Kansas vs Michigan State: Champions Classic Game Preview & Pick

It’s one of the perennial early-season events on the college basketball calendar every year. Four of the nation’s top blue-bloods meet in State Farm Arena as part of a blockbuster doubleheader on Tuesday night. The opening matchup of the doubleheader features top-ranked Kansas taking on Michigan State.

Let’s take a closer look at the Jayhawks—Spartans matchup, including tip times, television coverage, betting odds, a brief preview of what to watch for, and a best bet.

More CBB: UConn Season Preview | St. John’s Season Preview | Marquette Season Preview

How to Watch No. 1 Kansas vs Michigan State

TV: ESPN | Streaming: ESPN App
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET | Location: State Farm Arena – Atlanta, GA

No. 1 Kansas vs Michigan State FanDuel Odds

Spread: Kansas -6.5 (-102) | Michigan State +6.5 (-120)
Moneyline: Kansas (-255) | Michigan State (+205)
Total: OVER 150 (-115) | UNDER 150.5 (-105)

It’s both squads’ first game away from home this season. Kansas took care of Howard before knocking off No. 10 North Carolina last Friday, while Michigan State handled a pair of buy-games over Monmouth and Niagara.

This is a different Jayhawks squad than last season. Head coach Bill Self made it a point of emphasis this season to address his team’s lack of depth that did them in last season. Between Summit League Player of the Year Zeke Mayo, Second Team All-Big Ten selection A.J. Storr, and McDonald’s All-American Flory Bidunga, Kansas had 42 points off the bench. That’s a luxury they did not have a season ago.

Michigan State seems to be still figuring out its rotation. Head coach Tom Izzo has been rolling with a ten-man rotation through its first two games, and it’s led to nobody playing more than 27 minutes in a game so far. While it mirrors the level of bench production we have seen from Kansas, it feels more experimental than something he is confident in. The quality of reserves feels stark here, and we fear that Sparty could be run off the floor when the second units end up on the floor together.

We will roll with the Jayhawks, a team that feels like a bit more of a finished product at the moment. Szymon Zapala and infamous Izzo doghouse regular Xavier Booker do not inspire much confidence within the starting frontcourt, and we could see Hunter Dickinson feast like he did against a weak North Carolina frontcourt last week. Back the Jayhawks to cover this number on Tuesday night.

The Pick: Kansas -6.5