Former Spartan Guard Will Face MSU as an Opponent This Coming Season

Michigan State men's basketball will play Bowling Green this season. With Lourawls "Tum Tum" Nairn Jr. now serving as an assistant coach for the Falcons, it will be the first time he visits the Breslin Center on the opposing sideline.

Feb 20, 2018; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Lourawls Nairn Jr. (11) kisses the court on his senior night during the second half of a game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports / Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

One of Michigan State men's basketball's non-conference games for the 2024 season has been revealed.

According to college basketball analyst Rocco Miller of the Bracketeer, Michigan State will host Bowling Green on November 16.

Bowling Green will be a matchup that most might overlook, until you see who is an assistant coach. Former Michigan State point guard Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn Jr. was hired this offseason to be an assistant coach under Falcons head coach Todd Simon.

Sources: Michigan State will host Bowling Green as part of its 2024-25 non-conference schedule.

Date is set for Saturday, November 16th inside the Breslin Center. #B1G #MACtion

— Rocco Miller (@RoccoMiller8) July 29, 2024

Nairn was a Michigan State star for four years. While he was never a dynamic player, having only averaged 2.5 points and three assists per game, Nairn was always a fan favorite, as he was a leader on and off the court, constantly galvanizing the players and being an extension of head coach Tom Izzo while on the floor.

After his college career came to an end after the 2018 season, Nairn quickly got involved in coaching. In 2019, Nairn joined the Phoenix Suns in their front office in a player development role. After his experience with the Suns, Nairn would become a head coach of the Sunrise Christian Academy post grad team in 2021.

From there, he moved to Southern Utah as an assistant coach in 2022 before taking the same position at Bowling Green in 2023. Now heading into the 2024-25 season, Nairn was recently promoted to associate head coach for Bowling Green.

Nairn still plays basketball, as he was part of the Bahamas national team that nearly qualified for a spot in the 2024 Summer Olympics. Unfortunately, the Bahamas would come up just short, as it lost to Spain with a final score of 86-78 in the qualifying round.

This game should be circled by every Michigan State fan's calendars, as it's great to see a beloved player come back home, regardless if it is in the form of an opponent. Expect a big ovation for this Spartan when he returns to the Breslin this November.

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