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A statistical look at Michigan State basketball, with a dash of football talk

What we know about the 2008-09 MSU basketball schedule

Posted by kj on Friday, July 25th, 2008

I’d expect Michigan State will announce the full 2008-2009 basketball schedule for the upcoming season within the next several weeks.  Here’s what we know at this point about the major nonconference games, following the release of Kansas’ schedule:

Note: List is updated per this post.  It also appears we’ll be playing Idaho, Bradley, Alcorn State, and Citadel at home–plus Oakland at the Palace.

Wednesday, November 19 (7:00): At Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne

Friday-Sunday, November 27-30 (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU): Old Spice Classic in Orlando (MSU will open against Maryland at 7:00 on ESPN2 on the 27th; full bracket)

Wednesday, December 3 (9:15, ESPN): North Carolina at Ford Field (Big Ten-ACC Challenge)

Saturday, December 20 (2:00, CBS): Texas in Houston

Saturday, January 10 (1:00, CBS): Kansas at home

I just realized we’ll be playing UNC with only two full days of rest following the three-day tournament in Orlando.  That should add to the challenge.

MSU must have a bye in the conference schedule for January 10.  Based on last year’s schedule, Big Ten conference play would begin on Wednesday, January 7.

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6 Responses to “What we know about the 2008-09 MSU basketball schedule”

  1. Benon 25 Jul 2008 at 8:18 pm 1

    The MSU registrar’s office says that spring semester classes begin on 1/12 . . . so the students should be back for the Kansas game. Excellent. That has to be the highest profile non-con team to come to EL since Duke in ‘04. Should be fantastic.

  2. SpartanDanon 26 Jul 2008 at 1:35 am 2

    I wouldn’t be so sure, Ben … if memory serves the dorms don’t even re-open until that Sunday, and games the weekend before usually weren’t included in the student ticket packages.

    I hope you’re right, though – it’s always better when the Izzone is rocking the place. I think I was half deaf after the Wisconsin game in ‘07 – and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  3. Benon 26 Jul 2008 at 2:14 pm 3

    Dan — but in the past, when there have been big non-con games near the holiday breaks, the SAF has made arrangements for the dorms to open early or stay open late to accommodate Izzone members, and those games have been part of the regular student season ticket package. That was definitely the case for Arizona in ‘01 — I know that was a long time ago, but I know there have been similar situations more recently; I just can’t think of them off the top of my head.

    I’m completely confident that that the athletic department will finagle a way to have the students there for a game against the defending national champions in front of a national TV audience.

  4. Dr Huxtableon 26 Jul 2008 at 8:22 pm 4

    I went and checked out the Moneyball Pro-Am league at Everett today. I didn’t see any current Spartans while I was there, but Thomas Kelly (MSU ‘99) played in the second game. It was a good atmosphere and a nice afternoon of free basketball. Check it out if you get a chance.

  5. SpartanDanon 26 Jul 2008 at 8:28 pm 5

    Fair point, Ben … I don’t think any of the big games were around breaks while I was there (well, there was the Syracuse game in ‘03-’04, but that was at Syracuse).

  6. kjon 26 Jul 2008 at 11:29 pm 6

    Thanks for the report, Dr. Huxtable. The playoffs are Aug. 9-10, so that may be the weekend to go.