Michigan State basketball schedule released

Big Ten Network released the 2017-18 Big Ten basketball conference schedule, giving basketball fans their first chance to break down the Spartans’ schedule.

The Spartans open the conference season at home against Nebraska on Sunday, December 3 and plays their first road game two days later at Rutgers. A month later, on January 4, Michigan State hosts Maryland, a game the Izzone student section likely won’t be back on campus for.

Not that there is ever an easy stretch of games in the Big Ten, but the end of January looks to be the most difficult for MSU. The Spartans have back-to-back home games against Michigan and Indiana, followed by Illinois, Wisconsin, Maryland, Penn State and Indiana.

Part of what will make the schedule difficult for MSU, and the rest of the Big Ten, this season is the time of the conference tournament. The Big Ten moved the tournament to New York this year, forcing them to move it a week earlier and squeezing all those regular season conference games in a smaller window.

Here is the full MSU schedule:

Sunday, Dec. 3 vs. Nebraska

Tuesday, Dec. 5 at Rutgers

Thursday, Jan. 4 vs. Maryland

Sunday, Jan. 7 at Ohio State

Wednesday, Jan. 10 vs. Rutgers

Saturday, Jan. 13 vs. Michigan

Friday, Jan. 19 vs. Indiana

Monday, Jan. 22 at Illinois

Friday, Jan. 26 vs. Wisconsin

Sunday, Jan. 28 at Maryland

Wednesday, Jan. 31 vs. Penn State

Saturday, Feb. 3 at Indiana

Tuesday, Feb. 6 at Iowa

Saturday, Feb 10 vs. Purdue

Tuesday, Feb. 13 at Minnesota

Saturday, Feb. 17 at Northwestern

Tuesday, Feb. 20 vs. Illinois

Saturday, Feb. 25 at Wisconsin