While the college basketball season is already a week old, the unofficial event serving as the tip-off of the new year in the sport, the Champions Classic, took place Tuesday night in Atlanta. With No. 1 Kansas and Michigan State in the opener, followed by No. 6 Duke and No. 19 Kentucky in the late game, there was no shortage of buzz or storylines surrounding the heavyweight clashes. 

The evening opened with the nation’s No. 1 team handling business in a rugged affair. Hunter Dickinson had 28 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Jayhawks to a 77-69 win over the Spartans. But as good as Dickinson was, the headline of the night was his head coach, Bill Self, who made more history by earning his 591st victory, passing Phog Allen to become Kansas’ winningest head coach. 

Later on in the nightcap, the Kentucky Wildcats, with a new-look offense and a transfer-heavy roster, came back from 10 down to beat Duke, 77-72. 

The Blue Devils had the ball with 26 seconds remaining, and the game tied at 72-72. Cooper Flagg, the top-rated freshman in the nation and projected No. 1 overall NBA Draft pick, got the ball and was stripped before fouling Kentucky’s Otega Oweh. With his team down two and 10 seconds left, Flagg received the in-bounds pass and drove down the left side before losing his handle on the ball and his footing, causing a game-sealing turnover. Lamont Butler made his first free throw, and then an offensive rebound cemented the Wildcats’ victory. 

Here are three takeaways from each of Tuesday night’s Champions Classic games:

1. This was personal for Hunter Dickinson, who single-handedly willed Kansas in a game that was far from pretty. 

Tuesday night’s Champions Classic opener certainly won’t be hung for display in the Louvre, with the two teams opening the contest by shooting 6-for-31 from the floor. But the difference-maker was the national player of the year candidate and fifth-year Jayhawks senior, who dominated the game. Tom Izzo told the ESPN broadcast at halftime that he was willing to go single-man coverage on the All-American if it meant the other Jayhawks were quiet. That strategy certainly kept Michigan State in the game, but it provided little resistance to the 7-foot-2 Dickinson. He scored the game’s first eight points for Kansas. At one point in the second half, Michigan State tied the game at 41, 43 and 45 – with Dickinson supplying the game-tying buckets each trip down for the Jayhawks. 

When the Spartans put together one last effort to cut Kansas’ lead to 68-61 with 2:38 remaining, Zeke Mayo missed a layup and Dickinson saved the day, delivering the dagger putback that sealed the deal. 

This was personal for the former Michigan Wolverine, who was on the receiving end of boos from Spartan fans throughout the night. With less than two minutes on the clock, Dickinson made a motion to the Spartans and their fans, stomping his foot on the hardwood. 

“I was saying they’re too small,” Dickinson said in his postgame press conference. “They can’t guard me. This was a very big game for me.”

2. Michigan State lacks perimeter shooting.

You could really feel the departure of All-Big Ten selection Tyson Walker on Tuesday night. Tom Izzo was counting on Jaden Akins and Jeremy Fears to take the reins of the backcourt, but Akins shot 1-for-8 and was a nonfactor, while Fears was 3-for-8 from the floor. It’s amazing the Spartans came as close as they did and were in the game with five minutes remaining. Omaha transfer Frankie Fidler put together some good moments, posting 15 points and eight rebounds, while Jaxon Kohler had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Jase Richardson, the son of the Michigan State legend and two-time NBA Slam Dunk contest champion Jason Richardson, had some good moments with eight points. 

But the Spartans shot just 3-for-24 from 3-point range on the night. On the season, Michigan State is 12-for-60 from downtown. The law of averages says that won’t continue, but it’s clear that Izzo has a problem on the perimeter, and he has to find a solution. That was an issue at times last year after the graduation of Joey Hauser. 

3. Did Kansas look like the No. 1 team in the country? No, but Hunter Dickinson put it best. 

Dajuan Harris, KJ Adams and Mayo shot a combined 5-for-22 from the field, which was far from pretty. Kansas has a perimeter problem of its own, as the players the Jayhawks brought in need to put the ball on the floor to score and the catch-and-shoot threats, at least at this moment, aren’t consistent. AJ Storr, a Wisconsin transfer, and Mayo are ball handlers that can score off the bounce at a high level. But Self does not have that elite shooter in his arsenal, and it has shown in the last two games. Against the Spartans and North Carolina, Kansas has combined to shoot 11-for-38 from distance.

