NEW YORK, NY — There were four Men’s College Basketball behemoths on the hardwood of Madison Square Garden Tuesday night for the 2025 State Farm Champions Classic in No. 5 Duke, No. 12 Kentucky, No. 17 Michigan State and No. 24 Kansas.
The elite quartet, hoisting a combined total of seven National Championship titles since 2000, have appeared in 11 Final Fours since 2011, which was the inaugural year of the State Farm Champions Classic—an annual event during the early portion of each College Hoops campaign headlined by the top programs from across the nation.
Tom Izzo, Mark Pope, Bill Self, and Jon Scheyer had all of the emotions flowing Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden in the 2025 State Farm Champions Classic – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
To open up the evening at “The World’s Most Famous Arena” as 19,327, gradually but surely filled the building, Tom Izzo’s Spartans squared off against Mark Pope’s Wildcats, with Jon Scheyer’s Blue Devils taking on Bill Self’s Jayhawks to follow in the nightcap.
Spartan Up
No. 17 Michigan State surges past No. 12 Kentucky 83-66
Michigan State, ignited with the hot hand of senior forward Jaxon Kohler dropping 12 first half points (20 total), could not miss throughout the opening frame of play, torching Kentucky by shooting an unreal team clip of 17-33 (51.5%).
Michigan State senior forward Jaxon Kohler scored 20 points in the Spartans win over the Wildcats with 12 coming in the first half – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Likewise from beyond the arc on three-pointers, banking seven out of 13 (53.8%), helping pave a 44-27 Spartan lead after 20 minutes.
As Kentucky attempted to claw its way back, hoping to put out the fire on the defensive end, the Wildcats’ offense struggled just as much.
Twenty seven first half points recorded on a field goal rate of 27.6% (8-29)—the lowest scoring output in any half for Kentucky since Pope became the head coach in April of 2024.
Michigan State’s defense locked in on Kentucky and only allowed the Wildcats to score 27 first half points – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Eight makes from the field in 20 minutes is difficult to describe, yet, the poor Wildcat shooting didn’t change much out of the locker room. Cutting the deficit down to 10 at the 10:55 minute mark in the second half, that was all Kentucky had for Michigan State on the night.
From there, the Spartans were once again rolling, getting its lead up to as much as 24 with less than three minutes to go.
Jeremy Fears Jr., a redshirt sophomore guard, had much to do with Michigan State’s surgical offensive display, finishing with eight points, 13 assists and six rebounds—the most assists by a Spartan in a game in over two years (A.J. Hoggard: 14 assists vs. Nebraska on February 28, 2023.)
Redshirt sophomore guard Jeremy Fears Jr. recorded a career high of 13 assists in Michigan State’s victory over Kentucky – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Following the 83-66 result, Izzo credited his team, improving to 4-0 on the season, while also acknowledging the superb showing on offense will not appear on a night to night basis.
“Don’t be fooled; we weren’t that good because we don’t shoot the ball that well, and they weren’t that bad because they do shoot the ball well and missed a lot of shots,” he said. “The combination of things worked for us tonight.”
A Duke Dub In The Mecca
No. 5 Blue Devils secure 78-66 win over No. 24 Jayhawks
With its freshman star guard Darryn Peterson (21.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in two games), a projected top-three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, perhaps the No. 1 selection overall, out due to a hamstring strain he is recovering from, Kansas was surprisingly still able keep Duke on the ropes throughout the majority of the MSG matinee affair.
Kansas fought Duke until the final buzzer in Tuesday night’s thriller at Madison Square Garden in the nightcap of the 2025 State Farm Champions Classic – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
As the Blue Devils were up 41-33 at intermission, the Jayhawks held the lead for more than 12 first half minutes, but faltered it away quickly via the result of a 8-0 Duke run starting at the 3:48 minute mark and ending with less than 60 seconds left.
Most of the halftime statistics remained even or close besides the rebound battle, 24-16, in favor of Duke.
Then came the Blue Devil sophomore pairing of Patrick Ngongba II, and Isaiah Evans, along with freshman Cameron Boozer—the son of former two-time NBA All-Star Carlos Boozer—contributing to lift the lead north of 10 soon after returning to the floor.
Duke freshman forward Cameron Boozer, a consensus top-three pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, made his Madison Square Garden debut Tuesday night vs. Kansas – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Kansas did respond quickly and precisely, cutting its deficit down to three on the shoulders of Jayhawk senior guard duo Melvin Council Jr. (12 second half points, 22 total) and Tre White (seven half points, 15 total), yet not to a point of successfully stealing a win over Duke, despite the crowd growing nervous towards the last few minutes.
Similar to Peterson, Boozer, a consensus top-three pick in next June’s NBA Draft, compiled 18 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists—all team highs. His 18 points and 10 boards marked Boozer’s third collegiate double-double and second in as many games.
Furthermore, his twin brother Cayden, also a key part of the Blue Devils, a six-four freshman guard, had seven points, four rebounds, and three assists.
Freshman guard Cayden Boozer, like his brother Cameron, made his MSG debut Tuesday night and enjoyed each minute on the hardwood of “The World’s Most Famous Arena” – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
“I’m really proud of our win tonight. I thought that was the epitome of our team, the fact that all nine guys scored, and all nine guys made big contributions,” Scheyer said with Duke now standing at 5-0.
“I have a ton of respect for Kansas, their program and coach (Bob) Self. Unfortunately, (Darryn) Peterson being out changes their team but you also know that those other guys are going to step up.”
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