Duke vs Michigan State headlines a loaded college basketball slate that deserves attention before March

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This content was created by a team that works independently from the FOX newsroom.The Tuesday night slate features three Top 25 matchups, including a showdown between No.5 Michigan State and No.

2 Duke at the United Center in Chicago as part of the State Farm Champions Classic.Duke head coach Jon Scheyer (left) and Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo (right) lead their teams into a Tuesday night showdown at the Champions Classic.(Getty Images)Let's dive into a fantastic early-season slate of college hoops.CBB WITH DANNY Z: KANSAS, TENNESSEE AND USC LEAD ANOTHER HUMAN POLLS VS.

ANALYTICS ARGUMENTSpread: Duke -7.5, Total: 145.57:00 p.m.ET, ESPNTom Izzo has been doing this long enough that it's easy to take him for granted.

I don't.For my money, he's the best coach in history at getting the most out of his teams.

This season, he also has one of the best point guards in the country, which certainly makes the job easier.Michigan State went 27-8 and reached the Sweet 16 last season, and the Spartans bring back Jeremy Fears Jr., who averaged 15.2 points and led the nation with 9.4 assists per game.Forward Coen Carr also returns after averaging 12 points and 5.4 rebounds.

The concern is up front, where Izzo has to replace starting big men Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper.Duke, meanwhile, went 35-3 last season before its run ended in the Elite Eight on a miracle buzzer-beater by UConn's Braylon Mullins.The Blue Devils lost their two leading scorers, Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans, to the NBA.

Normally, that would qualify as a pretty serious problem.At Duke, it mostly means somebody else gets to become a household name.Dame Sarr is one of four key returning players for Duke.

(AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)Jon Scheyer brings back four of his top six scorers: Patrick Ngongba II, Caleb Foster, Dame Sarr and Cameron's twin brother, Cayden Booz...