But Dickinson responded to a question from a reporter in the press conference regarding whether this was the type of performance from a No. 1-caliber team. 

“I mean, there’s no better record that we could have right now than 3-0,” he said. “We beat a top-10 team, North Carolina, and we just beat another team who will likely end up being in the top-25, Michigan State. Are there things we can get better at? Of course. But we’ll take this any day of the week.” 

Dickinson caps his two-year run in the Champions Classic with a combined 55 points and 33 rebounds in wins over Kentucky and Michigan State. He lived for the bright lights again Tuesday, and his Hall of Fame coach got his much-deserved shine. 

1. Andrew Carr and Otega Oweh showed their experience down the stretch.

Carr, a Wake Forest transfer who is now in his fifth college season, hit a big and-1 with Kentucky down 67-64.  After a Wildcats stop, he was on the elbow with the ball when Oweh, an Oklahoma transfer, flashed to the bucket and received a pass for a go-ahead lay-in. The duo combined to score 12 of Kentucky’s final 13 points in the victory. 

Duke five-star freshman big man Khaman Maluach was dealing with cramping from the 9:20 mark to the 3:57 mark in the game. When he left, Duke was up 61-55. When he re-entered, it was 67 apiece. His absence certainly changed the game, but Kentucky still capitalized with Carr making a major difference with his presence. That’s a transfer portal win for Pope. 

 2. This is a learning moment for Cooper Flagg, and we should remember he’s 17 years old. 

Without Flagg, Duke would have been lost in its offensive execution beyond the final 90 seconds of the game. Some might be critical of the freshman, and everyone will have an opinion, but here’s mine: Flagg will learn from this and be better off for a game like this. The freshman finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds along with a +/- of +27. His impact on the game knows no limits. Yes, he unraveled in the game’s final two possessions, but we’re nine days into the season. You can’t overreact to this. 

One big-picture item for Duke: The lack of elite and consistent point guard play with Jeremy Roach gone to Baylor – yes, he was inconsistent too – could be felt late in the game. Flagg was the man Duke relied upon, but a situation where Tyrese Proctor has ups and downs in a game and Caleb Foster isn’t a crunch-time player yet, certainly was seen late in the game. Duke went 4-for-22 from 3-point land. Now, I think this was an outlier for Kon Knueppel, who went 5-for-20 and will certainly respond from this. But if he does not make 3s, the Blue Devils are in trouble in that department. Duke’s poor shooting from downtown made a big difference in this game. Kentucky started 5-for-5 from deep and finished with 10 treys, including a big one down the stretch from Kerr Kriisa. 

3. Everything about the Mark Pope Era is refreshing for the Kentucky faithful.

Walking around the concourse at State Farm Arena on Tuesday night, one Kentucky fan approached me: “At the end of the day, John Calipari’s time featured a ton of incredible moments. But it was time for the end. A breakup was the best thing for us.” 

You can’t argue with that fan’s views right now. For the first time in years, the Wildcats were running a wide variety of set plays. It was not an over-reliance on youth, but rather personnel rooted in college experience. Kentucky’s entire starting five are upperclassmen. And on a night where presumed star Jaxson Robinson had only one point and was a non-factor, where Amari Williams went 3-for-12 and Kriisa shot 2-for-9, the Wildcats didn’t let some cold spells define them. They showed their depth by going 10-deep, outscoring Duke’s bench, 25-6, and having six players score at least eight points. 

On this night, Kentucky fans have to feel the best they have in years. They have a leader who is one of their own, a member of the legendary 1996 Untouchables, who showed he can get it done with the spotlight on him and his first attempt at a big win. 

In Pope they trust. And Atlanta watering holes will make their month’s rent, if not more, from Big Blue Nation. 

As for Duke, the Blue Devils will be fine. If anyone has pressure on him, it’s Scheyer, who is in his third year with a really talented team that just crumbled in the late-goings. It’s a Final Four or bust year in Durham. Let’s see how the Blue Devils respond. 

John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him at @John_Fanta.

[Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.]

Get more from College Basketball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

Burglars reportedly targeted Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes’ mansions in Kansas City last month ahead of their Oct. 7 match-up against the New Orleans Saints.

