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Michigan State Overwhelms Kentucky at Champions Classic
New York, NY – In front of a packed crowd at Madison Square Garden Kentucky and Michigan State opened the Champions Classic. The first five minutes were the only time the game looked competitive — both teams put down threes and it was close for a while. Yet once Michigan State stabilized, the night changed decisively as they rolled to an 83-66 win.
The Spartans’ defensive pressure was on display from the get-go. Possession by possession, Michigan State tightened all corners, pressuring Kentucky into drive after drive, contested jumpers and off-balance attempts. The Wildcats soon lost their offensive rhythm. Meanwhile, Michigan State kept balance and poise and spacing across the floor — converting stops into clean looks and always grabbing the loose balls. As the Wildcats became more and more ineffective, the Spartans became more and more confident.
And the defining blow of the first half arrived in the final seconds. As the shot clock began to come to an end, Kur Teng came into rhythm and shot a deep jumper that put the Spartans ahead 44–27. It capped a career-best performance for Teng, who led with 15 points, ball-pointing with the assurance of a featured scorer instead of a role player. That shot, at that time, put the Spartans in control — control Kentucky just couldn’t wrestle back.
The Wildcats emerged from halftime more energetic, attempting to create momentum through transition and physical drives. But every push had stalled due to the same problems: bad shooting and the inability to get stops. With 9:37 left, Kentucky was shooting 35% from the field and 23% from three, and Michigan State was about 50% overall and more than 50% from deep. The gap reflected what played out on the floor.
Central to Michigan State’s calm, though, was point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., who played his most complete collegiate game. His pace, vision and method steered the Spartans all night. Fears ended with a career-high 13 assists, 8 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals as he controlled Michigan State’s offense. Every move — pick-and-rolls, secondary reads, early offense — flowed from his ability to keep things steady and to set the tempo.
Inside, Jaxon Kohler penalized Kentucky’s interior. He scored 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting, through contact, sealing, and providing a consistent release valve when the Wildcats stepped in too big. Kohler’s mix of patience and strength established himself as a dependable anchor in the interior for which Kentucky never replied within their defense.
The Spartans also got some solid minutes from Cam Ward (8 points, 4 rebounds) whose athleticism, effort and energy paid off right away. Ward fought defensively, attacked the rim with confidence that jolted off the floor — one of the small but weighty traits that enabled Michigan State to keep its edge throughout the game.
Kentucky relied heavily on Otega Oweh, a 6’4″, 220-pound Newark native with a commanding frame and unblemished shooting technique. Oweh led the Wildcats with 12 points, attacking forcefully even as his perimeter touch shifted constantly and moved all over the place. Leaning behind him were Denzel Aberdeen, Collin Chandler, and New York product Mouhamed Dioubate — all three scored 10 points, but none could make the game turn around. Kentucky simply didn’t have enough of effective offense to keep up.
Still, the Wildcats were never able to exert actual pressure despite closing the gap to 10 late in the second half. Michigan State’s defensive rotations remained sharp, there was collective rebounding, and their execution never wavered. Each Kentucky push was met with a timely bucket, a clean read or a disciplined stop.
Michigan State’s shooting edge was substantial. Kentucky went 20-for-57 (35%) and 23% from three, while the Spartans closed at 50% from the field and 50% from deep in their 17-point victory with total control. Michigan State looked very much like a team primed for success in this moment — efficient, disciplined, poised, and running with a clear line of vision. On the other hand, Kentucky showcased individual talent but not cohesion and defensive regularity. The contrast was clear leaving the Garden: Michigan State knows what it is. That’s still an answer Kentucky is looking for.
This article was written by Courtney Chappelle, a correspondent and scout for NetScouts Basketball. You can follow us on Instagram, or on twitter.
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