Michigan State Basketball: Spartans' Keys vs. Duke in 2014 Champions Classic

After a relatively disappointing performance in the season opener against Navy, Michigan State will have to play much better to knock off Duke.

The Spartans challenged themselves with a true road game to start the year and struggled to a 64-59 victory. There were some highlights, like Travis Trice's 25 points, but this was not what we have come to expect from a Tom Izzo-led team.

Things will be much tougher against the Blue Devils, who have scored 222 points in two games against Presbyterian and Fairfield while allowing just 103 points. With a deep roster full of talented players, Duke will be tough to beat all year long.

If Michigan State wants to pull off the upset, the squad will have to come through in a few key areas.

Slow Down the Pace

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This might be one of the biggest factors in the game, as the team that dictates the pace will have a better chance of winning.

With one of the deepest teams he has had in years, Mike Krzyzewski will want his players to push the action whenever they get a chance. Each player can give his full effort in every possession before some other McDonald's All-American comes off the bench to replace him.

Michigan State clearly has talent, but it cannot match up with the depth of Duke and will try to slow the game down. Of course, this would likely be Tom Izzo's strategy regardless of who is on the court, as he prefers to have his teams wait for the best shot rather than force a bad one.

After ranking 209th in the nation in adjusted pace last season, the squad is predicted to finish 227th this year, according to KenPom.com.

Denzel Valentine and Travis Trice will always have a chance to look for an opening, but if there is no easy play, the guards have to relax and remain patient with the ball.

The fewer possessions Duke has, the less it can score, so keeping the ball out of its hands should be an excellent strategy in this one.

Defend the Perimeter

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This might come as a surprise to anyone who has watched Duke basketball over the years, but this team heavily relies on outside shooting to be successful. Well, I guess this might not be all that surprising.

Against Presbyterian, the Blue Devils hit 16 threes on 31 attempts, including at least one make from eight different players. No matter who is on the court, the players can swing it around to an open man who is capable of draining a shot from deep.

This means Michigan State will have to be extremely disciplined defensively in order to stop a three-point barrage. The players cannot fall asleep while leaving Blue Devils open away from the ball, and the rotations have to be quick when Duke makes a pass.

The Blue Devils have a way of living and dying by the three, and the Spartans have to make sure there are no easy shots.

Get the Ball Inside

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Unlike Duke, Michigan State does not want to rely on the three-point shot when on offense.

Sure, Travis Trice and Denzel Valentine have proven in the past they can make shots from the perimeter, while transfer Bryn Forbes also made his fair share of three-pointers at Cleveland State. However, the team does not want to depend on these shots to score.

Branden Dawson is the only returning player from last year's team who averaged double-digit points in 2013-14, and he was a star down the stretch after coming back from an injury.

In the last seven games of the season, the forward averaged 15.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. The Spartans were 6-1 in these contests while earning a Big Ten tournament title and an appearance in the Elite Eight. 

The Spartans need to get Dawson the ball inside where he can work for easy shots. With Matt Costello and Gavin Schilling also showing some potential, they have to be given a chance to create some balance within the offense.

Keep Jahlil Okafor Away from Basket

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In order to slow down Duke, you will have to slow down its best player and one of the best in the country in Jahlil Okafor.

While the freshman center might not have come into the year with as much hype as the men in last year's class—like Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker—he has an opportunity to make as much of an impact this season. 

Before the start of the regular season, head coach Mike Krzyzewski explained Okafor's skill set, via ESPN.com:

"

He's really one of the great kids. He's 6-10, about 265. He has huge hands. So the ball is small in his hands. Part of that hurts him some because he's accustomed to rebounding with one hand, and rebounding is better with two hands. But scoring-wise he's able to do it. He's got incredible touch and really good feet.

"

In two games, the preseason All-American is averaging 18 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. He knows how to finish when someone gives him the ball near the net, and he can even create for himself with his back to the basket.

On the other hand, Okafor is not someone who is going to make too many jump shots. This means the frontcourt players on Michigan State will have to do their best to force him out of the paint whenever they get a chance.

The Spartans lack size inside, but they have to use their strength to make sure they don't get pushed around in the low post.

Avoid Turnovers

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One advantage of a slowed pace is that it usually means fewer turnovers.

Michigan State was above average last season with just 11.5 turnovers per game, which included a mistake-prone Adreian Payne who averaged two himself.

Things were not as smooth in the first game of this season, though, with the Spartans committing 15 turnovers. Travis Trice did a great job of holding on to the ball with five assists and no turnovers, but the rest of the squad did not fare as well.

Against Duke, Michigan State will have to take advantage of every possession and not waste chances on needless mistakes. Otherwise, it could end up being a long day for this young squad.

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