The victory was executed in traditional green and white fashion. From the jump, the Spartans displayed togetherness, physicality on the boards and stifling defense, propelling MSU to a Champions Classic victory.

"We deserve to feel good for a night because we weren't great other than our shooting early, but we still found a way to win against a quality team and in front of a bunch of our great fans in New York," MSU head coach Tom Izzo said. "So I just want to say that I was proud of my guys for how they responded in a big setting."

The game began with a sense of togetherness familiar to Spartan fans. In the first five minutes, MSU passed the ball with chemistry, patiently moving it from one player to another until an open man was found. The tactic proved effective, as MSU started 5-for-8 from beyond the arc. The team would finish 11-for-22 from 3, led by sophomore guard Kur Teng, who went 3-for-7 from long range and finished with 15 points.

The chemistry-led barrage of 3-pointers tightened the perimeter defense and softened the post, allowing MSU to drive more efficiently and generate more in-the-paint action that benefited the Spartans.

Togetherness on this night involved not just passing and its benefits, but also the number of Spartan players contributing. Ten Spartans scored, and MSU’s constant rotation showed the Wildcats that quantity matters as much as quality. The Spartans outscored Kentucky 34-22 in bench points — a margin that gave MSU an advantage all game long.

In the paint and fighting for rebounds was an MSU team that was relentless and physical. Like its togetherness, it's a trait that MSU is known for, and it displayed this all night against Kentucky. When a ball was shot, the Spartans crashed the boards like they were playing the 12th-ranked team in the nation. Bodies clashed, bodies were moved and MSU came away with board after board, out-rebounding the Wildcats 42-28. 

The Spartans’ top rebounders were junior forward Coen Carr and freshman forward Cam Ward, who combined for nine boards, while sophomore guard added a season-high six rebounds, along with eight points, 13 assists and three steals.

"I feel like we do very well about making sure that everybody crashes the boards," senior center Jaxon Kohler said. "We know that [Kentucky] has a lot of size on their team from every position. We knew that it was going to be, as coach [Izzo] put it, a football game on the hardwood. And that was a key for us going into this game."

Playing as well as the 83-point-offense was the 66-point-defense. All night, the Spartans togetherness and physicality blossomed into a defensive effort that limited Kentucky to a season low in points. While this can be blamed on a shaky shooting performance by a usually good Kentucky front court, MSU still contested well, put pressure on the ball handlers and played tough and sound in the post. 

Such defense bloomed at the end of the first half, where MSU held the Wildcats without a field goal in the final four minutes of play.  

It was the presence of Kohler that heavily contributed to this defensive reckoning. Kohler's physicality and footwork make him a dominant force defensively, stopping drives and exhibiting a sound man-to-man effort in the paint. He would finish the game not only being a defensive factor, but went 8-for-12 shooting with 20 points, five rebounds and one block. 

"Don't be fooled," Izzo said. "We weren't that good because we don't shoot the ball that well, and they weren't that bad because they do shoot the ball well and they missed a lot of shots. So the combination of things worked for us tonight. That is a very talented, good team. I'm just proud of my guys."

It was a Michigan State of mind in New York City, as the Spartans displayed a sense of togetherness, a strong and physical attempt at rebounding and a highly competitive defensive effort as it trumped No. 12 Kentucky 83-to-66. MSU will look to play with such traits again on Friday against Detroit Mercy.