Michigan State and its fans winners or losers in regard to Big Ten schedule release?
East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State and Purdue are expected to be top contenders for the Big Ten championship in 2023-24, but the Spartans and Boilermakers will play only once in the regular season next year.
Time and dates have not yet been announced by the Big Ten, but the conference on Tuesday released a breakdown of conference opponents for all 14 schools.
Each Big Ten team will play 20 conference games, and face seven schools both home and away. Each team will have six opponents that it faces only once.
Purdue, Indiana, Nebraska, Iowa, Ohio State and Rutgers are the six teams that Michigan State will play only once apiece.
The Boilermakers and Hoosiers are expected to be two of the most exciting, red-letter teams in the Big Ten, but Spartan fans won’t have the opportunity of seeing them play at Breslin Center. And if Michigan State finds itself in a battle against those teams atop the Big Ten regular season standings, and if the Spartans lose to the Boilermakers and Hoosiers on the road, Tom Izzo’s squad won’t have the chance to even the slate with home games against Purdue and Indiana.
Michigan State’s battles with Purdue at Breslin Center have been exciting in recent years.
The Spartans lost on a last-second shot by center Zach Edey to No. 3 ranked Purdue, 64-63, at Breslin Center this past season.
The Spartans upset No. 4 Purdue, 68-65, on a last-second shot by Tyson Walker at Breslin Center in 2022.
Edey, the 2023 Wooden Award national player of the year, has entered his name in the NBA Draft but is retaining the ability to return next season.
Michigan State advanced to the Sweet 16 in 2023, marking the 15th time Izzo has advanced the Spartans out of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
The Spartans advanced further than any Big Ten in the 2023 NCAA Tournament and is expected to return a strong nucleus with Walker and AJ Hoggard in the backcourt, with senior Malik Hall returning as a swing forward. Jaden Akins has declared for the NBA Draft but may return, depending on advice he received in regard to his projected draft status.
Michigan State will not have to travel to Iowa, Ohio State or Rutgers next season.
Ohio State, which didn’t make the NCAA Tournament this past season but made a strong run in the Big Ten Tournament and upset the Spartans in the quarterfinals, is expected to cycle up next season. Avoiding a road trip to Ohio State is likely a positive for the Spartans.
Rutgers, which fizzled late in the 2022-23 season and failed to make the NCAA Tournament, is expected to be hit hard by attrition.
Iowa will be without Kris Murray, who opted for the NBA Draft following a strong junior season, and second-leading scorer Filip Rebraca, who is out of eligibility.
The 2023-24 season will be the final year of the 14-team Big Ten. USC and UCLA will be added to the schedule the following year.
The 2024 Big Ten Tournament will be played in Minneapolis for the first time.
