The No. 17 Michigan State Spartans took a commanding lead against the No. 12 Kentucky Wildcats, closing out the first of two 2025 State Farm Champions Classic showdowns with an 83-66 win.

Men’s college basketball reporters Myron Medcalf and Jeff Borzello break down what the result means, plus what to watch between No. 5 Duke Blue Devils and No. 24 Kansas Jayhawks in the second game of Tuesday night’s event at Madison Square Garden.

Champions Classic takeaways

Final: Michigan State 83, Kentucky 66

How Michigan State won: Kentucky coach Mark Pope probably knew it would be a long night when sophomore guard Kur Teng (15 points) — who scored just 10 points over 55 minutes of playing time all of last season — hit an off-balanced shot with seconds to play in the first half. The buzzer shot capped a 30-10 Michigan State run that broke Kentucky’s will. Jaxon Kohler (20 points) outclassed Kentucky’s frontcourt, and the Spartans, who had shot 21.7% from 3-point range (352nd out of 365 Division I teams) entering the season, made 52% of those shots Tuesday night. Tom Izzo also managed to stall the Wildcats’ fast-paced offense (ranked eighth in adjusted offensive efficiency entering the night).

It was like watching a balloon slowly deflate as Izzo’s squad robbed Kentucky, a dangerous team in transition, of its greatest asset. Overall, Michigan State’s hot shooting, defensive strategy and toughness (Kentucky didn’t have an offensive rebound in the first 10 minutes) fueled the 17-point win. — Medcalf

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Kur Teng’s 3rd triple pads Michigan State’s lead

Kur Teng’s 3rd triple pads Michigan State’s lead

What the loss means for Kentucky: Is something wrong with Kentucky? After last week’s loss to Louisville, Pope said something had happened with his team before the game, though refused to offer any details. Another lackluster performance will only lead to more speculation: Drama? A fight? Another major issue?

Kentucky’s strategy entering this game made sense. The Wildcats tried to push the pace, where they excel — but Michigan State wouldn’t allow it. They packed the paint against a team that had failed to make 3-pointers — Michigan State made 3s.

But Kentucky really struggled to score in its half-court sets, also a problem against Louisville. It also had far too many mishaps on defense. Foul trouble for Collin Chandler, the team’s leading scorer, didn’t help. Yet, the question about Kentucky’s locker room and whether there are issues outside basketball will persist. –Medcalf

Champions Classic preview

9 p.m. ET, ESPN

Editor’s note: After this story was published, Kansas announced that Darryn Peterson (hamstring) will not play on Tuesday night. The following has been updated to reflect that news.

How Duke could win: These teams have a noticeable talent gap, especially with Peterson out.

Duke didn’t look efficient offensively in the first half of its season opener against Texas, but the Blue Devils have been firing on all cylinders since. Cameron Boozer has been as productive as expected (more on that below), but the perimeter balance has been effective, too. Duke has made 36 3s over its past three games, with Dame Sarr beginning to emerge and Patrick Ngongba II being an anchor inside. Kansas couldn’t stop North Carolina once the Tar Heels got going in the second half of the Jayhawks’ Nov. 7 loss, and I expect a repeat of that Tuesday night.

How Kansas could win: With Peterson sidelined, it’s hard to see the Jayhawks prevail. Can they find any level of success limiting Boozer’s touches near the rim — the way Texas did on Nov. 4 — with some combination of Flory Bidunga, Tre White and Bryson Tiller? Without Peterson, Kansas’ offense has run through Bidunga, who will need to be aggressive against Ngongba and Maliq Brown.

Bill Self has a variety of battle-tested veteran wings; White, Melvin Council Jr. and Jayden Dawson will also have to step up if Kansas wants to keep up with Duke’s firepower.

What does Boozer have to do to close the gap in the race for the No. 1 pick? Boozer has continued to be productive, finishing with 35 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks and 3 steals against Indiana State on Friday. We should expect more massive stat lines in Tuesday’s game — and in upcoming matchups against Florida, Michigan State and Texas Tech — which will keep him in the conversation for the top pick. He clocks in at No. 3 in ESPN’s latest NBA mock draft. — Borzello

6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

How Kentucky could win: Michigan State doesn’t have a player like Mikel Brown Jr. — the projected NBA lottery pick out of Louisville who scored 29 points in the Cardinals’ win against Kentucky last Tuesday — but the Wildcats have to be better defensively than they were against their archrivals. They can’t allow the Spartans to have the same success the Cardinals had with isolation and pick-and-roll plays a week ago.

