Less than two months before tipping off the season, Michigan State’s slate of nonconference opponents is set.
The Spartans on Tuesday released their 11-game schedule that will lead them into Big Ten play in coach Tom Izzo’s 30th season. It is highlighted by a matchup against Kansas in the Champions Classic, a trip to the Maui Invitational and games against in-state opponents.
The Big Ten released opponents but not dates for the season in May.
Before the games count, Michigan State will play a pair of exhibitions – at Northern Michigan in the Superior Dome on Oct. 13 and at home against Ferris State on Oct. 29. The season officially begins with Monmouth visiting the Breslin Center on Nov. 4 before hosting Niagara on Nov. 7.
After facing the Jayhawks at the Champions Classic in Atlanta on Nov. 12, Michigan State will welcome Bowling Green and associate head coach Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn, a former guard for the Spartans, on Nov. 16. A visit from Samford three days later precedes the trip to Maui where the Spartans will open against Colorado on Nov. 25 and face either UConn or Memphis in the second round of the three-game tournament.
Michigan State will play a pair of Big Ten games in early December before facing Oakland, led by legendary coach and Izzo’s friend, Greg Kampe, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Dec. 17. The Spartans close non-conference play by hosting Florida Atlantic on Dec. 21 and Western Michigan on Dec. 30. FAU reached the NCAA Tournament each of the last two seasons, including a trip to the Final Four two years ago under Dusty May, who is heading into his first season at Michigan. Dwayne Stephens, a former standout Spartan and longtime assistant under Izzo, is in his third year as head coach at Western Michigan.
The Spartans have a revamped team that Izzo tested last month with a three-game trip to Spain in which they finished 2-1.
