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Michigan State Spartans Set to Face a Loaded Non-Conference Schedule

By Chris Godfrey

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As is tradition in East Lansing, the Michigan State Spartans will be preparing throughout the fall for a murderers row of non-conference dates once their season kicks off in November. Sparty released their official non-conference schedule earlier this week, which is highlighted by their participation in the Wooden Legacy.

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The Wooden Legacy Tournament, held in Orange County, California, will almost certainly match the Spartans up against two participants from last year’s NCAA Tournament. The Spartans will open the tournament against Boston College, but will be met by either Boise State or UC-Irvine in the next round.

Boise State is expected to be a favorite in the Mountain West, a criminally underrated basketball conference. The Broncos made last year’s tournament as an at-large team and will be looking for the opportunity to pad a potential at-large profile by beating the Spartans and earning another shot at a marquee opponent in the championship.

UC-Irvine would present the undersized Spartans with a unique challenge that would come in the form of seven-foot-six inch center Mamadou N’Diaye. The monstrous big man from Senegal will pose a stiff challenge for the Spartan frontcourt. In the Anteaters’ NCAA Tournament matchup with Louisville, N’Diaye was a presence even among players like the Cardinals’ Montrezl Harrell.

Provided the Spartans pass those first two tests, the Arizona Wildcats will likely await as the team’s final opponent in the OC. The Wildcats won’t be as strong as previous editions after being decimated by early departures, but Sean Miller’s team is always talented and ready to rise to the occasion on a big stage.

There’s also the possibility that Zona won’t be the team waiting for Sparty in the final. The other contender on the opposite end of the bracket is Providence, a team led by All-America candidate Kris Dunn. The silky smooth point guard is in the conversation for being the best at the position nationwide, and you can bet on Dunn using the Wooden Legacy as an opportunity for him to show out on a major stage.

In addition to the games at the Wooden Legacy, the Spartans will play a few other interesting games before the Big Ten season kicks off.

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    • The season opens with a “neutral” site game against Florida Atlantic at the Palace of Auburn Hills. The Owls are coached by a man who will be more familiar with the surroundings than anyone else. Michael Curry, played in the Palace as a Piston, and later served as the team’s head coach. To further tie things together, Curry’s son Deon Curry played football at Michigan State.

    Sparty’s participation in a regarded eight-team preseason tournament has somewhat overshadowed their annual participation in the Champions Classic round-robin event. The Spartans get Kansas this time around, playing the Jayhawks in the nightcap of a double-header that is a staple of ESPN’s College Basketball Tip-Off Marathon.

    Tom Izzo’s team will also host Florida and Louisville at the Breslin Center later in the year.

    Florida will be rebuilding after the departure of their longtime head coach Billy Donovan. Visiting Breslin will be the first opportunity for new coach Mike White, formerly of Louisiana Tech, to prove his chops as Donovan’s replacement.

    When the Cardinals come to town, their fans will have revenge on their minds. The memory of Michigan State denying Rick Pitino an opportunity to return to the Final Four last season won’t sit well with them. Unfortunately, most of the players from that team have moved on, meaning the Spartans will see a completely different look from Louisville when they come to town.

    The only true road game for the Spartans will be a trip to Boston to take on 2015 NCAA Tournament team Northeastern at their gym.

    As usual, with such a rigorous schedule on tap, the Spartans will head into the Big Ten season (and the NCAA Tournament) more battle tested than almost any other team in the country — and that’s just show Coach Izzo likes it.

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