Kansas guard Frank Mason III (0) chases down a ball during the second half, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015 at United Center in Chicago.

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas guard Frank Mason III (0) chases down a ball during the second half, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015 at United Center in Chicago.

The more you think about it, the more you realize the college basketball world should have seen a Michigan State “upset” of Kansas coming at the Champions Classic.

Sure, the No. 4 Jayhawks headed to Chicago with a higher ranking than No. 13 Michigan State. And, yes, KU had more recognizable returning players on the floor than MSU.

But Tom Izzo’s players — senior guard Denzel Valentine in particular — had winning experience on their side.

Jayhawks can’t stop Denzel Valentine, fall to Michigan State

Look at the core of Kansas veterans — senior forwards Perry Ellis and Jamari Traylor, and junior guards Frank Mason III and Wayne Selden Jr. This is their third season together, playing key roles in KU’s rotation. While all of them have produced their share of memorable moments and helped Kansas continue its string of regular-season Big 12 titles, they haven’t done much damage in big non-conference games away from Allen Fieldhouse.

Facing Michigan State at the United Center is on par with a Sweet 16, Elite Eight or even Final Four matchup in March. This group has yet to learn how to win on that stage.

Freshmen in 2013, Ellis and Traylor played a combined 20 minutes in KU’s Sweet 16 loss to Michigan at Cowboy Stadium.

Mason and Selden, of course, have never gone any deeper in the NCAA Tournament than the Round of 32. And the past two years, Ellis and Traylor played much larger roles for KU teams that flamed out in the first weekend of March Madness.

photo by: Nick Krug

Michigan State guard Denzel Valentine (45) puts a shot up over Kansas forward Jamari Traylor (31) late in the second half, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2015 at United Center in Chicago.

As for Valentine — you know, the guy who put the Spartans on his back and delivered a monster triple-double of 29 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists? He helped guide Sparty to the Final Four this past spring. Valentine and company knocked off Virginia, Oklahoma and Louisville on the way to the national semifinals.

KU’s core of veterans has wins over Eastern Kentucky and New Mexico State in the past two postseasons, and losses to Stanford and Wichita State.

Valentine, like Ellis and Traylor, played in a Sweet 16 as a freshman. But he and MSU followed that up with a trip to the Elite Eight his sophomore year and a 2015 Final Four appearance.

Twice Tuesday night, down 13 in the first half and trailing by 11 in the second half, it seemed the Spartans didn’t have the depth or size to knock off Kansas. What they did have, though, was a talented star who knows what it takes to win those type of games.

Shot selection and defensive mistakes led to KU blowing its double-digit lead, but being unfamiliar with how to prevail in those types of games — away from Allen Fieldhouse — had to contribute to those mental errors.

The Jayhawks have four months to keep evolving and improving (and, who knows, maybe KU wins that game if Cheick Diallo is available) but this core of veterans has to find stability and consistency on both ends of the floor for Kansas to achieve all of its goals, come March of 2016.