On a November night in Chicago, the fifth-ranked Michigan State Spartans beat No. 2 Duke 79-73 at the United Center, and the result turned on the old contest between disciplined, physical defense and the polished confidence of a favored opponent. Jeremy Fears Jr. set the rhythm with 18 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds, while Michigan State's defense kept the Blue Devils from finding their stride in a game that ended the Spartans' long drought against them. It is an early-season marker, but it also reminds us how quickly a team's reputation can be tested by one night of grit.
Fears Runs Duke Down as No. 5 Michigan State Beats No. 2 Blue Devils 79-73 in Chicago
Duke shot 33.3 percent and turned it over 13 times
Mark
Duke had been scoring nearly 100 a game. Why does this result stand out?
Mimi
Because the contrast is so sharp. They averaged 98.5 points in two wins, then shot 33.3 percent here and turned the ball over 13 times.
Mark
Fears is the headline, but what did he actually do?
Mimi
Eighteen points, 11 assists, seven rebounds. Eight of those assists came before halftime, when Michigan State built its 34-25 lead.
Luke
Worth noting the two Duke opponents earlier were Army and Coastal Carolina. That 55 percent shooting came against a different level of defense, so I wouldn't read too much into the drop-off yet.
Mimi
Fair. The box score shows Duke struggled, but it can't tell us how much was Michigan State's defense and how much was an off night.
Mark
Free throws mattered too, didn't they?
Mimi
Duke went 26 for 37. That's missed points in a game decided by six.
Luke
Though the late stretch is less clear. Duke cut it to 73-68 with 2:03 left, so it was a game until the final minute. The report doesn't say why the Spartans held on beyond Scott's layup and Fears' free throws.
Mark
And the history?
Mimi
It's Michigan State's first win over Duke since December 2020, and it moves them to 7-9 in the Champions Classic.
Luke
Which is a record, not a prediction. It's three games into the season for both teams.
O Pulso
- Duke shot only 33.3 percent from the field, and the Blue Devils never seemed to settle into their usual rhythm.
- Michigan State's swarming defense forced 13 turnovers and turned Duke's offensive confidence into frustration.
- Jeremy Fears Jr. guided the Spartans with 18 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds, steadying the offense whenever Duke pushed back.
- Duke rallied late, cutting the lead to 73-68, but Michigan State answered with a driving layup and closing free throws.
- Michigan State moved to 3-0 and secured its first win over Duke since December 2020, while Duke fell to 2-1 and now turns to SIU Edwardsville.
On a November night in Chicago, the fifth-ranked Michigan State Spartans beat No. 2 Duke 79-73 at the United Center, and the result turned on the old contest between disciplined, physical defense and the polished confidence of a favored opponent. Jeremy Fears Jr. set the rhythm with 18 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds, while Michigan State's defense kept the Blue Devils from finding their stride in a game that ended the Spartans' long drought against them. It is an early-season marker, but it also reminds us how quickly a team's reputation can be tested by one night of grit.
By halftime at the United Center on Tuesday night, Jeremy Fears Jr. already had eight assists for Michigan State, and No. 2 Duke had made just 7 of its 27 shots. That slow start set the tone for a 79-73 victory by the fifth-ranked Spartans in Chicago.
Fears finished with 18 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds, and Cam Ward added 14 points. Jordan Scott anchored the defense with six of Michigan State's eight blocks. The Spartans played the swarming, physical style coach Tom Izzo is known for, holding Duke to 33.3 percent shooting and forcing 13 turnovers. Duke had opened the season with lopsided wins, but it never found a rhythm here. The Blue Devils also struggled at the free-throw line, making 26 of 37.
Michigan State built its lead in stages, taking a 34-25 edge into the break and stretching it to 50-36 early in the second half. Duke made a late push, with Caleb Foster's free throws cutting the margin to 73-68. Scott answered with a driving layup, and Fears closed the game with two free throws.
The win was Michigan State's first over Duke since December 2020 and moved the Spartans to 7-9 all-time in the Champions Classic. Both teams return to action Friday, with Duke hosting SIU Edwardsville and Michigan State hosting Northern Iowa.
By halftime at the United Center on Tuesday night, Michigan State point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. already had eight assists, and No. 2 Duke had made just 7 of its 27 shots. That 25.9 percent first-half clip set the tone for a 79-73 win by the fifth-ranked Spartans in Chicago.
Fears finished with 18 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Cam Ward added 14 points for Michigan State, which moved to 3-0. Jordan Scott did much of the work on defense, with six of the Spartans' eight blocked shots and two of their seven steals.
The defense was the story. Playing the swarming, physical style coach Tom Izzo is known for, Michigan State held Duke to 33.3 percent shooting (20 of 60) and forced 13 turnovers. The Blue Devils, who had come in looking dominant, never found a rhythm. They had opened the season with runaway wins over Army and Coastal Carolina, averaging 98.5 points and shooting a combined 55 percent. For most of this game, they looked uncomfortable in the arena that is home to the NBA's Chicago Bulls.
The free-throw line offered no relief. Duke made 26 of 37 attempts. John Blackwell led the Blue Devils with 17 points, and Patrick Ngongba II had 11.
Michigan State built its edge in stages. Late in the first half, Fears drove inside to set up a three-point play by Ethan Taylor, which helped the Spartans take a 34-25 lead into the break. Early in the second half, Jesse McCulloch made two free throws and Fears converted a three-point play of his own, stretching the margin to 50-36 with 13:37 left.
Duke did make a late push. Caleb Foster's two free throws with 2:03 remaining cut the deficit to 73-68. Scott answered with a driving layup for Michigan State, and Fears sealed it with two free throws with 39 seconds left.
The win was the Spartans' first against Duke since a 75-69 victory on Dec. 1, 2020. It also moved them to 7-9 all-time in the Champions Classic, the annual early-season doubleheader that rotates Michigan State, Duke, Kansas and Kentucky through various pairings and cities.
Both teams are back on the court Friday night. Duke (2-1) hosts SIU Edwardsville, and Michigan State hosts Northern Iowa.
Quer a matéria completa?
Leia o original em CBS Sports ↗