The MSU men’s basketball team hasn’t been to California since 1974, when it took part in the Cable Car Classic in San Francisco.
But the Spartans will make a return trip to the Golden State to face Stanford in the Pete Newell Challenge at The Arena in Oakland on Dec. 29.
Michigan will play San Francisco in the other game at the event.
MSU and Stanford have had quite a deal of success the past few seasons, with Stanford winning the Pacific-10 Conference championship three years in a row and MSU winning the Big Ten title for the past four.
In the 2001 NCAA Tournament, Stanford advanced to the Elite Eight before losing to Maryland 87-83 for a trip to the Final Four.
MSU has played Stanford four times in the school’s history and leads the series 3-1. The Spartans last met the Cardinals on Dec. 28, 1991, in East Lansing and won 76-62.
Their only matchup in California resulted in an 81-80 Stanford victory Dec. 29, 1960, in the Los Angeles Classic.
The Pete Newell Classic was developed to honor the Hall of Fame coach who won an NCAA title in 1959 with California and followed that up by coaching the United States to a gold medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. Newell also coached at MSU from 1950-54.
Last season, The Classic showcased Duke against Stanford, during which Cardinals guard Casey Jacobsen helped Stanford stun the No. 1-ranked Blue Devils with a heroic jump shot off the glass with 3.6 seconds left for an 84-83 win.
Tickets for the game will go on sale in early October through all Tickets.com outlets. Tickets will also be available by calling (800) 225-2277 or (510) 569-2121.
