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ATLANTA, GA- Michigan State lost to Kansas 77-69 in the State Farm Arena, as with only two total lead changes the Spartans couldn’t stop Kansas down the stretch in the fourth.
MSU and Kansas started slow, with defense being a key factor for both sides to start the game.
Kansas grad student forward Hunter Dickinson scored first with a quick two, and he continued to dominate the scoring margin with 15 points in the first.
The Spartans struggled early, with Dickinson halting MSU’s chances of success in the middle.
MSU head coach Tom Izzo decided to play junior center Carson Cooper early and it paid dividends. He cleaned up the glass for a put-back shot, which made the score 8-4.
The Spartans clawed their way back with 13 minutes to go in the first, with free throws and defensive opportunities for MSU, led by Cooper, freshman guard Jase Richardson and senior forward Frankie Fidler, who converted from the line, and finished the night 7-7 from the stripe.
Both teams had scoring droughts, with MSU holding Kansas to no field goals for four minutes and the Spartans capitalized with eight unanswered points.
With 8:34 on the clock, junior forward Jaxon Kohler forced a block and the Spartans ran on the other end, and he was rewarded with a put-back score giving MSU the lead 12-10.
Cooper continued to keep the game close, with an alley-oop slam and finished the night with six.
MSU and Kansas went back and forth but shots did not fall for either team until Dickinson scored five points accompanied with a ferocious dunk by freshman forward Flory Bidunga, which sparked a Kansas lead 23-18 with 3:20 left in the first.
“Flory is a quick guy,” said Dickinson. “So athletic, so energetic, and his time protections are really easy. He’s a great defender. ”
Both teams struggled with shooting during the game, with MSU shooting 12.5% from three and Kansas shooting 29% respectively.
MSU needed a player to step up, and the talented freshman Richardson did just that. Richardson took the role and scored a quick two from a rush into the lane.
MSU freshman guard Jase Richardson drives into the paint in MSUs loss versus No. 1 Kansas (Atlanta, GA. Nov. 12, 2024). (Cole Pannell)“I thought Jase played very well,” said Izzo in his post-game press conference.
Kansas started to figure it out offensively late in the first, led by junior guard Rylan Griffen and senior guard David Coit with a pull-up three, which extended the Kansas lead 28-20.
The Spartans looked for an offensive spark, and Richardson provided another with one three-pointer that put MSU back within two possessions 30-24 to close the first half.
The Spartans only had one three-pointer so far, but Richardson had different plans. Richardson took the leading scorer role from Cooper, with eight points in the first.
MSU came out of the locker room hot, and bridged the deficit back to only two, with Kansas holding on to their lead 32-30.
MSU and Kansas sparked offensive play quickly, with back-to-back dunks from transfer senior center Szymon Zapala and Dickinson.
Defense continued to be a focal point down the stretch, with a two-minute scoring drought on both ends. The drought ended with a transition three from Griffen, the second three of the half.
Spartans’ Kohler and junior guard Tre Holloman kept the deficit close for MSU in the second. Holloman scored his first points of the night, and Kohler tied the game 39-39 with a hook shot that electrified the MSU crowd.
Both teams continued to go back and forth with 12 minutes to go, with Richardson and Dickinson taking the helm for both of their teams in the second. Dickinson scored with two layups, but the Spartans’ responded with a jam by sophomore forward Coen Carr.
Carr showed out when the Spartans needed it most, and scored his sixth point of the day.
Redshirt freshman Jeremy Fears Jr. was quiet on the night with foul trouble early but found his offense as he took it coast to coast and closed the Kansas lead to three, 50-47.
Kansas extended the lead to five with nearly 10 minutes to go in the second half, but the Spartans tied it up quickly with five unanswered points with a trailing three from Kohler, which made it 52-52 with 8:37 left.
The Spartans kept the score close for a moment, but Kansas rallied right back with two free throws and a huge three-pointer from junior guard AJ Storr. Kansas shot 29% from the three-point line, and Storr opened the gates for the rest of the team.
“That really hurt us,” Izzo said, “but you pick your poison and give credit, he made some of those shots, made that big three, but still we had our chance to win the game.”
Izzo decided to attack Kansas aggressively, and Fidler did just that with a euro-step, and two free throws that cut the Kansas lead to three.
Dickinson and his crew went on a run late, scoring nine points with MSU not able to shoot consistently, with Kansas up 68-59 with four minutes left.
The Spartans kept hanging around with Kansas, going back and forth with buckets by second-chance points on both ends.
Fears Jr. intercepted a pass and scored a quick two which put MSU down eight with 45 seconds to go. MSU made it close with a go-ahead three from Fidler, which put the team within six.
The Spartans tried to cause an upset in State Farm Arena but Kansas closed it out in Atlanta 77-69 with Dickinson who led the charge with 28 points and 12 rebounds.
The Spartans will be back at the Breslin Center on Saturday against Bowling Green. Matt Merrifield and Allie Cohen will be on the call.
EAST LANSING – Michigan State men’s basketball hasn’t overcome Kansas since the 2015 State Farm Champions Classic.
Denzel Valentine led No. 13 MSU to overcome No. 4 Kansas, 79-73, with a triple-double (29 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists). In 2024, unranked MSU is taking on No. 1 Kansas in the Champions Classic on Tuesday night.
The Spartans stand at 2-0 after hosting Monmouth and Niagara. Senior guard Jaden Akins led against Monmouth with 23 points to tie his career-high and junior forward Jaxon Kohler led against Niagara with a double-double posting career-highs of 20 points and 13 rebounds.
MSU has been having a slow heat-up in its first two games from behind the arc. Against Monmouth, they put up a 16.7 three-point percentage, and against Niagara, they improved to a 33.3 three-point percentage.
The Spartans won the rebound battles in their first two non-conference match-ups, putting up 48 against the Hawks and 45 against the Purple Eagles.
Scouting Kansas
The Jayhawks hold the fourth-longest win streak for the No. 1 team in the Associated Press Top 25 era with 47. They are coming off a 92-89 win over No. 9 North Carolina. The Tar Heels knocked the Spartans out of the NCAA Tournament last season in the second round.
Transfer senior guard Zeke Mayo (South Dakota State) led Kansas in points with 21. Graduate center Hunter Dickinson followed with 20 points and put up a double-double with 10 rebounds.
Dickinson is a familiar face to MSU. Before Kansas, Dickinson was with MSU’s in-state rival Michigan where he averaged 17.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists over three seasons.
Mayo is joined by two more transfers this season. Junior guard Rylan Griffen (Alabama) and junior guard A.J. Storr (Wisconsin).
Griffen put up six points, one rebound and two blocks versus UNC. Storr had 13 points, two rebounds, three assists and one steal.
Freshman forward Flory Bidunga is also worth highlighting who racked up eight points, eight rebounds and one block against the Tar Heels.
Last Time Out
The last time MSU and Kansas went head-to-head was the 2021 Champions Classic in New York where No. 4 Kansas won 87-74. The Jayhawks lead the all-time series 8-7, 2-2 in the Champions Classic. The Spartans are 5-22 all-time against teams ranked No. 1 in the AP poll.
Tip-off for this Champions Classic match-up is set for 6:30 p.m. from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Tune into the live radio broadcast featuring Matt Merrifield and Allie Cohen locally on 88.9 FM or at impact89fm.org/listen-live/.
EAST LANSING – Michigan State men’s basketball accelerated past Niagara on Thursday, 96-60, with five players in double-digits.
This was the first meeting between the two teams in program history. The Niagara team is an entirely new look with no returning members and 14 new members.
“We got our work cut out, but it was a good game,” MSU head coach Tom Izzo said post-game.
Niagara came out in the first half hot off the tip-off. Senior forward Frankie Fidler put up the first points with a jumper, but the Purple Eagles responded with three straight threes.
“I thought we were really average the first couple of minutes,” Izzo said. “Give them credit. They made those three threes right in a row.”
The Spartans had to play catch-up early on. They were able to pull within three with a dunk from senior guard Jaden Akins, an alley-oop from sophomore forward Coen Carr and a second-chance layup from junior forward Jaxon Kohler.
Akins tied it up at 11-11 with a shot from behind the arc. MSU took control of the lead with a layup from freshman guard Jase Richardson and held the lead for the rest of the half.
MSU freshman Jase Richardson works the floor in MSUs victory over Niagara (East Lansing, Nov. 7 2024) (Cole Pannell)Going into halftime the Spartans held a 46-39 lead over the Purple Eagles. Kohler led MSU in points (10) and rebounds (4).
MSU outscored Niagara 50-21 in the second half. Four more Spartans also joined Kohler in the double-digit club: junior guard Tre Holloman (11), Akins (10), Richardson (12) and Fidler (11).
Kohler stayed hot in the second half and had a career-high night in points, rebounds and recorded a double-double, ultimately finishing with 20 points and 13 rebounds.
His former career highs were recorded in his freshman season (2022-23) against Rutgers on Jan.19 when he recorded 12 points and 11 rebounds.
“He was the best player I had all summer and he did some good things,” Izzo said on Kohler. “He did some really good things and he got to the line and that helped us get to the line.”
Up next, the Spartans will travel to Atlanta to take on No. 1 Kansas in the Champions Classic on Tuesday with the tip-off set for 6:30 p.m. at the State Farm Arena.
EAST LANSING – Senior guard Jaden Akins quickly set the tone of the Michigan State-Monmouth match-up with an alley-oop off the tip-off.
“Just my mindset,” Akins said on what was different about this game for him. “Just trying to be aggressive and not worry about the little things and overthink things and just be aggressive. That was all that was on my mind.”
This was the first-ever match-up between MSU and Monmouth in program history. The Spartans topped the Hawks 81-57 on Nov. 4 to open up their 2024-25 season.
“Well a year ago we were 0-1 and now we’re 1-0, so there’s positive things here,” MSU head coach Tom Izzo said post-game. “It was the step in the right direction, we were 0-1 last year.”
The match-up was physical from the get-go, ultimately racking up 23 personal fouls from Monmouth and 15 from MSU. Turnovers were also high. The Hawks turned it over four times in just the first three minutes of the first half, granting the Spartans four points off those turnovers.
Junior forward Jaxon Kohler came off the bench with a strong start in the first half leading the team with five points seven minutes into the first half. Kohler put up the only three of the first half for the Spartans.
Akins put up another alley-oop, with an assist from redshirt freshman guard Jeremy Fears Jr. to put up his second two points of the night. After two mishaps, sophomore forward Coen Carr finally found the dunk he was looking for off a fast breakaway off a turnover with about eight minutes to go in the first half.
MSU forward Coen Carr celebrates with fans after the Spartans home opener versus Monmouth (East Lansing, Nov. 4 2024).The Hawks had the Spartans beat from behind the arc and from the free throw line going into the locker room at halftime, but MSU remained on top 38-27.
Coming out of the half, sophomore forward Xavier Booker broke his silence and put up his first points of the night with a second-chance layup.
MSU was beaten by Monmouth in three-pointers in the first half by three more made. Akins broke the three-pointer drought for the Spartans with a shot from behind the arc and was the first player to break into double-digits.
Freshman guard Jase Richardson joined Akins in the double-digit club with 3:35 left in the second half with a lay-up off a fast break. Akins continued to be the star in the second half leading himself to finish with 23 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
“Jaden looked like every bit of the senior he should be,” Izzo said.
In the closing minutes of the game, redshirt freshman guard Gehrig Normand checked in for his first collegiate minutes and freshman guard Kur Teng recorded his first collegiate points.
Within the span of 35 seconds, Teng put up a jumper and a three-pointer, as well as mark the third three MSU got all night. The Spartans finished 3-18 from behind the arc.
“I thought that the three’s that we had, we took 18, I thought 15 of them were great shots,” Izzo said.
Up next, MSU will host Niagara on Nov. 7 with tip-off set for 8 p.m. Tune into the live game broadcast featuring Matt Merrifield and Allie Cohen at impact89fm.org/category/sports/.
EAST LANSING – Michigan State men’s basketball is set to open its season against Monmouth University on Nov. 4 at the Breslin Center.
MSU took on Northern Michigan and Ferris State in a pair of exhibitions in October. The Spartans topped the Wildcats 70-53 on Oct. 13 and the Bulldogs 85-67 on Oct. 29.
Last Tuesday, senior forward Frankie Fidler led MSU with 14 points against Ferris State. Sophomore forward Coen Carr and sophomore forward Xavier Booker also racked up double-digits with 12 and 11 points respectively.
Junior forward Jaxon Kohler led in rebounds with 11 and junior guard Tre Holloman led in assists with nine. Ferris State scored 10 points off of MSU’s 14 turnovers. Senior center Szymon Zapala led in turnovers with four.
Scouting Monmouth
This will be the first meeting between MSU and Monmouth. The Spartans have a 4-1 all-time record against teams that currently make up the Colonial Athletic Association.
Monmouth played in an exhibition against Rhode Island College on Oct. 25. The Hawks succeeded the Anchorman 95-65 with redshirt sophomore guard Andrew Ball leading with 15 points.
Sophomore forward Cornelius Robinson III and junior center Dok Muordar led Monmouth in rebounds with nine and eight respectively. The Hawks turned the ball over 14 times granting the Anchorman 17 points off those turnovers.
Muordar is a 7-foot-1 transfer from Cleveland State. Joining him in Monmouth’s transfer class are junior guard Madison Durr (The Citadel), senior forward Chris Morgan (North Texas), sophomore guard Aric Demings (Utah Tech) and graduate forward Jordan Meka (Georgia Tech).
Redshirt sophomore forward Jaret Valencia and junior guard Jack Collins were both selected for the Preseason CAA Awards. Valencia was selected to the Preasons All-CAA Second Team and Collins was an honorable mention selection.
MSU’s opening night tip-off is set for 7 p.m. on Nov. 4. Tune into the live radio broadcast featuring Matt Merrifield and Allie Cohen locally on 88.9 FM or at impact89fm.org/listen-live/.
Impact Izzone has returned for the 2024-25 basketball season. Matt Merrifield, Allie Cohen, and Faith Flickinger breakdown Michigan State’s exhibition matchups, preview the Spartans first week of games, and more!
EAST LANSING- Michigan State basketball was back at the Breslin Center as they welcomed in the Ferris State Bulldogs for an exhibition matchup on Tuesday night. After a sluggish start, the Spartans pulled away in the second half to beat the Bulldogs 85-67.
The Bulldogs held their own with the Spartans in the first half as the Spartans led the Bulldogs 40-28 going into halftime. Both teams struggled shooting from the field in the first half, shooting under 40 percent in the first 20 minutes of play.
Frankie Fidler, one of the transfers that the Spartans acquired in the offseason from Omaha led the way for MSU scoring 12 first-half points.
Omaha transfer Frankie Fidler shines in Breslin debut, leading the Spartans with 14 points in exhibition versus Ferris State (East Lansing Oct. 29, 2024) (Avery Kotel)In the second half, the Spartans’ struggles on the offensive end continued as the Bulldogs cut the Spartans’ lead to five early on.
The Spartans pulled away and were able to find themselves offensively with a 14-3 run over three minutes with sophomore forward Coen Carr, junior forward Jaxon Kohler, and freshman guard Jase Richardson leading the way for the Spartans during the run.
MSU used a variety of different lineups out on the floor which at some times benefited but also hurt the Spartans throughout, which Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo alluded to.
“We wanted to see different guys play against different people, we did what we wanted to do. I’m sure that hurt us a little bit but give a little bit of credit to them [Ferris State] too.
Frankie Fidler led the Spartans in scoring in the game with 14 points, while Coen Carr also scored in double figures with 12 points on 6 of 10 shooting. Izzo mentioned Carr’s high energy when it comes to playing.
“Coen’s been fun to coach, he’s a high-energy guy. Not only is he a high flier but he’s a high-energy guy, with added strength I think he’s playing more aggressively and that’s been encouraging,” said Izzo.
MSU forward Coen Carr celebrates in front of Breslin Center crowd in the Spartans exhibition versus Ferris State (East Lansing, Oct. 29 2024). (Avery Kotel)Carr says that his game is a lot different heading into this season which has helped build confidence in his abilities.
