The first phase of Tom Izzo’s 31st season looks much like many of his previous Michigan State basketball nonconference schedules.

Some blueblood opponents. Some local flavor. Some old faces in new places.

And some big-time visitors to Breslin Center this winter.

The Spartans will open with a pair of exhibition games, the first on Oct. 23 against Bowling Green, where former Izzo point guard Tum-Tum Nairn is the associate head coach. They’ll then play a rare road exhibition game against 2023 and 2024 national champion Connecticut on Oct. 28 in Storrs, Connecticut.

MSU tips off the regular season with three straight home games, opening against Colgate on Nov. 3 before a Nov. 8 visit from John Calipari and Arkansas that is part of a home-and-home series. The Spartans return the visit t

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