No. 12 Kentucky men’s basketball (3-2) faced No. 17 Michigan State (4-0) in the annual State Farm Champions Classic, falling 83-66 to the Spartans, bringing Kentucky’s record against ranked opponents to 0-2.
The game would prove to be yet another showing of too much, too late for the Wildcats, as early offenseive sturggles and ineffecenies would prove costly even with the chance for a second half comeback.
Through the first seven minutes of play, the game was a back-and-forth battle of high-performing offenses, with both Michigan State and Kentucky exchanging baskets on back-to-back drives.
Collin Chandler led Kentucky, shooting 3-for-3 from the field and 1-for-1 from beyond the arc to give the Cats an early edge.