Michigan State gets revenge on Duke in Champions Classic after 2025 loss

Michigan State got its payback. The No. 5 Spartans beat No. 2 Duke 79-73 in the Champions Classic, and the clip ties it directly to the 2025 meeting at the Breslin Center, where Duke escaped 66-60 after the Spartans had a late chance. Michigan State came out fast this time, jumping to an 8-2 lead early and holding a 52-42 edge with just under 12 minutes left. Coen Carr's energy was a big part of the early tone, and Tom Izzo's group never let the Blue Devils take control. The revenge angle matters because Duke had become the only undefeated visiting team with multiple wins at Breslin, sitting at 3-0 there. That is a rare run against an Izzo program on its home floor. Beating a top-two ranked Duke team on a neutral stage in a marquee November matchup is the kind of result that carries weight with the committee and in the Big Ten race. It also showed this Michigan State team can handle a loud, high-pressure game against elite talent.