Big Blue Preview: Kentucky vs. Michigan State
No. 12 Kentucky returns to action on Tuesday night, facing 17th-ranked Michigan State in the State Farm Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York.
It will be the second consecutive Tuesday that the Cats will face a marquee opponent. Last week, UK lost at Louisville 96-88 despite a furious late-game comeback. On Monday, freshman center Malachi Moreno talked about that game and how the Cats have been working to improve since then, especially when it comes to transition defense.
“That game, we didn’t play our best in transition, but now we know what we need to fix and what we can get better on,” Moreno said. “I think now, we have a chance to really prove ourselves and really make a statement.”
Moreno and the Cats have been watching film of Michigan State and he believes the Spartans are very good, especially in the frontcourt.
“Michigan State, really, really good, really solid team,” Moreno said. “We know what we have to do to accomplish our win. It will be a challenge for some of us, but we’re up for the challenge and we’re ready to face it.”
Moreno has never played in New York’s storied Madison Square Garden. Tuesday night will be an opportunity he’s always dreamed about.
“I probably won’t comprehend it until I walk into Madison Square Garden,” Moreno said. “That’s a legendary, legendary arena. It’s every kid’s dream.”
Kentucky and Michigan State have met 26 times, with UK holding a 14-12 edge in the series, which has had some memorable games. In 1978, Kentucky beat Michigan State and star freshman Earvin “Magic” Johnson 52-49 to advance to the Final Four. In 2005, Patrick Sparks’ three at the buzzer sent the NCAA Regional Final to overtime, where Kentucky would eventually lose in double overtime, 94-88.
In 2019, in that year’s Champions Classic, No. 2 Kentucky beat top-ranked Michigan State behind 26 points from freshman Tyrese Maxey. The last time these two teams met, in the 2022 Champions Classic, Michigan State beat UK 86-77 despite 22 points and 18 rebounds from Oscar Tshiebwe.
On Tuesday night in New York, these two programs have another chance to serve up some classic college basketball early in the 2025-26 season.
Michigan State at a Glance
Michigan State will mark the second AP-ranked opponent for the Cats this season.
• The Spartans are 3-0, including a win over SEC foe Arkansas
• Senior Jaxon Kohler is the leading scorer at 14.3 points per game and is also averaging 13.3 rebounds per contest, the third most in the nation
• Jeremy Fears Jr. is leading the country with 9.3 assists per game
• Tom Izzo is in his 31st year as head coach at MSU and won the national championship in 2000 with the Spartans
• Kentucky is 14-12 all-time against the Spartans
• Each of the last four meetings in the series has come in the Champions Classic
• The highest-scoring game in the series was a 94-88 win by Michigan State in a two-overtime outing in the Elite Eight in 2005
• Kentucky’s Jim Andrews and Michigan State’s Mike Robinson both scored 32 points in the Dec. 13, 1971 meeting. They both own the scoring record for either team in the series
The Champions Classic
Kentucky is 6-8 in Champions Classic games, including a 2-2 record against Michigan State. This year will mark the fifth time the event has been hosted at Madison Square Garden and the first time since 2021. UK beat Duke in last year’s event in Atlanta, 77-72. The last matchup with Michigan State was in 2022 in Indianapolis, with the Spartans earning an 86-77 win in double overtime.
BBN United Tipoff Champs
Kentucky was crowned the champion of the BBN United Tipoff Classic, a round robin multi-team event with Nicholls, Valparaiso and Eastern Illinois.
• UK went 3-0 in the event and outscored opponents on average by 40 points. Kentucky averaged 94.3 points offensively and held the opposition to just 54.3 points
• Collin Chandler was voted MVP of the event after averaging 11 points, 4.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds while shooting 52.9 percent from 3-point range
• Kentucky shot 54.1 percent and held opponents to 30.2 percent shooting
• UK was +23 in rebounding in these games, averaging 50.0 boards per contest
Last Time Out
Kentucky took down Eastern Illinois, 99-53 to imrpove to 3-1 on the season.
• The Cats shot 60.9 percent from the field in the game, their best shooting percentage of the Mark Pope era, topping the previous high of 60.0 percent vs. Wright State last season
• Mo Dioubate registered his first double-double in a UK uniform with 20 points and 11 rebounds. He led the team in points, rebounds, steals (2) and blocks (2)
• Andrija Jelavic had career highs in points (11) and boards (7)
• Jasper Johnson set career bests with seven assists and five rebounds. His seven dimes are the most by a Wildcat in a game this year
