Many eyes in the college basketball world will be on Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night for this year’s edition of the Champions Classic. Both of these teams, who have had some epic matchups in this series, are desperate to make a major impact on this national stage but which team is going to have that breakthrough?
The early work out of Michigan State (3-0) has largely been great, and features a win over a ranked Arkansas squad just over a week ago. Tom Izzo’s crew returned significant talent from a Big Ten regular season champion and added just enough to put the Spartans right there in the early national considerations. They’ve looked great in those recent wins and are certainly eager to prove that against another SEC foe.
Meanwhile, Kentucky (3-1) faltered in their first real opportunity this season when they lost last week at rival Louisville. This offense has been incredible and blew away their other three opponents. Major opportunity comes in New York and the Wildcats can really showcase the potential of a deep lineup if they show up and play strong against the Spartans.
Michigan State vs. Kentucky: When and Where
Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 6:30 pm ET
Location: Madison Square Garden in New York, New York
Michigan State vs. Kentucky: Where to Watch or Stream
Watch: ESPN
Streaming: FuboTV
Michigan State vs. Kentucky: Betting Odds
Spread: Kentucky -5.5, Michigan State +5.5
Moneyline: Kentucky -230, Michigan State +195
Total: 154.5
Michigan State vs. Kentucky: Series History
All time series: Kentucky leads 14-12
Last meeting: Michigan State 86, Kentucky 77, OT (November 15, 2022)
Projected Starting Lineups
Michigan State Spartans
Jaxon Kohler (14.3 ppg, 13.3 rpg)
Carson Cooper (12.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg)
Coen Carr (11.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg)
Jeremy Fears Jr. (11.0 ppg, 9.3 apg)
Trey Fort (5.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg)
Kentucky Wildcats
Denzel Aberdeen (15.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg)
Otega Oweh (13.0 ppg, 3.8 rpg)
Mouhamed Dioubate (12.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg)
Collin Chandler (11.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.5 apg)
Brandon Garrison (7.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg)
A deep and talented Kentucky squad matches up against a largely homegrown Michigan State team, with each program really hoping to make their mark in this year’s edition of the Champions Classic. This event has been widely entertaining for over a decade and represents a major opportunity. The Spartans’ solid defense gets a major test against a Kentucky team looking to build on their early success, with players like Aberdeen and Oweh really standing out.
Anything can happen on a neutral court in New York, but which team do you think will get the job done? Can the Wildcats fly as favorites and get that major win in the early season or do the Spartans have more tricks up their sleeves here in November?