CHICAGO -- Grayson Allen -- Duke's lone senior -- scored a career-high 37 points, freshman Trevon Duval had 17 points and 10 assists, and the top-ranked Blue Devils beat No. 2 Michigan State 88-81 in the Champions Classic on Tuesday night.
On a court full of some college basketball's brightest stars, Allen stepped up whenever his team needed a big play. The Blue Devils (3-0) lost Marvin Bagley III to an eye injury midway through the first half, but Allen made five 3-pointers and scored 21 points in the second half to help make up for the missing freshman phenom.
Wendell Carter Jr. added 12 points and 12 rebounds, helping Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski improve to 12-1 in his career against Michigan State.
Miles Bridges, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Nick Ward each scored 19 points for the Spartans, who blocked 12 shots -- just one shy of the school record. Michigan State (1-1) shot 51 percent from the field, but was outrebounded 46-34 by the long and athletic Blue Devils.
The 42nd meeting of the top two schools in The Associated Press poll since 1949 lived up to its pregame hype, with Duke and Michigan State exchanging runs for most of the night at the home of the NBA's Chicago Bulls. Each team had its sloppy moments typical of a mid-November game, but they also brought the crowd to its feet several times with an array of impressive jams and emphatic rejections at the rim.
Cassius Winston drove the lane and passed to Kenny Goins for a dunk that gave Michigan State a 75-73 lead with 4:12 left. But Carter responded with a rebound slam at the other end and Allen set up Gary Trent Jr.'s tiebreaking 3-pointer with 3:11 to go.
Allen added two more 3s in the final 2 1/2 minutes and Javin DeLaurier's breakaway dunk made it 86-77 with 50 seconds left, putting the Spartans away for good.
Bagley began his college career with a pair of impressive performances, but he had a short stay in his first game against a marquee opponent. He was held out after he was swiped in the face by DeLaurier with 10:09 left in the first half. He finished with four points and six rebounds.
IN MOURNING
Duke associate head coach Jeff Capel III was not on the bench after his father died Monday at age 64. Jeff Capel Jr., a longtime basketball coach at the college and pro level, was diagnosed with ALS in the spring of 2016.
LAW AND ORDER
Michigan State strength and conditioning coach Todd Moyer did not travel with the team after he was charged with reckless driving causing death following a July crash that killed two people. Athletic director Mark Hollis said Monday in a statement that his office is monitoring the case.
BIG PICTURE
Michigan State: The rebounding performance likely infuriated coach Tom Izzo, and the Spartans also had 17 turnovers. But they looked every bit of their lofty ranking.
Duke: While Bagley and the rest of the Blue Devils' talented newcomers got much of the attention before the game, it's clear this is still Allen's team. The 6-foot-5 senior was 11 for 20 from the field in perhaps the best performance of his collegiate career so far.
UP NEXT
Michigan State: Hosts Stony Brook on Sunday in the PK80-Phil Knight Invitational.
Duke: Hosts Southern on Friday night.
