Michigan State Basketball: What to expect from Duke in Game 3

Michigan State basketball has looked good in its opening two games. Can the Spartans keep it going against an interesting Duke team?

Here is the bottom line about Duke, if the Blue Devils are hitting their threes, they can beat anyone. If not, MSU blows them out.

Michigan State is a balanced team and with the addition of Joey Hauser, the Spartans are looking like a threat for a drive to the Final Four. Duke can be a streaky team and Coach K may not know exactly what he has yet.

Duke sophomore Matthew Hurt is a player who changes the scope of the game. He’s a great 3-point shooter. Duke wants to stretch the floor and he can do just that. He’s a key player to watch.

Another player to watch is Jalen Johnson, a freshman forward. He is a natural leader and as he goes, so does Duke. Keep your eye on him. Aaron Henry would be a great matchup against him. Locking him down would go a long way for a Spartan victory.

Duke guard DJ Steward was a surprise — maybe not to himself — against Coppin State. It’s the old adage ‘he is on the bench for a reason’. It could have been his breakout game with 24 points on 4-for-9 three-point shooting or he’s a pure shooter who you cannot forget about on the floor — or both. Tom Izzo is well aware of who he is and will have someone capable locking him up at all times.

Duke, in my opinion, does not have a dominant low post player. Johnson might develop into that but this is early in the season. My prediction is Michigan State wins 84-65.

MSU gets a blowout. Duke will end up being really good. This is a case of MSU catching them at the right time. This Duke team, in my opinion, will be better than the Zion Williamson team. They are balanced and have great role players.

However, Michigan State is better than advertised. The Spartans are front-runners. Again, the key to a Duke win is if they are dropping dimes from the three and MSU has to defend it.