Another One: Michigan State Adds Two More Games to Non-Conference Schedule

Tom Izzo has yet again created a non-conference schedule so daunting it would make the strongest of teams curl up in a ball in the corner.

But not Michigan State. To this squad, this type of non-conference schedule is just par for the course. Loaded with games against top opponents to help mold the Spartans early before the ever-challenging Big Ten schedule gets into full swing.

However, despite having high matchup after high matchup, there’s still room for the Spartans to play some of the lower-echelon teams in college basketball, to share the wealth and pay it forward by allowing some of the smaller schools to have huge matchups against a blue blood like Michigan State.

That’s more of the case with the latest two games being announced.

First off, the Spartans will face Quinnipiac on November 2. If you read that and thought maybe this was an article about Michigan State hockey, be assured it is an article about the basketball schedule.

Quinnipiac was a force in college hockey last year, making it to the NCAA Tournament, but the Bobcats are also a very good team on the basketball court.

Quinnipiac finished 19-13 overall and 12-8 in the MAAC, which landed them fourth in the conference. They were unable to win their first game of the MAAC Tournament and will now be facing off against Michigan State in one of the first games of the schedule.

The Spartans announced another game as well, this time against an opponent who made it to the NCAA Tournament last year in basketball.

One of the last games on the docket before the Big Ten schedule gets underway, the Spartans are now set to face Penn on December 29.

Last year, Penn went 18-12 overall and 9-5 in the Ivy League.

Penn entered the Ivy League Tournament as the No. 3 seed before beating Harvard by two points and then Yale by four points in the Ivy League championship. Penn then entered the NCAA Tournament as a No. 14 seed and faced off against Illinois in the first round, where they lost by 35 points.

Now Michigan State offers Penn a chance at revenge against the Big Ten late in December.

This will be the first time the Spartans have played either of these teams, from what I can see. With no historic stats to be found between Michigan State and Penn or Quinnipiac, there isn’t much history between these programs to speak of.

Tom Izzo continues to open his doors to teams lower on the totem pole, allowing them to get chances to play top-tier teams, just as Tom Izzo does with Michigan State, forcing them to play top-tier teams.

Failing forward is a way of life, and Izzo is the leader of the group.

The Spartans’ schedule, for better or worse, is starting to get closer to the finish line. With the season coming soon, Spartan fans still await another big matchup announcement after Cam Ward and Tom Izzo both hinted at a major game still to come.

I don’t think they were talking about Penn or Quinnipiac.

But regardless, those are two good teams who will fight tooth and nail against the Spartans, making for some very good early-season games.