Thursday, March 28, 2024

MSU men's and women's basketball schedules released for 2021-22 season

September 8, 2021
<p>Then-sophomore guard Nia Clouden (24) during the women&#x27;s basketball game against Rutgers at the Breslin Center on Feb. 13, 2020. The Spartans ended a five-game losing streak and defeated the Scarlet Knights, 57-53. </p>

Then-sophomore guard Nia Clouden (24) during the women's basketball game against Rutgers at the Breslin Center on Feb. 13, 2020. The Spartans ended a five-game losing streak and defeated the Scarlet Knights, 57-53.

Photo by Connor Desilets | The State News

The official Michigan State men's and women's basketball schedules for the 2021-22 season were released by the Big Ten today as competition nears.

Here's a look into each of the matchups, both in and out of conference:

Men's basketball

The Spartans will open their season with two non-conference exhibition games that are slated to take place on Oct. 27 versus Ferris State and Nov. 4 versus Grand Valley State.

Following that, they will catch a flight to New York City for the State Farm Champions Classic against Kansas on Nov. 9.

The State Farm Champions Classic is the big event to mark the beginning of the NCAA Division I season by featuring four of the top basketball programs in the nation: MSU, Duke, Kansas and Kentucky.

The last time MSU met Kansas for this event was in 2018, where the Spartans fell to the No. 1 Jayhawks 92-87 at Madison Square Garden.

The Spartans will take it back in-state against Western Michigan on Nov. 12 and Eastern Michigan on Nov. 20.

But, between that, they'll be facing Butler in the sixth annual Gavitt Tipoff Games on Nov. 17 at the historic Hinkle Fieldhouse.

Taking it into international waters, the Spartans will partake in the Battle 4 Atlantis from Nov. 24-26 in Paradise Island, Nassau, Bahamas. Potential opponents include: Auburn, Syracuse, Connecticut, Baylor, Virginia Commonwealth, Loyola Chicago and Arizona State.

The Big Ten and ACC will host its 23rd annual challenge, with a matchup between MSU and Louisville on Dec. 1 at the Breslin Student Events Center. The Cardinals took down the Spartans the last time they faced off in 2018.

To round out the non-conference, the Spartans will face Toledo on Dec. 4, Oakland at Little Caesers Arena on Dec. 21 and High Point on Dec. 29.

The Spartans will open conference play a few days later than the rest at Minnesota before going into a winter break reset.

Following the holidays, the games are scheduled as:

vs. Penn State, 12/11

@ Northwestern, 1/02

vs. Nebraska, 1/05

@ Michigan, 1/08

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vs. Minnesota, 1/12

vs. Northwestern, 1/15

@ Wisconsin, 1/21

@ Illinois, 1/25

vs. Michigan, 1/29

@ Maryland, 2/01

@ Rutgers, 2/05

vs. Wisconsin, 2/08

vs. Indiana, 2/12

@ Penn State, 2/15

vs. Illinois, 2/19

@ Iowa, 2/22

vs. Purdue, 2/26

@ Ohio State, 3/03

They will close their regular season against Maryland at home on March 6.

Women's basketball

The Spartan ladies have a bit of a choppier schedule. They will kick off their season Nov. 9 against Morehead State at home, then bouncing to face Niagara on Nov. 14, Valparaiso on Nov. 16 and Bryant on Nov. 19 in a four game homestand.

Hitting the road finally on Nov. 21, they will stop at Fordham, before moving to St. Francis (NY) on Nov. 23 and returning to Michigan for Oakland on Nov. 26.

To round out November and most of the non-conference play, they will face Marshall at home on Nov. 28 over the Thanksgiving holiday.

The Spartans will open conference play on Dec. 5 at Iowa, but not before knocking out Notre Dame in the Big Ten and ACC challenge on Dec. 2.

An Illinois matchup is set for Dec. 9 before they head down to the West Palm Beach Invitational to face Florida Gulf Coast University and West Virginia on Dec. 20-21.

The Spartans will end the new year against Nebraska at home on either Dec. 30 or 31 as an exact date has yet to be determined.

Following the holidays, the games are scheduled as:

@ Northwestern, 1/03

vs. Purdue, 1/09

@ Ohio State, 1/12

vs. Northwestern, 1/16

@ Indiana, 1/19

vs. Minnesota, 1/23

@ Penn State, 1/27

@ Rutgers, 1/30

vs. Maryland, 2/03

@ Minnesota, 2/06

vs. Michigan, 2/10

@ Wisconsin, 2/13

vs. Penn State, 2/21

@ Michigan, 2/24

They will close their regular season against Ohio State at home on Feb. 27.

The women’s Big Ten Tournament is set for March 2-6. Location and times are still TBD. The men’s Big Ten Tournament date has not yet been announced.

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