How to watch, Live stream Michigan State-Arizona: Game time, TV, matchups, picks

Big game between ranked teams kicks off college hoops' season Friday night

By Matt Norlander

Nov 11, 2016 at 11:16 am ET • 2 min read

For the first time in almost seven months, the biggest sporting events on television in America will be college basketball games.

What a great thing.

Arizona and Michigan State -- both preseason top 15 teams -- get going in Hawaii on Friday night. Below, a primer on the teams, the game, what to look for. Hallelujah, the season is here!

Viewing information

Date: Friday, Nov. 11
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Stan Sheriff Center, Honolulu
TV: ESPN
LIVE Stream: WatchESPN

Quick breakdown

Michigan State: The Spartans enter this game with a team unlike Tom Izzo ha's ever had. Ben Carter and Gavin Schilling -- two critical front-court pieces for the Spartans -- are out. Though MSU has not put out official word on the status and timeline of Carter's injury, I'm told it's almost certain he will not play this season. Schilling? That's to be determined, but he won't be on the floor for this game. That means MSU will go small and put on display its four-man freshman class. The best class Izzo's had in his career. Miles Bridges is the name to know, but Josh Langford and Nick Ward will prove to be key pieces. Fortunately, veterans in the back court -- Eron Harris, Tum Tum Nairn -- will be in the rotation and essential to MSU's chances in this game.

Arizona: The storyline that matters most: Allonzo Trier's eligibility. Sean Miller, Arizona's coach, has not said one word indicating what it is that's keeping Trier from being in uniform. The sophomore combo guard did not even take the team flight out to Hawaii. Without him, Arizona is a very different team. And the Wildcats will also not have Ray Smith, a former five-star prospect with NBA talent who had to give up the game of basketball before every playing it due to three ACL tears in 30 months' time. Sad story, and with all of this, Arizona is young and unpredictable.

Players to watch

Miles Bridges, Michigan State: He's a do-everything kind of player. He can defend, really, four positions at the college level. And he can play four positions, too. He's an athletic freak, a freshman that will live up to the hype and certainly should give you some "wow" moments in this game. Bridges is one-and-done material, and will be one of the most watchable players Izzo has had at MSU in the past decade.

Lauri Markkanen, Arizona: An unknown on the national level right now, but Markkanen's a stretch-4 who will probably become of the 10 best and most productive freshmen in America this season. You'll hear "Dirk Nowitzki" thrown around plenty with him, but Markkanen's game isn't completely like Dirk's. Still, he's a vital piece for Miller's group this season. If he puts up 15 vs. Michigan State I will not be surprised.

Matchup to watch

Tum Tum Nairn vs. Arizona's ball-handlers: Nairn has NBA-level defensive ability. Arizona will put the ball in the hands of Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Kobi Simmons and Kadeem Allen. Allen is the guy who needs to take charge on Friday night. Nairn, who will probably be the breakout guy on this team this year (Eron Harris not included), will be tested -- and he'll need to stay on the floor. Simmons is a tall talent at point guard, but I know he's not ready for high-level, Division I defense for 20-plus minutes. Not yet. If Arizona's guards can move well on the perimeter and get MSU into foul trouble, that's the ticket to getting a W.