The 2024 Champions Classic will feature Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, and Michigan State.
This two-game event, which is quickly becoming an annual tradition, features three of the top four all-time winningest men's college basketball teams.
Last year, Duke defeated Michigan State 74-65 and Kansas defeated Kentucky 89-84 at the United Center in Chicago.
This season will be held at Atlanta's State Farm Arena. The Blue Devils will play the Wildcats and the Spartans will play the Jayhawks.
Since this event was introduced in 2011, the underdogs have performed extremely well in this four-team event, going 8-9 straight up and 12-5 against the spread.
Michigan State vs. Kansas State odds
(6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
| team | spread | money line | total |
|---|---|---|---|
| michigan | +6 (-110) | +210 | 150.5 or more (-110) |
| Kansas | -6 (-110) | -258 | Less than 150.5 (-110) |
On the surface, I don't care about playing against Michigan State.
Coach Tom Izzo will run an up-tempo ball screen attack. The Jayhawks' transition defense and ball screen coverage were ineffective against North Carolina, allowing 69 points on 52 transitions and pick-and-roll sets, worthy of an impressive 1.33 PPP.
Izzo, on the other hand, has been able to plan a relatively decent interior shell-like defense over the past few years and should be able to counter Kansas State's interior-based offense. And I still wonder if the Jayhawks lack enough shooting space or floor space to adequately support the ball screens and post-up actions of Dajuan Harris, Hunter Dickinson, and KJ Adams. I'm worried.
But from Jimmy and Joe's perspective, they're worried about Sparty. Kansas has the advantage of two-way talent and experience at every position.
On the inside, Dickinson and Adams are overwhelming threats as post-ups and roll men. Michigan State lost two quality interior defenders in the offseason (Malik Hall and Madi Sissoko), and their replacements this season (Carson Cooper, Jackson Kohler, Xavier Booker, Simone Zapala) are defensive players. It's not that effective and doesn't exist on the offensive end. .
On Michigan State's perimeter, Jeremy Fiers, Tre Holloman and Jaden Akins will be hard-pressed to replace the elite two-way guard play that Tyson Walker and AJ Hoggard provided last season.
Harris is extremely talented as an off-the-bounce offensive threat and point-of-attack defensive glove, and coach Bill Self has teamed up with AJ Store (Wisconsin) and Zeke Mayo (South Dakota State). Added portal transfer for influential upperclassmen.
From a schematic and projection standpoint, I think I'm leaning toward Michigan State.
Sparty's style of play could exploit some of the Jayhawk's vulnerabilities, and some of my most trusted projection sites are showing value for Michigan State. KenPom projects Kansas State as a 5-point favorite, EvanMiya projects it as a 4.5-point favorite, and BartTorvik projects it as a 4-point favorite.
But Izzo's team is young (206th nationally in average DI experience). He's building the program through internal progression, but it remains to be seen what we'll see from many of these “new” players stepping into new roles.
Self-coached teams, on the other hand, are older (3rd in average DI experience) and fully formed.
Non-conferences emphasize experience and continuity. In November and December, more cohesive teams typically have an advantage over weaker teams.
In the end, I end up giving up the game completely. But if I had to bet, I'd take Michigan State.
I think Sparty has the means to keep it close, but I feel like the line is a little bloated in dog-friendly non-conference events.
Additionally, Izzo has scouted Dickinson numerous times since his time at the University of Michigan.
The two have met six times in the Big Ten, and the future Hall of Fame coach may have a few tricks up his sleeve for that matchup.
Selection: Pass | Lean Michigan State +6 (-110, DraftKings)
kentucky vs duke odds
| team | spread | money line | total |
|---|---|---|---|
| kentucky | +6.5 (-112) | +205 | 165.5 or higher (-105) |
| duke | -6.5 (-108) | -255 | Less than 160.5 (-115) |
(9 p.m. ET, ESPN)
I like Kentucky.
Mark Pope seems like the real deal and has assembled the right people for his plan.
His 4-out, 1-in offense relies on floor spacing, inversions, ball movement, off-ball movement, and shooting to succeed.
Last year, eight members of the rotation, including multiple big men, shot over 30 percent from deep, and guards Coby Blair, Kerr Kriisa and Jackson Robinson also shot over 35 percent.
The Wildcats made 60 threes in the first two games, making 24 (40%) and reaching the 100-point mark in both games.
They'll have to separate the floor and bombs, but that should work against Duke on Tuesday.
The Blue Devils have a chance to be among the top defensive teams in the nation, but it may take time for coach John Scheyer to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
Cooper Flagg and Carman Maruaha are extremely versatile interior defenders and rim protectors.
At the same time, Caleb Foster and Theon James could be great perimeter defenders to complement Tyrese Proctor's ability to stop the ball at the on-ball point of attack.
Syracuse-bound Malik Brown has the potential to become one of the ACC's better “junkyard dog” defenders, a jack-of-all-trades type of player.
However, the core students are three first-year students, one second-year student, and two third-year students.
The Blue Devils are young and inexperienced, so their first real test Tuesday will be tough against a complex motion-based offense that features a deep set-piece playbook.
They can struggle to keep pace, and Pope's attacking machine takes advantage of scrambled and out-of-position defenders mercilessly.
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Duke needs to find and exploit mismatches on offense.
Kentucky has solid players on the perimeter defense, including Lamont Butler, a transfer from San Diego State, Otega Oweh, a transfer from Oklahoma State, and Amari Williams, a transfer from Drexel State.
However, the Wildcats have a number of vulnerable defenders, including Blair, Kriisa, Robinson and Andrew Carr, a transfer from Wake Forest.
Duke has all kinds of offensive talent, off the dribble, off the ball, shooting, cutting, rolling. The Blue Devils will no doubt hunt switches and score.
That being said, I believe Pope's plan will keep pace for 40 minutes.
The Wildcats also have an older and more experienced roster, ranking fifth nationally in average DI experience and will no doubt face a freshman-heavy team in early November.
Pick: Kentucky +6.5 (-112, FanDuel)
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Tanner McGrath has been a professional sports handicapper since 2018. He specializes in college sports and baseball and is an avid fan of the Vermont Catamounts, Miami Marlins, and underdog home teams. He was put on the wrong foot in the Miami Miracle in 2018, but redeemed himself four years later by hitting Sandy Alcantara with a 40/1 long shot to win the National League Cy Young Award.
