The Spartans were led by 26th-year head coach Tom Izzo and played their home games at Breslin Center in East Lansing, Michigan as members of the Big Ten Conference.

[14] Shortly before returning to play on January 28, the school announced that Gabe Brown and assistant coach Dane Fife had tested positive and would miss further time due to COVID-19 protocols.

[15] MSU lost consensus All-American point guard and all-time Big Ten leader in assists, Cassius Winston to graduation.

Junior forward Xavier Tillman announced on March 24, 2020, that he would explore the NBA draft process, but would not sign with an agent, leaving the possibility he could return to play in the 2020–21 season.

[21] Sophomore guard Aaron Henry announced he would enter the NBA draft as well, but would also leave open the ability to return to school.

[38] Aaron Henry was the lone Spartan representative on the preseason Big Ten poll chosen by a panel of conference media members.

[41] On November 9, 2020, Tom Izzo announced that freshman AJ Hoggard underwent knee surgery, but was not expected to miss any games.

Joey Hauser notched 16 rebounds and 10 points as MSU pushed the lead to nearly 30 before relaxing and substituting heavily.

However, the Spartans again turned up the defensive pressure and the offense came alive, led by Julius Marble who scored a career-high 12 points in 12 minutes of action.

The win marked MSU's first-ever victory at Cameron Indoor Stadium and was only the third time an Izzo-led squad defeated Duke.

Rocket Watts took over in the second half, scoring a team-high 23, many of which came late in the game as the Spartans were able to hold off Detroit Mercy for the 83–76 win.

Gabe Brown started in the place of Josh Langford who sat out the game due to a sore knee which Tom Izzo said was a mere precaution.

The Spartans offense recovered well with AJ Hoggard making his first career start and Rocket Watts coming off the bench.

MSU started well despite being much smaller than Purdue's frontline players, Tom Izzo played Julius Marble, Maddy Sissoko, and Marcus Bingham significant minutes in the first half.

Twenty days later, following a two-week pause and the postponement of three games due to COVID-19 issues within the MSU program, the Spartans finally returned to the Court with a visit to Rutgers.

MSU again trailed 78–70 with about two minutes left in the game, but the Spartans scored eight of the next nine points to narrow the lead to two with less than 30 seconds remaining.

However, PSU failed to make a basket from the field in the final 4:29 and Joey Hauser and Marcus Bingham hit free throws down the stretch to give MSU the 60–58 lead with 1:14 remaining, PSU missed three three-pointers on their next three possessions as MSU held on for the 60–58 win.

MSU trailed from the outset as Iowa shot over 50% from three, but the Spartans were able to limit Luka Garza to only eight points in the game.

In the second half, MSU's offense came alive as Tom Izzo settled on a lineup consisting of Rocket Watts, Josh Langford, Gabe Brown, and Aaron Henry.

With Thomas Kithier and Julius Marble alternating at the center position, the Spartans shot over 56% from the field including five of nine from three.

Julius Marble got the start to face Illinois big man Kofi Cockburn, playing only seven minutes, scoring six points, and fouling out of the game.

Marcus Bingham (11 minutes) committed four fouls as MSU threw all their big men at Cockburn and limited him to 13 points in the game.

Watts, Langford, Brown, and Henry each played over 30 minutes as Tom Izzo settled into the smaller lineup as the team's best chance to win.

Up by one, after free throws by Henry, Josh Langford hit a jumper to push the lead to three for the Spartans with 30 seconds remaining.

The win moved MSU to 13–9 overall, and 7–9 in conference and put the Spartans squarely back on the bubble and in contention for an at-large berth to the NCAA tournament that seemed completely impossible only a week or two earlier.

Prior to the game, the Spartans announced that guard Foster Loyer had had shoulder surgery and would miss the remainder of the season.

[75] The loss moved MSU to 14–11 and 8–11 in conference play with one game remaining in the regular season and their NCAA tournament hopes still alive.

Michigan was able to narrow the lead to two points, but Josh Langford hit a big three with 49 seconds remaining and the Spartans made their free throws down the stretch to pull out the 70–64 win.

Watts, who played in front of his mom for the first time in college, led the Spartans in shooting 50% from the field and adding four assists and four rebounds.

Marcus Bingham then fouled the shooter, Jaime Jacquez Jr. who made the basket and the ensuing free throw to tie the game.