“I feel like my decision making is better, my confidence is higher too when I get the ball, just knowing I can do things with it I can get my teammates open, I can get my teammates involved,” said Carr.
The Spartans also had quality performances by their freshmen. Kur Teng scored nine points on 3 of 6 shooting and Jase Richardson scored eight points on 3 of 3 shooting and went 2 of 2 from beyond the arch.
“Kur and Jase played as well as maybe some of our veterans,” said Izzo.
The Spartans will open up the 2024-25 regular season on Monday when they face off against the Monmouth Hawks, tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Breslin Center.
EAST LANSING – Michigan State men’s basketball is hosting Ferris State for an exhibition to open home play for the 2024-25 season on Oct. 29.
“I think we’ve got a good, experienced group,” MSU head coach Tom Izzo said on Oct. 17 at media day. “We’ve seen great improvements out of some guys, Coen, and Book has had great improvements. Jeremy is coming off the injury, which we are happy that he is getting back to 98% physically, now it is the fact he hasn’t played in a year.”
The Spartans had their first exhibition of the season in Marquette at the Superior Dome on Oct. 13. MSU took on Izzo’s alma mater in a matchup that was more than a game. Northern Michigan couldn’t keep up in the end falling 70-53.
“I did not think we played very well up at Northern, but at the same time the distractions that I caused, we’re sitting there with headphones on in the huddle, we did some things that I think ended up very good, but not real normal,” Izzo said on Oct. 17. “It was really good for our players because there were distractions and that’s what you gotta live with.”
Freshman guard Jase Richardson led the team in points, finishing with 11, and sophomore forward Xavier Booker followed with 10. Transfer senior center Szymon Zapala led with nine rebounds. Junior center Carson Cooper and Booker each totaled three blocks.
Scouting Ferris State
FSU took on its Western Michigan rival Calvin in a victorious 83-69 exhibition on Oct. 22. Junior transfer guard Tyler Hamilton led the Bulldogs with 16 points and senior guard Ethan Erickson followed with 15.
Last season, FSU was crowned Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Tournament Champions, knocking down Grand Valley State. Then it got through NMU in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Final to ultimately reach the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.
Erickson is the main point producer for the Bulldogs, as he averaged 14.8 points per game last season. Senior forward Deng Reng and senior forward Jimmy Scholler each averaged above four rebounds per game, 4.4 and 4.7 respectively.
The last time these two went head to head was in 2011 when MSU topped FSU 85-58. The Spartans and the Bulldogs are set with a 7 p.m. tip-off at the Breslin Center on Oct. 29.
EAST LANSING – Michigan State men’s basketball will be heading up to head coach Tom Izzo’s alma mater, Northern Michigan, on Oct. 13 for the first exhibition of the 2024-25 season to officially start Izzo’s 30th season.
The matchup between the Spartans and the Wildcats is more than just a basketball game. Izzo’s jersey will be retired and his former high school basketball coach, Greg LeDuc is an honorary coach for the exhibition. It was announced on Oct. 8 that LeDuc would be Izzo’s honorary coach.
“I’ve been fortunate in my life to have so many people who helped to guide me and shape me into the person and coach I became,” Izzo said on Oct. 8 in a statement. “Gordy LeDuc was one of the great basketball influences I’ve had and I still carry lessons he taught me many years ago.”
LeDuc coached Izzo at Iron Mountain High School in the Upper Peninsula. Under LeDuc, Izzo and the 1972 Mountaineers made the program’s first Upper Peninsula regional finals appearance since 1961. LeDuc’s coaching career lasted for 27 years at six different high schools, finishing with a career record of 379-208 with a winning record at each school.
“I could not think of a better way to honor Gordy and not only what he meant to me, but to my teammates at Iron Mountain and all of the other kids he coached in a Hall of Fame career, than to have him on the bench with me for a game at Northern Michigan,” Izzo said on Oct. 8 in a statement.
Izzo will have LeDuc by his side for the NMU exhibition as well as for when his jersey, #10, is retired. His jersey retirement was announced at MSU Madness on Oct. 4 in a surprise video from Izzo’s long-time friend, former football coach and NFL Network football commentator and analyst, Steve Mariucci.
Scouting Northern Michigan
The last time the Spartans and the Wildcats went head-to-head at NMU was in 1975 at Jenison Field House. Izzo was in the Wildcat’s starting lineup in this matchup where he played 26 minutes with a team-high of 6 assists and grabbed five boards. MSU topped NMU 91-59.
The Wildcats finished 22-11 for the 2023-24 season and locked back-to-back NCAA Division II Tournament appearances. Last season marked one of the two best seasons in program history for NMU and it went on to win the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) regular season title for the first time since 1993.
Redshirt junior forward Dylan Kuehl has been a key piece for the Wildcats. Last season, Kuehl averaged 15.8 points per game with a .497 shooting percentage, along with 5.9 rebounds per game and recorded 31 total blocks.
NMU’s backcourt will have a new look by adding four new guards from the transfer portal this off-season: graduate guard Julien Smith from Missouri S&T, senior guard Derek Merwick from Midland College, senior guard Biggie Luster from Clarke University and senior guard Gerald Gittens Jr. from the University of Mary. Merwick averaged 21 points per game at Midland, leading the transfer guard class coming into this season.
The Spartans and the Wildcats are set with a 1 p.m. tip-off at the Superior Dome on Oct. 13.
EAST LANSING – Michigan State men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo announced the addition of Saddi Washington to his coaching staff this morning.
“I’m very excited to welcome Saddi to our staff and to bring him back home to the Lansing area,” Izzo said in a statement.
“I’ve known him since he was in junior high school, where he had Doug Herner as a teacher, and I’ve had a great relationship with him and his family for a long, long time. Obviously, he’s got some deep ties at Michigan State as his parents and his brother are all alums and his father, Stan, was one of the greats of our program.”
The Lansing-native will join Jon Borovich, Austin Thorton and Thomas Kelley as an assistant coach. Izzo also announced that Doug Wojcik has been promoted to associate head coach.
Washington comes to MSU from the University of Michigan. He spent eight years with the Wolverines and previously coached at Oakland from 2006 until 2016.
“Saddi is not only a real and genuine person, but he’s an incredible coach who has had a great career working for some great people, from my good friend Greg Kampe at Oakland and to his last eight years at Michigan, under both John Beilein and Juwan Howard,” Izzo said.
“He’s an outstanding teacher with a great basketball IQ and has been recognized as a great recruiter, in and out of Michigan.”
At Michigan, Washington guided the Wolverines to 176 wins and a program record of 33 wins during the 2017-18 season, the same season when they were the national runner-ups.
Previously at Oakland, he began as an assistant coach and was promoted to associate head coach in 2013, working under head coach Greg Kampe.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work with and for some great coaches throughout my career,” Washington said in a statement. “I’m really looking forward to working with Hall of Fame Coach Tom Izzo alongside a great staff. I’ve followed the Michigan State program since I was a kid and saw first-hand how Coach Izzo has built and sustained excellence. I understand how important it is to the community, the University and the alumni. I’m excited to get going.”
With the Grizzles, Washington helped lead them to 198 wins and five 20-plus win seasons.
Oakland made back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament and in 2010 and 2011, won two straight Summit League regular-season and conference tournament titles.
Washington had a seven-year professional career in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA) and overseas. He was the No. 1 overall draft pick in the 1998 CBA Draft by the Grand Rapids Hoops and played overseas in Italy, France, Greece and Israel. In 2001, Washington was a member of the Detroit Dogs of the American Basketball Association (ABA).
Prior to his professional career, Washington graduated from Western Michigan University in 1988 and prepped at Lansing Sexton High School. He was inducted into the WMU Hall of Fame.
In 2005, following his professional career, he began his coaching career serving as a volunteer assistant coach at Romulus High School under current Alabama head coach Nate Oats.
Washington’s father, Stan, is a former Spartan whose accolades run deep in East Lansing. He ranks No. 33 all-time in scoring at MSU with 1,242 points and had a career scoring average of 18.0, ranking No. 6 all-time and ranks No. 5 all-time with a 10.5 rebound average.
“I’m very thankful to join the program at Michigan State and to come back home,” Washington said. “My family and I are excited for this move and becoming a Spartan is a bit of a full-circle moment for me since my parents and my youngest brother are MSU alums. I grew up down the road in Lansing, coming to watch games at Jenison Field House and my father is one of the original ‘Spartan Dawgs,’ so it is surreal for me to carry on his legacy.”
EAST LANSING – Longwood University transfer center Szymon Zapala committed to Michigan State University on May 14
Thrilled to announce my commitment to Michigan State University! Proud to be a Spartan! Let’s get to work! pic.twitter.com/LkRyAHw305
— Szymon Zapala (@szymon_zapala) May 14, 2024
The 7-foot 240-pound center averaged 9.8 points per game, 5.6 rebounds per game and had 29 blocks in his one season at Longwood. Before his season at Longwood, Zapala played three seasons at Utah State University.
He appeared in a low number of games as an Aggie totaling 13 his freshman season, 21 his sophomore season and 11 his junior season. Despite the low number of appearances, while at Utah State, Zapala shot 75% from the field as a junior and as a sophomore, he grabbed 38 rebounds.
This past season, Longwood claimed its conference title, the Big South Conference, beating the University of North Carolina Asheville to punch its ticket for the NCAA Tournament to take on No.1 Houston. In the Lancer’s defeat of UNC Asheville, Zapala put up 17 points and 7 boards.
Before his collegiate campaign, Zapala played for the Polish national team at the 2019 U18 FIBA European Championships and the team finished second.
The Zaborze, Poland native will bring much-needed size to MSU’s men’s basketball adding to the current frontcourt. He joins the other transfer, Frankie Fiddler, and the three incoming freshmen, Jase Richardson, Kur Teng and Jesse McCulloch, to round out head coach Tom Izzo’s roster for the 2024-25 season.
EAST LANSING – University of Nebraska Omaha transfer forward Frankie Fidler committed to Michigan State on April 23.
The 6-foot-7-inch, 205-pound forward averaged 20.1 points per game, 6.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists. He shot 45.2% from the field during his junior year with the Mavericks.
Fidler notably chose MSU over Wisconsin, Nebraska and Creighton. A crafty three-level scorer, he will provide an immediate impact on both ends of the floor.
The right-handed forward can score from multiple spaces on the floor with his biggest focus coming from his aggressiveness towards the rim. Out of 26% of field goal attempts Fidler attempted this season, he scored at an exceptional 60% when under the rim, per College Basketball Scouting.
Textbook footwork allows the former Omaha forward to move around defenders inside the post, while also creating for his shot.
Being only 205 pounds, Fidler commands a very underrated skill at his position. Body control. Utilizing his long wingspan to his advantage, not only scoring under the rim but from behind the arc as well and outside the rim.
Out of 19% of total field goals attempted, Fidler managed to score at 39% from deep when trailing on the fastbreak. A great spot-up shooter, Fidler uses his strong base to get a high release, generating a high shooting arc.
The 6-foot-7-inch forward not only uses his length in the post to his advantage, but he also thrives when coming off spot-up screens from 15 feet out to generate an open mid-range jumper. 13% of total field goals for Fidler came from the left elbow, as he would succeed at 43% from the mid-range distance.
Frankie Fidler has committed to @MSU_Basketball.
Watch some of the former Omaha F's highlights. #B1GMBball x @FrankieFidler_ pic.twitter.com/F1RJaJXESy
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) April 23, 2024
In Omahas’ high-low offense, Fidler was successful in finding his cutting teammates, as he would use his dribble and eyes, to find assists at a 16% rate.
Another way the Nebraska native can keep the offense alive and generate shots for his teammates is his rebounding. Fidler averaged just over two offensive rebounds per game, out of his 6.3 total boards per each contest.
When the ball is in his hands, Fidler can use his dribble to great success despite his size. According to College Basketball Scouting Network, he ranks in the 89th percentile on 1.2 points per possession when becoming a primary ball handler in a pick-and-roll.
Fidler’s biggest challenge will come on the defensive end, especially among a more competitive conference in the Big Ten. However, he did manage to achieve 0.4 blocks per game while also averaging 1.2 steals per game on the defensive end.
Fidler’s future is now in the hands of MSU head coach Tom Izzo, as the transfer forward will have a full season to train and become integrated with Spartan basketball. A weight-building training protocol, much like the one freshman forward Xavier Booker used this season, could be coming shortly for the incoming transfer.
With the 2024-25 season schedule not yet finalized, the Spartans will prepare for offseason training and any other potential postseason additions regarding the transfer athletes.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – For the third year in a row, MSU found itself in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, with a bid to the Sweet Sixteen on the line. Against top-seeded North Carolina in the West region, the No. 9 seeded Spartans came up short against UNC, losing 85-69.
After a blazing stretch to open the game, MSU’s offense disappeared the rest of the half.
“I feel bad we played so well those first twelve minutes,” said MSU head coach Tom Izzo.
The Tar Heels stormed back after a sluggish start, responding with a 23-3 run in under eight minutes and re-igniting a crowd predominantly filled with UNC fans going into halftime.
MSU managed to cut into the Tar Heels’ lead at the beginning of the second half, and at one point trailed by two.
UNC, however, seemed to have a second gear that MSU was without on Saturday night.
“We just didn’t come up with big plays and they did,” said Izzo.
MSU graduate guard Tyson Walker (2) drives against North Carolina sophomore guard Seth Trimble during a 69-85 loss in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, Mar. 23, 2024 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC.MSU had trouble creating opportunities on offense against one of the nation’s best defenses. Despite shooting 44% from the field, the Spartans managed to only record six assists, with 11 turnovers. MSU also only recorded two second-chance points, compared to UNC’s 10.
“I thought everything we wanted to do we did,” said Izzo. “I thought our offense let us down.”
MSU graduate forward Malik Hall (25) drives against North Carolina graduate center Armando Bacot during a 69-85 loss in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, Mar. 23, 2024 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC.Armando Bacot was the centerpiece for UNC’s success on both ends of the floor. The senior big man found ways to score throughout the paint, even with incoming double teams on every possession, and also rotated well and blocked several shots at the rim on defense.
Bacot finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two blocks.
Senior guard RJ Davis also had a terrific game, finishing with a team-high 20 points for UNC.
“We ask a lot out of [Davis],” said UNC head coach Hubert Davis. “We ask him to handle the basketball, distribute, score, defend, rebound, lead our team. There’s a lot on his plate. And he never complains, never whines. Shows up every day, practices hard, is an example of how to prepare, and he goes out every day and plays his tail off.”
Outside of Davis and Bacot, junior Harrison Ingram lifted UNC’s offense.
The forward drilled a game-high five three-pointers, finishing with 17 points and seven rebounds.
“He was the X-factor,” said Izzo of Harrison. “We felt like we had to double down on him…he hit some big shots.”
Tyson Walker finished with a game-high 24 points. The graduate guard went 9-16 from the field and recorded two steals in his final collegiate game.
MSU graduate guard Tyson Walker (2, right) makes a jump shot over North Carolina freshman guard Elliot Cadeau (2, left) in the first half of their matchup in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, Mar. 23, 2024 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC. (Jack Moreland)“For the underclassmen, this is just something for them to learn,” said Walker. “How the game goes. You can’t have big mistakes. The game is fragile.”
Graduate forward Malik Hall and junior guard Jaden Akins were the only other MSU players to score in double figures, recording 17 and 11 points, respectively. Senior guard AJ Hoggard struggled, recording three points and making only one of his 10 field goal attempts.
MSU junior guard Jaden Akins (3) drives against North Carolina graduate guard Paxson Wojcik during a 69-85 loss in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, Mar. 23, 2024 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC.With the loss, MSU finishes its season at 20-15, with six seniors and key veterans taking their next step in their careers.
“I’m not making any bones about it,” said Izzo. “We underachieved.”
“I kept saying to myself, I know this team has enough,” said Izzo. “And you know what? I’ll leave today believing I’m right. I really think we have enough that we could’ve made a little run. I really do.”
