Over the next three seasons, Michigan State will be one of four basketball programs to take part in an event called the Champions Classic. The other three programs are Duke, Kansas and Kentucky, hence why it is called the Champions Classic. All of these schools have won national championships and will play each other in this event in each of the next three seasons.
↵On Nov. 15, 2011, Michigan State will take on Duke at Madison Square Garden, where the Spartans just played Syracuse earlier this week. Kentucky and Kansas will play that same night at MSG. The second year of this event will feature a game between Michigan State and Kansas at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Nov. 13, 2012. Duke and Kentucky will also play at the Georgia Dome that day. This event will come to a close on Nov. 12, 2013, at the United Center in Chicago. Michigan State will take on Kentucky and Kansas will play Duke.
↵This event just further shows that Tom Izzo and MSU aren't afraid to play anyone. Year in and year out the Spartans' non-conference schedule is one of the toughest in the nation, and by signing up to take part in the Champions Classic, it appears the notion of playing anybody anywhere won't be changing anytime soon. (Just look at the fact that MSU is rumored to be playing on Nov. 11, 2011, against North Carolina on an aircraft carrier. If that turns out to be true, Michigan State would play both UNC and Duke in a span of four days.)