On offense, Kentucky is at its best when it plays fast but under control. That pace (the Wildcats are 83rd in adjusted tempo, per KenPom) allows Collin Chandler (57% from 3) to get open looks, and Denzel Aberdeen and Otega Oweh to create shots — a potential winning formula against Michigan State.

How Michigan State could win: Michigan State doesn’t win the talent battle, but Tom Izzo will be the most experienced coach on the floor, a potential key to the game. It will be difficult for the Spartans to win by matching Kentucky’s pace, but they can replicate Louisville’s success in exposing the Wildcats’ defensive vulnerabilities in half-court actions.

The Spartans will also have to limit Oweh’s impact, and force other players to take shots they’re not accustomed to shooting. Izzo will also need 6-foot-9 freshman Cam Ward (18 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals in the Nov. 8 win over Arkansas) to play at a high level under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden.

The X factor we haven’t considered yet: Michigan State is just 9-for-43 from the 3-point line in its past two Champions Classic appearances — and this season’s team has made just 21.7% of its shots from beyond the arc (352nd out of 365 Division I programs entering the week). Another cold night for the Spartans from deep might spell doom against a Kentucky team that is top 10 in adjusted offensive efficiency.

On the other side, Kentucky coach Mark Pope said Jaland Lowe‘s status is undetermined due to injury. If the Pitt transfer is unavailable, Aberdeen will be forced to lead his team and avoid foul trouble. A couple of early fouls on the Florida transfer, arguably the Wildcats’ best defensive player, could change the outcome of this game. — Medcalf

A brace from fullback Alex Freeman led the United States to a stunning 5-1 victory over Uruguay on Tuesday at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium.

Highlighted by the efficient use of set-piece plays, the U.S. opened the scoring in the 17th minute when midfielder Sebastian Berhalter launched a shot into the back of the net off a free kick. Three minutes later, Freeman doubled the lead with a headed goal that followed a corner from Berhalter. In the 31st minute, the ever-proactive Freeman stepped up once again with a roaming run that earned his second goal of the night.

Eager for more, the USMNT then made it 4-0 through a goal from Diego Luna in the 42nd minute, shortly before allowing a dramatic bicycle kick from Uruguay’s Giorgian de Arrascaeta that solidified a 4-1 scoreline by the midway break.

After half-time, Uruguay’s short-lived momentum plummeted with a red card for captain Rodrigo Bentancur. With renewed energy through a one-man advantage and substitutes like Gio Reyna, Tanner Tessmann, and Folarin Balogun, the USMNT capitalized in the 68th minute with a headed goal from Tessman following a Reyna cross.

By the final whistle, a 5-1 win was secured for the North Americans, earning them an eye-catching victory to close out 2025. With the result in hand, U.S coach Mauricio Pochettino and his roster will head into a World Cup year with a five-game undefeated streak.

– How Roldan went from USMNT afterthought to Pochettino favorite
– How the USMNT combats jet lag: Fly kits, supplements, sleep masks
– Pochettino the player: How his playing days shaped USMNT coach

Manager rating out of 10

Mauricio Pochettino, 9 — It’s becoming increasingly difficult to criticize Pochettino. There’s no doubt that we’ve seen some stumbles for the coach that has been open about wanting to reset the U.S. culture and roster in 2025, but over the last three windows, we’ve seen progress. Does he know his ideal best XI? That may not matter for the Argentine whose tinkering has created competition and a five-game unbeaten run. Shifting between a 3-4-2-1 and 4-3-3, Pochettino once again took another chance with his altered XI and it paid off with a statement result.

Player ratings (0-10; 10 = best, 5 = average)

GK Matt Freese, 7 — He’s docked a point or two for a moment of miscommunication in the first half which nearly led to a goal for Uruguay, but Freese shouldn’t be too harsh on himself. He wasn’t too busy, but did provide a vital save and high claim.

DF John Tolkin, 7 — Had a few good dribbles on the left flank and connected well with the midfield. He at times went quiet in comparison to his more proactive teammates.

DF Auston Trusty, 7 — Few problems for the defender that also provided an assist for Freeman.

DF Mark McKenzie, 6 — Lost his player during Uruguay’s lone goal, but had a decent partnership with Trusty in the backline.