CHARLOTTE, N.C.- After a double-digit victory vs No. 8 Mississippi State in the round of 64, No. 9 Michigan State will match up with No. 1 North Carolina on Thursday, as tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. EST.
The Tar Heels have put together one of the most dominant offenses in the country, en route to a 28-7 season record heading into the NCAA tournament.
There are many ways North Carolina can have teams down by double digits before you blink. The Tar Heels rank 19th in offensive efficiency according to KenPom.
A huge part of UNC’s offense is 6-11 240-pound senior, Armando Bacot. The Virginia native averages 10.3 rebounds per game, which is tied for 13th in the nation.
Bacot not only controls the glass, but scores at a superb rate averaging 14.3 points per game on 54.7 % shooting.
“We started at the beginning of practice, always working on our post feeds, and since then it has helped me a lot with my patience and finding my spots on the floor,” Bacot said after UNC’s dominant 90-62 victory in the round of 64 vs Wagner.
Diving into the Tar Heel offense, two major sets stick out when looking at this group as a whole.
UNC likes to run a “4 wide” or “4-1” set, very similar to San Antonio Spurs head coach Greg Poppovich early 2010’s offense. The set starts with the point guard moving to the strong side of the floor, which would then generate a ball reversal to the trail forward.
As the ball is reversed, the rim cutter will dart from one side of the block to the other, looking to establish a post position.
This is where Bacot thrives. Against Wagner, the Tar Heels would run this exact “four wide” set with Bacot on the right block, immediately generating a one-on-one opportunity.
Armando highlight package @iget_buckets35#CarolinaFamily | #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/TPmcvZFzg5
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) March 21, 2024
This is where the Michigan State weak side defense comes in. The Spartans have forced nearly 13 turnovers in their past three matchups. Through that series, MSU forced a game-high 15 turnovers against Purdue in the Big Ten quarterfinals.
A similar defense for the Spartans used against Zach Edey in that matchup will be in store for Bacot.
“We have been working hard on our weakside defense all year,” junior guard Jaden Akins said on Friday. “Us guards have a big responsibility on the weak side to make sure we help our bigs, but also not lose track of the three-point shooters.”
The weak-side defense for MSU starts at the entry pass to the block, as the opposite guard will slowly hedge the double team onto the ball.
HolloMAN WHAT A BLOCK! @jiggyTrawww x @MSU_Basketball pic.twitter.com/L60gMJuhoU
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) March 15, 2024
From there, it all depends on the decision of the forward on the block. The forward, if MSU doesn’t force a trap steal, has the choice to kick it out to the open wing shooter, or step through to his opposite shoulder and attack the rim.
North Carolina’s “4 wide” offense combats this weak side trap tremendously. The Tar Heels’ constant movement and “pass and cut” offense create a lot more stress on Spartan guards when the weak side hedge arrives.
But what if MSU does recover off the hedge and rotates to deny the shooter? The Tar Heels’ second offensive set comes into play.
An athletic, fast-paced Michigan State team has shown that they can match up with anyone this year.
With wins against Baylor, Illinois, and now, Mississippi State, MSU and its guards have shown they can rotate and move with some of the best offenses in the nation.
This Tar Heels offense is different. Head coach Hubert Davis will utilize both Bacot and Harrison Ingram to put teams on their backs.
Ingram, the 6-7 235 pound Texas native is also in the top 50 in the nation in rebounding. The junior averages 8.9 boards per game on 32 minutes each matchup.
Coach Davis will utilize a “high-low” post offense, running a combination of Ingram and Bacot interchanging at the elbow and block.
The offense starts in UNC’s basic “4 wide,” however, between Ingram and Bacot, whoever is not inside the paint on the “4-1” will rotate to the elbow after a ball screen to the ball handler.
This motion generates three shooters across the perimeter, with Bacot and Ingram on the strong side. The set is a constant rotation of the forward on the elbow sending an up screen to the ball handler.
Guards like R.J. Davis and Elliot Cadeau will now have the opportunity to take the screen and drive to the rim, or use the pick and roll to feed the roller. If the roller receives the ball, the “high-low” offense is in prime effect.
: Highlights from today's 92-67 win vs Florida State pic.twitter.com/qljVo8UQsh
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) March 14, 2024
The consequence of the forward receiving the ball in the pick-in roll now generates a two-on-one, as the forward with the ball can either go straight at the rim or dump it off to the assisting forward who was the initial option from the “4-1” set.
Spartan freshman Xavier Booker knows how important communication is when it comes to the “high-low” defense.
“The main thing with that (high-low) is making sure you’re aware of where you are on the court,” Booker said.
Michigan State’s defense has allowed 65.9 points per game this season (1st in Big Ten Conference), as MSU has held its opponents under 75 points in six of the last eight games. When the Spartans allow their opponents to clear that 75-point mark, MSU is 1-6 this season.
A lights-out offense versus a top-10 defense can create a marquee matchup, especially between two teams who have a lot of tournament experience with each other.
The Tar Heels lead the all-time series against MSU 12-4. UNC is also 5-0 against Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament.
The matchup on Saturday will be the second all-time meeting in the round of 32. The previous was 2007 with the exact same seeds as this year, with North Carolina as a one and MSU as a nine. UNC beat MSU winning 81-67.
“We have played against their style of basketball this season, and we are going to be prepared for them,” MSU point guard A.J. Hoggard said.
This year, the Spartans will be looking to flip the script and come away victorious in a hostile environment in Charlotte for a trip to the Sweet 16.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – It took less than a minute.
57 seconds into the first round of the NCAA Tournament, No. 9 Michigan State went up on a three-pointer from junior guard Jaden Akins and never looked back, defeating No. 8 seeded Mississippi State 69-51 to advance to the second round for the third consecutive year.
“I think this was one of the better first game performances of a team that deservedly so was seeded a little lower,” said Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo.
Graduate guard Tyson Walker and Akins set the tone on both ends of the floor, recording 19 and 15 points, respectively.
“[Akins] defended it, he rebounded it, he shot it, and he even passed it some,” said Izzo. “It was no question Jaden Akins’ best game here at Michigan State. It couldn’t have come at a better time.”
MSU junior guard Jaden Akins (3) throws down a dunk over Mississippi State freshman guard Josh Hubbard on Thursday, Mar. 21, 2024 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC.
(Photo by Jack Moreland/WDBM Sports/Michigan State University)The Spartans throttled Mississippi State in several areas that made a difference.
Against one of the best rebounding teams in the country, Michigan State won the battle on the boards 35-29.
“The guards had to come back and help,” said Walker of Michigan State’s rebounding effort. “That was the big part. The bigs, we knew they were going to be down there boxing out.”
MSU senior guard A.J. Hoggard (11) and senior center Mady Sissoko (22) celebrate after a Spartan basket against Mississippi State on Thursday, Mar. 21, 2024 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC.
(Photo by Jack Moreland/WDBM Sports/Michigan State University)Three players had five or more rebounds, including senior Mady Sissoko, who had nine in 17 minutes, and Akins, who had seven.
“The game was won with the rebounding,” said Izzo. “I really believe that’s where the game was won, along with some of the shots [Walker and Akins] made.”
Freshman Josh Hubbard emerged this season as one of the most dynamic guards in the SEC, and led Mississippi State in scoring this season, averaging just over 17 points per game.
Hubbard struggled to find a rhythm offensively against Michigan State, recording 15 points on 18 field goal attempts.
MSU graudate guard Tyson Walker (middle) lays the ball up over three Mississippi State defenders on Thursday, Mar. 21, 2024 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC.
(Photo by Jack Moreland/WDBM Sports/Michigan State University)“First-half [Hubbard] had it going, and the second half we kinda just locked in more,” said Walker. “We contested every shot he took, made sure they were further out.”
Outside of Hubbard, the Bulldogs failed to find any consistent offense. The freshman was the only player to score in double figures for Mississippi State.
“We knew the type of scorer that [Hubbard] was,” said Akins. “Had to make it tough on him. Scorers are gonna score the ball and find a way to get some points, but if you hold them below their average or below their field-goal percentages then I feel like that’s a win for our team.”
MSU Head Coach Tom Izzo celebrates with Spartan fans in attendance against Mississippi State on Thursday, Mar. 21, 2024 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC.
(Photo by Jack Moreland/WDBM Sports/Michigan State University)Senior guard A.J. Hoggard also had an impressive game for Michigan State, recording eight points and eight assists, to go along with two rebounds.
With the win, Michigan State advances and will play the winner between No. 1 seed North Carolina, and No. 16 Wagner.
“I think I’ve got some seniors who don’t wanna go home yet, and they played like it,” said Izzo.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – On the night of Feb. 25, Tom Izzo stood at the podium of the Breslin Center in shock.
His team, which had opened the season ranked inside the top five of the AP Poll, was sitting just above .500 in the Big Ten and had just suffered a stunning upset loss at the buzzer, against an Ohio State team that had fired its head coach less than two weeks ago.
“I would say this one stings about as much as any loss I’ve had in the last eight or ten years,” Izzo said after the loss.
In the weeks after, MSU found itself in dangerous territory of failing to make the NCAA Tournament, jeopardizing Izzo’s streak of 25 consecutive tournament appearances, with a roster laden with veterans who were eager at one more chance at a run in March.
With a win over Northwestern after the loss on that night in February, coupled with a win in the Big Ten Tournament last week, MSU found its way into the Big Dance.
26 years and counting.
After an inconsistent season where MSU’s long-standing streak appeared to be in doubt, the Spartans clinched the ninth-seed in the West region of the NCAA Tournament, where they will face off against No. 8 seed Mississippi State in the first round on Thursday.
MSU freshman forward Xavier Booker hits a three-pointer in his first career start against Ohio State on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024 at the Breslin Center. (Jack Moreland) (Jack Moreland)MSU’s core group of upperclassmen will hope to lead the way in what will likely be their final run before taking their basketball careers to the next level. Senior guard AJ Hoggard, graduate guard Tyson Walker, graduate forward Malik Hall, senior Mady Sissoko and more will have one last chance to avenge last year’s loss in the Sweet 16 to Kansas State, where MSU fell just short of advancing, losing 98-93 in overtime.
For as much attention as the aforementioned group has drawn, the two freshmen in MSU’s rotation have quietly taken exponential steps this season, and will make their NCAA Tournament debuts this week.
“It feels good,” said freshman Xavier Booker. “I’ve been watching this since I was little. It feels great to be a part of this.”
Competing in one of the toughest schedules in college basketball, Coen Carr and Xavier Booker have emerged as indispensable pieces to MSU’s bench unit, where both have overcome sets of struggles to provide meaningful minutes in portions of the season.
Carr, who hasn’t played more than 10 minutes in the last 12 games, doesn’t often make an impact in the stat sheet. The 6’6 forward has served as a spark plug for a team with a relatively thin bench, by generating explosive plays in transition, along with his relentless hustle on defense.
MSU freshman forward Coen Carr throws down a dunk against USI on Thursday, November 9, 2023 at the Breslin Center. (Jack Moreland)“I just try to keep the same mindset,” said Carr. “I’ve just been trying to keep the same mindset. Playing hard, whether it’s not about scoring points. Even if I don’t get a rebound. I might not get a stat, just going in there, controlling the game. Just doing the little things that matter.”
For Carr, rebounding the ball at a more consistent level has been a primary focus. Even in limited minutes, the freshman has generated highlight-reel plays off of putback slams.
“Crashing the glass, especially on the offensive side,” said Carr when asked what the coaching staff has communicated with him most about.
“Every time a shot goes up, crashing the glass because [the coaching staff] knows I can make something happen.”
Carr attributed multiple aspects to his increased success on the boards as the season has progressed.
“Knowing where the ball is gonna go, how it’s going to come off the rim, kinda knowing the right spots to be in,” said Carr.
MSU Head Coach Tom Izzo (right) talks to freshman forward Coen Carr during a win over Indiana State on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023 at the Breslin Center. (Jack Moreland) (Jack Moreland)Carr also pointed out that he’s tweaked his shooting motion, and his routine from the free-throw line.
“Sometimes I bring [the ball] behind my head,” said Carr. “I try to keep the ball in front of me, keep a good pocket. And not take as many dribbles. I only do one dribble now, I used to do three. So just keep it simple. One dribble, and just be confident in it, for sure.”
“Most of the time when I go to the rim I’m getting fouled,” said Carr. “So just really trying to make sure I capitalize on those opportunities of making my free throws.”
After MSU’s loss in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal to Purdue last week, Carr noted one lesson he wanted to take into the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
“Every possession matters,” said Carr. “Even after when we lost, just watching the other games and how close they were, how competitive they were. Just knowing that every play matters, and going out and playing your hardest really.”
MSU freshman center Xavier Booker dunks the ball against Stony Brook on Thursday, December 21, 2023 at the Breslin Center. (Cole Pannell)Booker, who has seen an uptick in minutes in the second half of conference play, has begun to find his rhythm on both ends of the floor, and has posed matchup problems for opposing teams with his ability to stretch the floor. The freshman is averaging 3.6 points and 1.6 rebounds, while playing nine minutes per game.
“Honestly, I haven’t really had too much trouble on offense,” said Booker. “I’ve always been able to be in the right spots in the offense, and kind of just flow into everything. Obviously I don’t know everything yet, because obviously college and high school is a different level. I feel like over time what’s helped me is just more experience with the game.”
Booker also had a similar theme to Carr from his first Big Ten Tournament.
“Very competitive,” said Booker. “Very physical. I can definitely translate that over to the [NCAA Tournament]. I’m sure it’s gonna be ten times that. People are playing obviously for national championships….me and the rest of the team gotta bring it.”
EAST LANSING – Following a five-point loss in the quarterfinal to No. 1 seeded Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament, the Michigan State Spartans looked back at their season resume, wondering if they did enough throughout the season to have their names called for the NCAA Tournament.
Throughout the season MSU went 3-9 against Quad 1 teams, while 6-5 against Quad 2 teams. The Spartans did not flutter against Quad 3 teams though, going a perfect 10-0.
At 6:30 pm on selection Sunday, the college basketball selection committee announced every region besides the west.
Head coach Tom Izzo and the Spartans had one final chance to get into March Madness and keep not only their tournament hopes alive, but Izzo’s 25-year tournament streak.
The No. 9 seed was announced and Michigan State’s name was called. The Spartans will go on to face No. 8 Mississippi State in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“It’s been a hell of a ride,” Izzo said in his press conference on Monday. “It’s not gonna end and if we wouldn’t have made it, I would’ve tried to start another streak. But I do sit back and appreciate it every once in a while.”
MSU Head Coach Tom Izzo (right) watches as graduate guard Tyson Walker (2) attempts at three-pointer against Indiana State on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2024 at the Breslin Center. (Jack Moreland)“I was a little bit concerned,” graduate guard Tyson Walker said. “Especially with how everything was playing out and other bubble teams winning. We got in though, and that’s all that matters.”
In an inconsistent season full of ups and downs, along with ranked wins and conference losses, MSU has a chance to put all of its previous games behind them and focus on the matchup at hand.
“Consistency now depends on two games,” Izzo said. “You have to win the weekend, win two games, and then you can be inconsistent for four days.”
“Then you have to get consistent again. I know that’s not the right way to look at it but I really believe, and I’ve said it the whole year, but we’re better than we’re playing sometimes.”
The Spartans finished with a 19-14 overall record, going 10-10 in Big Ten play and 1-1 in the conference tournament. MSU is No. 24 in the country in the NCAA’s NET rating, however, but has the worst record of any team in the Top 35.
The record can likely be attributed to Michigan State’s strength of schedule, which is ranked 10th nationally. A tough non-conference schedule is something Izzo always likes to load up on during the year to prepare his team for the NCAA tournament.
“Sometimes we are playing very well and we still forget we won 13 out of 17 games earlier this season,” Izzo said. “They were big games from Baylor to all Indiana State to Oakland, and then the whole conference season. So we’re working constantly and I gave us credit for that stretch.”
