New Team Joining Spartans, UNC in Early Season Tourney
The Fort Myers Tip-Off announced on Wednesday that St. Bonaventure men's basketball has entered the field as the third of four teams to participate in its early-season tournament, joining Michigan State and North Carolina. A fourth team has yet to confirm its spot.
It was announced back in November 2024 that the Spartans would face blue blood program North Carolina a few months back. Those two powerhouse programs will square off on Thursday, Nov. 25 at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. The matchup date between the Bonnies and Michigan State is yet to be announced.
In last year's tournament, the Spartans' bitter rival, Michigan, ended up winning the whole thing by defeating Virginia Tech and then No. 22 Xavier to take home the trophy. The Spartans will seek to become the second-straight team from the Mitten to win the Fort Myers Tip-Off.
The Bonnies went 22-12 a season ago, finishing seventh in the A10 conference. After a second-round exit in the conference tournament, they suffered a first-round loss to Kent State in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). They look to elevate their opponent talent, facing two top-tier programs.
Should Michigan State face St. Bonaventure in this year's event, it would be the first-ever matchup in program history between the two teams. Founded in 1902, the Bonnies basketball program has somehow never faced the Spartans, making a 123-year drought come to a close with a potentially historical first-time matchup in Florida.
The Bonnies are led by 18-year head coach Mark Schmidt, setting a matchup between two long-tenured coaches at their respective schools. Schmidt has 324 wins, reaching the 20-win mark in three of the last four seasons. This would not be a slouch game for the Spartans.
Around the same time this past season, the Spartans participated in the Maui Invitational, going 2-1 in the tournament and earning a pivotal overtime win against the Tar Heels that sparked a 13-game winning streak. North Carolina will seek redemption after last year's loss to the unranked Spartans.
This will be Michigan State's first-ever participation in the event, which began in 2018.
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