Michigan State to face Gonzaga in heavyweight non-conference battle

College basketball fans may have just had another gift stuffed under the tree a week before Christmas. USA TODAY’s Palm Springs Desert Sun reports that Michigan State will head to Southern California on Dec. 19 to square off with perennial power Gonzaga in a Big Ten vs Pac-12 showdown.

In addition to Mark Few and Tom Izzo’s squads getting together, the Michigan State and Gonzaga’s women’s teams will also play at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs before the men’s game gets underway. The men’s game is set to start at 2:30 pm.

The game could be a preview of a March matchup, as the Spartans have made the NCAA tournament 28 consecutive times, while the Bulldogs have qualified for the past 27 editions of March Madness.

See you in Palm Springs 🌴 pic.twitter.com/S7gS9Cgy6q

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— Michigan State Men’s Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) July 13, 2026

The last time these two teams played was in November 2022 on an aircraft carrier, when the Bulldogs edged out the Spartans 64-63 on a free throw by Drew Timme.

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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Michigan State to face Gonzaga in heavyweight non-conference battle