Michigan State basketball loses to Gonzaga, 64-63: Game thread replay
Armed Forces Classic: Michigan State Spartans (1-0) vs. No. 2 Gonzaga Bulldogs (1-0)
When: 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Where: USS Abraham Lincoln, off coast of San Diego, California.
TV: ESPN.
Radio: WJR-AM (760; other radio affiliates).
Game notes: It's the first marquee matchup of college basketball season, and the return of the Armed Forces Classic. The Spartans participated in the first of these back in 2011 against North Carolina. This year, Tom Izzo takes his team to the USS Abraham Lincoln to face Gonzaga, one of the early national title favorites.
THE BREAKDOWN:Michigan State vs. Gonzaga: Scouting report, prediction in Armed Forces Classic
The two programs are tied together by the late Jud Heathcote — the longtime MSU coach was also a longtime Zags fan as a Spokane, Washington, resident.
For the Zags, anything less than a national championship will be a disappointment. The Zags spent nine weeks at No. 1 in the AP poll and went into the NCAA tournament as the No. 1 overall seed before losing to Arkansas in the Sweet 16. Several stars from that team — Chet Holmgren, Andrew Nembhard — bolted for the NBA, but Drew Timme, who averaged 18.4 points, 6.8 rebounds and one awesome mustache, opted to come back for his senior season. So far, so good as the Zags bounced North Florida, 104-63 on Monday and Timme led Gonzaga with 22 points.
Of cource, the rich get richer, and the Zags added transfer Malachi Smith from Chattanooga. The 6-foot-4 junior was the Southern Conference Player of the Year last season while averaging 19.9 points a game; before joining the Mocs, he was a Horizon League All-Freshman team pick at Wright State in 2019. On Monday, Smith had 15 points and six rebounds in a team-high 31 minutes.
After Friday’s time on the carrier, the Spartans take flight for a Tuesday-night matchup with No. 4 Kentucky in the Champions Classic in Indianapolis, then get No. 16 Villanova next Friday in East Lansing. The Zags, meanwhile, visit No. 12 Texas on Wednesday before hosting — yes, Big Blue is visiting tiny Spokane — No. 4 Kentucky on Nov. 20.
VETERAN'S DAY:How Michigan State-Gonzaga aircraft carrier game honors the true heroes
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State basketball loses to Gonzaga, 64-63: Game thread replay
