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Michigan State Basketball: Takeaways from loss to Duke in Champions Classic

By Tristan Freeman

Nov 14, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Tyson Walker (2) reacts after being hit in the head against the Duke Blue Devils during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 14, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Tyson Walker (2) reacts after being hit in the head against the Duke Blue Devils during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /
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Duke Blue Devils center Kyle Filipowski (30) defends Michigan State Spartans guard A.J. Hoggard David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Duke Blue Devils center Kyle Filipowski (30) defends Michigan State Spartans guard A.J. Hoggard David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /

After losing to James Madison to start off the season, Michigan State Basketball needed not necessarily a win against Duke in the Champions Classic but rather a performance that looked the part of a Final Four contender. They put in a solid effort in what ended up being a sloppy game from both sides but in the end, the Spartans fell to the Blue Devils, 74-65.

Michigan State is now 1-2 on the season and could fall out of the top 25 of the next AP poll rankings. Here’s a look at what went wrong in the game and why the Big Ten program is struggling so much.

1. Michigan State misses Joey Hauser much more than expected

The Spartans returned most of its production from last season but the one guy that’s gone is Hauser, who was second on the team with 14.4 ppg on 7.0 rpg, along with 46% shooting from three-point range. It was thought that the team had enough frontcourt depth and overall shooting in order to be a contender this year.

That hasn’t been the case at all. Malik Hall did have 18 points against Duke to bounce-back from the first couple of games but without much from Coen Carr and Xavier Booker, the frontcourt needs Hall to produce to provide any kind of balance. And so far, the Spartans are a total of 8/50 from three-point range (16%), despite an okay 6/19 versus the Blue Devils.

Hauser didn’t always get his flowers when he was playing for Michigan State but the start of the season showed he wasn’t as easily replaceable.

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