Michigan State Basketball once again is starting to build an impressive schedule for the upcoming season and the Spartans still have time to add to their already tough nonconference schedule.
The Michigan State Spartans men’s basketball team is set to begin the 2023-24 season sometime in early November. The Spartans will face a tough schedule once again this year, with games against teams in the ACC, Big East, and Pac-12 in their non-conference slate. In the Big Ten, Michigan State will have to contend mainly with Purdue and possibly Maryland and Wisconsin for the conference title.
The Spartans return a number of key players from last year’s team, including A.J. Hoggard, Tyson Walker, Jaden Akins, and Malik Hall. Michigan State will also add a number of talented freshmen to the roster, including the arrival of highly rated recruits Xavier Booker, Jeremy Fears, and Coen Carr that add explosiveness and depth to an already talented and experienced team.
The Spartans have the potential to only be a very good team this year, but to be a great team that reaches the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament at the end of the season. The main reason is that they have a balanced roster with a lot of talent from a team that reached the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament last season.
If they can stay healthy and play together as expected from Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo, they could not only be a contender for the Big Ten title but also earn a trip to Phoenix to play in the national championship of the NCAA Tournament.
The Spartans will be tested early and often this season. They have a demanding non-conference schedule and a competitive Big Ten slate of games for this upcoming season. If they can stay healthy and play together, they can unseat Purdue for the Big Ten title and even win a national championship in 2024.
Let’s now take a look at what we know about the Spartans 2023-24 season.
Michigan State plays Duke in a potential top-five preseason match-up against two “blue blood” programs at the United Center in Chicago in the Champions Classic.
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History and Game Prediction
Last five games played between these two schools: Duke has been victorious in three out of the last five games they have played against the Spartans.
Current Win Streak: The Blue Devils have won the last game between these two schools, having a one-game winning streak between these two programs.
The last meeting between both schools: Duke defeated Michigan State on a neutral court in the NCAA Tournament by a final score of 85-76 back on March 20, 2022.
Prediction: Michigan wins in overtime by a score of 95-93. This should be similar to last season’s match-up when they went up against a very talented Kentucky team and the Spartan’s veteran leadership and experience gets them the close win against Duke in this premier non-conference game.