East Lansing — The Michigan State men’s basketball team broke down practice with the word “family” on Thursday. Then Tom Izzo took his newest family members to the side for another chat. He imparted some words of wisdom before they walked off the court, addressing the stakes of a big-time matchup headed their way this weekend.

The newcomers to this team are just one regular-season game into their Michigan State careers, but come Saturday, the 22nd-ranked Spartans will tangle with their biggest opponent yet: a primetime matchup against No. 14 Arkansas (Fox). It's a high-pressure game, one that's bound to strain this team before it has hardly come together.

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