Michigan State Adds Non-Conference Game Against Drake

The Michigan State basketball non-conference schedule has gained another piece of the puzzle.

December 5, currently slotted between Arkansas and Merrimack, will see the Spartans take on the Drake Bulldogs.

This marks the eighth non-conference game currently scheduled for Michigan State. The Spartans had 11 non-conference regular-season games last season, so it is reasonable to expect a couple more matchups to be added to the schedule.

That includes the annual Christmas Sweater game against the Oakland Grizzlies.

No, we are not about to go into a deep dive about the Degrassi star-turned-rapper.

Instead, we are talking about Drake University, a program that has made the NCAA Tournament three consecutive years and has now won its second tournament game since 1971.

Last season, Drake entered the NCAA Tournament as an 11-seed and took down No. 6 Missouri by 10 points, winning 67-57.

The Bulldogs eventually fell to No. 3 Texas Tech in the second round.

Drake was led by Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Bennett Stirtz, who helped guide the Bulldogs to another impressive season.

Stirtz was so good that he ultimately became a first-round NBA Draft pick, going No. 16 overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

That kind of talent is exactly what makes Drake an intriguing opponent for Michigan State.

The Bulldogs have become a very probable NCAA Tournament foe. If Drake continues to take care of business in the Missouri Valley Conference, there is a chance the Spartans could see them early in the NCAA Tournament if the bracket lines up the right way.

Tom Izzo loves giving his teams difficult games early in the season.

That has been a staple of Michigan State basketball for decades. Izzo wants his teams tested before Big Ten play begins, and that does not necessarily mean scheduling only blue-blood programs.

Even when Izzo isn't scheduling teams such as UConn or Duke, the lower-tier programs he brings to East Lansing, such as Merrimack and now Drake, are capable teams in their own right.

And when those teams see Michigan State on the schedule, they are going to be hungry.

Drake will be a formidable foe for the Spartans and could create havoc on the court regardless of where the game is played.

The idea of sharpening iron with iron has never been more prevalent with Izzo and his Spartans.

As mentioned, Michigan State currently has eight non-conference games scheduled, along with two exhibition games.

10/20 — (E) UConn

10/25 — (E) Marquette

11/2 — Quinnipiac

11/17 — @ Tennessee

11/26 — Arkansas (Detroit)

12/5 — Drake

12/12 — Merrimack

12/19 — Gonzaga (California)

12/29 — Penn

With a couple of matchups still yet to be announced, and assuming a few Big Ten games get mixed into the schedule, the slate is looking daunting as always.

Izzo doesn't shy away from great teams.

Once again, the Spartans' schedule is showing that.