The sixth annual Champions Classic caps off ESPN's 24-hour college basketball Tip-Off Marathon on Tuesday, with the Kentucky Wildcats playing the Michigan State Spartans in the first game at Madison Square Garden. It is a huge early-season test for both of these blueblood programs, a test made even more important by the mass amount of freshmen that will be playing in this game. Who will pick up a huge early season victory? Here's a complete preview and prediction:
Projected Starting Lineups
(2) Kentucky Wildcats (2-0)
G De'Aaron Fox (Fr.) – 16.5 ppg, 7.5 apg, 4.0 rpg
G Malik Monk (Fr.) – 13.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg
G Isaiah Briscoe (So.) – 19.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg
F Derek Willis (Sr.) – 8.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg
F Edrice Adebayo (Fr.) – 9.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg
(13) Michigan State Spartans (0-1)
G Lourawls Narin Jr. (Jr.) – 5.0 ppg, 4.0 apg
G Eron Harris (Sr.) – 7.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg
G Matt McQuaid (So.) – 9.0 ppg, 2.0 apg
G Miles Bridges (Fr.) – 21.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg
F Kenny Goins (So.) – 4.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg
What to watch for:
Pace of play
Both of these teams want to play fast, up-temp basketball, but for different reasons. Kentucky has a team full of elite, NBA-caliber athletes who are at their best in transition. For Michigan State, it's simply out of necessity due to a lack of size. However, the Spartans can not keep up with Kentucky if this game becomes a track meet. The Wildcats have also struggled executing their half-court offense so far this season (as you would expect from a young team), so look for Michigan State to try and slow the game down.
Who helps Miles Bridges?
In their season-opening loss to Arizona, Bridges was the focal point of Michigan State's offense, and rightfully so. The talented freshman is a projected lottery pick in the 2017 NBA Draft and put on a show, throwing down several jaw-dropping dunks on his way to a 21-point night. The problem was that he didn't have any help from his teammates. Bridges was the only player who scored in double-figures against the Wildcats, so when Arizona's defense started doing everything they could to take him away, no one else stepped up. That has to change against a team as talented as Kentucky.
Prediction: Kentucky wins 88-74
This is just a bad style matchup for Michigan State this early in the season. I expect Kentucky to be able to get out in transition fairly often, which will result in them grabbing a sizable early lead. Michigan State just doesn't have the horses to keep up.