Fresh off their victory over Duke earlier this week, No. 8 Michigan State Spartans welcome Detroit Mercy at Breslin Center in a game that will be shown live on The Big Ten Network and streaking online on the BTN App.
Tipoff time is 5:00 PM ET. Fans can also listen to the action on the radio on the new home of the Titans WLQV 92.7 FM & 1500 AM FaithTalk Detroit wIth the Voice of Detroit Mercy basketball Dan Hasty.
When the game tips off on Friday night, it will mark the third time in Detroit Mercy history, the Titans are opening their season with in-state rival Michigan State.
Michigan State (3-0) secured a 75-69 win over the No. 6 ranked Duke Blue Devils in the Champions Classic at Cameron Indoor Stadium Tuesday night with second-year guard Rocket Watts scoring 20 points.
Detroit Mercy was were scheduled to open its season at Kentucky last week in the Bluegrass Classic, but all three of the Titans’ games were canceled. They will now meet Michigan State, a program which has defeated them three times in season openers. The Titans fell to an 80-70 defeat in 2001 and 65-3 63 in 1987 in overtime.
This will be the 62nd meeting between the two programs, and the first match-up since 2001. Michigan State leads the all-time series, 45-16, but the Titans have won three of the last four, including a triple-overtime victory at Cobo Hall in 1996.
The Spartans, who are holding their opponents to 68.7 points per game across the opening three contests, are scoring 79.3 points per game and pulling down 43.7 on average.
In terms of players, Michigan State is being paced by Joey Hauser, who is averaging a double-double of 12.0 points and 11.7 rebounds and shooting 53.8% from the field from the first three games.
