UM-MSU Basketball To Play Only Once Next Season

CHICAGO -- College basketball fans in the state of Michigan got some bad news on Monday -- Michigan and Michigan State will only battle it out on the hardwood floor once next season.

The Big Ten released the 2017-18 conference opponent breakdown for all 14 teams in the league on Monday and unfortunately the Spartans and Wolverines are scheduled to meet just one time next year. It is the second time in the last three seasons that this has happened.

Michigan State will host Michigan at the Breslin Center in next season's lone meeting. The date of the matchup has yet to be announced.

With an 18-game conference schedule, each Big Ten member plays five teams both home and away, and the other eight teams only once.

Michigan State will play Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Rutgers and Wisconsin twice in 2017-18. The Spartans also host Nebraska, Penn State and Purdue, and will travel to Iowa, Minnesota, Northwestern and Ohio State to complete its conference slate.

Michigan will play Iowa, Maryland, Northwestern, Ohio State and Purdue twice next year. The Wolverines will host Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Rutgers, while they will travel to Nebraska, Penn State and Wisconsin.

There is still a chance Michigan-Michigan State could play twice next year if the two teams were to meet in the Big Ten Tournament or NCAA Tournament. The two have only played in the postseason once with the Spartans topping the Wolverines in the 2014 Big Ten Tournament Championship game.

Michigan and Michigan State split last year's season series with the home team winning each matchup. Both programs enter next season with expectations of contending for a Big Ten championship and returning to the NCAA Tournament.