Kur Teng hit three of Michigan State’s season-high 11 3-pointers on the way to scoring a career-best 15 points, and the 17th-ranked Spartans beat No. 12 Kentucky, 83-66, on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden in the opener of the annual Champions Classic.
Jaxon Kohler made two shots of his own from beyond the arc to finish with a team-high 20 points, and Trey Fort scored 13. Michigan State (4-0) made half of its 3-point attempts after entering the game shooting 21.7% from long range — fourth-worst out of 361 Division I programs — with just 14 total through its first three games.
Pounding the ball inside and cashing in on second opportunities, a much more familiar recipe for coach Tom Izzo’s bunch, also worked. The Spartans outrebounded Kentucky 42-28 and never led by fewer than 10 after Teng’s baseline fadeaway jumper deep in the corner with 2 seconds remaining in the first half.
Coen Carr threw down one of his trademark dunks on an alley-oop early in the second, and Michigan State fended off some Kentucky runs and expanded its lead to 20 and beyond in the final minutes.
The Wildcats (3-2) started fast and led 5-0 very early before going ice cold from the field. They were 8 of 29, including 4 of 15 from 3-point range, in the first half on the way to a second loss in three games.
Otega Oweh led Kentucky with 12 points, while Denzel Aberdeen, Collin Chandler and New York native Mouhamed Dioubate scored 10 apiece.
Kentucky point guard Jaland Lowe missed his fifth consecutive game to open the season. He’s out indefinitely after dislocating his right shoulder in an intrasquad scrimmage last month.
Up next
Michigan State: Hosts Detroit Mercy on Friday night.
Kentucky: Hosts Loyola Maryland on Friday night.
