Champions Classic: Why Duke, Michigan State, Kansas and Kentucky each
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Myron Medcalf, ESPN
- Staff WriterNov 14, 2023, 07:30 AM ET Close Covers college basketball Joined ESPN.com in 2011
- Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato
For many years, Jon Scheyer enjoyed from the sidelines as Mike Krzyzewski led Duke versus the premier teams in college basketball.But Scheyer has actually put his stamp on Duke’s program in his second season as head coach. With a current commitment from five-star prospect Cooper Flagg, a potential No. 1 choice in the 2025 NBA draft, the 36-year-old head coach showed he can position Duke to continue contending for more national titles. That’s considerable. With an icon like Krzyzewski connected to the program, there were issues Scheyer couldn’t escape that shadow.Now this is beginning to look like Scheyer’s program. He has actually embraced the name, image and likeness (NIL )era. He wants to take players from the transfer website if they can assist him win. And he has leaned into the appreciation and the doubts he’s come across considering that he prospered among the greatest coaches in college basketball history.Editor’s Picks 2 Related A win over Michigan State and Tom Izzo in
the Champions Classic
Tuesday(7
p.m. ET, ESPN )would strengthen this brand-new era at Duke. Scheyer is the youngest coach in the field, which likewise includes Kansas’ Costs Self and Kentucky’s John Calipari, whose groups will square off in the nightcap(9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN). However Scheyer has actually displayed the self-confidence to suggest that he, too, can stay up to date with the best coaches in the game.As we get set for a matchup of 4 of the most popular programs in the sport, here’s why each of these coaches and their teams will– and will not– win tonight.7 p.m. ET, ESPN Odds courtesy of ESPN BET: Duke(-2.5)
play 2:08 Kyle Filipowski scores 25 in Duke’s season opener Kyle Filipowski scores
25 points to assist lead Duke to a 92-54 victory against Dartmouth on Monday
night. How the Blue Devils will win: With an effective effort from their backcourt. Kyle Filipowski is a Wooden Award contender and future NBA player. We currently know what he will bring: He had 25 points, 8 rebounds and 1 block in the 78-73 home loss to Arizona on Friday. In the same game, though, Jeremy Roach, Jared McCain and Tyrese Proctor integrated to score 34 points on a 12-for-31 clip( 5-for-14 from the 3-point line ). The trio needs to be much better general to beat a team like Michigan State at the Champions Classic.How heaven Devils will lose: By giving up baskets around the rim. In the group’s 92-54 season-opening win over Dartmouth recently, Dusan Neskovic (23 points)injure heaven Devils inside on numerous shots around the rim off back cuts. Days later, Oumar Ballo ended up 6-for-12( 13 points)inside the arc in Arizona’s win. If the Spartans assault the rim without much of an obstacle, the Blue Devils could leave Chicago with another loss. play 1:18 Tom Izzo not afraid to change beginning lineup after being up to James Madison Tom Izzo discusses what changes need to be made after Michigan State was distressed
in your home by James Madison. How the Spartans will win: With strong defense from Mady Sissoko against Filipowski and a return to the shooting success they had last season. Yes, 3-point ace Joey Hauser is gone, but three players
who made at least 36 %of their shots from beyond the arc in Big Ten play a season back– A.J. Hoggard, Tyson Walker, Jaden Akins– have actually returned. Michigan State should not be as cold as it has been to begin 2023-24. How the Spartans will lose: The shots do not fall. Last season, MSU had a 39.3 %clip from the 3-point line, the No. 3 mark in America. Through its very first two games of this season, Izzo’s group is simply 2-for-31.
With Joey Hauser on the court last season, the team connected on 41% of its threes, per hooplens.com. Hauser’s size and range created spacing on the floor that Michigan State has actually apparently lost so far this season. A continuation of the shooting dry spell might harm the Spartans versus Duke the way it performed in their season-opening loss to James Madison.Tuesday, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN Chances thanks to ESPN BET: Kansas( -4.5) play 1:32 Dickinson, McCullar combine for huge 1st half for Kansas Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr. transport theirinner Splash Brothers, as they drop a combined 32 points in the first half for the Jayhawks. How the Jayhawks will win: Kansas
is having fun with an offensive firepower that’s unrivaled in college basketball so far. The existence of Hunter Dickinson (19.5 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.5 BPG, 4-for-4 from 3
through two games )has actually produced a spacing for Costs Self’s offense that makes the Jayhawks a complicated matchup for any team in America. They’ve scored 188 points integrated in their very first two games. They’ll face a young Kentucky team that might not be gotten ready for KU’s offensive attack.How the Jayhawks will lose: They can’t handle the specific matchups they’ll see in the game. Justin Edwards, D.J. Wagner and Rob Dillingham are all predicted first-round picks in the 2024 NBA draft. And when John Calipari has elite playmakers, his groups are always dangerous. Through a pair of games, UK is ranked as”exceptional”versus man-to-man defense on Synergy Sports. The Wildcats have the edge in NBA prospects in this game, which might be a choosing factor Tuesday night. play 0:17 D.J. Wagner gets the take and score for Kentucky D.J. Wagner gets the take and score for Kentucky. How the Wildcats will win: Since of D.J. Wagner. The five-star freshman, who invested a portion of his high school career ranked as the No. 1 prospect in his class, will be the key versus a Kansas squad anchored by veteran
guard Dajuan Harris Jr., who assisted the group win the 2022 nationwide title. Wagner has to match Harris’energy and his effort. He likewise has to manage the pace of this game and avoid pricey turnovers. The skill around him will look after the rest.How the Wildcats will lose: There aren’t enough big bodies to toss at Dickinson. That needs to be a concern as Kentucky prepares to deal with the 7-footer and Wood Award contender. By including big guys Aaron Bradshaw, Ugonna Onyenso and Zvonimir Ivisic this offseason, Calipari anticipated to have the size for this type of match. But all 3 players are anticipated to be unavailable on Tuesday. Bradshaw and Onyenso are dealing with injuries, and Ivisic’s eligibility procedure is continuous. Although 6-foot-9 West Virginia transfer Tre Mitchell will bring the load for the Wildcats in the paint, a lack of frontcourt depth could cause problems for Kentucky.