Duke vs. Michigan State live updates: No. 2 Blue Devils battle No. 5 Spartans in Champions Classic opener

Michigan State scores first and we are officially underway.

Duke star big man Patrick Ngongba is a bit under the weather, but he will play tonight for the Blue Devils. 

A lot has been made about Duke's depth entering this season. It's definitely a thing. For the first time, it will be tested against a tough Michigan State squad. Being able to bring Foster, Deron Rippey Jr., Cameron Williams, Sebastian Wilkins and Drew Scharnowski off the bench is a luxury 99% of college basketball teams don't have. Depth will be key in this game after Duke played back-to-back blowouts to start the year.

Duke vs. Michigan State prediction, pick, odds, spread: Blue Devils, Spartans renew rivalry in top 10 showdown

Cameron Salerno

Michigan State and Duke both have very tough schedules coming up, so this game should serve as a valuable resume builder for both. Duke has upcoming matchups against Illinois, UConn and Florida during the next month, while MSU has a date with Tennessee next week and Arkansas on Thanksgiving.

College basketball picks for loaded Top 25 schedule: Duke vs. Michigan State, Kentucky vs. Kansas predictions

Cameron Salerno

The key matchup to watch in this game is Duke's bigs against Michigan State's. The Blue Devils have a sizeable advantage with Ngongba and freshman Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje. That matchup should be a big test for MSU center Anton Bonke, who posted 11 points and 13 rebounds during MSU's opener against Quinnipiac.

Duke vs. Michigan State prediction, pick, odds, spread: Blue Devils, Spartans renew rivalry in top 10 showdown

Cameron Salerno

Duke star Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, who is already one of the best players in college basketball and arguably the best NBA Draft prospect in the sport, isn't eligible for the 2027 NBA Draft. Yes, you read that right. The 7-foot-2 Boumtje Boumtje would be a strong contender to go No. 1 overall this summer, but he can't enter the draft because he doesn't meet the NBA's age requirement.

Why can't Boumtje Boumtje enter the 2027 NBA Draft? Simply, he's too young. An NBA rule requires players to be at least 19 years old during the calendar year of the draft to enter.

Boumtje Boumtje, who won't turn 18 until May 30, 2027, is the youngest player in college basketball and will have to wait until 2028 to be drafted. And he's not the only one. UCLA's Nikola Kusturica, who scored 29 points vs. North Florida, and Texas' Marcus Spears Jr., who was the No. 1 prospect in the 2027 class before reclassifying, fit the same mold -- they can't enter the draft this summer because they don't turn 19 until 2028.

Get to know Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje: The freshman sensation's path to Duke and why he can't go pro just yet

Cameron Salerno

Duke has the advantage in the frontcourt and off the bench. That's going to be the difference in this game. It's going to take a very big game from Fears for Michigan State to win this one. This will be the first of many tests Duke faces and passes throughout the season. It wouldn't surprise me if Duke won this game by double digits. That's how much I love Duke's depth. They can go 10-deep every game and wear teams out with fresh players coming off the bench. Pick: Duke -6.5

College basketball picks for loaded Top 25 schedule: Duke vs. Michigan State, Kentucky vs. Kansas predictions

Cameron Salerno

The most anticipated double-header of the young college basketball season takes place tonight in Chicago as No. 2 Duke meets No. 5 Michigan State, followed by No. 15 Kansas vs. No. 24 Kentucky in the Champions Classic.

The event is also expected to draw a heavy dose of NBA scouts and decision-makers to Chicago, given the opportunity to see so many high-level prospects under one roof on one night.

One wrinkle: The best NBA prospect on the court Tuesday night won't even be eligible to be drafted in 2027. That's Duke freshman Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje who is 17 years old and won't turn 18 until next May. In order to be eligible for the NBA Draft, a player must be at least 19 years old during the calendar year of the draft, per NBA rules.

Champions Classic NBA Draft guide: Who scouts will be watching in college basketball's high-profile showcase

Adam Finkelstein