Michigan State Climbs the AP Poll With Duke Waiting

Michigan State basketball gets its first real measuring stick on Tuesday night, when the Michigan State Spartans meet the Duke Blue Devils in the Champions Classic at the United Center in Chicago. Both teams are 2-0, both sit inside the top five, and a Spartans team that just moved up in the AP Top 25 has to prove the ranking on the floor.

Michigan State opened the 2026-27 season ranked No. 6 in the country. After one week of games the Spartans are No. 5 in the AP Top 25 released Monday, behind No. 1 Florida, No. 2 Duke, No. 3 Illinois and No. 4 UConn.

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They got there with two blowouts at the Breslin Center, 96-59 over the Quinnipiac Bobcats and 91-61 over the Toledo Rockets. The schedule gets much tougher over the next few weeks.

Michigan State Spartans basketball head coach Tom Izzo, left, reacts during the first-ever Acrisure Classic in Palm Desert, Calif., on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 23, 2023. Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

Michigan State Basketball Faces No. 2 Duke in the Champions Classic

Tuesday night in Chicago is a top-five matchup. Duke is 2-0 as well and drew seven first-place votes in this week’s poll. These are two programs with high expectations this season, and a win would give the Spartans a case to climb again next Monday.

Duke is not the only test in front of them. Michigan State hosts the Northern Iowa Panthers on Friday, Nov. 13, then plays at No. 11 Tennessee on Tuesday, Nov. 17. Head coach Tom Izzo and his squad have a tough November ahead.

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Five Spartans Are Averaging 10.0 Points or More

Even though it is early in the season, five different Michigan State players are averaging 10.0 or more points per game. Jeremy Fears Jr. is averaging 12.5 points, Jordan Scott is averaging 11.5 points per game, Coen Carr is averaging 11.0 points per game, and Jasiah Jervis and Anton Bonke are both at 10.0 points per game.

This is a deep team, and that depth is why the Spartans can beat the Blue Devils on Tuesday night. They are…

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Publish date : 2026-11-09 21:30:00

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