Last week, against San José State, MSU skated past to a 79-60 win, but it wasn't without a sloppy second half. Three Spartans scored career highs in points, while Jaxon Kohler grabbed 18 rebounds for his own personal best. Jeremy Fears Jr. shot 3-for-5 from beyond the arc, but the rest of the team couldn’t find its rhythm again, combining for 3 of 22 from 3.

Head coach Tom Izzo spoke with reporters on Sunday about the upcoming contest in New York City. After the win last week, Izzo said he was surprised by his leaders on the team playing without a "zip." Now, after two of the "best practices in two years," Izzo is confident his team can go into Kentucky with a win. 

"Are we gonna make any shots? That's still a problem. Sooner or later, you got to make shots," Izzo said. "But boy, the effort these two days, I'd be shocked if we don't play well. That's a hell of a team with a hell of a roster that's 10 deep of really good players."

MSU is 5-9 in the Champions Classic, which dates back to 2011. All but once, MSU has faced a team ranked higher than itself and owns the worst record among the four teams, including Kentucky, Duke and Kansas. 

This year’s Kentucky squad emulates a lot of what made MSU great a season ago. The team is one of the deepest in the country, with six players earning 20 minutes a game, while five average 10 or more points.

The Wildcats bring in 6 transfers, owning the No. 2 transfer class in the nation, according to On3. The team’s leading scorer to this point, Denzel Aberdeen, played a crucial role in the Florida Gators' National Championship last year. He brings an intense skillset to the court, shooting 56% from the field.

As a team, Kentucky shoots 34% from 3. Leading the cause is sophomore guard Colin Chandler, shooting 57% from downtown. Chandler brings a mixed bag of sharpshooting and slashing that’ll prove difficult for MSU defenders, who have had issues defending the 3.

Kentucky brings a well-rounded approach, but at times has looked flat and struggles to play clean. Despite its worries, MSU excels in the turnover battle. The Spartans’ assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.8 is a testament to the keen offensive play and dominance in transition.

MSU’s biggest strength is its ability to get out and run, something it will want to do against the Wildcats. Against a talented group of freshmen, MSU can make them uncomfortable and force fouls and turnovers, just as it did against Arkansas.

Before the team left for the Big Apple, Izzo reflected on being able to play in the Champions Classic for more than a decade.

"It’s exciting that MSU gets to be in this thing. It's always one of the most watched nights of basketball and I look at that as a privilege," Izzo said. "We had to earn it, but it's still a privilege to play in it."