According to a police record obtained by Page Six Tuesday, the burglary at Mahomes’ Belton, Mo., estate was reported by a bodyguard just after midnight on Oct. 6.

It’s unknown what — if anything — was stolen from the quarterback’s home.

The three-time Super Bowl champion, 29, was notably out celebrating Kelce’s 35th birthday on Oct. 5 in the hours leading up to the burglary.

It’s unclear if anyone was home during the break-in as Patrick lives with his pregnant wife, Brittany Mahomes, and their two kids — daughter Sterling, 3, and son Bronze, 1.

On Monday, Kelce’s massive Leawood, Kan., mansion was also broken into around 7:30 p.m. — shortly after kickoff against the Saints.

According to the police document obtained by TMZ, the burglars stole $20,000 in cash and damaged Kelce’s back door.

Sources told TMZ they believe the two attempts were connected to other similar crimes in the area.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office could not provide any additional details as it is an ongoing investigation.

Although lots of Kelce’s family and friends were in town for his birthday, they were all likely at the game.

The tight end’s girlfriend, Taylor Swift, also notably flew into Kansas City for the festivities. Last month, sources told Page Six that Swift threw her beau a private party that Sunday.

At the time, a source told us that Swift and her father, Scott, took Kelce, his family and the Mahomeses out to a popular sushi spot.

We were told the intimate affair ended early as the NFL stars were prepping for their game the next day.

While it’s unclear where Swift was staying, Chiefs players are typically required to stay at their team hotel the night before each home game — meaning Kelce and Patrick may not have been home at the time of the break-ins.

Reps for Patrick and Kelce did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.

The legendary quarterback and his wife purchased their eight-acre property for $400,000 in 2020 and transformed it into a palatial mansion — complete with a basketball court, a par-3 golf hole and a 5-yard football field.

Kelce, for his part, upgraded his digs last year after his romance with the “Fortnight” singer became more serious.

At the time, Page Six confirmed the “New Heights” podcast host snapped up the $6 million mansion to give him and Swift more privacy.

The sense of security that comes with living in a gated community was reportedly a big selling point for Kelce.

The Michigan State Spartans will take on the No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks in the Champions Classic in Atlanta, Ga., later this evening. 

The Spartans and Jayhawks are the early match-up of the four blue bloods who compete in this early season series, with the Kentucky Wildcats and Duke Blue Devils set to face off at the conclusion of Michigan State-Kansas. 

As Coach Bill Self often does, the Jayhawks have an impressive squad. They feature preseason All-American Hunter Dickinson, formerly of the Michigan Wolverines. They also have experienced players like point guard Dajuan Harris Jr. and guard Zeke Mayo. 

It will take everything Tom Izzo’s team has to pull off this upset. 

So, which players must step up and lead the Spartans to victory? 

Let’s identify three players who must rise to the occasion. 

Forward Frankie Fidler – In Michigan State’s first two games, Fidler has not had the shooting performance Spartan fans expected from the Omaha transfer. 

Fidler is averaging 10.0 points per game on 35.7 percent shooting from the field and just 20.0 from 3-point range. The Spartans brought in Fidler to be a marksman from the outside, which has not come to fruition so far. 

Michigan State will need Fidler to find his range in this game if it wants to pick up its second Champions Classic victory since 2022. 

Forward Xavier Booker – Booker has not exploded onto the scene in his sophomore season yet, so now is as good a time as any for him to make the second-year leap. 

Booker has struggled to shoot the ball in the Spartans’ first two games, not looking confident in his decision-making on offense. That will need to change if Michigan State wants to have any chance to pull off an upset against the top-ranked Jayhawks. 

Booker has all the talent in the world. He can shoot the 3-ball well and defend in space and at the rim. He has NBA talent if he can put it all together, and it would certainly help Michigan State if he made that happen tonight. 

Guard Tre Holloman – The junior will face some tough guard competition, so the defensive-minded, scrappy Holloman must rise to the occasion. 

Holloman struggled in the first game of the season against Monmouth but bounced back against Niagara. Izzo expects Holloman to be a major contributor this year due to his experience and versatility on both ends. 

Holloman’s skill set will be a major X-factor in determining whether or not the Spartans can pull off this upset. 

Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.