The #1 Kentucky Wildcats (2-0) play the #2 ranked Michigan State Spartans (1-0) in the Champions Classic in Chicago, Illinois at 7:30 pm eastern on ESPN.
The announcers for tonight’s game are Dan Shulman and Jay Bilas. The sideline reporter is Andy Katz.
Make sure and check the Nation of Blue Live Blog to talk about the game and a possible live stream.
Michigan State is currently a 3.5 point favorite.
Here is the background on tonight’s matchup.
The meeting with No. 2 Michigan State will mark the first time teams ranked No. 1 and No. 2 will meet in regular season competition since 2008, and the meeting will mark the earliest such matchup in Associated Press poll history.
Michigan State is 1-1 in the fi rst two years of the Champions Classic. The Spartans defeated No. 7 Kansas, 67-64, last season in Atlanta behind 19 points from Keith Appling and 18 points from Gary Harris.
Kentucky entered the season ranked No. 1 in the AP and Coaches’ polls. UK was unranked at the end of last season. It is the first time in the 22-year history of the poll that a team begins the season No. 1 after finishing the previous season unranked.
UK is averaging 43 attempts from the charity stripe in the first two outings. Opponents are fouling the Cats at a rate of 28.5 per game. Kentucky has made at least 26 free throws in both contests.
Keith Appling leads all participants in the 2013 Champions Classic in career scoring in the event (41 points – 20.5 ppg).
Here are tonight’s projected starting lineups.
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