Champions Classic analysis: Duke-Kansas, Kentucky-Michigan State

The 15th edition of Champions Classic ended with wins for the Michigan State Spartans and Duke Blue Devils, with the Kentucky Wildcats and Kansas Jayhawks on the other side of those respective results.

The Spartans dominated the Wildcats in the first game of the night at Madison Square Garden, running away with a 17-point victory. The second contest was a closer affair — until it wasn’t, and the No. 5 Blue Devils sealed the 12-point win.

What did we learn from both matchups? ESPN’s college basketball reporter Myron Medcalf and NBA draft analyst Jeremy Woo break down what they’re taking away from a star-studded night in New York City.

Champions Classic takeaways

How Duke won: It wasn’t always pretty for the Blue Devils. Although they faced a Kansas team without Darryn Peterson, ESPN’s projected No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, Jon Scheyer’s young squad needed a little time to regain its poise under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden. With a 7-for-26 (27%) finish from beyond the arc, Duke’s passing ability played a significant role in this victory. Kansas pressured Cameron Boozer every time he touched the ball, and his 3-for-13 start in the first half showed it. But over the course of the game, Boozer used that pressure to find teammates who were open on the perimeter or players who would cut to the basket.

Overall, Duke finished with 17 assists on 27 field goals. The Blue Devils also did a good job of forcing tough shots, even as Kansas kept the game close without their best player. And finally, when the shots weren’t falling, Duke used its talent to draw fouls (26 free throw attempts) and find other ways to score. — Medcalf

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Flory Bidunga throws down a reverse dunk for Kansas

Flory Bidunga throws down an unbelievable reverse dunk for the Jayhawks vs. the Blue Devils.

What the loss means for Kansas: The Jayhawks just need Peterson to get healthy. He was great in his team’s exhibition against Louisville (21 points in a 22-minute stretch) and he scored 22 points in the loss to North Carolina. But he’s also a freshman star who has only played two games this year, and it’s fair to wonder if we’ve ever seen him fully healthy this season. (Kansas did say he’ll be reevaluated at the end of the week.)

There were positives for the Jayhawks on Tuesday, even with Peterson sidelined. Flory Bidunga had dominant moments, and veterans Tre White and Melvin Council Jr. helped keep this a one-possession game with five minutes to play. Duke has the makeup of a Final Four team — the talent, too (the Blue Devils have five players in ESPN’s latest NBA mock draft) — and Kansas still managed to joust with them. The loss suggests that a fully healthy Jayhawks team could be a real contender. It’s just unclear when we might actually see that squad with the uncertainty around Peterson. — Medcalf

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Cam Boozer’s dart sets up an Isaiah Evans jam

The Duke faithful love Cameron Boozer’s downcourt pass to Isaiah Evans for an epic Duke dunk vs. Kansas.

Is Boozer a contender to be the No. 1 draft pick? With the prospects of a head-to-head matchup with Peterson squashed, the Champions Classic put Boozer under the microscope, with much of the NBA in attendance. He led Duke with 18 points and 10 rebounds, consistently made great passes and played a large role in the win — but his performance also laid bare the concerns some NBA evaluators have about his explosiveness and how well his interior play will translate at the next level.

Undersized for an NBA power forward and not a prolific shot-blocker, Boozer struggled at times to finish plays against Bidunga, who was highly active in the paint with twitchy athleticism and worked to disrupt and contest every shot. Boozer isn’t quick off the floor and lacks elite length to get great extension around the basket. His toughness was on display despite those struggles — he doesn’t shy away from contact and wasn’t rattled.

But it wasn’t the type of showing that moves the needle from a draft projection perspective, and teams will continue to pay attention as he navigates games against teams that can match him physically. — Woo

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Highlight: Kentucky falls to Michigan State in Champions Classic

The Wildcats shoot 35 percent from the field against the Spartans’ 50 percent as they struggle to keep up in the 83-66 loss in Madison Square Garden.

How Michigan State won: Kentucky coach Mark Pope probably knew it would be a long night when sophomore guard Kur Teng (15 points) — who scored just 10 points over 55 minutes of playing time all of last season — hit an off-balanced shot with seconds to play in the first half. The buzzer shot capped a 30-10 Michigan State run that broke Kentucky’s will. Jaxon Kohler (20 points) outclassed Kentucky’s frontcourt, and the Spartans, who had shot 21.7% from 3-point range (352nd out of 365 Division I teams) entering the season, made 52% of those shots Tuesday night. Tom Izzo also managed to stall the Wildcats’ fast-paced offense (ranked eighth in adjusted offensive efficiency entering the night).

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Kur Teng’s 3rd triple pads Michigan State’s lead

Kur Teng’s 3rd triple pads Michigan State’s lead

It was like watching a balloon slowly deflate as Izzo’s squad robbed Kentucky, a dangerous team in transition, of its greatest asset. Overall, Michigan State’s hot shooting, defensive strategy and toughness (Kentucky didn’t have an offensive rebound in the first 10 minutes) fueled the 17-point win. — Medcalf

What the loss means for Kentucky: Is something wrong with Kentucky? After last week’s loss to Louisville, Pope said something had happened with his team before the game, though refused to offer any details. Another lackluster performance will only lead to more speculation: Drama? A fight? Another major issue?

Kentucky’s strategy entering this game made sense. The Wildcats tried to push the pace, where they excel — but Michigan State wouldn’t allow it. They packed the paint against a team that had failed to make 3-pointers — Michigan State made 3s.

But Kentucky really struggled to score in its half-court sets, also a problem against Louisville. It also had far too many mishaps on defense. Foul trouble for Collin Chandler, the team’s leading scorer, didn’t help. Yet, the question about Kentucky’s locker room and whether there are issues outside basketball will persist. –Medcalf