One huge part of MSU’s success this year and during that stretch has been the senior veterans, but an overlooked part of the team is the guard play, particularly from junior guard Jaden Akins and especially as of late, sophomore Tre Holloman.
“Jaden for his career is a 40% three-point shooter,” Izzo said. “So when guys have done it before then I think I’m gonna know. As for Tre, he’s been playing better and better. I think he’s been playing better at the end of the year than he was at the beginning of the year.”
MSU senior guard A.J. Hoggard (11) lays the ball up in the second half of MSU’s 77-67 victory over Minnesota in the B1G Men’s Basketball Tournament on Thursday, Mar. 14, 2024 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN. (Jack Moreland )Senior guard and leader A.J. Hoggard will make his fourth NCAA Tournament appearance. Hoggard has been the catalyst for MSU’s offense this year, averaging 5.2 assists per game, putting him in the top 50 nationwide (43rd).
Hoggard knows what’s needed to be successful in the postseason, as preparation and the time for film on opposing teams is limited, which is something the underclassmen at Michigan State have yet to fully experience.
“I tried to show them a little bit in the Big Ten tournament, short prep is the prep you play and then you come back and get right back to work,” Hoggard said.
“Having that quick turnaround is going to prepare them for tournament time. Making sure they stay focused and handle business on Thursday.”
Along with Hoggard, graduate guard Tyson Walker has led the Spartans thus far this season with 18.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG, on 44.2% field-goal shooting.
“We have had a lot of lessons this year, but on Thursday we just have to come ready to play,” Walker said at Monday’s practice.
Michigan State prepares for a battle-tested, 21-win Mississippi State team.
The Bulldogs finished their SEC conference record at 8-10 but accompanied that with three victories versus top 25 teams throughout the season, and three top 25 losses within single-digit points.
Izzo compared head coach Chris Jans’s squad to a similar Purdue/Illinois-style team.
“We’re not as physical as teams we’ve been in the past, but I think we’re more physically geared up to face an Illinois or a Purdue style team,” Izzo said. “We’ve done a pretty good job on the boards as of late.”
“We’ve also done a pretty good job competing, but it’s going to have to be that times five.”
Michigan State has one final run to silence any doubters of the 2023-24 season, along with one final send-off to their seniors. The road begins Thursday in Charlotte, North Carolina, as tip-off between the Spartans and Bulldogs is set for 12:15 p.m. EST.
Izzo knows the level his team can play at, and he knows the benefits that come with playing at that level.
On the other hand, he knows if his team cannot match the desired intensity, Michigan State could be in for an early exit in this year’s March Madness:
“I still believe we can play and finish consistently at a high level, but if we don’t play at that level, we will be coming home Thursday night.”
Jack David and Matt Coury host the Tuesday of Impact Sports Daily and discuss the field of 68 announced on Sunday night. They look at Michigan State’s chances to make a run deep into the tournament, other teams to watch.
MINNEAPOLIS – After their win on Thursday against Minnesota, Michigan State men’s basketball took on No. 1 seed Purdue in the quarterfinal of the Big Ten Tournament.
In one of the most hard fought games of the season, MSU ultimately fell to Purdue, 67-62.
“Really proud of my team,” said MSU head coach Tom Izzo. “And I don’t throw that word around often.”
MSU trailed for all but 29 seconds of Friday’s game, yet stayed on Purdue’s heels all afternoon. The Boilermakers led by 12 at the start of the second half and withstood several runs from MSU in the latter stages of the game.
“That was a war tonight,” said Izzo. “That was a classic Purdue-Michigan State from 20 years ago.”
Both sides struggled on offense for stretches. There were multiple scoring droughts between the two sides that lasted several minutes, and only nine combined three pointers made on 32 attempts. MSU shot only 39 percent from the field, compared to Purdue, who shot 41 percent.
MSU graduate guard Malik Hall (25) waits to attempt a free throw after being fouled by Purdue senior forward Mason Gillis (0) during MSU’s 62-67 loss to Purdue in the quarterfinals of the B1G Men’s Basketball Tournament on Friday, Mar. 15, 2024 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN. (Jack Moreland) (Jack Moreland)One of the most glaring stat comparisons was the foul count between the two sides.
Four MSU players, including three starters, recorded four fouls. Graduate guard Tyson Walker recorded three fouls in the first half alone. Senior center Mady Sissoko fouled out in only ten minutes of action, recording two points and seven rebounds.
The Spartans recorded 29 fouls, compared to Purdue’s 17. The Boilermakers shot 27 free-throws, connecting on 18 attempts, while MSU made 10 of its 12 free-throw attempts.
Zach Edey recorded a game-high 29 points and 12 rebounds, to go along with four assists in 35 minutes of action. The senior center also went 9-14 from the free-throw line.
Graduate guard Lance Jones was the only other player to score in double figures for Purdue, recording 10 points and four rebounds, while also taking four charges.
“Today, taking those charges, defending those guards…he wasn’t a big piece from a scoring standpoint, but he affected the rest of the game,” said Purdue head coach Matt Painter of Jones.
“We’re very fortunate to have him,” said Painter.
For MSU, graduate guard Tyson Walker led the team in scoring with 15 points, but shot only 6-18 from the field. Graduate forward Malik Hall recorded 12 points and seven rebounds, while Tre Holloman recorded 10 points and four rebounds.
Senior guard AJ Hoggard was a difference maker for the Spartans. Hoggard recorded eight points and four rebounds, going 3-8 from the field and recording a game high 10 assists.
MSU senior guard A.J. Hoggard reacts to a call by the referee during MSU’s 62-67 loss to Purdue in the quarterfinals of the B1G Men’s Basketball Tournament on Friday, Mar. 15, 2024 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN. (Jack Moreland) (Jack Moreland)MSU will now await Selection Sunday to find out if it has qualified for the NCAA Tournament, along with their seeding and region if they’re selected.
“I’m not a big moral victory guy,” said Hoggard. “I’m big on the way we competed. I think we did a good job of competing. I think we have the talent, I think we have the coaching staff to make a run in the tournament.”
MINNEAPOLIS – After every tournament win, Michigan State has a tradition.
The team votes for one player to move MSU’s sticker into the next round of the bracket, based on their contribution to the win.
After MSU defeated Minnesota 77-67 on Thursday afternoon, the team had several players it could’ve cast votes for.
A.J. Hoggard recorded 17 points, six assists, and didn’t miss a single shot.
Tyson Walker started slow, before rattling off 10 points in the second half and taking over for a stretch. Jaden Akins, who recorded nine points and a game-high seven rebounds, was labeled the game’s “unsung player” by MSU head coach Tom Izzo after the game.
Seven players scored five points or more, with almost all of them making one crucial play down the stretch in what was one of the team’s best performances of the season from top to bottom.
And yet, with plenty of options to choose from, everyone voted for the hometown kid.
From Minneapolis, Minnesota pic.twitter.com/N46lOZbnDX
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) March 14, 2024
“It was unanimous that Tre was the guy,” said Izzo. “It wasn’t because he’s from here, it was because of the lift he gave us and the plays he made.”
Holloman, a 6’1 guard from Minnesota, isn’t a starter. He doesn’t lead the team in any major statistical categories, and has only scored in double figures five times this season, while averaging less than six points per game.
This is March pic.twitter.com/dazeARI7bZ
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) March 14, 2024
And MSU would not have won Thursday’s game without him.
In his second trip home this season, Holloman recorded nine points, four assists, and two steals in 21 minutes, helping to guide the Spartans past the Gophers and likely solidifying MSU’s 26th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
“I’m really proud of Tre and happy for him,” said Izzo. “You come home and you wanna play well in front of some of your family and friends.”
Holloman’s numbers aren’t at all indicative of his impact on Thursday’s game. If there was one stat that could highlight his importance, it would be his plus-minus rating of 12, which was a game high.
MSU sophomore guard Tre Holloman (5) celebrates with senior guard A.J. Hoggard after scoring in MSU’s 77-67 victory over Minnesota in the B1G Men’s Basketball Tournament on Thursday, Mar. 14, 2024 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN.
(Photo by Jack Moreland/WDBM Sports/Michigan State University) (Jack Moreland)What the numbers won’t show is that Holloman commanded MSU’s offense for a stretch when AJ Hoggard and Tyson Walker weren’t at their best, and continued to do so even when the both of them inevitably found their groove.
Where Holloman excelled in Thursday’s game, and where he has for most of the season, is doing the unordinary things that often go unnoticed, but make an incredible difference to MSU’s offense.
When Hoggard went out in the first half, it was Holloman who got MSU into its sets with pace. When Walker needed to get off the ball and reset a possession, he found Holloman to do so.
On a team full of veterans, MSU has needed Holloman and his production. On Thursday, he delivered again, and took another step as an entrusted presence for a team that responded to adversity as well as it had all season.
Tom Izzo has always said he believes guards win teams games in March. He’s said on record this year’s team will be no different.
One of those guards comes off the bench and plays limited minutes, but is an undisputed piece to MSU’s success, and is morphing into one of the team’s leaders during tournament time.
“Me and [Izzo] had talks about me staying confident, staying ready, and being a leader,” said Holloman. “I’m just trying to embrace that.”
MINNEAPOLIS – For the first time in recent memory, Michigan State went into the Big Ten Tournament unsure of its fate for the NCAA Tournament.
Last week’s loss against Indiana sent the Spartans into the Twin Cities in need of a win against Minnesota to (almost) officially seal the team’s tournament hopes and extend head coach Tom Izzo’s tournament run to 26 seasons.
In the opening game on the second day of the tournament, MSU did just that.
The No. 8 seed Spartans defeated No. 9 Minnesota, 77-67, downing the Gophers in one of the team’s most impressive overall performances of the season.
For most of the year, senior point guard AJ Hoggard has been directly linked to MSU’s success on both ends of the floor.
After a lackluster first half where he committed three turnovers, Hoggard took control of Thursday’s game in the second half. The senior finished with 17 points, six assists and two rebounds while shooting a perfect 6-6 from the field and 4-4 from the free-throw line.
MSU senior guard A.J. Hoggard (11) lays the ball up in the second half of MSU’s 77-67 victory over Minnesota in the B1G Men’s Basketball Tournament on Thursday, Mar. 14, 2024 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN.
(Photo by Jack Moreland/WDBM Sports/Michigan State University)“AJ ran the show,” said MSU head coach Tom Izzo.
With Hoggard struggling in the first, along with graduate guard Tyson Walker and forward Malik Hall, MSU’s reserves likely saved Minnesota from getting out to a commanding lead.
The bench unit provided 13 of MSU’s 32 points, with freshman Xavier Booker leading the way with six in the half.
Tre Holloman also provided critical minutes for the Spartans, directing MSU’s offense for large spurts even with Hoggard and Walker on the floor. The sophomore recorded nine points, four assists, and two steals in 21 minutes.
MSU sophomore guard Tre Holloman (5) celebrates with senior guard A.J. Hoggard after scoring in MSU’s 77-67 victory over Minnesota in the B1G Men’s Basketball Tournament on Thursday, Mar. 14, 2024 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN.
(Photo by Jack Moreland/WDBM Sports/Michigan State University)“I thought it was one of his best games if I looked all around at the things that he did,” said Izzo.
Sophomore Jaden Akins recorded nine points and a game-high seven rebounds. Even with limited looks on offense, Akins connected on four of his six field goal attempts and was a staple on defense.
“Jaden Akins will be the unsung player of this game,” said Izzo. “We look for guys that make game-winning plays, and he made game-winning plays.”
In total, Michigan State received 24 bench points, compared to Minnesota’s 11. The Gophers led for just under 21 minutes of Thursday’s game and provided a variety of challenges for the Spartans on defense.
“They did a lot of things,” said Hall. “We kinda struggled at the beginning with the chin action and the ball screens. That’s something we talked about at halftime we tried to make an adjustment on, and they did a really good job making sure that they were rolling and slipping out of them.”
MSU graduate forward Malik Hall (25) throws down a dunk in the first half of MSU’s 77-67 victory over Minnesota in the B1G Men’s Basketball Tournament on Thursday, Mar. 14, 2024 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN.
(Photo by Jack Moreland/WDBM Sports/Michigan State University)Minnesota shot 50 percent from the field but only connected on eight of their 22 three-point attempts. Both teams also struggled to shoot from the free-throw line. MSU made 12 of its 19 attempts, while Minnesota sank 11 of 19.
Five players scored in double figures for the Gophers. Junior forward Dawson Garcia recorded 19 points and five rebounds on 8-15 shooting, while also going 2-6 from the three-point line.
“He made some plays,” said Izzo. “We double-teamed him, he made some passes. He’s a three or four-dimensional guy. I think he scored it in three different ways, I think he can rebound the ball. He can definitely pass the ball.”
“He’s a very good player. And if he keeps getting better, watch out,” said Izzo.
Sophomore forward Pharrel Payne, freshman guard Cam Christie and senior forward Parker Fox all recorded 11 points apiece.
With the win, Michigan State moves to the second round of the Big Ten Tournament. The Spartans will take on No. 1 seed Purdue tomorrow at noon E.T.
“We’re just excited to be moving on,” said Izzo. “I don’t care who we play, we’re still excited to be moving on.
EAST LANSING – On Friday afternoon, sophomore guard Jaden Akins declared for the 2023 NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility.
The Farmington, Mich. native averaged 9.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists and led the Spartans in steals with 1.2 per game. Akins shot 42% from the field and 42.2% from the three-point line.
Akins posted to his Instagram account to announce his decision.
The sophomore guard will look to receive NBA feedback from scouts and insight during the draft process, and maintain eligibility to return to MSU next season if he chooses.
MSU basketball head coach Tom Izzo released a statement shortly after Akins declared.
“Jaden Akins has grown immensely in two short years, and has worked hard to put himself in this position. It’s no secret that he has dreams of playing in the NBA, and so in our discussions after the end of the season, we’ve discussed him entering the draft,” said Izzo.
“I’ve been gathering information for him already, and we will continue to support him however possible.”
“If after the process, he’s in a position to be drafted in a spot that’s best for him, we will celebrate his accomplishment. And if he decides that returning is best for his long-term career, we will immediately get to work for next season,” said Izzo.
“We will take the information he gathers and use it to his advantage as he continues to develop. I’ve been incredibly pleased by what Jaden has done already, but I’ve got much larger goals for him. And I know there’s much more he’d like to accomplish as well,” Izzo said.
The NBA Draft will take place on June 22 at the Barclays Center in New York City.
Michigan State falls short against Kansas State in Sweet SixteenBack in his home ground, Tyson Walker is “back to his old self”“We’ve still got some dancing to do.” Spartans defeat Marquette, clinch their bid to Sweet Sixteen
NEW YORK CITY – For the second time this season Michigan State traveled to Madison Square Garden. The Spartans took on No. 3 seed Kansas State in the Sweet Sixteen. In one of the most entertaining games of the season, Michigan State saw its season come to a close, falling to the Wildcats, 98 – 93.
After a layup from Tyson Walker knotted the game at 82, Markquis Nowell’s layup rattled out just before the buzzer sounded, sending the opening game of the Sweet Sixteen to overtime, where Kansas State edged past the Spartans.
“I give a lot of credit to Kansas State,” said MSU head coach Tom Izzo. “I’ve been a part of a lot of big wins and I’ve been a part of a lot of tough losses. I’ve never been prouder of a team.”
“Both teams made plays,” said MSU senior forward Joey Hauser. “They just happened to make a couple more at the end of the game.”
Joey Hauser shoots a free throw during Michigan State’s overtime loss to Kansas State in the Sweet Sixteen on March 23, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)Kansas State capitalized in several facets of Thursday’s game that proved to be the difference. The Wildcats recorded 16 points off 13 MSU turnovers and tallied 44 points in the paint.
“It’s those points off turnovers, I call them turnovers for touchdowns,” said Izzo. “And that’s why their shooting percentage was so high. So, you’ve gotta live with it.”
Kansas State also received a boost from its bench. The Wildcats had 26 bench points from players Ismael Massoud and David N’Guessan, who recorded 15 and 11 points, respectively.