DF Alex Freeman, 9 — Two goals and plenty of defensive work for the roaming fullback. What more could you want from arguably the Man of the Match?

MF Aidan Morris, 6 — Occasionally looked cautious in the starting XI, but that’s likely due to his role in which he had to drop back to support the backline. Should be given credit for his shot on target.

MF Timmy Tillman, 8 — Tillman created danger with his distribution and had a pivotal tackle that kickstarted one of Freeman’s goals. His assist for Luna’s goal was technically a slight deflection, but it’s still worth noting.

MF Sebastian Berhalter, 9 — A beautiful goal, pin-perfect assist as the leading set-piece taker, and a handful of crucial recoveries for the midfielder that also stood out with his key passes. Take a bow, Berhalter.

FW Sergiño Dest, 8 — It was a subtle assist to Berhalter, but an assist nonetheless for the fullback that was deployed as a risk-taking right-winger. If needed, he has shown that he can step up in the attack with no defensive responsibilities.

FW Haji Wright, 7 — Wright did plenty of dirty work as someone who helped fight for the ball and win fouls in dangerous areas. No goals or assists, but still a step forward.

FW Diego Luna, 8 — At first struggled to connect his passes before adding to the lopsided scoreline through a great run and finish for his goal. Also helped out defensively.

Substitutes (players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)

FW Gio Reyna, 8 — Reyna had an assist for Tessman’s goal and was a clear boost in energy in the second half.

MF Tanner Tessman, 8 — Stepped up with the headed goal, his first at the international level, that shattered any hopes of an Uruguay comeback.

FW Folarin Bolagun, 6 — Had limited time to make an impact, but also provided a couple of recoveries.

DF Max Arfsten, N/A — Looked accurate with his passes going forward.

MF Brenden Aaronson, N/A — Limited touches on the ball for the late substitute.

MF Cristian Roldan, N/A — Brought on in the 89th minute.

New York Giants rookie running back Cam Skattebo sent a social media post on Tuesday, seemingly addressing his recent controversy after engaging in a shoving match against WWE stars at Madison Square Garden for “Monday Night Raw.” 

“Aye, honestly, if you don’t like that I’m having a good time while dealing with a tough time, then just go ahead and unfollow and casually move on. I’m not able to play football and have the fun I’ve been having my whole life so I am doing things outside the box trying to find stuff to keep me happy,” Skattebo wrote on X. 

“Enjoy the rest of y’all’s week and just don’t talk about me if you ain’t got nothing nice to say.” 

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Skattebo was criticized for engaging in the Monday night spectacle while he is rehabbing from a season-ending ankle injury, and the Giants trudge through a 2-9 season.

The controversial incident began when Dominik Mysterio, one of the trio’s three stars, started jawing with actor and comedian Andrew Schulz. While talking to Schulz, Mysterio — the son of wrestling legend Rey Mysterio — mocked the New York native, saying he was staring at the only champion the city had seen in years.

Mysterio then looked at Skattebo after asking how many years it had been since a New York team won a title and said, “Can you count, Cam? How many years? He don’t know. He can’t count.”

GIANTS ROOKIE CAM SKATTEBO STARTS BRAWL AFTER SHOVING WWE STARS AT ‘MONDAY NIGHT RAW’ 

JD McDonagh, Domink Mysterio and Finn Balor confront Andrew Schulz and Cam Skattebo  during “Monday Night RAW” at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 17, 2025 in New York City. (Rich Freeda/WWE via Getty Images)

That prompted Skattebo — who suffered his injury in a Week 8 road loss to the Philadelphia Eagles — to stand up and get in Mysterio’s face.

Then, JD McDonagh began jawing at Skattebo, shouting at the Giants players before turning to the rookie.

“You guys gonna play defense for the first time this season?” McDonagh shouted before looking at Skattebo. “What are you gonna do?”

Skattebo shoved McDonagh to the ground, sparking a skirmish between Schulz, Giants players and the wrestlers before security broke it up.

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New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo (44) leaves the field after an injury during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, in Philadelphia.  (Matt Rourke/AP Photo)

Among Skattebo’s Giants teammates in attendance was fellow rookie Abdul Carter, the team’s first-round pick, who was sporting a custom Giants WWE title belt on his left shoulder.

Skattebo finished his rookie season with 617 scrimmage yards (410 rushing, 207 receiving) and seven total touchdowns across eight games.

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