MSU's Izzo Hints at Additional Premier Non-Conference Game

The Spartans' head coach might schedule another difficult non-conference game next season.

Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo tells a story to the media while recalling his very first Sweet 16 during a press conference at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The Spartans play the University of Connecticut on Friday evening. | Eric Seals / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Very few things are certain in life. Michigan State basketball piecing together a difficult non-conference schedule is one of them.

It's still very early in the scheduling process. Contracts for games usually don't get signed until the summer. Despite that, we already have a pretty good sense of the type of schedule that Tom Izzo will present to his team.

Michigan State's Tom Izzo yells at a referee about a call made during a game against Northwestern at the Breslin Center on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Already set up or announced by Izzo is a home exhibition game against UConn, the Champions Classic against Duke, a Thanksgiving Day game in Detroit vs. Arkansas, and then a trip to Thousand Palms, Calif., and Acrisure Arena to face Gonzaga.

On Friday, Izzo appeared on "The Drive with Jack," hosted by Jack Ebling. He specified that the Arkansas and Gonzaga games are "98% done" and also the location of the game against Gonzaga. The Spartans might not be stopping there, though.

Hints from Izzo

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo lays into Michigan State guard Trey Fort (9) during a time out in the first half of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026. | Eric Seals / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"I think we might add one more," Izzo told Ebling. "Why not, right?"

That can open up a lot of interesting possibilities for Michigan State in next year's non-conference schedule. Izzo has gotten creative with how he plays these games in the past. There have been games on aircraft carriers, trips to the Maui Invitational and the Battle 4 Atlantis, and out-of-conference games in February in the past.

Michigan State's Tom Izzo shakes the hand of an Ohio State assistant before a game at the Breslin Center on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Interrupting the Big Ten season for a non-conference game later on in the regular season would be something I'd like to see, actually.

The 1999-00 MSU team that won the national title hosted UConn on Feb. 5 that season, right after a game at Michigan. In 2002-03, the Spartans hosted Carmelo Anthony's Syracuse team that went on to win it all on Feb. 23. Back in 2013-14, Michigan State went to Madison Square Garden for a game against Georgetown on Feb. 1.

Michigan State mascot "Sparty" looks on during a game against Louisville during the second round of the NCAA Tournament at the KeyBank Center on Saturday, March 21, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Premier February Game Is Beneficial

A premier February game against a non-conference opponent on a neutral floor can do a team a lot of good. Michigan and Duke did it this year, and it was both a great television event and something that can uniquely prepare teams for March Madness.

Most neutral-site games in the regular season are in November or December. That leaves a sizable gap once conference play begins. Sure, there is the Big Ten Tournament, but those games are against familiar opponents that you've already played earlier in the year. Playing a more unique opponent that you haven't seen before would give the players and the staff a better "trial run" for how March Madness operates than the conference tourney.

Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo watches on during his team's game against the Cornell Big Red on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, at the Breslin Center. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI