For the second time in a week, Kentucky lost to a ranked team, leaving the Wildcats winless against teams ranked in the Top 25 this season.
Seven days after a 96-88 setback to instate rival Louisville, the Wildcats were overwhelmed in an 83-66 decision to Michigan State in the State Farm Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.
It marked the second straight season Kentucky (3-2) has played in the iconic arena and the team’s third loss in five games to the Spartans in the Champions Classic.
Kentucky dropped an 85-64 loss to Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic in Madison Square Garden last season.
Kentucky was without point guard Jaland Lowe (shoulder) for a second straight game and Denzel Aberdeen started in Lowe’s absence. Aberdeen finished with 10 points after scoring 26 in the loss at Louisville a week ago.
Michigan State (4-0) had hit just 13 3-pointers in wins over Colgate, Arkansas and San Jose State to open the season, but fell two shy of that total against the Wildcats. The Spartans connected on 11 3-pointers on 22 attempts in their highest scoring output of the season.
Jaxon Kohler, Trey Fort and Kur Teng combined for eight treys, with Fort and Teng connecting on three shots each from long range in the double-digit victory. Michigan State held a dominating 42-28 edge in rebounding.
The Spartans built a commanding 17-point lead at the half as the Wildcats struggled to do anything well. Kentucky was leading 17-14 before Michigan State went on a 19-2 run for a 33-19 lead.
In the second half, Kentucky pulled within 10 twice at 58-48 and 60-50 but could get no closer. The Wildcats were down 67-55 when the Spartans went on an 8-0 run to ice the win. Their biggest lead was 24 points at 80-56.
Otega Oweh led four players in double figures with 12 points, while Aberdeen, Collin Chandler and Mohoumed Dioubate finished with 10 points each. Freshman Malachi Moreno added nine points and Jasper Johnson finished with eight for the Wildcats, which got 22 points from their bench.
The Wildcats fell to 0-7 under coach Mark Pope when scoring 70 points or less.
2026 Champions Classic in Chicago
The 2026 Champions Classic will return to the United Center in Chicago on Nov. 10, 2026, it was announced Tuesday afternoon.
Kentucky will play Kansas and Michigan State meets Duke. UK will play Duke in the 2027 Champions Classic and Michigan State in 2028.
Gametracker: Loyola (Md.) at Kentucky, 6 p.m. CT, Friday. TV/Radio: SEC Network Plus, UK Radio Network on 94.7 The Mix and WiLLiE 102.
Kentucky's Mouhamed Dioubate, center, dunks the ball in front of Michigan State's Jaxon Kohler, right, and Carson Cooper, left, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
