MSU Hoops Sets Two More Non-Con Games, One vs. Former B1G Coach

The Spartans have two more games on their schedule set now, including one against a former longtime coach in the Big Ten.

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo reacts to a play against Louisville during the first half of NCAA Tournament Second Round at KeyBank Center in Buffalo on Saturday, March 21, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Michigan State basketball has officially set up another pair of non-conference games on its 2026-27 schedule.

The team announced via social media on Tuesday that the Spartans would be taking on Quinnipiac on Monday, Nov. 2, in the season opener, and then a game against Penn on Tuesday, Dec. 29. Both games will be at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. This now means that seven of MSU's 12 non-conference games/slots for the coming season are filled in.

The Basics on Quinnipiac

Quinnipiac Bobcats head coach Tom Pecora watches during first half action as Quinnipiac takes on Florida during a NCAA mens basketball game at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, December 30, 2023. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Michigan State's Tom Izzo seems to always have a reason for scheduling certain low- or mid-major schools. Quinnipiac is no different. The Bobcats, coached by Tom Pecora, are one of the best programs that the Metro Conference (formerly the MAAC) have to offer. This matchup will almost certainly be a Quad 4 game for the Spartans, but Quinnipiac won regular-season conference titles in both 2024 and 2025.

The Bobcats finished up at 19-13 overall last year, going 12-8 during MAAC regular-season play (tied for fourth). They played three games against high-major competition last year, all of which were on the road. Quinnipiac actually beat Pitt, 83-75, during the second of those three games. It lost to St. John's by 34 in the season-opener, and then lost to UCF by 11 just two days after that upset victory against Pitt.

The Basics on Penn

Mar 18, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; Penn Quakers head coach Fran McCaffery answers questions during a practice session ahead of the first round of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Penn is the more interesting opponent, to be honest. The biggest reason for that is that the Quakers are coached by Fran McCaffery, who was previously the head coach at Iowa for 15 seasons. Izzo went 16-8 against McCaffery during his time with the Hawkeyes.

Even if McCaffery a nameless, faceless coach, Penn is still a feisty "buy game." The Quakers made the NCAA Tournament as a 14-seed last year, losing by 35 to Illinois in the first round. They also played and lost to Providence (106-81), Villanova (90-63), and Rutgers (70-69) last season.

More Info on MSU's Non-Conference Schedule

Michigan State's Tom Izzo shouts instructions out during a game against Michigan at the Breslin Center on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

As said earlier, there are now five remaining non-conference games for Michigan State to finalize. The previous number of non-con games was 11 for Big Ten teams, but college basketball is going to a 32-game schedule this season, making the number 12 now.

The updated schedule includes Quinnipiac (Nov. 2) at home, Duke (Nov. 10) in Chicago, Tennessee (Nov. 17) on the road, Arkansas (Nov. 26/Thanksgiving) in Detroit, Gonzaga (Dec. 19) in Palm Springs, and then Penn (Dec. 29) at home. Oakland is also going to be in there somewhere, but a date for that annual matchup has not been announced yet.