Photo: Junfu Han ~ USA TODAY NETWORK
EAST LANSING ~ Michigan State is set to begin its March Madness run against North Dakota State in the opening round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The Spartans, making their 28th consecutive tournament appearance under head coach Tom Izzo, learned their matchup on Selection Sunday as the bracket was finalized. Their first‑round game is scheduled for Thursday, March 19, in Buffalo, New York, marking the start of another highly anticipated postseason push for the program.
This year’s team didn’t get here quietly. Michigan State battled through a rugged Big Ten schedule and delivered key wins that kept it in the conversation for a top seed for much of the season. Even after a stumble in the conference tournament, the Spartans present themselves as a tough, experienced group built around defensive identity and postseason poise. That mix, along with the weight of Izzo’s March résumé, always makes Michigan State a team no opponent wants to see in its portion of the bracket.
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(CONTINUED) North Dakota State, meanwhile, enters the tournament with the confidence of a team that earned its way in. The Bison are known for their discipline and for playing a physical, structured style that can frustrate opponents who rely on tempo or rhythm. They are not a program that backs down from big-name matchups, and opening against Michigan State gives them exactly the stage they’re looking for, a chance to jolt the bracket early and make themselves a storyline.
As Thursday approaches, the energy around East Lansing is already building. Michigan State enters the tournament with its usual mix of pressure and optimism, and the first-round matchup offers an early test of how far this group might go. Whether it’s the Spartans’ postseason pedigree or the Bison’s hunger for an upset, one thing is certain: This game has all the ingredients of a compelling opener to another unpredictable March.
The winner of this matchup will play the winner of Louisville and USF.