The Wildcats had an excellent first half, drilling seven threes, getting 12 points from the bench and shooting 62% from the field. They were led by Nowell, who recorded 20 points and an NCAA Tournament record 19 assists in the victory.
Nowell controlled the flow of the game, threading passes between defenders, forcing MSU’s defense to collapse in the paint for kick-outs and getting the Wildcats out in transition.
“He’s a special player,” said Izzo. “I think we were mesmerized by him. That’s what makes him a great player. It’s not only the plays he makes, but the position he puts people in that keep you backpedaling.”
Senior forward Keyontae Johnson had 22 points and 6 rebounds, while playing every minute of Thursday’s game.
Junior guard A.J. Hoggard had one of his finest performances of the season, recording a career best 25 points and six assists in 25 minutes.
After scoring 7 points in the first half and going 1-4 from the field, Hoggard took command in the second, getting to the rim at will and dismantling Kansas State’s pick and roll defense. Hoggard also scored seven of MSU’s eight points in overtime.
AJ Hoggard celebrates after a big play during Michigan State’s overtime loss to Kansas State in the Sweet Sixteen on March 23, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)“I was proud of A.J. and the way he stepped up,” said Izzo.
“I made plays, but I didn’t make enough for us to win,” said Hoggard.
Five guys scored in double figures for MSU. Hauser and Walker recorded 18 and 16 points, along with sophomore guard Jaden Akins and senior forward Malik Hall, who recorded 14 and 13 points, respectively.
“I think we just kinda wore down,” said Izzo. “We got caught with our bigs, and then we went with Malik and Joey and so now we went smaller which was okay, but we hardly gave A.J. and Tyson much of a rest and I think that hurt us a little bit too.”
In a game that hung in the balance for its majority, Michigan State fell just short of advancing, bringing an eventful season to an untimely close.
“I really believed that when we were three up, that we were gonna win that game, and that this team was destined. And that’s what I believed all year,” said Izzo.
After a whirlwind of a year, Michigan State’s season ends at Madison Square Garden. The journey to the Sweet Sixteen was certainly a memorable one, for a community that rallied around its basketball team and a coach that cherished every moment.
“It’ll go down as one of the great years for me,” said Izzo. “Not a good year. It’ll go down as one of the great years.”
Back in his home ground, Tyson Walker is “back to his old self”“We’ve still got some dancing to do.” Spartans defeat Marquette, clinch their bid to Sweet Sixteen“We’re not dodging anybody.” Battle-tested Spartans set to face Marquette
NEW YORK CITY – On Tuesday night, Tom Izzo received a delivery.
The boxes of a New York City staple, Denino’s pizza, quietly arrived at Michigan State’s team dinner, in the hands of New York native Tyson Walker.
Walker’s delivery fulfilled an ongoing joke of the guard buying Izzo a “New York slice” upon the team’s arrival to the city. The exchange was caught on camera, and quickly went viral within MSU circles.
“He got me my pizza last night, and I’m looking for the cab ride today,” said Izzo.
Special delivery pic.twitter.com/C0ql8TebZi
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) March 22, 2023
On Thursday, Michigan State (21-12, 11-8) will take on Kansas State (25-9, 11-7) to open the slate of games in the Sweet Sixteen in the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
Walker, who hails from Westbury, New York isn’t a prototypical New York City guard. And this isn’t a grand homecoming for a guy that was billed as the city’s next great guard the way Stephon Marbury, Kemba Walker and Cole Anthony were.
“I didn’t model my game after anybody. I kinda just played. Watched my brother going up, so I kinda played like him,” said Walker. “You do have a swagger, just a different type of swag about playing out here.”
Tyson Walker shoots the ball during Michigan State’s practice on March 22, 2023 ahead of the Spartans’ Sweet Sixteen matchup against Kansas State. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)Walker’s return to New York is the culmination of a player who has evolved into one of the best guards in college basketball, and whose dominance has propelled an MSU team to its first Sweet Sixteen in four years, in the city he calls home.
After transitioning into high-major college basketball last season, Walker has emerged as the undisputed leader for MSU’s offense this year, leading the team in scoring with 14.8 points per game and setting the tone on both ends of the floor.
“He’s the best two-way player I’ve had since Gary (Harris), where he can do it on both ends,” said Izzo. “That’s so valuable to a team, and so good to be able to tell other scorers that he can get you 30 on some nights and guard other players.”
Walker’s emergence was never centered around becoming a different player, or taking things to another level; it was about becoming the player he had always been at the highest level of college basketball after transferring from Northeastern University.
“The transition definitely started off rough,” said Walker. “The beginning of the season last year I was kind of struggling. I kind of figured it out as the season went on. And now, you know, I’m just getting back to my old self.”
In addition to being MSU’s leading scorer, Walker is shooting over 40% from the three-point line this season, and 46.7% from the field, all while doubling his shot attempts from last season. Walker is currently 12 points away from scoring 500 total points on the year.
Earlier this season, Walker recorded his 1,000th career collegiate point against Kentucky at the Champions Classic.
Tyson Walker fights through a defender during Michigan State’s double overtime victory over 4th ranked Kentucky on November 15, 2022. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM“He’s back to his old self,” said teammate AJ Hoggard. “He’s back to Northeastern Tyson, he’s back to the Tyson that I’ve known forever. And now he’s just more comfortable, and he’s got one job out there: make shots and score the ball.”
That scoring was on full display in MSU’s last game where Walker torched Marquette’s defense scoring 23 points and shooting 8-17 from the field.
Walker’s performance against Marquette encapsulated his role this season. In the last seven minutes, the guard scored 12 points, lifting the Spartans to victory and sending them to the next round of the tournament.
“He’s not from the heart of the city, but he does have that swagger about him,” said Izzo. “He’s got enough cockiness to be confident, yet he’s an unbelievable kid. At his size he wants to guard you, but he also wants to take big shots.”
As MSU inches closer to its eleventh Final Four appearance in school history, the Spartans will look for Walker to be the player he’s been all season, in the city that raised him and on arguably the biggest stage in basketball.
“This year the stage is even bigger, because it’s Madison Square Garden, it is his home ground, and it is the Sweet Sixteen,” said Izzo.
“We’ve still got some dancing to do.” Spartans defeat Marquette, clinch their bid to Sweet Sixteen“We’re not dodging anybody.” Battle-tested Spartans set to face MarquetteMSU advances to Second Round with 72-62 win over USC
COLUMBUS, OH – With 40 seconds left, Tyson Walker took flight.
The 6-foot guard elevated for the first dunk of his college career, putting the finishing touches on a masterful 23-point, zero-turnover performance, where he and backcourt mate AJ Hoggard propelled the Spartans to victory in the game’s final minutes.
In front of a divided arena, Michigan State defeated Marquette 69-60 in a hard-fought game to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.
“I’ve been in Elite Eight games, I’ve been in Final Fours. That was as intense and tough of a game as I’ve been in in my career,” said MSU head coach Tom Izzo.
“We took some things away, they took some things away, but that was a war,” said Izzo.
Defense served as the catalyst in Sunday’s game in which the Spartans shot just 2-for-16 from the three-point line, but forced 16 turnovers and out-rebounded the Golden Eagles by a margin of 26-22.
Michigan State also recorded nine steals and 19 points off turnovers.
After leading by as much as 13, Michigan State went into halftime clinging to a slight five-point lead after a 6-0 run from the Golden Eagles.
At times Marquette’s defense stifled MSU’s offense. The Golden Eagles utilized a variety of looks, including their patented full-court press that led to a ten-second violation and a handful of turnovers.
“Give them some credit, I thought they got into us worse than we got into them,” said Izzo. “We played our defense, which was more gap defense, and they played their defense, which was more in your face.”
Mady Sissoko blocks a shot late in the game against Marquette’s Tyler Kolek en route to an upset victory for Michigan State over Marquette in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament on March 19, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBMHowever, similar to its first-round game against USC, MSU managed to exploit Marquette’s interior defense. The Spartans scored 32 points in the paint and also recorded 15 second chance points.
In turn, the Spartans gave up only 16 paint points.
“We worked on it for 48 hours,” said senior forward Joey Hauser of MSU’s interior defense. We scouted them hard, and it helps that we have Mady Sissoko down there, a shot-blocking presence.”
In a typical NCAA Tournament game where guards dictate the flow of the game, Sissoko was a dominant presence for his team when it mattered most. In limited minutes, the 6-foot-9 junior collected a game-high 10 rebounds, along with eight points and two critical blocks in the game’s final minutes. Even more impressively, Sissoko played the last five minutes with four fouls.
“Mady beat himself to death in that huddle,” said Izzo. “He was so down, and these guys all rallied around him, and he went out and made big play after big play, and got big rebounds. That’s the difference in this team today than maybe a month ago.”
Izzo also noted the growth he’s seen in his point guard.
After getting the ball stripped from him and giving up a layup in the first possession of the game, Hoggard responded with five points in the early stages of the first half and continued to match the intensity levels of Marquette’s guards.
“They came at him all day,” said Izzo. “To AJ’s credit, that’s why I think he’s grown. He made some big steps, and that was key.”
Hoggard finished with 13 points, three rebounds and four assists in 29 minutes.
“Coach told us to be aggressive, get downhill, put pressure on those guys and make it harder for them when they get on offense and make them have to guard as well,” said Hoggard. “I think we did a good job of that tonight.”
The Michigan State bench goes crazy as the Spartans took down the No. 2 seed in the East Region, Marquette, 69-60 in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament on March 19, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBMOn a night in March when they committed more than ten turnovers and made only two three-pointers, the Spartans found another way to win against a favored opponent and keep their season alive.
“We’ve still got some dancing to do, and we’re going to New York,” said Izzo.
MSU will face the No. 3 seed Kansas State Wildcats in New York City at Madison Square Garden in the Sweet Sixteen on Thursday.
COLUMBUS— Michigan State advances to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the second-straight year. After one of the biggest upsets in college basketball history, where No. 1 seed Purdue was defeated by No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson, the Spartans are the only Big Ten team left in the East Region. For the first time since 2018, two number one seeds failed to advance past the first two rounds, after Kansas was defeated by Arkansas, 72-71.
Michigan State (20-12, 11-8) will play Marquette (29-6, 17-3) in the second round. The Golden Eagles defeated Vermont in the first round, 78-61.
“Seeing it happen the way it’s happened in both the Big Ten tournament and this tournament, I think the sense of urgency ramps up,” said MSU head coach Tom Izzo. “I think sooner or later, players realize he’s not kidding. If you lose, you do go home. You hang up your shoes, and you do not get to play again.”
MSU leads the series history against Marquette, 32-23. The two teams have played each other twice in the NCAA Tournament, most recently in 2007, where MSU defeated the Golden Eagles in the first round, 61-49.
MSU enters the Round of 32 as one of the most battle-tested teams in the country. The strenuous schedule was met with mixed results that included a disappointing loss in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, but accomplished the primary goal: preparing the team for the NCAA Tournament.
“Everything that he does prepares us for March,” said senior forward Malik Hall. “It’s something that we talk about at the very beginning of the year, and in the summertime. The schedule obviously is very hard, and it’s rigorous, but it’s something that trains our minds and bodies in getting ready for situations like this. Going up against someone who’s just as good of a team as us, and maybe even ranked a little better.”
Malik Hall dribbles into the lane during Michigan State’s 72-62 victory over USC in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 17, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)Hall recorded six points and four rebounds in MSU’s victory over USC in the first round.
Marquette is ranked top five in the country in assists, assist to turnover ratio and is also just outside the top ten in field goal percentage. The Big East Tournament champions are also top 10 in steals, averaging 9.4 per game.
“They’re unconventional in their own way, they’re different in their own way and they’re very good,” said Izzo.
The Golden Eagles are led in scoring by sophomore guard Kam Jones, who’s averaging 15.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 35 games this season. Jones averages 1.4 steals per game. In Friday’s game against Vermont, Jones scored 18 straight points in the second half.
Second in scoring is Tyler Kolek, who is averaging 13.1 points per game. After transferring to Marquette in 2021-22, the junior has blossomed into one of college basketball’s best playmakers.
Kolek is second in the nation in assists per game, with 7.6, and has led the Big East in assists per game since transferring. Kolek also leads the team in steals per game with 1.8, and is shooting 47.7% from the field this season, along with 39.8% from the three-point line.
For both Izzo and Marquette head coach Shaka Smart, Sunday’s game is a proud moment for two coaches who share a mutual respect for each other.
“I love his [Smart] passion, I love how hard his kids play,” said Izzo. “I think he’s adjusted a little bit, and yet kept that same pressing fire and passion. He does it the right way. He coaches the kids hard, but he’s a damn good coach.”
Smart mentioned a similar fire he sees in Izzo.
“He lights himself on fire, and he makes sure that fire is so strong, and so bright and so hot that it affects everyone around him, and that’s coach Izzo,” said Smart.
Smart noted Izzo’s program standards as an important reason for his longevity.
Carson Cooper dunks the ball during Michigan State’s 72-62 victory over USC in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 17, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)“You have to have a level of intensity, you have to have a level of passion,” Smart said. “Otherwise you just don’t function or you don’t make it. And that’s why they’ve been to 25 straight tournaments, and why he’s had all the success he’s had.”
After an eventful first round, MSU enters Sunday’s game with a Sweet Sixteen appearance, and its season, on the line.
In order to get there, they’ll have to defeat a team that’s recorded the most wins in school history this season, and is looking to advance past the second round for the first time in a decade.
“We’re not dodging anybody. That’s for sure,” said Izzo.
COLUMBUS, OH – With 4:21 left in the second half, Nationwide Arena erupted.
A three from Jaden Akins put the Spartans up by 15, in front of a crowd predominantly filled with MSU fans. It was the second three in a row for Michigan State and just the fifth of the game.
The shot was an exclamation mark on a fantastic performance from Akins, who recorded 12 points and 6 rebounds in MSU’s well-balanced attack.
In their opening game of the NCAA Tournament, MSU defeated USC 72-62 to advance to the second round.
After leading by 11 in the first half, MSU saw its lead dwindle to one after a late run from USC. The Trojans made their last four shots to shut the door on MSU’s lead and head into halftime with the score knotted at 34. Redshirt junior forward Joshua Morgan exploded for 10 first half points, converting on all five of his attempts from the floor.
In the second half, MSU continued its ascension on offense. The Spartans excelled at spreading the floor, pushing the pace and connecting on 50% of their field goals and 36% of three-point attempts.
Although USC stayed within striking distance, the Trojans never found their rhythm offensively and shot only 31% from the field in the second half.
MSU’s trio of junior AJ Hoggard, senior Tyson Walker and Akins did an excellent job of defending USC’s leading scorer Boogie Ellis, who recorded just six points and went 3-12 from the field. Ellis entered Friday’s contest averaging 18.0 points and leading the Pac-12 in made 3-point field goals with 83. He had zero against MSU.
AJ Hoggard dribbles the ball during Michigan State’s 72-62 victory over USC in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 17, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith )“Coming in, we knew he was the engine that made this team go, and we felt like if we limited his play we’d have a chance to win, and that’s what we did,” said sophomore guard Jaden Akins.
“They did a great job,” said Ellis. “I let my teammates down today. I didn’t make shots, and they made things tough for me.”
Ellis’ backcourt mate, Drew Peterson, also had a rough game. The fifth-year senior recorded 11 points on 4-10 shooting from the field.
Against a USC team that had the best field goal percent defense in the Pac-12, and one of the best interior defenses in the country, MSU recorded 32 points in the paint.
“They did get some paint scoring opportunities, which is a little unusual for our defense because we’re so good against the two,” said USC head coach Andy Enfield. “Give them credit, they were able to get to the rim and finish.”
USC struggled to find an answer for MSU’s screen actions, especially out of the pick and roll, where Hoggard and Walker consistently got into the paint and made plays.
“I thought we spread them out a little bit with our ball-screen stuff, and we changed up a few things at halftime to slip those things,” said Izzo.
After Hoggard picked up a third foul early in the second half, Walker took over the point guard duties and continued dissecting USC’s ball screen defense, making plays for himself and others.
