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Michigan State Men’s Basketball Falls to Duke 66-60 in First Loss of the Season

December 8, 2025

Michigan State, ranked No. 7, hosted No. 4 Duke at the Breslin Center in a highly anticipated matchup between top-10 teams, with the Spartans seeking to solidify their elite status after recent wins over ranked opponents.

Who is affected

  • Michigan State Spartans basketball team (fell to 8-1)
  • Duke Blue Devils basketball team (improved to 10-0)
  • Tom Izzo (Michigan State head coach)
  • Jeremy Fears Jr. (MSU point guard with 13 assists but 0-for-10 shooting)
  • Jaxon Kohler (MSU player, 14 points)
  • Carson Cooper (MSU player, 16 points and 16 rebounds)
  • Cohen Carr (MSU player, 10 points)
  • Cam Boozer (Duke forward, 18 points and 15 rebounds)
  • The home crowd at Breslin Center

What action is being taken

  • No explicit ongoing actions are described in the article. The game has concluded and the article reports on past events.

Why it matters

  • This game was significant because a victory would have elevated Michigan State into legitimate top-five contender status after they had already built an impressive resume with wins over Arkansas, Kentucky, and North Carolina. The matchup represented a measuring-stick opportunity for the Spartans to prove themselves against elite competition. Duke's victory preserved their undefeated season and reinforced their top-five ranking, while Michigan State's loss—particularly their inability to capitalize on key moments like Boozer's foul trouble—revealed offensive limitations that could impact their championship aspirations.

What's next

  • Michigan State (8-1) will play at Penn State (8-1) on Saturday
  • Duke (10-0) will host Texas Tech (7-2) on Saturday night

Read full article from source: Michigan Chronicle