Tennessee basketball announces exhibition game at Michigan State

Tennessee and Michigan State have announced an exhibition game, with the proceeds going to help the people of Maui. All proceeds from the game will be given to the Hawai’i Community Foundation Maui Strong Fund, which provides financial resources to the ongoing relief efforts currently happening on the island.

The game is set for Sunday, October 29th in East Lansing at the Breslin Center. Both Michigan State and Tennessee are projected as top ten teams this year.

Tennessee, of course, is set to compete in the Maui Invitational this year. Whether the event can be played at the Lahaina Civic Center has yet to be determined. The tournament is currently set for November 20-22. It was held in Asheville and Las Vegas in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID restrictions.

“The Maui Invitational and the city of Lahaina have always held a special place in my heart,” Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo said in the announcement. “The images we’ve all seen and the stories we’ve heard following the wildfires have touched so many of us in the college basketball world and I know that our thoughts and prayers are with all of those who have been affected.

“We’ve had plans to scrimmage Rick’s team since last Fall, and we spoke about what we could do to help and honor the city of Lahaina and the people there who are in need. I’m hopeful that our Spartan family will pack the Breslin Center for what will be a great game, but will have an even greater mission, and that’s to help the Lahaina community as much as we can.”

Tennessee played in a similar scrimmage against Gonzaga last year, putting on a PPV event ahead of the season. The Volunteers also took on the Spartans in a closed door scrimmage.

“First, I appreciate coach Izzo and Michigan State for hosting this game, which will benefit a community that means so much to the world of college basketball,” Rick Barnes said. “While we certainly need to continue to pray for the families in Maui who have been impacted, this benefit game will enable us to offer tangible support toward the restoration of Maui and its beautiful spirit.”

Tip-off time, TV/streaming and ticket information will be released at a later date.