Michigan State basketball: 2024-25 non-conference schedule just got tougher

Michigan State basketball has added another non-conference opponent to the schedule for the upcoming season.

Tom Izzo is known for wanting to face anyone, anywhere, any time. The Michigan State basketball coach loves to schedule tough non-conference opponents every year and 2024-25 will be no different, it appears.

The Spartans have reportedly added a new non-conference opponent to the 2024-25 schedule.

Sources: The rumored matchup for the past couple of weeks at https://t.co/2a18sJnJGm between Michigan State and Florida Atlantic, is done.

Spartans will host FAU as part of its 2024-25 non-conference schedule.

The date is set for Saturday, December 21st at Breslin.#B1G#AAC

— Rocco Miller (@RoccoMiller8) August 26, 2024

According to the above report, the Spartans and FAU Owls will meet up this winter in East Lansing.

The Dec. 21 matchup in East Lansing will take place a few weeks after the Maui Invitational where the Spartans will start with Colorado before facing teams like North Carolina, Auburn, or UConn. It will also be just four days after the annual matchup with Oakland.

The 2024-25 schedule is starting to take shape, especially in non-conference play, as the Spartans now know they’ll be facing Niagara, Bowling Green, Monmouth, Oakland, Kansas (Champions Classic), Colorado (Maui Invitational), and FAU. This is a heck of a non-conference schedule and it feels like we could even see more opponents added to the slate before the season begins.

Florida Atlantic will be an interesting matchup, especially since the Owls’ head coach, Dusty May, left this offseason for the Michigan job and took one of his best players with him. Plus, the Owls saw other top players transfer out. So while FAU has been one of the best non-power conference teams in the country for the past few years, they will be taking a step back in 2024-25.

However, that doesn’t mean Michigan State should take the Owls lightly. They hired former Baylor assistant John Jakus who helped the Bears win a national title and dominate in the Big 12 for a number of years.

Izzo is going to have his hands full yet again in non-conference play with the Owls being the latest solid addition to the slate.