Tom Izzo, Michigan State men's basketball add 2 nonconference games in 2023-24
One of the most well-known and remembered games in college basketball history was the 1979 national championship game, when Magic Johnson and Michigan State won their first NCAA Tournament titles over Larry Bird and Indiana State.
For the first time since that all-time classic showdown, the Spartans and the Sycamores will share the hardwood floor again.
Michigan State men's basketball's 2023-24 schedule is nearly full after the Spartans reportedly added two more games to their nonconference slate on Monday, including Indiana State in late December at the Breslin Center. The Spartans have also added Georgia Southern on Nov. 28 at home.
Last season, Indiana State finished in fifth place in the Missouri Valley Conference with an overall record of 23-13 and a 13-7 mark in league play. Georgia Southern, meanwhile, finished eighth in the Sun Belt, with a 17-16 overall record while going 9-9 in conference play.
With the addition of the Sycamores and Eagles, Michigan State has now filled 10 out of 11 available slots in the nonconference. This is how Michigan State's non-league schedule shapes up thus far:
- Monday, Nov. 6 — vs. James Madison, Breslin Center
- Thursday, Nov. 9 — vs. Southern Indiana, Breslin Center
- Tuesday, Nov. 14 — vs. Duke, Champions Classic in Chicago
- Friday, Nov. 17 — vs. Butler, Gavitt Games, Breslin Center
- Sunday, Nov. 19 — vs. Alcorn State, Acrisure Classic, Breslin Center
- Thursday, Nov. 23 — vs. Arizona, Acrisure Classic, Palm Springs (Calif.)
- Tuesday, Nov. 28 — vs. Georgia Southern, Breslin Center
- Saturday, Dec. 16 — vs. Baylor, Little Caesars Arena
- Wednesday, Dec. 22 — vs. Oakland, Breslin Center
- December 29 or 30 — vs. Indiana State, Breslin Center
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo likes to challenge this team each year with a tough out-of-conference schedule. The 2023-24 slate is no different, featuring programs like Duke, Arizona and Baylor to test the Spartans' early and get them ready for Big Ten play.
Izzo lamented the travel requirements of Michigan State's non-league games a season ago however, and it appears he's followed through on trying to make the 2023-24 slate more travel-friendly for the Spartans. Seven of MSU's scheduled nonconference games will be played at home, while two others are scheduled for nearby Chicago and Detroit. Only one, the West Coast trip to California to face Arizona, will be played outside the Midwest footprint.
Michigan State is projected as one of the preseason favorites to win the national championship in 2023-24, with most publications considering the Spartans a Top 5 to Top 10 team is year.
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