No. 5 Michigan State meets No. 2 Duke in Chicago's Champions Classic
The gist
No. 5 Michigan State (2-0) faces No. 2 Duke in the Champions Classic at Chicago's United Center on Tuesday.
The early-season matchup is a measuring stick for Tom Izzo's Spartans against a top ACC contender.
How it unfolded
- Nov 2, 2026Michigan State opened the season with a 96-59 home win over Quinnipiac; Jeremy Fears Jr. had 13 points and 11 assists and Anton Bonke had 11 points and 13 rebounds.
- Nov 5, 2026The Spartans beat Toledo 91-61 at the Breslin Center in East Lansing to complete an unbeaten opening week.
- Nov 9, 2026Michigan State (2-0) moved up one spot to No. 5 in the AP Top 25; Florida stayed No. 1, followed by Duke, Illinois, UConn and Michigan State.
Key terms
- Champions Classic
- An annual college basketball event that opens the NCAA Division I men's season, featuring Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, and Michigan State.
- ACC
- A U.S. collegiate athletic conference with eighteen member universities competing in NCAA Division I sports.
- Sweet Sixteen
- Describes a college basketball team suited to the single-elimination NCAA tournament played mostly in March.
Source: Wikipedia