Michigan State Men's and Women's Basketball will face Gonzaga in 2026 Acrisure Series

Michigan State's men's and women's basketball teams will both play Gonzaga in the 2026 Acrisure Series in a doubleheader on Saturday, Dec. 19 at Acrisure Arena in California's Coachella Valley.

It will mark the second time participating in the event for both MSU programs. The Spartan men faced Arizona in the inaugural Acrisure Classic event, falling 78-72 to the Wildcats on Nov. 23, 2023 in a FOX broadcast that immediately followed the Detroit Lions Thanksgiving Day game against the Green Bay Packers, a 29-22 loss for the Lions. The Spartan women defeated Cal (78-72) and Vanderbilt (78-70) to win the 2024 event.

Tickets will go on sale for the games on July 15 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time. The arena is located in Palm Desert, Cali., located off Interstate 10 about 14 miles east of Palm Springs, and admission to both games come with a single ticket purchase. Tipoff times and broadcast information will be released at a later date.

MSU women's basketball will face Gonzaga for just the second time. The Spartans hold a 1-0 record after defeating Gonzaga 60-45 on Nov. 26, 2005 in the Paradise Jam tournament located on Saint Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. The victory snapped a two-game losing streak in the event for the Spartans who fell to Tennessee and Maryland in the first two matchups, respectively. MSU was ranked No. 9 at the time, and the meeting came just four days after the men's teams from both schools met in the semifinals of the EA Sports Maui Invitational. Gonzaga men (No. 9 ESPN/USA Today, No. 8 AP) beat No. 12 MSU 109-106 in triple overtime.

“We are thrilled to return to the incredible Palm Springs area and Acrisure Arena for our doubleheader with Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball and our women’s basketball team this upcoming season,” MSU head women’s basketball coach Robyn Fralick said. “The arena, coupled with the beautiful surrounding area, makes this such a special opportunity for Michigan State Spartans women's basketball, our student-athletes, and our fans. A special thank you to Greg and Dawn Williams for being gracious hosts and such supportive Spartan fans.”

The men have faced one another a total of six times with MSU besting the Zags 4-2 in the series. Besides the previously mentioned 2005 matchup, MSU downed the Bulldogs, 70-68, in the first-ever meeting on Nov. 29, 1997 in the championship game of the Coca-Cola Spartan Classic. MSU also won the next meeting on March 23, 77-62, in the 2001 Sweet 16 in Atlanta, GA. Back-to-back wins for the Spartans followed the Maui loss with a 76-71 victory Nov. 17, 2009 in East Lansing and again on Dec. 10, 2011 in Spokane, WA with a 74-67 victory. The most recent meeting, a 64-63 loss on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln on Nov. 11, 2022 in San Diego, Cali. caps off the current series history.

“We’re very excited about the opportunity to return to Palm Springs and play at Acrisure Arena,” MSU men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo said. “We played the first college basketball game there a few years back, and it was a great environment and a great arena.
 
“Our good friend Greg Williams and his wife, Dawn, are part of the leadership group at the arena. They care a great deal about Michigan State, and they have embraced the Palm Springs area and the community there. Getting the chance to play against a terrific program in Gonzaga that is led by one of my great friends in college basketball, Mark Few, made this an easy game to put on our schedule. Michigan State has a great alumni presence in Southern California, and I know our West Coast Spartans will be very excited for the game and we are too.”