“Tyson’s a special player, because he can score it, defend it and he’s getting better at distributing it,” said Izzo. “Not a lot of guys can do all three.”
Walker finished with 12 points, four assists and three rebounds in 31 minutes.
Jaden Akins dunks the ball during Michigan State’s 72-62 victory over USC in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 17, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)Joey Hauser led MSU in scoring with 17 points, going 4-9 from the field and 5-6 from the free throw line.
Friday’s victory was an encouraging start to the tournament for an MSU team that saw four players score in double figures. The Spartans also shut down an opposing team with one of the most dynamic backcourts in the country.
For another year, Michigan State makes it out of the first round.
“I’m happy we’re moving on, and I’m happy we’re moving in the right way,” said Izzo.
Michigan State will take on Marquette on Sunday. The time is TBD and the game will tip-off from Nationwide Arena again in Columbus.
Izzo: “There’s nothing like March” as Spartans begin their NCAA Tournament quest against USC.Schabath: Michigan State should be scared of USC, but it’s notImpact Izzone- 03/8/23 Windy city bound
COLUMBUS, OH – Cheers rang through an exclusive, upstairs lobby in the Breslin Center around 7:00 p.m. Sunday night. They were celebratory from the MSU basketball team after seeing the Spartans’ name pop up as the 7-seed in the East region.
The team, accompanied by parents, cousins, grandparents, friends and the media, was happy with its draw. As the initial cheer began to die down, it rose to a louder level when USC’s name appeared as the 10-seed Michigan State would face. And again when Marquette showed as the 2-seed MSU would (probably) face with a win and advancement to the second round.
Ready to DANCE in Columbus pic.twitter.com/tBIfFwtyNE
— Michigan State Men’s Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) March 12, 2023
MSU has every right to be happy with its draw. The Spartans get an extra day of rest not having to play until Friday, they don’t have the burden that their opponent does of traveling across the country and switching time zones by three hours and the crowd at Nationwide Arena on Friday (just a four hour drive South of East Lansing) is expected to be largely colored in green and white.
Sure, this is the best case scenario the Spartans could have asked for but the MSU program, and fans alike, seem to be overlooking their opponent.
So far it’s been the standard toeing of the line from Tom Izzo and his players. “They’re a good team this, they’re a good team that, we just need to play our brand of basketball,” that kind of stuff.
The Spartans certainly do need to play their own brand of basketball, but USC poses a ton of threats that should scare MSU. The Trojans are a vastly underseeded team, winning 22 games this year including 14 in the Pac-12, a conference that currently holds two teams (Arizona and UCLA) that are favorites to win it all this year.
The numbers shed some light as to why this is a favorable matchup for USC. The Trojans do not rank outside the top eight in the Pac-12 in any major stat this season.
USC is one of the best defensive teams in the country, holding opponents to just 39% shooting from the floor, including 42.4% on two-point attempts. That’s thanks in large part to junior Joshua Morgan who’s blocking 9.9% of shots he sees (13th among all DI players). Those numbers are good for best in the Pac-12 and top 10 in the entire country. There’s only one team better than USC at limiting two-point attempts in the country: overall No. 1 seed Alabama.
Malik Hall shoots the ball during Michigan State’s open practice in Columbus on March 16, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)Even when you look at USC’s deficiencies this season, they don’t particularly pose issues for the Trojans in this matchup against MSU. USC is 328th in the country in defensive rebounding percentage, giving up offensive rebounds on 32.6% of possessions. However, MSU doesn’t crash the offensive glass that much anyways, ranking just 221st in offensive rebounding percentage.
Another example: Michigan State is great at defending three’s. Opponents shoot just 39.5% from deep against MSU which is fourth best in the entire country. But, USC doesn’t even shoot many three’s. 3-pointers account for just 26.7% of USC’s total points this season, 303rd lowest in the country.
USC’s advantage goes beyond statistical, it’s physical too. The Trojans are the fifth tallest team in the nation per Kenpom.com (weighted by percentage of minutes from rotational players), littered with tall and long players around the floor. The Trojans have just one player under 6-foot-5 on their entire roster and it’s their leading scorer, Boogie Ellis, who averages 18.0 points per game and leads USC in 3-point shooting at 39.2%.
MSU’s record this season against taller teams? 7-10. The Spartans have proven they are capable of beating bigger teams, but a size disadvantage is not in Izzo’s recipe for success.
To make matters worse, USC knows it’s being overlooked and it’s hungry to prove people wrong. “[We’re] very dangerous, we got a lot of great guys on this team, got a lot of talent and definitely overlooked,” said Ellis. “A lot of people are saying this and that about us, but you know we’re ready to go, ready to prove people wrong and we’ve been doing that all year.”
MSU has a fighting chance to get out of the first weekend for the first time since its run to the Final Four in 2019. But first things come first, MSU must get past USC. That task will prove itself to be more difficult than most people think.
The Spartans take on the Trojans at 12:15 p.m. EST from Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH. The game can be watched on CBS and heard on Impact 89FM.
Izzo: “There’s nothing like March” as Spartans begin their NCAA Tournament quest against USC.In the heat of the Big Ten season, Michigan State finds itself in the “Trenches”Ohio State knocks MSU out of B1G Tournament, becomes first 13-seeded side to advance to semifinals
COLUMBUS, OH – For the 25th year in a row, the Spartans are going dancing.
Michigan State (19-12, 11-8) will take on the University of Southern California (22-10, 14-6) in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in the East Region.
The seventh-seeded Spartans will face off against the 10-seed Trojans in Columbus, OH on Friday, at 12:15 P.M.
The winner of the matchup will play against the winner of the game between No. 2 seed Marquette, and No. 15 seed Vermont.
This year’s appearance sets an all-time record for MSU head coach Tom Izzo, who eclipses former Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski for most consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
“It means the world to me,” said Izzo. “It means I’ve had a lot of good players, a lot of good staff, a lot of good fans. You don’t win games over a period of time because of what you do, you win because there’s a collection of people that are all doing their jobs.”
AJ Hoggard dribbles the ball during Michigan State’s open practice in Columbus on March 16, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)After falling to Ohio State in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament, the Spartans head into the tournament looking to put their end-of-season inconsistencies behind them.
“Even though I didn’t think we handled March last weekend very well, there’s going to be those days, and it’s how you bounce back from them,” said Izzo.
USC makes its third consecutive tournament appearance under head coach Andy Enfield, who took over in 2013. In 2021, the Trojans made their deepest tournament run in 20 years, advancing to the Elite Eight before falling to Gonzaga, 85-66.
The Trojans are in the midst of one of the most successful stretches in school history, having won 22 or more games in four consecutive seasons. USC hasn’t lost more than ten games in the regular season since 2018-19.
USC is led in scoring by senior guard Boogie Ellis. After transferring from Memphis in the 2021-22 season, the San Diego native has had a resurgent season, averaging 18.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 32 games.
“I’ve grown a lot, the player I wanted to be [at Memphis] I really got to become that here at SC,” said Ellis. “But I mean, I definitely made a stride, especially off the court too, becoming a better person, a better man, and just making those next steps that I needed to make.”
The 6-foot-3 guard is shooting 39% from the three-point line and is second in the PAC-12 in scoring this season.
Outside of Ellis, fifth-year senior Drew Peterson and sophomore guard Reese Dixon-Waters are formidable options for USC.
This season, Peterson has emerged as one of the best players in the Pac-12. The 6’9” guard has been a matchup nightmare for opponents throughout the season, torching defenses inside and out, while shooting 44% from the field and 36% from behind the arc.
Peterson leads the Trojans in rebounds and assists per game with 6.2 and 4.4 respectively. Combined with an average of 14 points per game, Peterson is a lethal option for the Trojans. The fifth-year senior was a first-team Pac-12 honoree alongside Ellis.
Dixon-Waters has enjoyed a breakout sophomore season, averaging just under 10 points per game. The Long Beach native was named the Pac-12 sixth person of the year, becoming only the second player in school history to receive the award.
Izzo mentioned he’s watched USC only a few times this season.
“I’ve watched them, but you don’t watch them with the same vigor that you do when you know you’re gonna play them,” said Izzo.
USC held opponents to 39% on field goal attempts, the best field goal percentage defense in the Pac-12, and top ten in college basketball. The Trojans are also eighth in the country in blocks per game, with an average of 5.3.
“They’re a team that’s very good defensively, they’ve held opponents under 40 percent, and they’re a good free-throw shooting team. Those are always two things that fare well in an NCAA Tournament if you can do both of those things well,” Izzo said.
The Michigan State Spartans during their open practice in Columbus on March 16, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)The seventh seed holds an 89-58 record over the 10th seed since the NCAA tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985.
After an emotional season filled with triumphs, adversities and tragedy, Michigan State finds itself in familiar territory; staring down the long, unpredictable road to the Final Four with the coach who has been there eight times before.
“It’s been an incredible year with a lot of different things that have happened, but there’s nothing like March,” said Izzo.
In the heat of the Big Ten season, Michigan State finds itself in the “Trenches”Ohio State knocks MSU out of B1G Tournament, becomes first 13-seeded side to advance to semifinalsSpartans bring smiles back to campus with 80-65 win over Indiana
CHICAGO– March Madness was in full effect Friday afternoon as Ohio State became the first 13-seeded team to advance to the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament. Michigan State fell victim to the Buckeyes’ incredible run, losing 68-58 and they sent the Spartans back home empty-handed.
“We came here to win a championship,” said MSU forward Joey Hauser. “It felt like a let down today.”
Fatigue can be an issue for teams in conference tournaments, especially when you get further into the tournament, but that appeared to have no effect on the Buckeyes who played their third game in as many days. OSU was also without its leading scorer, freshman Brice Sensabaugh, who was sidelined after picking up an injury in the game against Iowa on Thursday.
Despite playing without Sensabaugh, the other three freshmen for OSU were the standouts in this game.
“With [Brice] Sensabaugh out, I thought they played better,” said MSU head coach Tom Izzo. “Where fatigue is overrated, excitement and energy is underrated.”
OSU guard Bruce Thornton led the game with 21 points– his fourth 20-point game of the season
Roddy Gayle Jr. hit a clutch three-pointer for OSU in its win over Iowa and carried that confidence over into Friday where he scored a career-high 15 points. Gayle Jr. was a perfect 3-3 from deep as the Buckeyes finished the game shooting 10-19 from beyond the arc.
OSU center Felix Okpara made his presence known at both ends of the floor, finishing the game with eight points and eight rebounds and was strong at defending the rim with a career-high five blocks.
The first six minutes of the game was the start the Spartans were looking for as Hauser and senior guard Tyson Walker propelled MSU to an early 11-10 lead. A 10-2 run from the Buckeyes lifted them firmly in front of MSU and they never trailed the rest of the game.
MSU came into the tournament with six days of rest– the most out of any team. The Spartans played like a team that had been off for six days in the first half and found themselves trailing 33-24 at the half.
Tyson Walker shoots the ball against Ohio State in the B1G Tournament on March 10, 2023/ Photo Credit: Mikayla Lomas/WDBMMSU struggled to score from deep in the first half, shooting 1-9 from three-point range despite coming into the tournament as the third best three-point shooting team in the nation. OSU continued to take away MSU’s looks from deep, holding the Spartans to 3-16.
The Spartans are 6-10 this season when they attempt less than 20 threes in a game.
MSU was able to pull within two with 16:35 left in the second half but OSU head coach Chris Holtmann used a timeout to suck the life out of a charged MSU crowd. The Buckeyes came out of that timeout with a 10-2 run of their own to hold off the Spartans.
MSU found itself down by as much as 13 midway through the second half when the Spartans tried to make another push. A couple free throws from Hauser and a three-pointer from guard AJ Hoggard got MSU within six, but Holtmann put good use to a timeout to halt the Spartans’ momentum.
A Gayle Jr. three-pointer with 3:13 remaining put the Buckeyes up by 11 points and sealed a 68-58 victory.
The Buckeyes move on to play No. 1 seed Purdue on Saturday at noon CT while the Spartans will have to wait until Selection Sunday to know when they will play next.
Michigan State set for B1G Tournament quarterfinal against Ohio StateSpartans sweep Buckeyes on Senior DaySpartans bring smiles back to campus with 80-65 win over Indiana
CHICAGO – The first two days of the Big Ten Tournament have been filled with chaos in Chicago as for the first time in its history, the lower-seeded team has won each of the first five matchups. Michigan State will get its first taste of the action Friday afternoon against No.13 seed Ohio State.
The Spartans swept the regular season series against the Buckeyes including an 84-78 win over OSU on Senior Day at the Breslin Center on March 4.
This will be the Buckeyes’ third game in three days after holding No. 12 seed Wisconsin to a 65-57 win on Wednesday night in the tournament opener and upsetting No. 5 seed Iowa 73-69 Thursday.
MSU will be the most rested team coming into the tournament with six days of rest thanks to earning a double-bye from finishing fourth in the Big Ten.
Despite almost a week of rest, the Spartans look to continue the offensive hot streak on which they finished the regular season. MSU comes into Chicago having scored 80+ points in each of its last four games and had only done it two times prior to this stretch (Kentucky & Buffalo).
Three-point shooting has been a strong point for the Spartans all year and has become a catalyst for this hot streak for them. Over the last four games, MSU is shooting 58.8% from deep including an 11-15 three-point performance in the loss to Iowa on Feb. 25.
The Spartans have improved to 40.1% from beyond the arc which puts them third in the nation and makes them one of four teams shooting above 40 percent.
The play of guard tandem Tyson Walker and AJ Hoggard will be crucial for the Spartans’ run in the Big Ten Tournament.
Both Walker and Hoggard have been playing some of their best basketball coming into the tournament. In the final four regular season games, the two combined an average of 40.3 points per game and 12.5 assists per game.
It's GAMEDAY at the #B1GMBBT
We take on Ohio State at 2:30 PM ET on the Big Ten Network. pic.twitter.com/eOye5ZKbxg
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) March 10, 2023
Walker, who was named to the All-Big Ten second-team this week, has emerged as the Spartans’ go-to scorer over this four-game stretch, showing off his ability to make difficult shots. Hoggard has put his playmaking abilities on display as of late, recording five or more assists in each of his past seven games including a 14-assist game at Nebraska.
MSU has caught the attention of its opponents as OSU head coach Chris Holtmann prepares for tomorrow’s matchup.
“They’re [MSU] a terrific team,” Holtmann said after the Buckeyes’ win over Iowa. “It’s as good a Michigan State team as the Final Four team (2019).”
For OSU, the question is whether or not its freshmen can rest enough to continue their strong play. The Buckeyes started four freshmen in both games this weekend and they all played more than 20 minutes in each.
Senior Sean McNeil has provided a much-needed spark off the bench for OSU so far in Chicago. McNeil led the Buckeyes in scoring on Wednesday night with 17-points and backed that performance with 13-points against Iowa, combining for 6-10 from deep between the games.
Historically, the United Center has been a good host site for the Spartans as they have won three of the program’s six Big Ten Tournament titles in Chicago. A win for MSU would set up a date with the winner of Purdue-Rutgers at noon on Saturday.
MSU’s quest for its seventh Big Ten Tournament Title begins Friday at 2:30 p.m.
Spartans sweep Buckeyes on Senior DayJoey Hauser’s 20 points lifts Michigan State past MarylandSpartans bring smiles back to campus with 80-65 win over Indiana
On the day the tournament begins, host Michael Markoch, Brendan Schabath and guest Matt Merrifield go through the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament bracket and make their picks for the weekend in Chicago. That and more on a brand new episode of Impact Izzone.
EAST LANSING – It was a bittersweet moment at the Breslin Center Saturday afternoon. The Spartans closed the Big Ten season with an 84-78 win over Ohio State and the Breslin crowd honored its graduating seniors Jason Whitens, Tyson Walker and Malik Hall after the game.
Junior guard A.J. Hoggard led the charge with 23 points on 54% shooting while the whole team shot an efficient 54.7% from the floor and 60% from three-point range.
