for 2019. dark

Can the Spartans put together their first-ever two-game win streak against Duke under Izzo?

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