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Draymond Green to get jersey retired when Duke visits Michigan State

By Kevin Connelly

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 15: Mason Plumlee #5 of the Duke Blue Devils drives the ball against Draymond Green #23 of the Michigan State Spartans during the 2011 State Farm Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden on November 15, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 15: Mason Plumlee #5 of the Duke Blue Devils drives the ball against Draymond Green #23 of the Michigan State Spartans during the 2011 State Farm Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden on November 15, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) /
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When the Duke Basketball team faces the Michigan State Spartans on December 3, it will be a special night in the Breslin Center as Draymond Green’s jersey will be retired.

As if the Duke vs. Michigan State matchup in the ACC vs. Big Ten Challenge didn’t need more hype, it got some more on Monday afternoon.

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo announced that the program will retire Draymond Green‘s jersey at halftime of its matchup with Duke.

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Green, a member of the Golden State Warriors, has a off day on December 3, the day of the game, as Golden State is in Atlanta to face the Hawks on December 2 and facing the Charlotte Hornets on the road on December 4.

While the jersey retirement has to a lot with the schedule and availability of Draymond Green, it’s an interesting decision to put his jersey in the rafters against a team he was unable to beat in his college career.

In his junior season, Green and the No. 6 Michigan State Spartans made a trip to Cameron Indoor Stadium to face the then No. 1 Duke Blue Devils, falling to the Blue Devils, 84-79.

Draymond Green posted 16 points, six rebounds, one assist, three steals, and three blocks, but fans will remember this game as the Kyrie Irving game when the Blue Devils bursted onto the scene with 31 points.

Green would get one last shot to defeat the Blue Devils in his senior year, but in the 2011-12 season, then No. 6 Duke would get the best of Michigan State with a 74-69 win.

The future second round pick struggled heavily against Duke in his second meeting, scoring 10 points with seven rebounds, two assists, four steals, and a block, but only went 4-of-15 from the field and missed all four of his 3-point attempts.

Draymond Green’s return to the Breslin Center will bring another level of energy to an already highly anticipated game, something Duke experiences every time they play a game away from Cameron Indoor Stadium.

The Duke Blue Devils will be making the trip up to East Lansing, Michigan on December 3 with tipoff slated for 9:30pm EST on ESPN.

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