Hunter Dickson led No. 1 Kansas to an impressive win over Michigan State, while Mark Pope aced his first big test as Kentucky's head coach.

Michigan State basketball gave the No. 1 team in the country a tough test on Tuesday night but ultimately came up short in the end. The Spartans fell against Kansas, 77-69, in the Champions Classic from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta,

It’s a privilege, the way Michigan State coach Tom Izzo sees it, for his Spartans to be invited to their 14th straight Champions Classic. MSU will take on No. 1 Kansas in Atlanta, Georgia, on Tuesday night, a rapid acceleration from its pair of warm-up games against mid-major opponents.

The Champions Classic is back for its 14th year and the Kansas Jayhawks will look to get a ninth win in this series when it takes on Michigan State. Kansas is 2-2 against the Spartans and a win would give the Jayhawks a winning record in this event against every other opponent in the field.

Where is the Champions Classic in 2024? Here's what to know for this year's college basketball event with Duke, Michigan State, Kansas and Kentucky:

It's time for the 2024 Champions Classic! Check out how to watch Michigan State vs. Kansas and Duke vs. Kentucky on ESPN now.

Nothing against the Champions Classic, but it spawned too many low-rent imitations. College basketball would be better served by more big home-court nonconference games.