Duke Basketball: 3 biggest takeaways from win over Michigan State

Duke Basketball got back in the win column on Tuesday night with a 74-65 victory over Michigan State to kick off the 2023 State Farm Champions Classic from the United Center. The Blue Devils used a balanced scoring attack and some stifling defense to overcome the Michigan State Spartans.

Four players in the Duke lineup finished scoring in double-figures as they fought off a few runs from Sparty to secure the victory in the end. Take a look at the biggest takeaways from the win.

Caleb Foster is the GOODS!

Caleb Foster was huge in the Blue Devils’ victory as he nearly had a perfect shooting night from the field, going 7-for-8 from the field and 4-for-5 from deep, including a big 3-pointer to push their lead to 12 points with 1:55 remaining in the game. He finished the game with 18 points, three rebounds and an assist off the bench.

It’s worth noting that Foster went scoreless in Duke’s loss to the Arizona Wildcats in Cameron Indoor this past weekend. He stepped up in a big way with his performance off the bench as his performance ultimately powered his team to victory. He led his squad with a team-high 18 points off the bench to show that he could be effective in providing a spark off the bench.

The North Carolina native showed poise for the Blue Devils when they needed timely buckets, leading the way for their perimeter attack. Outside of Foster, the Blue Devils shot 2-of-17 from deep as a team.

Don’t be surprised if Foster finds himself in the starting rotation if others struggled as they did. Jared McCain finished with zero points on an 0-for-5 shooting effort, 0-of-4 from behind the arc.