Michigan State Kicks Off 2025-26 Season with Bowling Green Exhibition Thursday
Michigan State University’s men’s basketball team will launch its 2025-26 season with an exhibition match against Bowling Green on Thursday, October 23, 2025. The game takes place at the Breslin Center, with the tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m. Fans can watch the event live on B1G+. The Spartan Media Network will provide radio coverage across the state, featuring Will Tieman as the play-by-play announcer.
Season Overview
This exhibition is the first of two for the Spartans before the regular season. They will also face Connecticut in a second exhibition on October 28, 2025.
Previous Season Recap
In the 2024-25 season, Michigan State concluded with a notable 30-7 record. They achieved a 17-3 record within the Big Ten Conference, claiming the regular-season title by a three-game margin. This marked the 11th Big Ten regular-season title under Head Coach Tom Izzo.
For the 27th consecutive year, the Spartans participated in the NCAA Tournament, reaching the Elite Eight for the 11th time. They finished ranked 7th in the Associated Press Top 25.
Key Player Departures
Heading into this season, Michigan State will need to fill the gaps left by three starters and four letterwinners, who accounted for more than half of the team’s scoring. Notable departures include guards Jaden Akins and Jase Richardson, both of whom received All-Big Ten honors.
Returning Players
The team retains significant talent, including:
- Jaxon Kohler – A senior forward who averaged 7.8 points and ranked in the top-10 for rebounding in the Big Ten.
- Jeremy Fears Jr. – A redshirt sophomore point guard who averaged 7.2 points and was third in assists in the conference.
- Coen Carr – A junior forward noted for his athleticism, averaging 8.1 points per game.
- Carson Cooper – A senior center contributing an average of 5.0 points and 5.2 rebounds.
New Additions to the Roster
This offseason, Michigan State added four transfers:
- Trey Fort – A senior guard from Samford who averaged 14.6 points per game last season.
- Kaleb Glenn – A junior forward formerly with Florida Atlantic, who is currently sidelined due to injury.
- Divine Ugochukwu – A sophomore guard from Miami with prior experience starting 16 games.
- Denham Wojcik – A graduate guard from Harvard who missed last season due to surgery.
Freshman Class Highlights
The Spartans’ freshman class features two promising forwards from the Washington, D.C. area, Jordan Scott and Cam Ward. Ward, notable for being the No. 50 player in his class, broke Maryland’s scoring record in high school. Scott has an impressive background, having led his high school to consecutive state championships.
Exhibition Game History
This year’s exhibition games mark a continuation of Michigan State’s practice of playing matchups against Division I schools. Previously, the Spartans have mainly faced in-state Division II and III teams.
In recent exhibitions, MSU has achieved victories over teams like Ferris State and Northern Michigan while also hosting high-profile opponents such as Tennessee.
As Michigan State prepares for this season’s opener against Bowling Green, fans eagerly anticipate how the new roster will perform and adapt to the challenges ahead.
