Kansas basketball picked up its second straight quality win over Michigan State in the Champions Classic last night. However, the performance of both teams was anything but impressive. Had the Jayhawks not had superstar center Hunter Dickinson, the outcome likely would have been different.
The two-time All-American has been a star at KU for the past two years. Prior to his time in Lawrence, Dickinson played for Michigan and was a well-known figure in the Big Ten. He made it clear that there was no love lost between him and the Spartans, a program whose fans despised him when he resided in Ann Arbor.
Hunter Dickinson on his gesture towards Michigan State with less than two minutes to go tonight: “I was saying they’re too small. They can’t guard me.” pic.twitter.com/Ymxk8CElx6
— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) November 13, 2024
Hunter Dickinson gets the last laugh on Michigan State fans
Across three years with the Wolverines, Dickinson and his squad played to an even 3-3 record against the Spartans. In what will likely be the final game he ever plays against them, Dickinson absolutely dominated Tom Izzo’s group. They had no one to match up with him defensively.
He finished the contest with a game-high 28 points, grabbing 12 rebounds and recording three steals. Dickinson scored KU’s first eight points and was the focal point of the offense. Everyone else on the Jayhawks had a rough shooting night, with those not named Dickinson shooting 15-for-48 from the field (31.3%).
All game long, Dickinson was jawing at MSU’s bench and visibly firing himself up. He later gave a Spartan the “too small” gesture after scoring a bucket inside. We’ve all known him to showboat from time to time, but the stakes were even higher for him against his former rival school.
Although Dickinson has made it clear that Kansas is his home, he still shows support for Michigan’s athletic programs on social media. He quickly earned the villain title during his Wolverine tenure, especially among Big Ten schools like Illinois and Michigan State.
After the showing he just had, Dickinson should feel free to celebrate however he would like. His cockiness is part of what makes him so entertaining to watch. The No. 1-ranked Jayhawks will head back home to Allen Fieldhouse this Saturday to play the Oakland Golden Grizzlies.