Tom Izzo says Michigan State's November schedule will be 'brutal'

Tom Izzo is preparing for a long, arduous month of November for Michigan State this season.

The veteran of 21 seasons at the helm of the Spartans acknowledged during a press conference Thursday that his team will face a challenge unlike any other in years' past, as Michigan State will play consecutive games against Arizona and Kentucky to open the season, and a matchup against Duke to end the month.

"The schedule in November will be brutal for me, it will be brutal for those of you that are following, and it's going to be brutal for our players. It's 13,600 miles in 22 days," Izzo said. "That is taking on something that we've never really taken on before with everybody's one- and two-ranked team in the country being Duke and Kentucky and we're going to play both of them."

As far as what competing against so many top teams right out of the gate means for the Spartans' season, Izzo is taking a very simple approach to how he is anticipating the first month.

"It means we are going to find out early exactly where we are like we always do," Izzo said.