Champions Classic Open Thread: Sparty (Weird Guys) vs Duke, Now...Kansas vs Kentucky (9:00 ET)

Submitted by B-Nut-GoBlue on

Not much else to say.  Should be some good basketball played tonight (well, maybe not good as it's early season, but entertaining).  Not that we should root for them but seeing Duke annhilate Sparty tonight would make for an enjoyable evening...amirite?!

The better of the two games in my opinion will be the KU-UK game; two very talented rosters (Duke is loaded as well).

Go Blue!

1989 UM GRAD

November 18th, 2014 at 7:59 PM ^

Of course, Izzo has to mention that they were playing two walk-ons in the first half.  And he threw his big guys under the bus.

I have no objection to a coach talking about needing to play better, but his way of calling out specific players is really grating.

Double-D

November 18th, 2014 at 7:41 PM ^

And he asked for it. I thought he was full of shit when he said it would be great to have two B-ball powers in Michigan. Maybe he saw what Beilein was doing and was hoping his team would be one of the two.

Mr. Yost

November 18th, 2014 at 7:33 PM ^

...nothing surprising, but that's my final four or at least top 4 right now.

Duke is VERY impressive right now. They've got the talent and the chemistry early on. And they have depth. This year has a chance to have some really ELITE basketball teams. Like all-time great teams.

Should be a fun year to watch. 

Izzoiswashedup

November 18th, 2014 at 7:19 PM ^

How is Indianapolis a pro Duke crowd? Way to show up to a big game in the Midwest Spartan fans.

michclub19

November 19th, 2014 at 8:32 AM ^

Lexington is actually closer to Indy than Ann Arbor.  Duke is more than twice the distance from Indy than EL is.  I think that was more the person's point of MSU not travelling despite being the closer school.

Izzoiswashedup

November 18th, 2014 at 7:20 PM ^

MSU doesn't belong in the champions classic with Duke, Kentucky, and Kansas. They should have switched MSU with Uconn.

Wolverine Devotee

November 18th, 2014 at 7:23 PM ^

Michigan beat their Patriot League opponent, Bucknell, by 24.

state beat Navy, who is also in the Patriot League, by 5.

Navy lost to a mediocre ND team by 39 last night. 

LSAClassOf2000

November 18th, 2014 at 7:27 PM ^

Granted, it's early in the game yet and it isn't as if there have been a lot of FG attempts to this point - 22 between both teams - but Duke is outshooting MSU by rougly 30%, so if that pace held, it might not be a very pretty game in a few moments. Of course, Duke has been known to Clemson itself on occasion, but let's hope they brought their better selves here.

Mr. Yost

November 18th, 2014 at 7:36 PM ^

And that's like a "duh" comment.

But when you put it in context that this is Michigan St...you're like "oooooh."

Yea. They're not on the same level as Duke and they've got to shoot this well just to hang in the game. Guarantee the MSU that we see for 80% of the season would've already been down by 15-20 in this game.

Hell it's still likely going to happen because MSU doesn't maintain hot shooting. If they go cold on some of these baskets, look out.

Nonetheless, I'm glad they're hitting because the game is more entertaining, but I don't see this lasting the entire game. And even if it does they lose and it's not going to last the entire season.

Again, it's MSU.

victors2000

November 18th, 2014 at 7:36 PM ^

The bright lights might be getting to them, they don't seem that aggressive. Sparty has been here before, they've done this before. They're beginning to flex some muscle; I look for Sparty to make a run and catch the Dukies pretty soon.