It’s officially Champions Classic day, and that’s when the season really feels like it’s starting for Michigan State basketball. The Spartans already have a top-15 win under their belts, but this is when the schedule really gets tough — MSU still plays North Carolina and Duke after Kentucky.
The Wildcats are 3-1 on the season with a few wins over mediocre teams. Still, Mark Pope’s team is going to be one of the best in the SEC once again.
Now it’s time to get bold ahead of yet another Top 25 matchup.
1. Jaxon Kohler grabs 15 boards again
Tom Izzo made sure to rip into his veteran leaders after beating San Jose State last week, noting that some of his older guys didn’t take the second half seriously enough.
I’d agree.
But I think Kohler is going to answer the call against arguably the best rebounding team he’ll face until Big Ten play. Kentucky averages 48 boards per game but Kohler is one of the best the Big Ten has to offer, averaging 13.3 rebounds per game and coming off a performance in which he secured 18.
Kohler is going to be aggressive on the glass again, showing up for the biggest game of the season thus far and picking up 15-plus rebounds for a second straight game. Will it be enough, though? We’ll see.
2. Kur Teng makes another statement
Sometimes all a shooter needs is to see the ball go in the hoop one time. For Kur Teng, it felt like the shots would never fall through the first two games, and he was effectively sent to the bench and replaced in the starting lineup by veteran transfer Trey Fort.
No one has separated themselves as the best two-guard option, though.
Teng made a statement against San Jose State, however, hitting a couple of threes and finishing with a career-high 10 points. He looked confident and didn’t shy away
3. Michigan State pulls off the “upset”
Michigan State is 2-2 against Kentucky in the Champions Classic since its induction, and the last time these two teams met, the Spartans won a thriller in double-overtime thanks to some impeccable play calls near the end of regulation and overtime.
Entering Tuesday’s battle, Kentucky is favored by 5.5 points, and I don’t know if that’s all that fair considering the Spartans have a top-15 win already and the Wildcats have beaten just Nicholls, Valparaiso, and Eastern Illinois. Vegas must believe that the talent difference is fairly noticeable.
I see this game being another thriller. Michigan State has given Kentucky some great battles, and this year will be no different. Mark Pope is a good coach and will have his team ready, but I think we’re about to see an Izzo masterclass, especially after that second-half disaster against SJSU.
Michigan State wins by two.