Champions Classic: Michigan State Beats Duke, Kansas Routs Kentucky
Jeremy Fears Jr. and a suffocating defense took down No. 2 Duke, then Tre White and Tyran Stokes ran Kentucky out of the United Center.
The 2026 Champions Classic delivered two statements in one night. No. 5 Michigan State led No. 2 Duke from start to finish in a 79-73 win, then No. 15 Kansas ran No. 24 Kentucky off the floor 89-69 in the nightcap Tuesday at the United Center in Chicago.
Both winners moved to 3-0. Duke and Kentucky each fell to 2-1.
Michigan State 79, Duke 73: Jeremy Fears Jr. runs the show
Jeremy Fears Jr. finished with 18 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds, according to the AP recap. That’s a big turnaround for a preseason All-American who went 0 for 10 from the field against Duke last December, as ESPN pointed out before the game. He had eight assists by halftime.
NO. 5 MICHIGAN STATE MAKES A STATEMENT 💪
The Spartans lead wire-to-wire in a Champions Classic win over No. 2 Duke 🟢⚪️ pic.twitter.com/s98N3gPVvi
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) November 11, 2026
The real story was Tom Izzo’s defense. Michigan State held Duke to 20-of-60 shooting (33.3%) and forced 13 turnovers. The Blue Devils, who had averaged 98.5 points in blowouts of Army and Coastal Carolina, made just 7 of their first 27 shots and trailed 34-25 at the half.
Sophomore Jordan Scott was the surprise. He blocked six shots, more than half of Michigan State’s eight, and added two steals. He also made the play that ended Duke’s last push: after Caleb Foster’s free throws cut it to 73-68 with 2:03 left, Scott answered with a driving layup.
Cam Ward scored 14 for the Spartans. Duke got 17 from John Blackwell and 11 from Patrick Ngongba II, and went just 26 for 37 at the free throw line. It was Michigan State’s first win over Duke since Dec. 1, 2020.
Kansas 89, Kentucky 69: Tyran Stokes makes it personal
Kentucky made its first five shots of the second game. It didn’t stay close for long. Tre White scored a career-high 30 points on 11-of-16 shooting, and freshman Tyran Stokes had 23 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
NO. 15 KANSAS ROUTS NO. 24 KENTUCKY 🤯
The Jayhawks put up a dominant display to close out the 2026 Champions Classic 🤩 pic.twitter.com/wef117WcRZ
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) November 11, 2026
Stokes, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2027 NBA draft, grew up in Louisville and came down to Kansas and Kentucky in his recruitment. After the game he told ESPN the matchup was “personal for sure.” With NBA scouts filling the building, he played like it.
Kansas led 46-36 at halftime, then put it away with a 12-0 run that White capped to make it 63-41 with 15 minutes left. The lead reached 23. The Jayhawks scored 22 points off 15 Kentucky turnovers, On3’s Kentucky site reported, while Kentucky got nothing off Kansas’ 10.
Zoom Diallo led Kentucky with 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting, and Malachi Moreno had 19 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, much of it after the game was decided. Milan Momcilovic, a 3-point threat coming in, was held to five points.
What the Champions Classic told us
| Team | Result | Record | Up next |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan State | W 79-73 vs. Duke | 3-0 | vs. Northern Iowa, Friday |
| Duke | L 79-73 vs. Michigan State | 2-1 | vs. SIU Edwardsville, Friday |
| Kansas | W 89-69 vs. Kentucky | 3-0 | vs. UNLV in Las Vegas, next Tuesday |
| Kentucky | L 89-69 vs. Kansas | 2-1 | vs. Northern Arizona, Friday |
Michigan State is a real contender. Izzo has a point guard who can run a top-five offense and a defense that made one of the country’s most talented rosters look ordinary. The Spartans also have Tennessee and Arkansas on the schedule before the end of November, so the test isn’t over.
Duke has a half-court problem. The Blue Devils came in ranked in the top 10 nationally in both block and steal percentage, per ESPN, and their defense was fine. But 33% shooting against a physical team in a neutral building is a warning sign for a team ESPN listed among the national title favorites.
Kansas may have the best player in the country. Stokes and White combined for 53 points, and Kansas did it with Melvin Council Jr. out with a broken right foot. The win also made Kansas the first program to reach 10 Champions Classic victories.
Kentucky’s season just got harder. Mark Pope’s team gave up 22 points off turnovers and lost by 20 to the program that won the Stokes recruitment. Friday’s game against Northern Arizona is a chance to reset, but the questions will follow the Wildcats into December.
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Sources: AP (2), ESPN (2), NBC Sports, On3, R1S1 Sports