5 takeaways, storylines and conclusions from the 2025 Champions Classic

OK, perhaps the Champions Classic didn’t wow with tight video games. Michigan State over Kentucky by 17 factors, Duke over Kansas by 12, and there was not one lead change within the second half all Tuesday evening at Madison Square Garden. But there have been unmistakable messages despatched.

Such as…

Old college is alive and effectively in East Lansing, Michigan.

Tom Izzo’s distaste for the brand new world of faculty basketball with its overheated switch portal is widespread information in each nook of the game. But he’s nonetheless doing it his manner. Four of Michigan State’s 5 starters towards Kentucky had been Spartans final season, and the cohesiveness helped roll over the Wildcats. It didn’t damage that MSU made a couple of 3-pointers for a change, both.

How’s this for a crew method? The Spartans had 25 assists on 32 baskets. They had 25 on 28 the sport earlier than. For the season, it’s 86 of 110. Point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. had as many assists by himself Tuesday evening (13) as your complete Kentucky crew. And solely two turnovers. Plus, there have been the same old all fingers on deck for rebounding — 42-28 over the Wildcats — and protection. Kentucky shot solely 27.6% the primary half when the sport obtained away for good.

Maybe continuity can nonetheless imply one thing in faculty basketball. There’s a 70-year-old coach with one thing to say about that.

“How about 100 frickin’ percent?” MSU coach Izzo mentioned. “Homegrown, people that are playing for (the) name on the front of their jersey because they know the name on the front of their jersey. People that care about the place they’re at and players they’re with.”

“Transfer portal recruitment is sort of greater than profitable video games. Not at Michigan State.”

“I don’t quit on the folks I’ve obtained. That’s what you name improvement, that’s what you name working with gamers…their loyalty to me has obtained to me my loyalty to them, and loyalty nonetheless frickin’ issues.”

So does capturing. Michigan State might already play protection and rebound, but when the Spartans can fill it up like this, that’s a storm warning to the Big Ten. They shredded Kentucky by hitting 11 of twenty-two from the 3-point line, together with seven of their first 11. That just about had the Wildcats in early full retreat. Michigan State got here into the sport 358th within the nation in 3-point capturing at 21.7%.

LATEST RANKINGS: Illinois, Louisville surge into high 10 of latest Power 37 rankings

“We aren’t that good because we don’t shoot the ball that well,” Izzo mentioned. “They aren’t that bad because they do shoot the ball well and missed a lot of shots.”

Maybe, however Michigan State was on a tear Tuesday evening and is now 4-0, together with 2-0 towards the SEC with wins over Arkansas and Kentucky, doing it Izzo’s manner, sticking along with his guys. Take Kur Teng. The sophomore got here off the bench Tuesday to attain 15 factors in 18 minutes. He performed 59 minutes his complete freshman season and had 10 complete factors.

“I’m just going to keep hanging in there,” Izzo mentioned of his strategies, “until it doesn’t work.”

Is one thing amiss with Kentucky?

The Wildcats have misplaced two of their first 5 video games, however since they had been at Louisville and towards Michigan State, defeat was not unduly alarming. But they had been down 24 factors to Michigan State and 20 to Louisville, that’s. How dangerous wouldn’t it have been Tuesday had not Kentucky held a 19-8 benefit in free throws?

The Wildcats have been balanced, anyway. Otega Oweh grew to become the fifth completely different participant to steer them in scoring in 5 video games Tuesday. But is that excellent news or dangerous? They might use some constant star energy. Oweh was named SEC preseason participant of the yr, however he’s capturing 29% from 3, has as many turnovers as assists and carries a modest scoring common of 12.8. Kentucky might use some louder numbers from him. Kentucky might use numerous issues, one thing completely understood by its annoyed coach.

“We’re distant from the crew we hope and aspire to be, and we won’t waste a second on attempting to develop into that,” Kentucky coach Mark Pope said Tuesday night after an extended locker room session with his team. “We’re upset and discouraged and utterly discombobulated proper now.”

“My message isn’t resonating with the guys right now. That’s my responsibility.”

Darryn Peterson owns probably the most scrutinized hamstring within the state of Kansas.

Until the Jayhawks’ phenom heals, it’ll be not possible to get a correct learn on Kansas. Peterson scored 21 and 22 factors in his first two faculty begins, however he’s needed to watch from the bench the previous three video games. Without him, the Jayhawks stayed within the sport towards Duke with 22 factors from Tre White, regardless of being outrebounded 41-30. But ethical victories solely go to this point. That makes them 0-2 on Tobacco Road this season, shedding to North Carolina and the Blue Devils, by 13 and 12 factors.

“We’ve got to go out there and play better without (Peterson) if we don’t have him,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “Until he’s healthy 100% and he’s not feeling pain, we’re not going to put him out there.”

“I informed the fellows I’m not leaving out of right here discouraged. We fought. We simply must tighten some issues up. I believe they’d agree. There are some issues that we obtained to do to tighten as much as change into a very good crew. And if we are able to try this, we’ll be a significantly better crew every time we’ve all fingers on deck.”

MUST-SEE MATCHUPS: Top 10 males’s basketball video games to look at this week, in keeping with Andy Katz

The journey of Cameron Boozer goes to be fascinating to look at, and his twin brother, too.

True, Duke’s star freshman began 3 for 11 towards Kansas, however shouldn’t an 18-year-old be allowed a couple of shaky moments his first sport in Madison Square Garden?

“This place is different,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer mentioned. “I thought he did a really good job handling that.”

Boozer completed with 18 factors, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Yeah, that’ll do for a Broadway debut. Just wait until he will get used to this faculty stuff. His brother Cayden scored seven Duke factors in a row within the second half to maintain issues transferring alongside.

Overall, Duke had a stable exhibiting from a younger crew with a freshman on the head of the parade. The Blue Devils are 5-0, with all 5 wins by at the least 12 factors, capturing practically 50% whereas out-rebounding opponents by practically 12 a sport. They have but to path within the second half. And right here’s the scary half, in keeping with Scheyer: “I think the room for us to grow is as big as any team in the country.”

This blue-blooded quartet is just not fairly as dominant nowadays.

Per the newest AP ballot, they clocked into work Tuesday evening as No. 5 Duke, No. 12 Kentucky, No. 19 Michigan State and No. 24 Kansas. Certainly a powerful area, nevertheless it’s the primary time in its 15-year historical past the Champions Classic didn’t have at the least two top-10 members. In 2019, Michigan State, Kentucky, Kansas and Duke got here into the occasion Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4. There are numerous new faces crowding into the polls now.

Duke’s youth, Kansas’ well being, Kentucky’s wobbles, Michigan State’s strategies. As aways, the Champions Classic was a glimpse, on a highway barely began.