The Champions Classic serves up a heavyweight showdown as Michigan State and Kentucky lock horns, and this one has all the makings of a marquee November clash.
Kentucky rolls into New York ranked No. 12 at 3-1, eager to show that their early stumble was nothing more than a speed bump. Standing opposite them are the No. 17 Michigan State Spartans, perfect at 3-0 and already battle-tested.
Tom Izzo's group has dipped its toe into SEC waters once already, scraping past Arkansas 69-66 on Nov. 8. They followed that up by handling San Jose State with ease, though their 79-60 victory fell short of covering that hefty 24-point spread. Kentucky, meanwhile, responded to last week’s loss at then-No. 12 Louisville with an absolute demolition job, flattening Eastern Illinois 99-53 on Friday night.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch the Kentucky vs Michigan State NCAAM game, plus plenty more.
Kentucky vs Michigan State: Date and tip-off time
The Wildcats will face off against the Spartans in an exciting NCAAM game on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at 6:30 pm ET or 3:30 pm PT at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY.
| Date | Tuesday, November 18, 2025 |
| Tip-off Time | 6:30 pm ET or 3:30 pm PT |
| Venue | Madison Square Garden |
| Location | New York, NY |
How to watch Kentucky vs Michigan State on TV & stream live online
Fans in the USA can catch all the action between Kentucky and Michigan State live on ESPN nationally. Streaming options are available on Fubo, which offers a FREE trial to new subscribers.
Streaming the game with a VPN
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Kentucky vs Michigan State team news & key performers
Kentucky Wildcats team news
Kentucky, meanwhile, leaned heavily on Mouhamed Dioubate in their rout of Eastern Illinois. The Alabama transfer delivered 20 points on 8-of-9 shooting and hauled in 11 rebounds. The 6-7, 220-pound forward has settled in quickly, averaging 12 points and 6.8 boards while hitting nearly 68% of his shots in just 20 minutes per game.
Denzel Aberdeen has been the Wildcats’ top bucket-getter, posting 15.2 points per game on a sharp 56.1% shooting clip, along with 3.0 assists and 4.8 rebounds. The former Florida guard has taken a major leap from last season’s 8.0 points per game. Kentucky is still without point guard Jalaan Lowe (shoulder), the Pitt transfer who averaged 16.8 points last year and tallied 7.5 per game in his first two outings for the Wildcats.
Michigan State Spartans team news
Michigan State brushed aside San Jose State last Thursday with a comfortable 79-60 win, even if they fell short of covering the 24-point spread. Jaxon Kohler turned in a monster outing, piling up 17 points and a staggering 18 rebounds, while Carson Cooper matched him with 17 points of his own on an efficient 6-of-7 clip. It was vintage Spartans basketball — dominating the glass by a +16 margin — though their perimeter shooting lagged behind at just 23% (6-for-25).
Kohler, the 6-foot-10, 245-pound anchor, has been the engine so far, averaging 14.3 points and 13.3 boards despite some inefficiency from the floor (42.4%). Cooper, at 6-foot-11 and 245 pounds, chips in 12 points and five rebounds a night, while Coen Carr adds 11.7 points and another five boards. All three were homegrown Tom Izzo recruits on a roster with very few transfers.