The Michigan State men's basketball team reportedly has an opponent for the 2023 Gavitt Tipoff Games. According to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports and College Hoops Today, MSU will host Butler at the Breslin Center.
The Gavitt Games is an annual event played early in the season, and pits eight Big Ten teams against eight Big East foes. It is named after former Big East commissioner Dave Gavitt.
Michigan State last played Butler on Nov. 17, 2021, which was also part of the Gavitt Games that season. The Spartans dominated the Bulldogs by a final score of 73-52 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Michigan State leads the all-time series with Butler 11-5. The last time the Bulldogs defeated the Spartans was in the Final Four of the 2010 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament by a final score of 52-50. Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo is 1-1 against Butler.
Additionally, Michigan State is 3-0 in the Gavitt Tipoff Games. MSU defeated No. 12 Seton Hall in 2019, Butler in 2021 and Villanova in 2022. The games were canceled in 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Butler is coached by Thad Matta, who Izzo is very familiar with after Matta coached Ohio State from 20024 until 2017. Additionally, former Spartan Pierre Brooks II is now a Bulldog. Brooks played the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons with Michigan State before entering the transfer portal in late March. He signed with Butler in April.
Michigan State finished the 2022-2023 season with a 21-13 record and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Butler finished the most recent campaign at 14-18.
The Big Ten Conference leads the Big East Conference 3-3-1 since the Gavitt Games started in 2015, with the Big East's sole series victory coming in 2021.
Here is the full list of 2023 Gavitt Tipoff Games matchups. per Rothstein:
-Xavier at Purdue-Michigan at St. John’s-Iowa at Creighton-Marquette at Illinois-Maryland at Villanova-Butler at Michigan State-Georgetown at Rutgers-Wisconsin at Providence
Update: It's official and the game now has a date. Michigan State will host Butler at the Breslin Center for the Gavitt Tipoff games on Nov 17. The start time is still to be announced.
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