Champions Classic 2014: Michigan State vs Duke Live Radio Broadcast: Blue Devils Can Beat Spartans a 4th Time in a Row
ByThe Michigan State Spartans (19) drew one their toughest opponents of the season for jus their second game of the season in the Duke Blue Devils (4) for the 2014 Champions Classic in Indianapolis.
Mike Krzyzewski and Duke looked strong in two straight blowouts against Presbyterian and Fairfield, but Tom Izzo's Spartans will provide a more apt test. However, Michigan State dropped one place in the AP poll after a 64-59 win over Navy which voters may have thought was too close.
CLICK HERE to listen to the game live via TuneIn. Tip off is set for 7 p.m. ET at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Duke has won three in a row against Michigan State, but they are playing their third game in five days. Having played one game, Michigan State figures to be more rested, even if Duke and their star freshman center Jahlil Okafor is playing in mid-season form.
Okafor dropped 19 points against Presbyterian and 17 against Fairfield while pulling down a total of 15 rebounds. The rest of the Blue Devil offense is also shooting for an efficient .626 field goal percentage early on.
"One of our main things is sharing the ball," Okafor told reporters, according to ESPN. "Everybody's eating right now."
Izzo acknowledged that the game against Navy was too close for comfort, especially since the Spartans held a 13-point lead at one point. He said his team cannot be unprepared against Duke.
"We just weren't very good as a team," Izzo said. "I blame myself. It's my job to get them ready to play and I just don't think we did the things that we needed to do to be successful."
In last year's Champion's Classic, Michigan State beat Kentucky (ranked first overall in two consecutive preseason polls) 78-74 thanks to 35 points from Gary Harris and Adreian Payne.
"It's the best teams in the last 10 years, and we're still included as one of them," Izzo said. "I'm looking at this as our chance to take another step forward in a long season. It's a great way to start off college basketball."