CHICAGO, Ill. — Michigan State knocked off the No. 2 team in the country on Tuesday night, Nov. 10. The fifth-ranked Spartans beat Duke 79-73 at the United Center in the Champions Classic, ending a three-game skid against the Blue Devils.
Defense carried the night. MSU held Duke to 20-of-60 shooting, 33.3%, and just 7-of-27 in the first half. The Blue Devils made only 24.1% from 3-point range and could not turn 18 offensive rebounds into enough points.
Point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. ran the show with a game-high 18 points and 11 assists for a double-double, the 14th of his career. Much of his damage came at the foul line, where he made 12 of 17. Cam Ward added 14 points and six rebounds, and Jasiah Jervis scored 10.
Sophomore forward Jordan Scott did his work at the rim, blocking a career-best six shots and pulling down nine rebounds. Michigan State finished with eight blocks as a team.
The Spartans jumped out 11-2 behind an early 9-0 burst and led 34-25 at halftime. Their lead reached 50-36 on a Fears three-point play with 13:37 left and stood at 64-51 after a Coen Carr put-back dunk.
Duke made it tense late, scoring eight straight to get within 73-68 with just over two minutes to go. Scott answered with a driving layup, and Fears hit free throws down the stretch to close it out.
Michigan State shot 25-of-56 overall and 22-of-27 at the line. The win moved Tom Izzo to 767-310 in his 32nd season, though he is still 4-15 all-time against Duke, and MSU now trails the series 16-5. With Texas Tech also beating No. 3 Illinois the same night, the Spartans look set to climb in the next national rankings.
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