Michigan State basketball’s Tom Izzo looks ahead to Duke in Chicago
Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo speaks to the media on Monday, Nov. 13, 2023, in East Lansing.
No. 19 Michigan State basketball and No. 3 Arizona, are set to face off on Thanksgiving Day at Acrisure Arena in Thousand Palms, California, in a game being called “The Acrisure Classic.”
The headlining game of the multi-day Acrisure Invitational tips off at 4:30 p.m. ET and will be nationally broadcast on Fox following the Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers game.
REQUIRED READING: Michigan State basketball vs. Alcorn State: Time, TV channel for nonconference game
So how did this game come to be? The link between Acrisure Arena and Michigan State basketball traces back to Acrisure CEO Greg Williams, a Lansing native and significant donor to Michigan State athletics.
Acrisure Arena, home to the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the American Hockey League, rarely hosts basketball events, with the exception of an exhibition by the Harlem Globetrotters in February.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Acrisure Classic and the teams participating:
What is the Acrisure Classic?
The Acrisure Classic is the headlining game of the Acrisure Invitational, a four-team NCAA Division I college basketball event. In the days leading up to Thanksgiving, three games will unfold at various campus sites, building anticipation for the pinnacle of the event: the Acrisure Classic.
This nationally televised game between Michigan State and Arizona takes center stage on Thanksgiving Day, marking the grand finale of the event.
Who is playing in the Acrisure Invitational?
Four teams take part in the inaugural Acrisure Invitational, with Michigan State beating Alcorn State 81-49 on Sunday before facing Arizona in the Acrisure Classic on Thanksgiving Day.
Arizona likewise beat UT Arlington 101-56 on Sunday. Alcorn State and UT Arlington will face off on Wednesday while the Spartand and Wildcats tip off from Thousand Palms, California on Thanksgiving.
REQUIRED READING: Michigan State basketball’s A.J. Hoggard: ‘I gotta step up’ or ‘you should bench me’
Acrisure Invitational Schedule
Below is the schedule for the Acrisure Invitational, including on-campus games for Michigan State and Arizona, as well as the Acrisure Classic between the two heavyweights.
- Nov. 19: Michigan State 81, Alcorn State 49
- Nov. 19: Arizona 101, UT Arlington 56
- Nov. 22: Alcorn State at UT Arlington, 8 p.m.
- Nov. 23: Michigan State vs. Arizona, 4:30 p.m.
Sarah Wilson is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.
