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    • Michigan State basketball gears up for No. 1 Kansas, Champions Classic
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    Michigan State basketball gears up for No. 1 Kansas, Champions Classic

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    East Lansing — Not many teams get to play the No. 1 team in the country. Not many teams do that three games into the season.

    It’s a privilege, as Michigan State coach Tom Izzo sees it, for his Spartans to be invited to their 14th straight Champions Classic. MSU takes on No. 1 Kansas on Tuesday night in Atlanta, Georgia, a quick acceleration from its pair of warm-up games against mid-major opponents.

    “There’s nothing like playing for the No. 1 team in the country, that’s a privilege too,” Izzo said. “… As I told my players, I had the opportunity to do it a few times. I’ve been there a few times and it’s a privilege. You can play basketball for many years and never play against the No. 1 team in the country.”

    The Champions Classic – played since 2011 between Kansas, Duke, Kentucky and MSU – is always a battle between college basketball’s best teams. But this year, MSU is confronted the top team.

    Everything MSU thought about itself going into this weekend, it will definitely know after it plays Kansas. Top matchups like this expose the good and the bad. If you look at games as benchmarks, there is no more useful comparison than pitting a team against the team considered the best in the country.

    “This is another opportunity (against) a great team, another opportunity we get to play against them – against Kansas,” MSU point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. said. Thursday. “So just being out there and just testing where our team is. I know we’ll come out and play hard.”

    To add to the circumstances, the size of the event and the quality of the teams create a lot of hype. Players are put in the spotlight, with so much focus on these matchups. That also presents a challenge.

    “It’s always an adventure because you don’t know how they’re going to handle the look they have there,” Izzo said. “Next to a Final Four, it’s a who’s-who event.”

    Guard Jaden Akins added, “Just the environment and the atmosphere, it just feels like a big game.”

    Notably, MSU hasn’t faced such a big matchup. The two exhibitions were against Division II Northern Michigan and Ferris State. The two regular season games were against mid-majors Monmouth and Niagara. It’s a big jump in the league to play against Kansas.

    Kansas, meanwhile, lost to Arkansas in exhibition play — a program now led by former Kentucky coach John Calipari. It also defeated No. 9 North Carolina, 92-89. Not only is Kansas a strong team, but it is also a strong team that has played some strong teams.

    As far as MSU sees it, this game will provide a valuable look at where the team stands at the start of the season – both in terms of the quality of the competition and the pageantry of the Champions Classic.

    ‘Do you want to have a few more matches under your belt? Maybe, but why don’t you find out where you are now?’ Izzo said. “Because we tell them where we think they are, and until it happens, you don’t know if they really see it that way.”

    Players to watch

    ▶ Dajuan Harris Jr., guard: In his sixth season with the Jayhawks, Harris is one of the most experienced point guards in college basketball. He is a conductor who glues the pieces of the Kansas offense together, and the depth and versatility of this roster gives him many tools to work with.

    ▶ Zeke Mayo, guard: After a few strong seasons at South Dakota State, Mayo moved to the bright lights of the Big 12 and has adapted seamlessly. His three-ball was on display in Friday’s win over UNC, where he went 3-for-9, but so was his overall scoring in a 21-point performance. If Niagara gives MSU any trouble on the outside, the Spartans will have to keep an eye on Mayo at all times.

    ▶ AJ Storr, guard: Storr averaged 16.8 points per game last season as a sophomore transfer. Now he is at Kansas and plays for a much deeper team. Storr is a liability on the wing and in the run, where his nose for the rim serves him well.

    ▶ KJ Adams Jr. attacker: Izzo gave Adams high praise as “arguably the biggest key” to Kansas’ roster. He is a gifted passer and playmaker, who Izzo compared to Magic Johnson in that regard. That’s some pretty high praise, but Adams has proven it in his four years at Kansas, including the 2022 national championship.

    ▶ Hunter Dickinson, center: MSU fans probably remember Dickinson’s time at rival Michigan. He’s still pretty much the same player: a guy who can average a double-double while also being doubled. He still shows rough edges when defending the interior, but he’ll have a lot to deal with for MSU’s bigs.

    Keys to the game

    ▶ Go out during the break: Kansas saw a 20-point lead evaporate against UNC in Friday’s narrow victory. Part of the Tar Heels’ success came from getting out in transition and making momentum-turning plays, scoring a total of 17 points on the break. Michigan State has emphasized its fast-break game in its two warmups against Monmouth and Niagara. If it can run through lanes and score, it can tap into a similar source of points.

    ▶ Three-pointer should appear: MSU is shooting 25% from three and thinks the three ball is coming, although it hasn’t quite arrived yet. A 6-for-18 night against Niagara last Thursday was an improved performance. But to keep pace with Kansas, MSU really needs wings Frankie Fidler and Xavier Booker to make their move. Whether it’s a matter of technique or confidence, there’s no room to miss that many chances against Kansas.

    ▶ Boards control the scoreboard: MSU has been good enough at rebounding, but has never seen an individual rebounder as good as Dickinson. Kansas’ offense is so versatile and powerful that the Spartans want to have as many possessions as possible. The key to that is rebounding, not just on MSU’s own glass, but on the other end as well. It will be a war around the edge, and whichever team comes out ahead could very well win this game.

    Classical Champions

    MICHIGAN STATE USA No. 1 KANSAS

    ▶ Tip: 6:35 PM Tuesday, State Farm Arena, Atlanta

    ▶ TV/radio: ESPN/760 AM

    ▶ Facts: Both teams are 2-0

    ▶ Line: Kansas with 6½

    ▶ Outlook: The game will precede Duke-Kentucky, which will begin around 9 p.m…. Michigan State is 5-8 all-time in the Champions Classic, including 2-2 against Kansas. … The Jayhawks are 8-5 all-time in the Champions Classic. …Kansas leads all-time series vs. MSU 8-7 to win the last meeting, 87-74, in the 2021 Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden.

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    @ConnorEaregood

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