Florida State will be the third ACC team the Spartans play in the young season, already having played and lost to No. 5 North Carolina and No. 3 Duke. And in the last four years, the Seminoles hold the third-best record of ACC teams, behind UNC and Duke.

“I don’t know (which conference) to play for because we’ve played so many ACC teams,” Izzo said.

Entering the challenge’s 13th season, the Big Ten has won just twice — the past two years. MSU holds a 5-6 record in the challenge and returns to Breslin Center for the first time since 2007.

“It’s great we’re going for three straight. That’s part of building our conference,“ Izzo said. “I don’t love the challenge because we don’t have control over who we play or where we play or the schedule, but I do think it’s been good for college basketball.”

The Seminoles bring one of the most formidable defensive opponents in the nation the past few years to Breslin Center. In Friday’s loss to Harvard, the team held the Crimson to 46 points on 27-percent shooting.

“I thought Carolina was big until I watched film and stats of this team. They’ll be the biggest team we play, and they’re very athletic and have been incredible in field goal percentage defense,” Izzo said. “It’s definitely a top-tier team that causes trouble with their defense and rebounding.”

What helps make FSU such a solid defensive team is the tall, lengthy athletes on the court. All five Seminole starters stand taller than 6-foot-5.

To counter the height, Izzo said he plans to play senior forward Draymond Green, junior center Derrick Nix, sophomore center Adreian Payne and freshman guard Branden Dawson together at some points.

“It’s a big team. The biggest concern for both teams with all those big bodies in there is foul trouble,” Izzo said. “This is going to be an aggressive, physical game — I can promise you that.”

Green likely is to become to the 42nd player in program history to reach 1,000 points tonight. Sitting at 992 career points, he’s scored more points than the rest of the team combined.

Even if the Spartans stick with smaller lineups on the floor, Nix said they just need to keep doing what they do.

“We just have to know their stuff and go at them hard on the glass and box them out,” he said. “We just gotta keep pushing it, blitz and break. When the rebounding’s going, get the outlet to (sophomore guard Keith Appling) and push it.”

In Sunday’s 72-40 win against Eastern Michigan, the Spartans opened up the floor and made Izzo happy with the transition game. Against a defensive-minded team such as the Seminoles, high-scoring offenses might not be present, Appling said.

“They gamble a lot, so we’ll just have to come in and protect the ball,” he said. “They can afford to take some chances and trap us. It’s going to be a real tough and hard fought game. They’re a pretty solid team all around.”