Rocket Watts got the start and scored the most.
But Foster Loyer might have made the most impactful plays when Michigan State basketball needed it most.
Coach Tom Izzo said he made a shakeup at point guard for defensive purposes Tuesday as the 12th-ranked Spartans traveled to No. 8 Duke, inserting the athletic and bigger Watts for Loyer.
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It worked on multiple levels. Watts scored 13 of his team-high 20 points in the second half, while Loyer came off the bench early and contributed several pivotal little plays that were massive in the big picture of the Spartans’ 75-69 win at Duke in the Champions Classic.