Bowling Green, Oct. 23

Despite being an exhibition game, this meeting will serve as a rematch for the Falcons. Last season, Izzo’s squad welcomed in Bowling Green and shocked fans when they trailed by 12 points late in the first half. Although, the game was tied 43-all at the break. This game highlighted that basketball is a game of runs, and that MSU basketball is a game of Coen Carr dunks. Despite six lead changes and eight ties, Michigan State came out on top last year, 86-72. With new players on both rosters, this exhibition will serve as an early test for the green and white.

UConn, Oct. 28

Michigan State’s second exhibition game will be on the road against the UConn Huskies. Last time these two met up was in the Bahamas during the 2021-2022 season. This matchup ended in a Spartan victory by a small margin. This year’s meeting should be sure to entertain, as last year’s UConn team fell by just two points to the Florida Gators–who boast last season’s March Madness title. 

Arkansas, Nov. 8

The Razorbacks are an unfamiliar team for the Spartans.  The first time MSU met Arkansas was in the 1991 Maui Classic championship game–when Izzo was still an assistant coach. Michigan State won. The second (and last) time the teams faced off was in 1995 during the Great Eight Tournament. This game came during Izzo’s first year as head coach, and the Spartans won by three points. 

In the last NCAA tournament, Arkansas pulled off a major upset against St. John early on, and missed the Elite Eight by two points in an overtime matchup against Texas Tech. This year’s Razorbacks team includes noteworthy returners, transfers from the SEC and ACC, and four incoming freshmen ranked in the ESPN Top 100 (with two freshmen in the top 10). 

Kentucky, Nov. 18

MSU will end a homestand with a trip to Madison Square Garden, taking on the Kentucky Wildcats. The teams’ last four meetings have been in neutral territory, split 2-2. This season’s Wildcats include three top 100 freshman and six transfers–including one from Florida. 

East and North Carolina (Fort Myers Tip-Off), Nov. 25 & 27 

Michigan State will open the Fort Myers Tip-Off against East Carolina—saving a bigger battle for Thanksgiving Day. The Spartans will spend the holiday facing off against the North Carolina Tar Heels in a matchup reminiscent of last season’s Maui Jim Invitational. Last year, the teams met on the eve of Thanksgiving in the tournament’s third-place game. A last-second Tar Heel three-pointer sent the game into overtime, but MSU came out on top, 94–91. This season’s matchup will look different, with North Carolina losing several starters. But Thanksgiving will reveal how they fare with the six transfers and top five freshman they’ve added.

Duke, Dec. 6

If there’s one team Spartans hate more than Wolverines when it comes to basketball, it’s the Duke Bluedevils. 

For the first time since 2019, Michigan State will host Duke at the Breslin Center. This matchup was announced back in June, and for lifelong MSU fans–as well as returning players–this is a revenge game. 

The last two meetings between these opponents ended the exact same way: The Spartans lost by nine. In the 2023-2024 season the Devils defeated the Spartans in the Champions Classic, despite graduate guard Tyson Walker scoring the game-high that night. In the 2021-2022 season, Michigan State suffered a season-ending loss at the hands of Duke after giving up a five-point lead in the last five minutes of the game. 

When the matchup was released on Instagram former MSU basketball player AJ Hoggard commented “GETBACK got no timing on it,” and mentioned redshirt sophomore guard Jeremy Fears. 

Fears responded, “come on brudda yk (you know) I been waiting.” This nonconference matchup is sure to keep Spartan fans in town the weekend after finals. 

Oakland, Dec. 20

The Spartans will head to Little Caesars Arena for a rematch of their Detroit matchup against the Golden Grizzlies. This will mark the 13th consecutive year that Michigan State has faced Oakland, and the fourth time the teams have met in downtown Detroit. MSU won by nearly 20 points last season, but this year’s Oakland squad will look different, with seven players having entered the transfer portal following the season.

Michigan State will also host Colgate on Nov. 3, San Jose State on Nov. 13, Detroit Mercy on Nov. 21, Toledo on Dec. 16 and Cornell on Dec. 29 at home this season.