The last time Michigan State basketball faced Detroit Mercy, former Indiana head coach Mike Davis was the head coach. Unfortunately, the Titans were one of the worst teams in college basketball at the time and didn't stand much of a chance.
This time around, the Spartans will see another familiar face as Detroit announced on Wednesday evening that it would be traveling to East Lansing this fall to face Michigan State.
Former Tom Izzo assistant Mark Montgomery will be on the opposing sideline for the first time since 2018 when he was leading Northern Illinois.
A series renewed… with a Spartan on our side this time ⚔️#detroitscollegeteam pic.twitter.com/3FZnjgDmJX
— Detroit Mercy Men's Basketball (@DetroitMercyMBB) July 30, 2025
The video showed Montgomery and the Spartans taking on Detroit Mercy 37 years ago and then flashed to the now-Titans head coach sitting at his desk with a smile on his face with the caption "37 years later..." hinting at a rematch. The tweet also reads, "A series renewed... with a Spartan on our side this time."
It'll be great to have Montgomery back at the Breslin Center this fall as Michigan State tries to defend its Big Ten crown by gaining enough momentum in non-conference play to compete at the highest level in league play.
Right before the first Big Ten games of the season in early December, Michigan State will host Detroit Mercy for what should be a fun game at the Breslin Center on Nov. 21.
Last season, Michigan State saw another familiar face at the Breslin as Tum Tum Nairn came to town as an assistant at Bowling Green and the Falcons nearly pulled off the upset. The Spartans also beat Dwayne Stephens and Western Michigan by 18.
Hopefully this game isn't nearly as close -- and it shouldn't be as Detroit was 8-24 last season.