2 Clear Positives From Duke Basketball's Champions Classic Defeat

Duke didn't have its best stuff on Tuesday night.

The Blue Devils fell 79-73 to No. 5 Michigan State in the State Farm Champions Classic on Tuesday night in Chicago, and MSU was clearly the better team. The Spartans deserved to win, and it's a learning curve that Jon Scheyer and his staff will need to address fairly quickly, with several more marquee non-conference matchups looming.

Duke didn't play a bad game: it was a mix of Michigan State playing at an elite level and a lack of connectivity on both ends at times for the Blue Devils. Even with a defeat, there were two clear positives.

Nov 10, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Michigan State Spartans forward Cam Ward (3) defends Duke Blue Devils forward Drew Scharnowski (8) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Glue Guys: Drew Scharnowski and Sebastian Wilkins

Duke has a lot of potential "glue guys" on this season's roster. Meaning, it has plenty of guys who can come in and impact winning in a really big way without necessarily looking to score. On a night when the Blue Devils were outplayed by another elite club, Drew Scharnowski and Sebastian Wilkins provided really solid minutes.

Scharnowski is still working his way back to 100% health, but he was great in the second half when Duke needed a jolt. The Belmont transfer ended the night with eight points, six boards (three offensive), two assists, a steal, and a block in 15 minutes. He's only played a total of 23 minutes in two games so far this season, but he'll be a big defensive piece as the season gets going.

Wilkins has really made a name for himself in Durham this year and is quickly becoming one of the more important bench pieces for Scheyer and Co. The redshirt freshman went for nine points, two offensive rebounds, and a block in 19 minutes of action.

Nov 10, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Carlos Medlock Jr. (7) shoots a three point basket as Duke Blue Devils forward Sebastian Wilkins (5) defends him during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Michigan State did a fantastic job defensively, blowing up most half-court action Duke tried to run. When the Blue Devils struggled to find high-percentage looks, offensive rebounds and trips to the free-throw line kept them in a position to win. Obviously, it didn't lead to a victory, but it kept them in the game.

In his postgame press conference following the loss to Michigan State, Scheyer discussed the impact of Scharnowski and Wilkins.

"I thought what Sebastian gave us and what Drew gave us they were just, they started their roles. You know, they defended, they rebounded, they make extra passes. We need more of that," Scheyer said.

"End of the day, for our group. We have guys that just are used to making their impact through scoring, and so there is going to be an evolution and an adjustment for that. That's why Sebastian and Drew, they were the only two guys tonight where we won the minutes," Scheyer later added.

Blue Devils Still Figuring Everything Out

This year's Duke roster is a very unique one in the sense that it has a plethora of options everywhere in so many different ways. With so many guys who can make a significant impact, it's going to take time for Scheyer and his staff to figure out exactly which rotations and lineups make the most sense together at certain times.

The Spartans deserved to win that game, but the good news is that Duke has plenty of opportunities to pick up resume-boosting wins throughout the rest of the non-con slate.

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