EAST LANSING ~ No. 5 Michigan State defeated No. 3 Duke 79-73 in the Champions Classic in Chicago on Tuesday night. The Spartans controlled the game for much of the night, while their defense prevented the Blue Devils from catching up.
The starting lineup helped establish an early 11-2 advantage. Jeremy Fears Jr. finished with a game-high 18 points, while Cam Ward added 14 points off the bench. Contributions from throughout the rotation helped Michigan State sustain its pace over 40 minutes.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
(CONTINUED) Though MSU never surrendered the lead, the margin tightened as Duke found its rhythm and drew fouls. Jordan Scott impacted both ends of the floor as the Blue Devils made their late push. He ended a three-minute scoring drought with a driving layup and anchored the Spartans defensively, finishing with six blocks, nine rebounds, and two steals.
The Champions Classic victory marked a rare regular-season win for Michigan State over Duke. The Spartans improved to 5-10 all-time against the Blue Devils and earned their first win over a ranked opponent this season. Michigan State will return home with an early reputation-building victory and momentum as Big Ten play approaches.