“We still have some work to do,” head coach Tom Izzo said. “If we’re shooting the ball this good, we should be able to regain our defense because we’ve been there already for two-thirds of this year.”
This was the fourth-straight game that the Spartans shot over 45% from deep but it was also the third game in the last five where MSU gave up more than 70 points.
The game started with a strong dunk by Hall who received the give-and-go alley-oop pass by Hoggard. In his last game against Nebraska, Hoggard set a career-high 14 assists in the win over the Cornhuskers.
Hall, who ended the night with 10 points, played with an ongoing back injury, according to Izzo.
“Our guard play has been getting better and better,” Izzo said. “You need good guard play and you need to be able to defend to win in any kind of tournament scenario.”
Big Ten Freshman of the Year candidate Brice Sensabaugh scored 21 points for the Buckeyes and recorded five rebounds while only turning the ball over twice. Throughout the season, Sensabaugh is averaging 16.5 points per game on 48% shooting.
“[They’ve] played their best basketball in the last four games,” Izzo said. “Their freshmen have been really good.”
Michigan State went on a run after sophomore Jaden Akins scored nine points in his first nine minutes played, making it 35-26 with 3:00 remaining. Akins ended the day with 13 points and zero turnovers.
The Spartans went into halftime with a 43-34 lead over the Buckeyes.
Tyson Walker just makes tough baskets look easy. @TysonWalker13 x @MSU_Basketball pic.twitter.com/cH3im6OsMp
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) March 4, 2023
“We did a pretty good job in the first half. We were running,” Izzo said. “In the second half, we just didn’t do as good a job.”
To start the second half, Tyson Walker hit a long-range three-pointer to extend the lead by eight points. Walker slowed down in this game with 15 points after recording a career-high 31 points against Iowa on Feb. 25.
After the game, fans chanted “one more year” at Walker during his Senior Day presentation, hoping the prolific scorer will come back to East Lansing after the conclusion of this season.
“I think this team has a chance to make a run,” Izzo said. “You can be good but it comes down to matchups in these tournaments.”
The Buckeyes made it a one-possession game midway through the second half after Bruce Thorton made a three-pointer that had OSU trailing 64-67.
A series of free throws by Hoggard with 1:26 left in the game put the contest out of reach for OSU as the Spartans secured an 84-78 win. The seniors subbed off the court in the final seconds as they kissed the Spartan logo at half court and made their way out.
With the win over the Buckeyes, the Spartans put themselves in a promising position to end as a four-seed if other results go their way on Sunday night.
“We could be a three-seed or a 10-seed,” Izzo said. “I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s incredible.”
“Time heals everything”: Spartans set for emotional return to BreslinSpartans bring smiles back to campus with 80-65 win over IndianaJoey Hauser’s 20 points lifts Michigan State past Maryland
Michael Markoch, Luca Melloni and Brendan Schabath recap the regular season for Michigan State basketball as it wraps up this Saturday at home against Ohio State. The guys discuss the last two road games for MSU including the collapse against the Iowa Hawkeyes on the road, preview MSU’s matchup with Ohio State and share their picks for some of the regular season awards in the Big Ten. All that and more on Impact Izzone!
EAST LANSING – Michigan State men’s basketball earned a crucial win against No. 17 Indiana Tuesday night, a day after students at MSU returned to classes since last week’s mass shooting. Senior guard Tyson Walker led the game with 23 points as the Spartans left the Breslin Center with an 80-65 win over the Hoosiers.
“I said [to the team] if you want to make people feel better, if you want to give them a hug, this is the way to give them a hug,” head coach Tom Izzo said. “I hope all 15,000 people enjoyed the hug.”
It was an emotional return to the Breslin Center for the Michigan State community.
The players, along with fans and students, honored the lives of the three MSU students that were senselessly killed and five others that were injured with a moment of silence before tip-off. MSU and Indiana’s players wore shirts that read “Spartan Strong” as they were warming up.
Although it was a late Tuesday night game, the Breslin Center was crowded until the game ended around midnight.
“I wish I could’ve run up to the top row and thanked the people that were there,” Izzo said. “I said to myself ‘I hope we can come through for you’.”
Shortly after the moment of silence honoring the victims of the shooting that occurred on February 13 in East Lansing. This place is united. pic.twitter.com/Gt2UArr8eC
— Gianluca Melloni (@mellonluca) February 22, 2023
It wasn’t the best of starts for Michigan State right after the first whistle. Indiana led 12-5 by the sixth minute of the first half and was led by Jalen Hood-Schifino, who made his first three baskets in a row.
Hood-Schifino ended the night with 16 points, second behind his teammate Trayce Jackson-Davis with 19. In Indiana’s last game against Illinois, Jackson-Davis recorded 26 points and 12 rebounds.
Both of Indiana’s best scorers had a strong start to the game, something that the MSU coaching staff expected.
“We threw a lot of different things at Trayce [Jackson-Davis],” Izzo said. “He’s a phenomenal player. They have two or three really good players but this kid learned how to dribble and pass. That’s the part of his game he improved the most.”
The tide turned for Michigan State after Walker hit back-to-back threes with 3:51 left to level the score at 24-24. Walker ended the game with five three-pointers on seven attempts and it felt as if every shot from deep found its way into the basket.
Malik Hall shoots the ball during Michigan State’s 80-65 win over Indiana on February 21, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)A second-chance layup by freshman Jaxon Kohler near the end of the half put the Spartans ahead 32-29 and his teammates surrounded him with a wave of chest bumps and cheers. A late three-pointer by Walker saw the Spartans enter the break with a 35-29 lead.
“It felt good to come here and have the students’ support,” senior Malik Hall said. “Just being here was not only good for us but everybody around.”
In the second half, the Spartans led by as much as 13 points as junior guard AJ Hoggard and senior forward Joey Hauser saw more shots go in. Hoggard finished right behind Walker in scoring with 22 points and went 7-8 from the free-throw line.
Hoggard would prove to be the closer in the game as he notched the final free throws to secure an 80-65 win against one of the conference’s best teams in Indiana.
“There was no luck and we earned the win,” Izzo said. “[Indiana] is a very good team that I think is going to win a lot of games.”
After the final buzzer, MSU football coach Mel Tucker greeted an emotional Izzo in the hallway to the locker room as he congratulated him and his team for their efforts.
MSU moves back to seventh place in the Big Ten standings with the win.
The Spartans will begin a two-game road trip to Iowa starting Saturday, Feb. 25, and Nebraska before returning home for the final regular season game against Ohio State.
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EAST LANSING — The Michigan State men’s basketball team returns to the Breslin Center Tuesday night as the Spartans host No. 17 Indiana. This will be the first time that MSU plays on its home court since the deadly mass shooting that occurred in East Lansing on Feb. 13.
“It’s our first game back on campus with our fans,” head coach Tom Izzo said. “Make no mistake about it, this [feeling] will never go away. Time heals everything.”
The Spartans fell short against Michigan on Saturday, Feb. 18, when they lost 84-72 at the Crisler Center. A strong and determined finish by the Wolverines in the last 1:10 of the game sprang them past the Spartans in the Big Ten standings.
Joey Hauser led the game in Ann Arbor with 20 points and while the Spartans had the game within reach, the Wolverines made the right plays down the stretch to earn another rivalry win at home.
Hauser became the first Spartan since Cassius Winston to score 20 points in three straight games.
“I thought we put ourselves in a position to win the game,” Izzo said. “We had opportunities, we just didn’t get it done.”
The University of Michigan honored the tragic event that claimed the lives of three MSU students and injured five others before tipoff. The UM Maize Rage student section wore shirts reading “Michigan Basketball stands with MSU” and the entire Crisler crowd was supportive of the Spartan community throughout the night.
“It meant a lot,” senior guard Tyson Walker said after the game. “They put pride aside and they did something for the greater purpose.”
Despite the loss, Izzo said he was proud of his team.
Tonight’s game against Indiana is at 9 PM ET at the Breslin Center and will be broadcast on ESPN.
We encourage everyone to wear white in unity. pic.twitter.com/GyWtIHUcbD
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) February 21, 2023
The Spartans sit in ninth place in the standings while their upcoming opponents, Indiana, are in third place behind Northwestern. The Hoosiers are 10-6 in the Big Ten and 19-8 overall this season.
Hoosier senior Trayce Jackson-Davis leads his team in scoring with 20.5 ppg and posted a 26-point double-double in Indiana’s latest win over Illinois.
“He’s [Jackson-Davis] has really improved his game with his ball handling. He’s improved his game with his strength and passing ability,” Izzo said. “He’s a load.”
In the last matchup against the Hoosiers, the Spartans suffered a 69-82 loss at Assembly Hall. In that game, Jackson-Davis recorded one of his best stat lines of the season, recording 31 points and 15 rebounds.
“We’re going to have to mix some things up,” Izzo said. “Our game plan can’t be just to stop Trayce [Jackson-Davis]. We got beat last time because [Tamar] Bates hit five out of six threes and I’m not sure he’s hit that many since.”
With four games remaining in the regular season, the Spartans look to jumpstart a winning run in front of a Breslin crowd that seeks comfort after an emotionally difficult week in East Lansing.
The game against the No. 17 Indiana Hoosiers is scheduled for a 9 p.m. tip-off from the Breslin Center.
Joey Hauser’s 20 points lifts Michigan State past MarylandMichigan State vs Purdue preview: Spartans looking to upset No. 1 Purdue on the roadNo. 1 Purdue dominates Michigan State, Zach Edey sets new career-high
EAST LANSING- Michigan State traveled a rocky road to earning its 15th win of the season, defeating Maryland 63-58 late Tuesday night. The back-and-forth matchup between the two teams was highlighted by elite guard play and multiple runs.
“To hell with starts,” head coach Tom Izzo said. “There is only one thing that matters: that you finish the game, period.”
Graduate student Joey Hauser would get Michigan State started with a mid-range jumper just seconds into the game. Hauser would continue to accumulate points, ending with a game-high 20 after having just 24 total points in his last three games.
“[In] the past couple of games I feel like I shied away a little bit from some shots,” Hauser said. “I just have to have a shooter’s mentality, and the next one is going in.”
After trailing by 15 points in the first four minutes the Terrapins would only allow 16 more in the first half.
Maryland guard Jahmir Young had nine of the 22 points scored in the first half for the Terrapins and finished with a team-high 17.
Michigan State would hold their lead for the beginning of the second half, but it quickly vanished as the Terrapins went on a 12-0 run in under three minutes, tying the game at 38.
A pair of free throws from Maryland forward Patrick Emilien would give the Terps their first lead of the game, but it would not last long.
Sophomore Jaden Akins would spark another Spartan run with a corner three followed up with a block on the other end of the floor. The block turned into transition points for the Spartans, as junior A.J. Hoggard found senior Tyson Walker open for another three. Pushing Michigan State back out in front 52-48
A.J. Hoggard’s name was all over the stat sheet by the end of the night. Finishing the game with game-highs in rebounds (10) and assists (8) to go along with his eight points.
Jaden Akins makes the crowd at the Breslin Center go crazy with a slam dunk in the final seconds of Michigan State’s 63-58 victory over Maryland on February 7, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)“I think we are a better team when A.J. has eight assists and two turnovers, then when he has 15 points,” head coach Tom Izzo said after the game. “A.J. played like a point guard. Our guys got shots, but they hit their shots because they were great passes.”
One of those guys who was hitting shots for the Spartans was Guard Tyson Walker. After getting into early foul trouble, Walker only saw nine minutes in the first half.
Walker would end the night with 17 points, making it his 19th game in double figures and the 65th of his career
“I didn’t really get to play in the first half because of fouls,” Walker said. “So I really wanted to come out and be aggressive in the second half… it was just one of those days everyone made their shots.”
Maryland would continue to keep it close, but a Jaden Akins dunk would seal the deal for Michigan State.
The Spartans will travel to Columbus Sunday to take on Ohio State. The Matchup against the Buckeyes is set to tip off at 1 p.m.
EAST LANSING – The Michigan State men’s basketball team returns to action as they face off against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Saturday, Feb. 4. The Spartans will play at Madison Square Garden for the first time since Nov. 9, 2021, when they faced Kansas in the Champions Classic.
The Spartans lead the all-time series against Rutgers 12-2 and they came out on top with a 70-57 win the last time they met on Jan. 19.
While it was an unusually poor shooting performance for Rutgers when they last visited East Lansing, the Scarlet Knights look to remain in the top-three in the Big Ten standings with a win at one of basketball’s greatest arenas.
The Scarlet Knights defeated Minnesota 90-55 earlier in the week to improve their conference record to 7-4. It was their largest win since joining the Big Ten conference back in 2014.
Currently, Rutgers sits behind second-place Illinois in the conference standings and could make a push past them with a win over the Spartans and a favorable result elsewhere.
On the other hand, the Spartans are coming off a 77-61 loss to No. 1 Purdue, where their star center Zach Edey once again set a new career-high against the Spartans. Edey led the Boilermakers with 38 points and sent a disappointed group of Spartans back to East Lansing.
The Spartans dropped to eighth place in the standings and are tied with five other teams with a 6-5 record in the Big Ten.
Super Saturday in NYC pic.twitter.com/YqbS38s753
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) February 2, 2023
Keys for Rutgers:
In their last meeting in East Lansing, the Scarlet Knights started out fast against the Spartans before a late first-half rally and quality performances by MSU point guards A.J. Hoggard and Tyson Walker gave the Spartans the 70-57 win.
The key for the Scarlet Knights will be to win the rebounding battle and the play of Clifford Omoruyi.
Rutgers out-rebounded the Spartans 42-34 and Omoruyi started out fast scoring the first four points of the game for the Scarlet Knights before finishing with a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Rutgers had 18 offensive rebounds in the game, which didn’t impress the Michigan State coaching staff.
Rutgers will also need to get key contributions as they did on Wednesday night against Minnesota from Cam Spencer and Caleb McConnell.
Spencer finished with a game-high 17 points while shooting 3-3 from three-point range.
According to KenPom, Rutgers is ranked second in adjusted defense (86.5) and 122nd in adjusted offensive efficiency (106.4).
Keys for Michigan State:
The key for the Spartans to snatch a win at MSG will ultimately come down to the matchup between centers Mady Sissoko and Omoruyi. If Sissoko finds himself getting into foul trouble on Saturday, it will put more pressure on the young talents of Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper to perform well on defense to help the Spartans earn a win.
The Spartans’ backcourt is among one of the best in the Big Ten conference as well as one of the fastest with Hoggard and Walker leading the team.
While Hoggard recorded 20 points against No. 1 Purdue last weekend, Walker struggled to put points on the board. Walker is averaging 9.8 points per game in his last four games.
Jaden Akins and Malik Hall will also be key pieces for the Spartans on the wings. Head coach Tom Izzo said multiple times after the game against Purdue that Akins is quickly becoming a crucial piece of the starting lineup.
After the trip to New York City, the Spartans will return home to face off against the Maryland Terrapins on Tuesday, Feb. 6. Tip-off against Rutgers at Madison Square Garden is scheduled for noon on Saturday, Feb. 4.
No. 1 Purdue dominates Michigan State, Zach Edey sets new career-highIn the heat of the Big Ten season, Michigan State finds itself in the “Trenches”Michigan State vs Purdue preview: Spartans looking to upset No. 1 Purdue on the road
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Michigan State men’s basketball team suffered its worst defeat of the season at the hands of No. 1 Purdue on Sunday. Zach Edey led the Boilermakers to a 77-61 win over the Spartans, and he recorded a new career-high with 38 points.
Edey had 13 rebounds to go along with his dominant performance. He’s recorded a career-high in points three times against the Spartans throughout his career.
“I thought we just couldn’t cover him [Edey],” MSU head coach Tom Izzo said. “He’s physical. You can’t push him out. I was disappointed in that a little bit.”
All signs in the first eight minutes of the game pointed towards a tightly contested game, but as soon as Edey caught fire, it became an uphill battle for the Spartans.
That's some effort. @zach_edey x @BoilerBall pic.twitter.com/baUAxP3b8W
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) January 29, 2023
MSU only scored two baskets out of their last 11 attempts to end the first half.
