Report: Gonzaga’s nonconference game against Michigan State to take place Dec. 19 in Palm Desert

Gonzaga could be opening and closing its nonleague slate against a pair of heavyweight programs from the Big Ten Conference.

One week after Michigan State coach Tom Izzo revealed the Spartans would be playing Gonzaga in a nonconference game next season, CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein reported the matchup will take place on Dec. 19 at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs.

According to Rothstein’s report, the game will honor Izzo and Gonzaga counterpart Mark Few – both of whom have been inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame. It will also coincide with a women’s game between the Zags and Spartans, per the report.

The matchup will likely be Gonzaga’s last game before Christmas and could be the team’s final nonconference game before opening Pac-12 Conference play.

The Zags are opening the 2026-27 season against Purdue at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and could face two more Big Ten opponents during the nonconference schedule.

Gonzaga is in the middle of a two-game neutral-site series against Oregon and will face the Ducks at Climate Pledge Arena in 2026-27 or 2027-28. The Zags are also expected to renew their nonconference series with UCLA, although it’s unclear if the teams will play next season.

Few’s program will return to Acrisure Arena two seasons after meeting USC in the desert for a preseason exhibition. The Zags dropped a high-scoring game against Eric Musselman’s Trojans, losing 96-93.

The Zags and Spartans have history, most recently meeting in 2022 for a nonconference game played in San Diego on the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln. Gonzaga won 64-63, getting a game-high 22 points and 13 rebounds from All-American forward Drew Timme.

Michigan State holds the 4-2 advantage in the all-time series, with Gonzaga’s only other win coming in 2006 at the Maui Invitational. Adam Morrison scored a tournament-record 43 points to help lift the Zags 109-106 in overtime.

The Spartans have been ranked inside the top 10 of way-too-early 2026-27 college basketball rankings coming off a 27-8 record and trip to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, where Izzo’s team lost to eventual national runner-up UConn.

Michigan State, which appeared at No. 4 in Rothstein’s rankings, could bring back two of its five starters from last season including point guard Jeremy Fears Jr., a potential preseason All-American in 2026-27. Fears recently entered the NBA draft but is maintaining his eligibility for a potential return to East Lansing.