Duke vs Michigan State: 3 keys to watch in 2023 Champions Classic matchup

Malik Hall and Mark Mitchell are the two “x-factors” in this game

Hall is one of the most important players on this Spartans roster. He’s a 6’7 combo forward whose versatility and overall two-way play make him an asset. He’s currently 3rd on the team in scoring (8.0 ppg) but on just 29% shooting from the field and 0/5 from deep. He missed most of the offseason with injuries so Hall could still be trying to find his legs.

Another player who isn’t 100% yet is Mitchell, who missed the first game of the season for Duke but returned to produce nine points and five rebounds against Arizona. That’s around his freshman season average a year ago and one big question was how he’d fit into this lineup.

As a 6’8 combo forward, having Mitchell around allows Filipowski to play center, while having three guards on the court. That’s Duke’s best offensive lineup but it comes at the cost of having the sophomore forward being the 4th of 5th option. And that could cause him to disappear at times. It also makes the team more vulnerable on the defensive end.

Both Mitchell and Hall and key pieces to their respective teams but they don’t always put up numbers at a consistent basis. If one of them has a big night, that could bring good news to their teams, especially since they’re likely going to be up against each other throughout the night.