Analyzing Each Game on MSU Hoops' Nearly Done Non-Conference Schedule
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Michigan State basketball's non-conference slate is nearly complete.
The Spartans haven't formally announced their non-conference schedule, but all but one spot out of 12 has a known opponent and a corresponding date. Here are the quick facts on the 11 games that have been filled in.
(H) Quinnipiac on Nov. 2
MSU's 2026-27 season will officially begin with a home game against Quinnipiac on Monday, Nov. 2. This will be the first-ever meeting between the Spartans and the Bobcats, who went 19-13 overall last season, 12-8 during MAAC play, and finished ranked No. 217 on KenPom.
Quinnipiac played two high-major opponents early last season: St. John's and UCF. The Johnnies handled the Bobcats just fine, 108-74, but QU led by as much as 10 at UCF in the second half before ultimately losing 102-91.
(H) Toledo on Nov. 5
One repeat opponent on the schedule is Toledo, which announced it would travel to East Lansing again on Nov. 5. Michigan State hosted the Rockets last year on Dec. 16 and dominated wire-to-wire, 92-69.
Toledo finished last year 19-15 overall and ranked 130th on KenPom. It came within a game of the NCAA Tournament, but lost in the MAC Tournament Championship game to Akron after leading by 12 at halftime.
(N) Duke on Nov. 10
MSU is also set to take on Duke once again. The Spartans hosted the Blue Devils last year for a fantastic game, but Duke eventually came out on top, 66-60. The two teams would've run into one another again had Michigan State gotten past UConn during the Sweet 16.
This game will be held at the United Center in Chicago during the annual Champions Classic. The Spartans faced Kentucky at the event last year and are slated to face Kansas in 2027.
(A) Tennessee on Nov. 17
The only true road game on the non-conference schedule right now is a big road trip to face Tennessee. Head coach Rick Barnes brought in a ton of scoring and highly regarded players from the portal this offseason, and the Volunteers will probably be in the top 15, maybe the top 10, to start the season.
This is the first end of a home-and-home contract between the two schools, so Tennessee will likely be coming to the Breslin Center at some point during the 2027-28 campaign.
(H) Detroit Mercy on Nov. 21
Detroit Mercy is another team on the Spartans' non-conference slate for a consecutive year. The Titans are led by former MSU assistant Mark Montgomery, and Michigan State overwhelmed them early in last year's meeting, winning 84-56.
This year's game will actually be played on the exact same day as last year's (Nov. 21). That's a Saturday, but the Spartans' football game against Oregon that week was moved to Friday, making it possible for Michigan State to schedule in that spot.
(N) Arkansas on Nov. 26
Tom Izzo is also starting to make it a bit of a tradition to play on Thanksgiving. MSU has played on the holiday in four of the last five years, and it'll be five of six after this season.
What's interesting about Arkansas as an opponent is that Michigan State was supposed to go to Fayetteville this season after hosting the Razorbacks last year, and Arkansas is agreeing to essentially play another road game in Detroit. The exposure is too good to pass up, though -- the Spartans' win over North Carolina last year averaged 6.5 million viewers last year on FOX after following up the Detroit Lions' game.
(H) Drake on Dec. 5
One pretty interesting mid-major Izzo is putting on the schedule is Drake, which announced its non-conference schedule and game at MSU on Tuesday. The Bulldogs have been a strong mid-major program in recent years and have had a great eye for up-and-coming coaching talent. Three current Big Ten coaches had stops at Drake -- Ben McCollum at Iowa, Tucker DeVries at Indiana, and Niko Medved at Minnesota.
Last year was a bit of a down year for the Bulldogs, though. Drake finished 14-20 overall and 6-14 during Missouri Valley Conference play in the first year under head coach Eric Henderson.
(H) Merrimack on Dec. 12
Merrimack is another interesting major that falls nicely into that "tough, but not too tough" category Izzo likes. The Warriors were the top team in the MAAC last year, going 17-3 during conference play and winning their league by three games. Merrimack lost in its conference tournament title game to Siena, which later gave Duke a serious upset scare during the NCAA Tournament as a 16-seed.
(N) Gonzaga on Dec. 19
Another premier non-conference game is against Gonzaga. This will be the first time the two programs have met since the aircraft carrier game in November 2022. It will also match up the two teams with the longest active NCAA-recognized March Madness streaks (Kansas has the longest on-court streak, but its 2018 appearance was vacated).
(H) Oakland on Dec. 22
The annual Michigan State-Oakland game will happen again this season. Tom Izzo and Greg Kampe, who are great friends, have faced each other every year since the 2012-13 season and 23 times since 1998-99. Kampe hasn't gotten the better of Izzo yet.
(H) Penn on Dec. 29
Once Michigan State comes back from its Christmas break, the Spartans will go up against a familiar face at Penn. The Quakers' coach is now Fran McCaffery, who led Iowa for 15 seasons. Penn made the NCAA Tournament last year in McCaffery's first season, falling to Illinois in the first round as a 14-seed.
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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