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Defending Big Ten champion Michigan State faces a challenging conference schedule

On3 imageby: Paul Konyndyk09/18/25PKonyndyk
Coen Carr - Big Ten
(Photo by Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Michigan State will open Big Ten conference play at home against Iowa on December 2 and close out regular-season conference play at Michigan according to the Big Ten basketball schedule, which was released on Thursday afternoon.

The 20-game Big Ten schedule will see Michigan State play two games against Indiana, Rutgers, and Michigan.

Against single-game Big Ten opponents, Michigan State will play road games at Penn State (Dec. 13), Nebraska (Jan. 2), Washington (Jan. 17), Oregon (Jan. 20), Minnesota (Feb. 4), Wisconsin (Feb. 13), and Purdue (Feb. 26).

Michigan State plays Big Ten opponents for a single game at home against Iowa (Dec. 2), Southern Cal (Jan. 5), Northwestern (Jan. 8), Maryland (Jan. 24), Illinois (Feb. 7), UCLA (Feb. 17), and Ohio State (Feb. 22).

https://twitter.com/MSU_Basketball/status/1968782248490000865

Five Big Ten teams are currently ranked in the ESPN Pre-season Top 25 led by top-ranked Purdue. No. 8 ranked Michigan is the only other Big Ten team ranked in the Top 10 pre-season. UCLA, Illinois, and Wisconsin are each ranked in the Top 20.

Michigan State, which finished seventh in the final AP Top 25 last season, after winning the Big Ten regular season championship outright, and advancing to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. The Spartans began the 2024-2025 unranked, just as they will begin the upcoming season.

Michigan State opens the 2025-2026 season with exhibition games against Bowling Green (Oct. 23) and at UConn (Oct. 28).

Michigan State will play a challenging non-conference schedule prior to Big Ten play with marquis home games against Arkansas (Nov. 8) and Duke (Dec. 6). The Spartans face Kentucky in the State Farm Champions Classic (Nov. 18). Michigan State will play neutral site games against East Carolina (Nov. 25) and North Carolina (Nov. 27). The Spartans will also play Oakland University at Little Caesar’s Arena in Detroit (Dec. 20).

Michigan State is tasked with replacing several productive players from its Big Ten Championship team last season, including NBA Draft pick Jase Richardson as well as Jaden Akins and Tre Holloman, who is one of three transfers out of the program along with Xavier Booker, and Gehrig Normand.

The Spartans are led by a nucleus of returning players in starting point guard Jeremy Fears, veteran wing Coen Carr, along with big men Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper. Sophomore guard Kur Teng, who played sparingly as freshman, will need to provide the Spartans with perimeter scoring. Versatile big man Jesse McCulloch will need to help offset the loss of Szymon Zapala.

The Spartans were active in the transfer portal adding a trio of guards in Trey Fort, Divine Ugochukwu, and Kaleb Glenn. Glenn, a FAU transfer, suffered a season-ending injury during the summer.

Cam Ward and Jordan Scott are entering the program from the high school ranks. Both are Top 75 prospects. Scott is prized for his ability as a perimeter shooter. Ward is among the more versatile players in the Class of 2025.

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