Michigan State basketball season preview 2024-25: Biggest games, key players to watch, predictions and more

Michigan State looks to extend its NCAA Tournament streak this coming season with a young but untested lineup that could make some surprises in the Big Ten Conference.

Led by longtime coach Tom Izzo, the Spartans aim to defy college basketball experts for their 27th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.

However, they are in for a tough schedule that features a home-and-away game against a familiar foe and a perennial college hoops power seeking to bounce back from an embarrassing 2023-24 campaign.

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Michigan State men's basketball 2024-25 season preview: Biggest games, key players to watch and more

Michigan State's biggest games in the 2024-25 season

Kansas, led by Hunter Dickinson, will be the Spartans' foe in the Champions Classic on November 12. (Image Source; IMAGN)

Michigan State has not finalized its non-conference schedule but has secured a game against 2024 NCAA Tournament qualifier Kansas. The Spartans lock horns with the Jayhawks in the Champions Classic on Nov. 12.

Kansas restructured its roster after getting booted out of the second round of the NCAA Tournament, acquiring quality guards Zeke Mayo, AJ Storr, Rylan Griffen, Noah Shelby and Shakeel Moore from the transfer portal and highly rated high school standouts Flory Bidunga and Rakease Passmore.

They take on the formidable Jayhawks squad led by seven-foot-two center Hunter Dickinson, who opted to stay with Kansas rather than place his name in the 2024 NBA Draft, and small forward KJ Adams Jr.

As for conference rivalries, the Spartans host games against Wisconsin and Purdue and play a home-and-away against Michigan. Michigan State holds an 86-70 record against Wisconsin, which won the two home-and-away games last year by an average margin of 14 points.

The Spartans will still have their hands full against Zach Edey-less Boilermakers this season. Purdue holdovers Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer resemble a dreaded guard duo that can shoot lights out every night.

The addition of freshman center Daniel Jacobsen should help Will Berg patrol the paint next season. Since 1950, the Boilermakers and Spartans met 130 times, with the Spartans winning 56.

Lastly, the much-anticipated rivalry between Michigan and Michigan State will be played on a home-and-away format this season. The two teams have played 194 games, with the Spartans leading their head-to-head, 97-90, after the league forfeited Michigan's wins due to a scandal in the 90s.

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Key Michigan State players to watch out for in the 2024-25 season

Holdover Jaden Akins will lead a retooled Michigan State lineup that has five notable acquisitions from the transfer portal and high school recruitment. Spartans coach Tom Izzo secured the services of highly rated prep standouts Jason Richardson Jr, Kur Teng and Jesse McCullough.

Richardson is the son of former MSU star and NBA veteran Jason Richardson and is a four-star combo guard out of Columbus High School.

Teng is a six-foot-four shooting guard out of Bradford Christian Academy and, like Richardson, is highly rated in the position.

The six-foot-nine McCullough is likewise a four-star prospect out of Lutheran High School East and is expected to battle it out with seven-foot transfer Szymon Zapala at the center spot.

Lastly, Frankie Fidler is a quality pick out of Omaha. The six-foot-seven small forward averaged 20.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game with the Mavericks this past season.

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Michigan State predictions for the 2024-25 season

Tom Izzo and his wards would find the new-look Big Ten Conference tougher than the previous editions. Michigan State is expected to endure a hard grind in the conference and a 20-10 record would be a humble estimate.

Fortunately, they could still qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the 27th consecutive time but might not get past the second round due to a lack of firepower down the stretch.