The 14th annual Champions Classic on Tuesday in Atlanta will spotlight early college basketball with a doubleheader between No. 1 Kansas and unranked Michigan State.
The tournament, which also includes No. 7 Duke and No. 23 Kentucky, will be held in Atlanta for the first time since 2012 at the Georgia Dome. The 2024 edition will feature the nation’s top teams, but it’s nothing new for the Jayhawks and Spartans to seek early majors.
Kansas (2-0) defeated Howard 87-57 in the season opener on Nov. 4 and defeated No. 9 North Carolina 92-89 on Friday. The Jayhawks erased a 20-point lead in the first half in their home game against the Tar Heels, but scored the final five points to earn their first win of the season.
South Dakota State transfer guard Zeke Mayo led Kansas with 21 points off the bench, and fifth-year senior Hunter Dickinson had 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Mayo, a native of Lawrence, Kansas, was named Summit League Player of the Year last season and leads his new team in scoring with an average of 20 points per game.
“(Zeke) responded to the opportunity beautifully,” Kansas coach Bill Self said Friday of his performance. “He was great. He made some plays off the bounce and it was just great. He was great. We needed everything he gave us.”
In addition to Mayo, Dickinson, who was named the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year, and KJ Adams Jr. return to the Jayhawks, averaging 18 and 10.5 points per game, respectively. Kansas has an overall record of 8 wins and 5 losses, including 2 wins and 2 losses against the Spartans in the Champions Classic.
The two teams last met in 2021, with Kansas winning 87-74.
Although his team has the advantage in Tuesday’s game, Self knows not to underestimate Tom Izzo’s team.
“Playing with Tom’s team is different because he plays more sets than anyone in the country,” Self said. “It’s going to be a multi-day reconnaissance once we get the guys ready.”
The Spartans (2-0) have defeated two inferior opponents this season, defeating Monmouth 81-57 and Niagara 96-60. Michigan State’s top two scorers are Jaden Akins (16.5 points per game) and Jackson Kohler (12.5 points), both of whom are returnees.
Kohler had 20 points and 13 rebounds in a lopsided win against Niagara, but Izzo knows Tuesday will be different.
“We were able to get the ball inside and out. We were able to score 52 points in the paint,” Izzo said. “I don’t think it’s going to happen Tuesday night, but the important thing is to set the tempo. What we’ve done well is what we have to continue to do. We have some versatility inside and out. I like the way we move the ball.”
Michigan State is 5-8 in the Champions Classic, which began in 2011. In the 2022 tournament, the Spartans defeated No. 4 Kentucky, 86-77 in two overtimes, in Indianapolis, but in last year’s tournament, the Spartans lost to No. 9 Duke, 74-65. Chicago.
–Field level media
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