Duke left Chicago with a loss, but not without a couple of useful takeaways.
The Blue Devils dropped a 79-73 decision to No. 5 Michigan State in Tuesday night’s State Farm Champions Classic, and the Spartans were the sharper team throughout. Still, even in a game where Michigan State controlled plenty of the action, Duke found a pair of encouraging signs inside the defeat.
One of them came from the bench, where Drew Scharnowski and Sebastian Wilkins gave Jon Scheyer exactly the kind of low-usage, high-value minutes a team needs when its offense isn’t flowing. Scharnowski is still getting back to 100% health, but he gave Duke a lift in the second half when it needed one most.
In 15 minutes, the Belmont transfer finished with eight points, six rebounds, including three on the offensive glass, two assists, a steal and a block. He has played just 23 total minutes across two games this season, but he looks like he’ll matter on the defensive end as the year moves along.
Wilkins has also carved out a real role early in the season. The redshirt freshman logged 19 minutes and posted nine points, two offensive rebounds and a block, continuing to build his case as one of the more important bench pieces Scheyer has.
That production stood out because Michigan State made life miserable for Duke in the half court. The Spartans repeatedly disrupted the Blue Devils’ sets, and when Duke couldn’t generate clean looks, it had to lean on offensive rebounding and trips to the free-throw line just to stay within striking distance. That wasn’t enough to steal the game, but it did keep Duke alive.
Scheyer pointed directly to Scharnowski and Wilkins after the game.
"I thought what Sebastian gave us and what Drew gave us they were just, they started their roles. You know, they defended, they rebounded, they make extra passes. We need more of that," Scheyer said.
"End of the day, for our group. We have guys that just are used to making their impact through scoring, and so there is going to be an evolution and an adjustment for that. That’s why Sebastian and Drew, they were the only two guys tonight where we won the minutes," Scheyer later added.
That speaks to the bigger challenge with this Duke roster. It’s loaded with options, but that kind of depth brings its own learning curve. Scheyer and his staff are still figuring out which combinations fit best and which lineups can hold up in the biggest moments.
The loss stings, but the Blue Devils still have a chance to stack resume-building wins before the non-conference schedule is over.
In Other News...
Manny Diaz Suddenly Feels Like A Real Florida State Threat
Jake Dickerts contract extension at Wake Forest changed the shape of Florida States coaching search almost overnight, and it pushed Manny Diaz even more firmly into the conversation. Diaz, who is now at Duke and also a Florida State alumnus, has long been a name to watch if the Seminoles ever went looking for a familiar face with Power Four credibility. His resume helps, too: he has a 46-26 record as a head coach and just guided Duke to the ACC championship in 2025.
Florida States hiring of Jeff Purinton as athletic director adds another layer to the speculation, since Purinton has ties to Diaz. With Dickert effectively off the board, the pool of realistic options looks different now, and Diazs profile fits a search that could lean on both familiarity and proven results. For Duke, it is the kind of outside noise that comes with success, especially when a coachs name starts circulating this loudly in another ACC programs opening. [Read more 🡒]
Tom Izzo Had Quite A Message For Duke After This Loss
Michigan States 79-73 preseason win over Duke came with the kind of postgame perspective that only Tom Izzo can deliver. He praised the Blue Devils for the team they put on the floor, while also giving his own group credit for turning in a strong performance in a game that offered an early look at both programs.
Izzo also made sure the moment did not get lost in the shuffle of a basketball exhibition. He pointed back to Michigan States recent football victory over Michigan and framed that as the bigger deal, a reminder that for all the attention a win over Duke can bring, the Spartans had already experienced a different kind of high just days earlier. [Read more 🡒]
Darian Mensah Brings Real Bad Blood Into Miamis Duke Showdown
The buildup to Dukes trip to Miami already had enough juice because of the usual conference stakes, but the subplot around Darian Mensah has given the matchup a sharper edge. Mensah and teammate Cooper Barkate both left Duke for Miami, and the move carried extra weight because Mensah arrived in Coral Gables after leading the FBS in passing completion percentage and landing a significant NIL deal that reportedly created friction in Durham.
Gino Torretta, the former Miami quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner, recently weighed in on the situation, underscoring how much attention this one has drawn beyond the field. Duke even sued to enforce Mensahs NIL agreement before the matter was settled, clearing the way for him to transfer, and now the Blue Devils have to line up against two players who know their former program well and have plenty of reason to make this one feel personal. [Read more 🡒]