The Spartans return with a wealth of seasoned veterans, including preseason All-Big Ten guards Tyson Walker and AJ Hoggard, along with returning starters junior guard Jaden Akins and senior center Mady Sissoko. 

MSU also welcomes the No. 5 recruiting class in the country according to 247 Sports, with the likes of 5-stars in Xavier Booker and Jeremy Fears Jr. beside four-star wings in Coen Carr and Gehrig Normand. 

MSU’s head men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo, known for battle-testing his squad year in and year out with grueling non-conference schedules, has slated matchups with No. 12 Arizona in Palm Springs on Thanksgiving Day and No. 20 Baylor at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Dec. 16. 

The Spartans will once again participate in the State Farm Champions Classic in Chicago, squaring off against the No. 2 Duke Blue Devils on Nov. 14. The annual event featuring MSU, Duke, Kansas and Kentucky will be the Spartan’s first major test of the highly-anticipated season. 

MSU will get its feet wet with an exhibition game against Hillsdale College on Oct. 25, followed by an exhibition against the University of Tennessee on Oct. 29 at the Breslin Center in a Maui relief charity game.