The madness started a little early this year.
Four of the top five teams in college basketball faced off last night in a new early-season tournament called the Champions Classic. It's a made-for-TV event aimed to build excitement for the season, and last night in the United Center in Chicago that's exactly what Kentucky, Michigan State, Kansas, and Duke did. Unlike most early-season events, which are marred by poor chemistry and sloppy play, all four of the participating teams appeared to be in near mid-season form — especially Michigan State.
While the other three teams at the event featured high-profile freshman recruits, the No. 2-ranked Spartans relied on cohesive team defense and a surprisingly explosive, un-Big Ten-like transition offense led by returning stars to earn a 78-74 victory over the very young No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats.
