Champions Classic 2023 betting picks: Duke-Michigan State, Kansas-Kentucky - ESPN

The 2023 State Farm Champions Classic takes place at the United Center in Chicago on Tuesday, Nov. 14. The doubleheader features No. 9 Duke vs. No. 18 Michigan State at 7 p.m. ET, followed by No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 17 Kentucky at approximately 9:30 p.m. ET. Both games can be seen on ESPN and via the ESPN app.

It's eight days delinquent, but welcome to the unofficial start to college hoops season. The Champions Classic always feels like the real start to the season (and should be the actual tipoff event), with four of the biggest brands in the sport playing in a doubleheader. Let's get to the picks.

Odds courtesy ESPN BET

One of these teams is leaving this game 1-2 on the season. Duke's loss to Arizona was understandable. I was there, and the Wildcats were just too physical. They dominated the glass and the Blue Devils struggled to guard Oumar Ballo in the post. Offensively, Duke was surprisingly selfish and just didn't share the ball. But those are lessons to be learned in a loss to a top-15 Arizona squad with a bunch of grown men on it.

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The Spartans, on the other hand, suffered a shocking loss to James Madison to open the season. JMU is a solid mid-major and the favorite to win the Sun Belt Conference, but you can't lose that game at home. With an entire starting five of veteran players (Tyson Walker, A.J. Hoggard, Jaden Akins, Mady Sissoko and Malik Hall), the expectations were sky high for Sparty. But in reality, they were so reliant on Walker in that game. He went for 35 points, but anyone even asked to make a play or look at the rim looked incapable down the stretch. They shot 1-for-20 from 3, which was a huge factor in that