Spartans Return to Court, Host Oakland on Wednesday Night

East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State's men's basketball plays its first game in 11 days when the Spartans host in-state rival Oakland University on Wednesday, Dec. 21 (6:30 p.m., BTN). MSU is coming off a 68-50 win over Brown on Dec. 10, wrapping up an opening stretch to the season where the Spartans played 11 games in 33 days and faced one of the nation's toughest schedules.

The game will air live on BTN, with Brandon Gaudin and Bruce Weber calling all of the action. The TCF Bank Spartan Media Network radio call can be heard on one of 38 affiliates and on the web at MSUSpartans.com, with Will Tieman handling the play-by-play and Matt Steigenga serving as the color analyst. The game can also be heard on channel 383 on SiriusXM and channel 973 on the SiriusXM app.

About the Spartans

Michigan State enters the game on Wednesday with a 7-4 overall record after facing one of the nation's toughest schedules during the first 10 games of the season.
After the game against Oakland, the Spartans will take a nine-day break for the Christmas holiday and return to play their final non-league game of the regular season, hosting Buffalo (Dec. 30).
Per KenPom.com, Michigan State has faced the nation's toughest slate of opposing offenses in the country, the 9th-toughest slate of opposing defenses and ranks No. 3 overall in strength of schedule.
The Spartans are ranked No. 62 in the latest NET rankings. Among teams in the top-75, MSU has played 7 seven games against teams in Quadrant 1 & 2, the second-most (Alabama, North Carolina), with Gonzaga and Oregon having played eight games.
Through 11 games, senior guard Tyson Walker leads the team in scoring with 14.0 points per game, while adding 2.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists.
Graduate forward Joey Hauser is second on the team in scoring with 13.9 points per game and leads the team with 7.4 rebounds, while shooting 47.4 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from 3-point land.
Senior forward Malik Hall, who has missed the last seven games, is fourth on the team with 12.0 ppg and third with 5.3 rebounds.
Junior guard A.J. Hoggard is third on the team with 13.1 points, fourth with 4.3 rebounds and leads the team (and is third in the Big Ten) with 5.7 assists per game.
Three other players are averaging at least 6.0 points, including sophomore Pierre Brooks, who has started five games and is averaging 7.3 points and 3.2 rebounds.
Junior forward Mady Sissoko, who scored 16 points and had eight rebounds in the win over Kentucky in the Champions Classic on Nov. 15, is averaging 6.5 points and is second on the team with 5.8 rebounds, while sophomore guard Jaden Akins is adding 6.6 points and 3.6 rebounds.

About Oakland

Oakland enters the game on Wednesday night with a 2-10 overall record, including an 0-2 record in the Horizon League.
This is the eighth-straight game away from home for the Golden Grizzlies, who played three games in the Bahamas, opened conference play with two road games (at Cleveland State and Purdue Fort Wayne) and have played the last two games at Syracuse and Boise State.
The Golden Grizzlies last win was a 92-90 overtime decision at home against Eastern Michigan on Nov. 19.
The game on Wednesday will be a return to the Breslin Center for Oakland guard Rocket Watts, who spent his first two years at MSU.
Sophomore forward Trey Townsend is third in the Horizon League in scoring (18.3 ppg) and sixth in rebounding (7.7 rpg).

Series History

Michigan State and Oakland meet for the 21st time in program history.
The Spartans lead the head-to-head series, 20-0 ... Michigan State is 12-0 against Oakland at home.
The Spartans beat the Golden Grizzlies last year, also on Dec. 21, 90-78 at Little Caesars Arena ... In that game, Marcus Bingham Jr. scored 17 points, had 12 rebounds and four blocked shots as the Spartans put five players in double figures, with Max Christie (17), Gabe Brown (14), Malik Hall (13) and Tyson Walker (10 and a career-high tying 10 assists) each scoring at least 10.
The teams first played on Nov. 17, 1998 at Oakland, a 98-66 MSU win.
MSU and Oakland have played in each of the last 10 seasons and 16 of the last 17 overall.

Spartans Return to Court, Host Oakland on Wednesday Night

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jaden Akins

Marcus Bingham Jr.

Gabe Brown

Max Christie

Malik Hall

Joey Hauser

A.J. Hoggard

Mady Sissoko

Tyson Walker

Spartans Return to Court, Host Oakland on Wednesday Night

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jaden Akins

Marcus Bingham Jr.

Gabe Brown

Max Christie

Malik Hall

Joey Hauser

A.J. Hoggard

Mady Sissoko

Tyson Walker

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