The last time Duke came to East Lansing was the final year of Cassius Winston in 2019-20. The result was forgettable for Michigan State, losing on Draymond Green jersey retirement night, 87-75.
It was a rough outing for the Spartans, especially their Hall of Fame head coach.
Tom Izzo’s record vs. Duke is not a good one, sitting at just 2-10 lifetime and he’s lost the last two matchups with the Blue Devils. He’s hoping to add a huge win to his resume and provide the program with vibes that it hasn’t seen since that huge win over Duke in the 2019 NCAA Tournament — OK, last year’s vibes were cool, too.
A win over Duke on Saturday would have Michigan State in the No. 1 conversation.
Let’s get bold.
1. Jeremy Fears Jr. has best game as a Spartan
It feels like every game that Jeremy Fears Jr. plays lately is his best as a Spartan, but I truly believe that Saturday’s contest against Duke is going to have fans feeling very Cassius Winston-y about the sophomore point guard from Illinois.
Fears is going to score 17 points, hit a few big threes, and dish 11 assists with a couple of steals en route to arguably his best game since joining the program.
Not only will he be electric on the floor, but he’s also going to get under Duke’s skin.
2. Cam Ward plays a massive role
After sitting out against Iowa on Tuesday, you just know that Cam Ward is ready to get back out there against Duke and a familiar opponent. According to the Spartan freshman, he’s faced Cameron Boozer plenty of times throughout his high school career, so he’s very familiar with the potential No. 1 pick’s game. I think Tom Izzo is going to rely on him heavily against Boozer.
Many believe that Carson Cooper is going to be tasked with stopping Boozers, but I can see Ward having more success and making more plays on the offensive end, maybe even getting him in foul trouble.
Ward may not be on Duke’s radar as much heading into Saturday’s showdown, but I think the true freshman is going to play the role of hero for Michigan State off the bench.
3. Michigan State out-toughs Duke, wins by 5+
We all know by now that this game is considered a toss-up in Vegas. While I think Michigan State should be a slight favorite, it feels like Vegas is giving us a gift — I’ve even seen Michigan State as a 1.5-point underdog at home in some places.
I just don’t think Izzo is going to let Duke come into his building and leave with a win, especially after seeing what happened the last time the Blue Devils were in East Lansing.
Michigan State is going to play one heck of a game, beating the nation’s No. 4 team, 76-70.