The MSU men’s and women’s basketball teams will kick off the season with their annual Green and White games this Saturday after the MSU football game.

The men’s intrasquad matchup will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of the MSU-Illinois football game, which is slated for a 12:10 p.m. kickoff. The game, free for all fans, will be played at the Breslin Student Events Center.

The women’s team will play its Green and White game 20 minutes after the men’s game.

Women’s associate head coach Katie Abrahamson said since the program has an entirely new coaching staff the Green and White game will be a good time to work out any kinks in the team’s offense.

“They’re actually going to play with officials, there is not going to be any stopping, nobody is going to stop and correct what they are doing. They are going to have to play through their mistakes. The Green and White game gives them a total perfect game situation.”

The women’s team will play their first exhibition at 2 p.m. on Nov. 4

Men’s head coach Tom Izzo is looking to use Saturday’s scrimmage as one last fun fan event before the team gets back into its normal routine - what Izzo calls the “dog days” of practice.

Izzo said the game is a great change of pace before his team prepares for its Nov. 7 home exhibition matchup at 7:30 p.m. against Northern Michigan, Izzo’s alma mater.

“When you go through the (first) two weeks of practice this gets to be the dog days, the next week and a half,” Izzo said. “This is the toughest time when the thrill of starting practice is over and the (season opening) game is a little too far away.”

MSU senior guard and co-captain Charlie Bell said the Green and White game gives the team a break from its normal routine.

“You kind of get into this mode where you just come to practice, go home (and) come to practice - the same thing over and over again,” Bell said. “The Green and White game is something new and something different, plus we go out there and get a real-life scrimmage. It kind of gets us back going (and we) get some life back.”

But not everyone on the team sees the Green and White game as a break from practice.

After being redshirted last year, freshman forward Adam Wolfe and freshman center Jason Andreas are eager to begin playing in organized games.

Andreas said both players haven’t had game experience in about two years.

“I think both Adam and I forget what we can do (on the court),” Andreas said. “It will be nice to be out there and get in that game atmosphere.

“Nobody really knows what we can do yet. They’ve just heard our names, so it will be nice to get out there and show people what we can do.”

Wolfe said he can’t predict if they will be rusty during the game, but he hopes they will play well.

“It might just take time,” Wolfe said. “I think coach Izzo understands that and so does the whole team. We have taken a year off, we’ve practiced, but playing games is a whole different story.”

Unlike “The Main Event” - the kickoff to the team’s first practice, which was open to the public - Izzo said the game will be just like a regular-season game even though he may swap players at halftime to give everyone a chance to play.

“I think everybody will get a chance to play - everybody,” Izzo said. “I think it’s important they go against some people, I think it’s important they go with them (too) and I think it’s important they play in front of people.”

Izzo added that the team will use the intrasquad scrimmage to its advantage, without the flashy marketing schemes used in “The Main Event.”

“This is going to be a full-fledged scrimmage, not more of a joke-around tuxedo event,” Izzo said. “There isn’t going to be any boxing in this one, we’re going to play.”

Bell agreed that the Green and White game will be taken seriously and won’t turn into a wide open dunkfest lacking defensive hustle.

“It’s going to be very competitive,” Bell said. “Each team is going out there to win for bragging rights. It’s not going to be an all-star game type thing where guys look to drive to the hole and dunk. It’s going to be competitive, and I’m looking forward to it.”