Excitement is building for Michigan State Spartans basketball fans as the Big Ten Conference has unveiled the men's and women's schedules for the 2025-26 season. Both teams face challenging slates, promising thrilling matchups and intense competition.
Women's Basketball: A December Start
The Michigan State women's basketball team will kick off their conference play on Saturday, December 6th, facing Wisconsin. The Big Ten season features an 18-game schedule, with teams playing one opponent both home and away and facing the remaining 16 teams once. The conference season concludes on March 1st, leading into the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament in Indianapolis.
USC enters the season as the defending Big Ten Champion, while UCLA looks to build on their Big Ten Tournament victory. Tipoff times and television designations for the women's games will be announced at a later date.
Men's Basketball: Backloaded Schedule for the Spartans
The Michigan State men's basketball team faces a demanding schedule, particularly in February. According to columnist Graham Couch, the Spartans' final 10 games of Big Ten play are a “relentless trek” through the top of the league. Key matchups include games against Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, UCLA, Ohio State, Purdue, and Indiana.
Before the challenging February stretch, the Spartans will need to navigate a tough early schedule that includes Iowa and Penn State in December, followed by games against Nebraska, USC, Northwestern, and Indiana. The Spartans also face a difficult non-conference schedule, including games against Arkansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Duke. December 13th against Penn State marks the only true road game in the first two months.
The 2025-26 season promises to be an exciting one for Michigan State basketball fans. Stay tuned for more updates and game day information as the season approaches!