It has been nearly 15 years since Kentucky, Michigan State, Duke and Kansas first played in the Champions Classic.

It seemed a bit far-fetched at the time, the idea of inviting just four programs to the same high-profile event, year after year. What if one of college basketball's marquee programs suddenly began to struggle? What if the games became blowouts?

Turns out there's been no need to worry. In just three of the 28 games over the past 14 years has one of the teams not been ranked, and that continues Tuesday night, when the quartet gathers once against at Madison Square Garden. It will be No. 17 Michigan State against No. 12 Kentucky in the opener and No. 5 Duke against No. 24 Kansas in the nightcap in New York.

“It's going to be a big-boy game. They're good,” Jayhawks coach Bill

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