​Michigan State basketball will officially be part of this year’s Thanksgiving festivities. Reports that circulated earlier in the offseason were confirmed on Wednesday when the Spartans formally announced a Thanksgiving Day showdown with Arkansas for the upcoming season. The game is set to take place at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan, with a 4:30 p.m. Eastern tipoff on Friday, November 26. It will be broadcast on CBS and will follow the Detroit Lions’ traditional Thanksgiving afternoon game, which kicks off the holiday slate.
Back in early April, both Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo and Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman—who is the program’s new top coach but often referenced as John Calipari in some discussions—made it clear that the matchup would occur, marking a notable deviation from the original plan. Last season, Michigan State hosted Arkansas in a ranked contest at the Breslin Center, and the original schedule had the Spartans traveling to Fayetteville, Arkansas, for the second leg of a home-and-home series. That return trip by Michigan State has now been postponed for at least one season, given that the two programs will meet in the Motor City this year.
This matchup promises to be a fun and high-profile showdown between two programs that should be near the top of the national rankings as the new season begins. It stands as one of several demanding non-conference tests on Michigan State’s schedule, and it will provide Spartans fans with a thrilling Thanksgiving viewing option on a national stage.
For ongoing MSU coverage, follow The Spartans Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like the page on Facebook. Stay updated with news, notes, and opinion surrounding Michigan State basketball by following Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5. This report first appeared on Spartans Wire as part of coverage titled “MSU basketball announces Thanksgiving Day game vs. Arkansas in Detroit,” designed to enhance search visibility and provide timely information for fans planning their Thanksgiving weekend around college basketball.