EAST LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Michigan State’s men’s basketball team is once again going to be tipping off from an aircraft carrier this fall.

The Spartans will be taking on Gonzaga in the 2022 Armed Forces Classic from the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln in San Diego.

Back in 2011, MSU played North Carolina on the USS Carl Vinson, also in San Diego. The inaugural event was well received and President Barack Obama sat courtside with First Lady Michelle Obama.

(Via Getty Images)

The game will be played on Friday, Nov. 11, which is Veterans Day, and will be televised in primetime on ESPN.

“When we played a game on the deck of an aircraft carrier just over 10 years ago to help honor Veteran’s Day, we thought it might be a once-in-a-lifetime type of experience,” MSU Head Coach Tom Izzo said. “I know our team, our players, our coaches and staff and Michigan State Athletics is very excited about getting the opportunity to play a tremendous program like Gonzaga on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln and honoring all of those who serve in our military. This game is big for our program, for Michigan State University and for the Big Ten Conference.

“The experience we had in 2011 when we played North Carolina on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson was one of the most humbling experiences of my career. Obviously, we wanted to win and any game against a program like that is very special, but to me, the game was about so much more than just a win or a loss.

“This opportunity to play on an aircraft carrier in front of men and women who serve in the military and are willing to put their lives on the line is an experience that is going to mean something to the young men who will play in the game for a long, long time. I said it last time and I’ll say it again, we’re going to play one of the best teams in the country and we’re going to be hosted by the No. 1 team in the world.”

(Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class James R. Evans/U.S. Navy via Getty Images)

Gonzaga will also be making their second appearance in the Armed Forces Classic. The Bulldogs and Spartans have played five times, with MSU holding a 4-1 lead in the series.

“We are extremely honored to be a part of the Armed Forces Classic,” Gonzaga head coach Mark Few said. “This is a special opportunity for our program to support those who fight for our country in our own small way. We’re excited to face an incredible program in Michigan State and a great colleague in Coach Izzo. I’m sure this will be a great memory for all of us.”