Biggest Games on Michigan State Basketball's 2025-26 Schedule

Here are the dates of the best games on MSU's upcoming basketball schedule.

Michigan State's head coach Tom Izzo calls out to players during the first half against Bowling Green on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michigan State men's basketball's full 2025-26 schedule is now out. It features two exhibiton matches and then 31 regular season games.

All of them are important, but there are certainly some games that people's eyes are going to stop at a bit more than others. Here are some of the top games for MSU on its upcoming schedule.

Nov. 3 - Season Opener vs. Colgate

Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) dribbles against Ole Miss during the first half of the Sweet 16 round of NCAA tournament at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Ga. on Friday, March 28, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In true Tom Izzo fashion, the first official game that he schedules for the season is against a sneakily good mid-major team.

Colgate has made five of the last seven NCAA Tournaments and had won six consecutive Patriot League regular season titles before having a down year with a 14-19 record.

Nov. 8 - Arkansas and Coach Cal

March 26, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks head coach John Calipari addresses the media in a press conference during NCAA Tournament West Regional Practice at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

For the second game of the season, it'll end up being a matchup between two of the greatest coaches in college basketball history and two teams that made the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament last season.

It'll be just the third-ever meeting between the Spartans and Razorbacks. Izzo and John Calipari will be matching up for the sixth time ever (Calipari leads, 3-2) and for the first time since Calipari left Kentucky for Arkansas.

Thanksgiving - North Carolina (Ft. Myers Tip-Off)

March 23, 2024, Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward Armando Bacot (5) is defended by Michigan State Spartans center Carson Cooper (15) in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions won't be the only Michigan-based team that will be playing on Thanksgiving. MSU will be in Ft. Myers, Florida at that time and will be one half of an all-blue blood matchup against the North Carolina Tar Heels.

It's the third straight season where Michigan State and UNC will meet. MSU won 94-91 in overtime last season during the Maui Invitational, and the Tar Heels beat the Spartans in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

Dec. 6 - Duke

Apr 4, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer during a practice session for the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Alamodome. | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

No matter what your opinion on Duke is, it's undeniable that it is a big deal whenever your team hosts the Blue Devils.

This will be just the third-ever trip to East Lansing for Duke and the first since December 2019.

The Blue Devils made the Final Four last year, but will have to try and replace No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg and No. 4 overall pick Kon Knueppel.

Jan. 17-20 - West Coast Trip to Washington, Oregon

Michigan State's head coach Tom Izzo, left, and Oregon's head coach Dana Altman shake hands before the game on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, at the Breslin Center East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Two of Michigan State's three losses against the Big Ten last year came on it's trip out west to face USC and UCLA.

This year, the lone trip that takes the Spartans near the Pacific Ocean has them facing Washington (Jan. 17) and Oregon (Jan. 20).

Feb. 17 - Xavier Booker's Return

Mar 6, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Michigan State Spartans forward Xavier Booker (34) shoots the ball against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The former five-star recruit that never really found his footing in East Lansing is going to have his shot against his former team.

UCLA comes to the Breslin Center this season, and that means Xavier Booker, who transferred there from Michigan State, is going to play at a familar place.

Feb. 26 - Purdue at Mackey

The Purdue Boilermakers student section cheers Tuesday, March 4, 2025, during the NCAA men’s basketball game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind. Purdue Boilermakers won 100-71. | Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There's not many arenas that fill opponents with as much dreads as Purdue's Mackey Arena.

Despite much success over the years, MSU is no exception. The Spartans have lost seven straight games against the Boilermakers there, with the last win coming in February 2014.

Jan. 30 & March 8 - Michigan

Michigan State's head coach Tom Izzo, left, and Michigan's head coach Dusty May shake hands before the game on Sunday, March 9, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's the first thing many MSU fans look for when they get their first look at the schedule. When are the Michigan games?

Well, they're on Jan. 30 and March 8 for this upcoming season. Michigan State will host the first of the two matchups this year and will end its regular season with the second one at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor.

The Spartans won both games against U-M last season during Dusty May's first year there and have won four straight overall.

Mar 28, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Michigan State Spartans forward Coen Carr (55) dunks against Mississippi Rebels forward Malik Dia (0) in the second half of a South Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

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