Duke vs Michigan State headlines a loaded college basketball slate that deserves attention before March

Tuesday night’s college basketball programme includes three Top 25 match-ups, led by No. 5 Michigan State facing No. 2 Duke in Chicago. The games offer high-profile tests early in the season, before many casual fans begin following the sport closer to March.

Michigan State and Duke are both 2-0; Duke is favoured by 7.5 points, with the total set at 145.5. The Spartans bring back point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., who averaged 15.2 points and led the country with 9.4 assists per game, but must replace their starting big men. Duke returns four of its top six scorers after losing its leading scorers to the NBA, and coach Jon Scheyer has added Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell; Tom Izzo’s Michigan State teams have a 3-15 record against Duke.