Michigan State basketball set to play Arizona on Thanksgiving

Michigan State never shies away from big non-conference games, and things will be no different this fall.

That's because the Spartans’ matchup with Arizona on Thanksgiving became official on Monday when the final of the Acrisure Classic was announced by the venue it will be played — Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, California.

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said last month he expected the Spartans and Wildcats to square off on Thanksgiving. The game will tip off at 4:30 p.m. on Fox, immediately following the Detroit Lions-Green Bay Packers game that kicks off at 12:30 p.m.

The Acrisure Classic is a first-year event and both Michigan State and Arizona will host yet-to-be announced games on campus leading up to the Thanksgiving Day matchup.

Michigan State and Arizona have played seven times with the Wildcats winning five. However, the Spartans have won two of the last three. The last meeting came in 2016 when Arizona beat Michigan State in the Armed Forces Classic in Honolulu.

While Michigan State finished fourth in the Big Ten last season and reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, expectations will be high entering 2023-24 as the bulk of the roster returns along with a top-five recruiting class. Arizona will be a highly ranked team, as well, coming off of a 28-7 season and a second-place finish in the Pac-12. The Wildcats then won the conference tournament before being knocked off by No. 15 Princeton in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

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Twitter: @mattcharboneau