Tom Izzo Opens Up About MSU's Brutal Non-Conference Gauntlet

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Aidan Champion | Last updated Aug 21, 2025 2:00 PM ET

Michigan State's 2025 non-conference schedule is one of its toughest in recent memory.

The Spartans will face several teams likely to be ranked going into the season, starting with Kentucky in the Champions Classic. They will also play North Carolina in the Fort Myers Invitational on Thanksgiving Day and will host Arkansas and Duke.

That's about as tough a slate as you could ask for before you get into conference play. But if you know Tom Izzo, you know he's embracing it.

Izzo spoke on the non-conference schedule when he joined CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein on his show, "Inside College Basketball Now."

"I thought you were a friend, Jon. You trying to ruin my summer or what?" Izzo joked after Rothstein listed off the opponents.

"We had Duke in a game that was coming back from a couple of years ago (in) the Tournament of Champions; we had to play at Duke because of the COVID stuff. Well, that was a return game."

That game will be played on Dec. 6.

Two of Michigan State's big non-conference opponents this season --- Arkansas and Duke --- will play on campus in East Lansing.

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— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) August 21, 2025

Arkansas was a game that was legendary coach and second-year Razorbacks head coach John Calipari's idea.

"John called me this summer wanting to play a home-and-home," Izzo said. "He must hope I'm down a little bit or something because you know John, he'll never play on the road.

"But I think it's going to be great; I think it will be great for us, and then, Kentucky, you know how good they are, and that's at Madison Square Garden, and Carolina down in Florida is Thanksgiving Day because it follows football and everything. So, it will be a good time.

"So yeah, did I bite off more than I could chew? I do that a lot. I mean, we've had years where I've gone 2-6 in the start and still made it to the tournament and almost won the league. So, this one is going to be tough, but I'm really looking forward to it."

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