Tom Izzo's revamped Spartans, ranked No. 22, tip off their championship chase tonight. New stars and familiar faces aim for victory at Breslin.
Tom Izzo, Coen Carr, and the entire Michigan State men’s basketball team tip off the 2025–26 season tonight at home inside the Breslin Center against Colgate.
The Spartans enter Izzo’s 30th season at the helm, and the Hall of Famer looks as motivated as ever to make another run at a championship.
MSU welcomes back high-flying forward Coen Carr, whose athleticism continues to turn heads across college basketball. Now, he’ll look to add a consistent jumper to his arsenal as he takes on a larger role this season. Jeremy Fears Jr. returns as the team’s floor general, earning praise from Izzo after the exhibition slate for how well he’s already commanding the offense. Down low, Jaxon Kohler will anchor the paint and control the glass for the Spartans.
Izzo’s squad is coming off a 30-win campaign, capped by a Big Ten regular season championship and an Elite Eight run in the NCAA Tournament. However, the team lost nearly 65% of its scoring production from last year, meaning new contributors will need to step up early.
The revamped roster — a blend of returning players, transfers, and freshmen — opens the season ranked No. 22 in the nation. After facing Colgate tonight, MSU will premiere its new behind-the-scenes YouTube series, “The Cut: A Year with MSU Men’s Basketball,” tomorrow, and finish the week with a marquee matchup against Arkansas on Saturday.
How to Watch
- What: Michigan State vs. Colgate
- When: 7 p.m. ET, Monday
- Where: Breslin Center (East Lansing, MI)
- TV/Radio: Streaming on Big Ten Network Plus; Spartan Sports Network radio, including WJIM 1240-AM, WMMQ 94.9-FM, and SiriusXM Ch. 195
Projected Starting Lineup
| Position | Player | Height | 2024–25 PPG |
| C | Carson Cooper (15) | 6’11” | 5.0 |
| F | Jaxon Kohler (0) | 6’9” | 7.8 |
| F | Coen Carr (55) | 6’5” | 8.1 |
| G | Kur Teng (2) | 6’4” | 0.5 |
| PG | Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) | 6’2” | 7.2 |
Izzo has never shied away from testing his team early. The Spartans already faced No. 4 UConn in a preseason exhibition and still have nonconference matchups with Duke, Kentucky, and Arizona before Big Ten play begins.
For Michigan State, the key will be taking care of business in the games they’re expected to win while grabbing a few signature victories along the way.
It all starts tonight — and if Izzo’s history tells us anything, this could be another season to remember. Get your popcorn ready, Spartan fans.