The Champions Classic is back Tuesday, and Chicago gets another look at the same four heavyweights that have made this event one of college basketball’s signature early-season stages.
Michigan State and Duke open the night at the United Center at 7 p.m. ET, with Kansas and Kentucky set for 9:30 p.m.
ET. Since the event launched in 2011, it has served as an early measuring stick for four of the sport’s most recognizable programs, long before conference play starts to sort things out.
Chicago has now become a familiar stop for the doubleheader. Tuesday marks the fifth time the city has hosted the Champions Classic, with the United Center previously taking in the event in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2023. That ties Madison Square Garden for the most hosting appearances.
What keeps the Champions Classic from feeling like just another November showcase is the kind of moments it has already produced. The event has delivered big wins, statement performances and games that ended up shaping how entire seasons were viewed.
Duke’s 2018 blowout of Kentucky still stands as the loudest example. The Blue Devils rolled to a 118-84 win behind a freshman group led by Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish. That 118-point outburst remains the Champions Classic scoring record, and the 34-point margin is still the largest in the event’s history.
Then there was the 2022 matchup between Michigan State and Kentucky, which went to double overtime and became the only overtime game in the event’s first 15 editions. It was another reminder that even in November, this doubleheader can feel like something bigger.
The same four schools have been part of the Champions Classic from the start, and the collection of hardware and star power they bring is a big part of the appeal. Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and Michigan State have combined for plenty of national championships and a long list of players who became familiar names well beyond campus.
Tuesday won’t decide March, but it will give these teams a chance to make an early impression. In a setting like this, that still matters.
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Manny Diaz Weighs In On A CFP Change Duke Fans Should Watch
As the College Football Playoff moves toward a 24-team format, Manny Diaz is already thinking about what the change could mean for the sport beyond just the bracket itself. The Duke coach said he does not support eliminating conference championships, arguing that a playoff should still begin inside the leagues and reward teams for what they do on the field rather than leave so much to committee judgment.
Diaz also pointed to a likely side effect Duke fans should keep an eye on: the growing uncertainty around bowl games in an expanded playoff era. If more teams are pulled into the postseason picture, those traditional December matchups could lose some of the relevance they have carried for years, even as the postseason itself gets bigger and more inclusive. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Needs One More Scoring Threat To Take Down Duke
Michigan State heads into the Championship Classic with a clear formula in mind: lean on Jeremy Fears to steady the offense, get enough production from the center spot, and keep Duke from dictating the game with its defense. The Spartans have the kind of structure that can make a high-profile nonconference matchup interesting, especially if their key pieces hold up against the pressure that comes with facing a team like Duke.
What Michigan State still needs, though, is one more scorer it can count on when the Blue Devils start taking away the primary options. An additional double-digit threat would go a long way toward making this a real test for Duke, because the margin for error shrinks quickly when the defense is this good. The question now is whether the Spartans can find that extra punch in time to make the matchup far more competitive than it looks on paper. [Read more 🡒]
Mia Minestrella's Winner Put Duke On The Verge Of History
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For a team that had to climb all the way back in one of the biggest comeback wins in ACC Championship history, the night carried more than one layer of significance. Minestrellas latest goal added to a career already packed with big moments, and it left Duke on the verge of history with the tournament still ahead. [Read more 🡒]