Michigan State went into the halftime break trailing 40-22 and was essentially bullied down low.
“They played well and they did an unbelievable job of giving him [Edey] the ball,” Izzo said. “He can back you down and you can’t do much about it.”
It was a deja vu of MSU’s trip to Mackey Arena on Jan. 12, 2020, where the Spartans lost 71-42. In that game, the Spartans trailed at halftime by a 17-point deficit. On Sunday, they went into the break with an 18-point deficit.
To make matters worse, Izzo received a technical foul while heading to the locker room, giving Purdue two free throws as soon as they returned for the second half.
“The place [Mackey Arena] was electric and it was a great crowd,” Izzo said.
After halftime, Michigan State started the game with two straight baskets by Mady Sissoko and Tyson Walker. Unfortunately for the Spartans, it did not create enough of a spark to hold down Purdue.
Edey scored 22 points in the second half while the rest of Purdue shot a combined 15 points. To say that Edey had a dominant second half would be an understatement.
MSU changed the tactics defensively and began double-teaming Edey, but it still did not help the cause.
For the Spartans, the bright spot was that point guard A.J. Hoggard recorded a team-high 20 points and six assists. Hoggard went to the free-throw line nine times and was successful for seven of those attempts.
Hoggard and sophomore Jaden Akins were the only Spartans who finished the game with double-digit scoring.
“He [Hoggard] did his job today,” Izzo said. “I thought we played him a little too much and he got tired.”
In Hoggard’s last game against Iowa, he went to the line once. He improved in earning some fouls while driving to the basket. Michigan State will have to significantly improve in its upcoming break to hold on to a top-four spot in the Big Ten standings.
The Spartans have six days of rest until they travel to Madison Square Garden in New York City to face Rutgers on Feb. 4. Tip-off from MSG is scheduled for noon.
Michigan State vs Purdue preview: Spartans looking to upset No. 1 Purdue on the roadSpartans edge out Hawkeyes in another close contest, 63-61Three takeaways from Michigan State’s 63-61 victory over Iowa
EAST LANSING – Tyson Walker was the inbounder. And then he wasn’t. After a horizontal pass along the baseline to A.J. Hoggard, Walker caught the ball streaking in the open floor. With the clock dwindling down, Walker found Malik Hall on the left wing. Pass fake, drive, dunk. Hall scored with 1.4 seconds left to tie Michigan State and Kentucky at 71.
Hall’s tomahawk stuff would give MSU the momentum boost it needed to edge out the Wildcats in overtime of the Champions Classic, 86-77.
As the Spartans celebrated in the locker room postgame, media members and players spilled in and out of the Gainbridge Fieldhouse doors. Written on the whiteboard in the locker room was one word: “TRENCH.”
Hall said it served as a reminder that MSU is, “in the thick of it.”
The whiteboard message reads “TRENCH” in the conclusion of Michigan State’s 86-77 win over Kentucky in the State Farm Champions Classic. // Photo Credit: Luca MelloniThat was Nov. 15. Now it’s almost February and MSU is quite literally in the thick of it.
The Spartans sit at 14-7 on the season and 6-4 in the Big Ten. 10 league games played, 10 left. Smack dab in the middle.
After a 63-61 scare against Iowa on Jan. 26, MSU head coach Tom Izzo said the most important thing for his team to focus on moving forward is the offense.
“Our offense. I’m not very pleased with our offense right now. There’s a lot of standing around,” said Izzo.
Michigan State currently holds the No. 59 offensive efficiency rating in the country, according to KenPom. In conference play, the Spartans are ninth in the Big Ten in that category.
Perhaps no one embodies the mentality of being in the trenches more than Hoggard.
“We’re in the trenches of the Big Ten right now. You gotta bring your hard hat to the trenches,” said Hoggard.
Hoggard is midway through his best season in East Lansing in three years. Averaging 12.4 points, 5.9 assists and 3.8 rebounds, he’s been the leader that Izzo has been begging for since the summer. Leading on the court with his play style and mentality.
“The trenches is just a mindset of just fighting through adversity,” said Hoggard. “Just something we go by as a team, we just said it one day and just kind of carried on with it and that’s where we are with it right now.”
Despite a winning record and a fourth-place standing in the Big Ten, MSU still has a lot of work to do.
The goal is another NCAA Tournament berth coupled with a top-4 seed and win in the Big Ten Tournament. The Spartans are so close yet so far from those goals it seems. Teetering on the brink of a multi-game run and a disastrous midseason skid.
Whether MSU likes it or not, they have no choice but to focus on the future.
“We’re in the trenches, this is kind of the dog days of January, early February,” said Joey Hauser. “That’s not the most fun time of the year but you just got to kind of grind it out. I mean, I guess it’s all kind of coming full circle.”
It’s already been a season of much turmoil and difficulty for MSU. The injuries have been particularly gut-wrenching. Hall has missed a total of 11 games for Michigan State and at this point in the season is in a different spot than the rest of his teammates.
The Spartans are 8-2 this season when Hall plays and 6-5 when he doesn’t.
Malik Hall stares at Michigan defenders after a basket during Michigan State’s 59-53 victory over Michigan on January 7, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)“It definitely feels different, for sure. I’m just trying to do the best I can since I have more energy,” said Hall. “I’m just trying to bring more and help everybody through it because I know what it’s like to play all those games and then you reach February and you’re getting tired.”
With a road trip to West Lafayette on the docket, MSU will have to face an AP No. 1 team for the first time since 2019 when the Spartans took down Duke in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
Mackey Arena is billed as one of the most difficult places to play in the entire country. It’s loud and hostile. You can find yourself scrambling in circles trying to find an answer.
Kind of like in the trenches.
Michael Markoch takes over the hosting duties for Impact Izzone as he is joined by Brendan Schabath and Luca Melloni to discuss MSU’s recent victory over Iowa, some noteworthy players on the team and the Spartans’ upcoming contest against Purdue. Check it all out now!
EAST LANSING —The Michigan State men’s basketball team starts a two-game road trip with the first matchup against No. 1 Purdue on Sunday, Jan. 29, followed by a stop at Madison Square Garden as the Spartans take on Rutgers Saturday, Feb. 29.
The Spartans come off a narrow 63-61 win over Iowa, getting the sour taste out of their mouths after a difficult loss against Indiana last week. Senior forward Malik Hall returned to the court against the Hawkeyes and provided the Spartans a much-needed boost.
“If I had to pick a number one star it was Malik [Hall]”, head coach Tom Izzo said. “It is more comforting when he’s out there ’cause he knows where to be, he knows what to do. I was surprised he moved as well as he did.”
Hall returned to the lineup against Iowa after missing the Spartans’ last three games due to a foot reinjury against Illinois. Hall came off the bench and scored 11 points, shooting 50% from the field.
Sophomore guard Jaden Akins hit a decisive jumper late in the game to put the Spartans up four with 47 seconds remaining.
The Hawkeyes would fire back with their own two-point shot by Iowa Senior guard Connor McCaffery. Iowa trailed by two points with eight seconds remaining and was stopped in their tracks by the tight Spartan defense to give the Spartans the win over the Hawkeyes 63-61.
Sunday’s game at Mackey Arena on Sunday will be the second meeting between the Spartans and the Boilermakers this season.
“Winning a big game, being 6-4 at the break, I think is a start. We got a tough second half, we’re looking forward to it, including Sunday,” Izzo said.
Purdue comes off a game against Michigan where the Boilermakers earned a 75-70 win over the Wolverines.
Purdue is on a seven-game win streak with junior center Zach Edey and freshman guard Fletcher Loyer leading the charge for the Boilermakers.
Edey and Loyer combined for 36 points against Michigan with Edey also racking up nine rebounds.
The first game between the two teams ended in a Purdue victory in the final seconds of the game. Since then, Purdue moved to No. 1 in the AP college basketball rankings.
The Spartans are going to need another important performance from Walker and other key players like A.J. Hoggard, Joey Hauser and Mady Sissoko if they want to stop Edey who’s averaging 21.4 points and 13 rebounds.
The Boilermakers unveiled their new 1960s throwback uniforms this Friday. They’ll be wearing the uniforms in Sunday’s rematch.
Rick Mount, the three-time All-American for the Boilermakers who went on to play for the Indiana Pacers revealed the uniforms in a short video on the Boilermakers’ Twitter.
We'll let Rick Mount introduce these.
New throwbacks Sunday. pic.twitter.com/Iuu9l9hVUz
— Purdue Men's Basketball (@BoilerBall) January 27, 2023
The Spartans are 14-7 overall this season and 6-4 in the Big Ten. They are currently in fourth place in the Big Ten standings behind Northwestern.
Michigan State looks to make a statement with a win and has set its sights on climbing up the ranks in the Big Ten, while the Boilermakers strive to remain virtually untouched at the top of the standings.
The last time the Spartans defeated an AP top-ranked team was against Duke in the 2019 NCAA tournament. The Spartans have not won a game in West Lafayette since 2014.
However, both teams will need more than fancy new jerseys if they want to win this decisive conference matchup.
Tip-off is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. from West Lafayette, Indiana.
Spartans edge out Hawkeyes in another close contest, 63-61Three takeaways from Michigan State’s 63-61 victory over IowaMalik Hall expected to return against Buffalo
EAST LANSING – Michigan State escaped from the Breslin Center with a 63-61 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes on Thursday evening. Despite trailing 10-0 after the first media timeout, the Spartans prevailed and improved to 14-7 overall and 6-4 in the Big Ten. Iowa couldn’t go in front after two missed game-winning three-pointers from sophomore forward Payton Sandfort.
The Spartans responded in a game they needed to have, especially due to their next opponent, which will be No. 1 Purdue in West Lafayette on Sunday.
Here are some takeaways from the Thursday night win.
Mady Sissoko showed promise
Undoubtedly, it’s been a rocky season for the junior big man. After showing some flashes against Gonzaga and Kentucky back in November, Mady Sissoko has been inconsistent for a team that needs his contributions at the center position.
Sissoko recorded his first double-double of the season, with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Additionally, Sissoko came up with some big offensive rebounds when the team needed it, including a put-back dunk after a missed layup from Tyson Walker.
Sissoko has faced some of the best big men in college basketball this season, from Drew Timme, Oscar Tshiebwe, Zach Edey, and other high-level centers in the Big Ten. Sissoko’s presence will certainly be needed on the glass heading into February and March.
Malik Hall is back
When senior forward Malik Hall checked into the game at the 16:21 mark of the first half, the Breslin Center crowd gave him a loud round of applause. Once Hall got going on the floor, it looked like he was fully recovered from the stress reaction in his foot that he suffered in the 75-66 loss at Illinois.
“It is more comforting when he’s out there,” said head coach Tom Izzo. “He knows where to be, he knows what to do. I was surprised he moved as well as he did.”
Hall finished the game with 11 points while shooting 50% (4-8) from the field, along with playing a surprising 24 minutes after missing two weeks, and only practicing twice this week.
As we’ve seen, Michigan State is a better basketball team when Malik Hall is on the floor. The offense is more in-sync, there is better communication on defense, and Hall delivers that leadership they don’t get as much of without him. As the Spartans get set to hit the road against No. 1 Purdue and Rutgers, Malik Hall should still be playing significant minutes, which will give the Spartans a better chance against two of the top Big Ten teams.
The guard play was underwhelming
This Michigan State team is known for having some of the best guard play in the Big Ten, with A.J. Hoggard and Tyson Walker at the helm. While Hoggard and Walker have been impressive, they struggled against the Hawkeyes. Hoggard went 3-12 from the field, with seven points and three turnovers. Tyson Walker finished with 10 points on 4-14 shooting. The senior guard from Westbury, New York, hit the go-ahead jumper to put MSU up 61-59 with a minute to go.
“I would say I played ok, but I didn’t play an A.J. Hoggard type of game tonight if you want me to be completely honest,” said junior guard A.J. Hoggard. “They [Iowa] did a good job of denying and covering our sets, and making us do a lot of one-on-one matchups.”
With two tough road games ahead, it is important that Michigan State continues to get reliable guard play like they’ve had all season. With how deep the Big Ten is, the Spartans will have to continue to rely on Hoggard and Walker if they want to make some noise come tournament time.
Spartans edge out Hawkeyes in another close contest, 63-61Izzo: I’m proud of the way we competed under the circumstancesJaxon Kohler sets four career highs in 70-57 win over No. 23 Rutgers
EAST LANSING – The air left the building as the ball left Payton Sandfort’s hands.
A wide-open three with the game hanging in the balance. But the Iowa sharpshooter missed and could not break Iowa’s shooting drought and Michigan State survived with a 63-61 home victory.
Any win in the Big Ten is a big one but in a game that started with a 10-0 Iowa run and an MSU scoring drought that lasted nearly five minutes, this one has to feel good.
“We’ve lost some games that we deserved to win, but tonight we may have won one that I’m not sure we deserved to win… but an ugly win is better than a pretty loss,” Izzo said.
The return of Malik Hall brought energy to the building, as the Spartan senior scored 11 points including a thunderous dunk towards the end of the first half. Hall missed the last three games and has missed 11 games in total this season after re-injuring his left foot but played 25 minutes Thursday night.
“It’s more comforting when he’s out there,” Izzo said. “He knows where to be, he knows what to do… The guy just does a lot of things. If anyone was wondering why we missed him, we missed him.”
Malik Hall celebrates after a made basket during Michigan State’s 63-61 victory over Iowa on January 26, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)Junior Ahron Ulis led the way for Iowa with a career-high 17 points but missed three free throws down the stretch as the Hawkeyes managed to score just 3 points in the final 5:21 of the game.
The win over Iowa marked the seventh time this year MSU has been in a game decided by 4 points or less. The Spartans are 5-2 in such games.
Kris Murray, the Hawkeyes’ leading scorer at 21.3 points per game, was held to just 11 points which included missing all five of his three-point attempts.
While MSU fell behind early in the game, the Spartans settled in with a couple of big shots from Tyson Walker and Joey Hauser. Both Hauser and Walker left the game at different points in the second half with injuries but returned to help the team close out the game.
“Walker showed how much he’s grown in the program,” Izzo said. “I think he did a heckuva job sucking it up which I’m not sure he would’ve done a year ago.”
Hauser’s second-half resurgence came at a big time for MSU after he left the game with an apparent knee injury. He appeared frustrated and lethargic but returned to hit back-to-back threes and give the Spartans a lift as Iowa tried to pull away.
Mady Sissoko battled with Filip Rebrača all night long in the post. Sissoko notched his first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Rebrača racked up 16 points and 11 rebounds of his own.
Walker has been MSU’s closer throughout the season. When he went down in the final minutes, it looked as if the Spartans would need to go elsewhere with the game on the line. Instead, tied at 59, Walker returned to hit the go-ahead bucket. A long, contested two with 1:24 to play gave MSU a lead it would not relinquish.
The Spartans are back in action Sunday afternoon against No. 1 Purdue in West Lafayette.
Izzo: I’m proud of the way we competed under the circumstancesJaxon Kohler sets four career highs in 70-57 win over No. 23 RutgersZach Edey and No. 3 Purdue earn hard-fought win over Michigan State
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Michigan State men’s basketball team traveled to Bloomington in search of its first road win since Jan. 10. In a back and forth battle that saw both teams jostling for control, Michigan State fell short on the road, losing to Indiana 82-69.
The Spartans entered Sunday’s matchup on a three-game winning streak against the Hoosiers, who were 9-1 at home entering Sunday’s matchup.
“I think the sixteen games in six days caught up with us a little bit,” MSU head coach Tom Izzo said. “When you’re playing on the road, a couple mistakes can really change things.”
After going on a 10-0 run in the early stages of the first-half, Michigan State could not connect on a field goal opportunity within the last four minutes, and trailed 32-37 heading into the locker room at halftime.
In Assembly Hall, one of the toughest atmospheres in college basketball, the Spartans struggled to respond to Indiana’s momentum in the second half.
Izzo noted in Sunday’s postgame press conference that junior guard Tyson Walker was sick throughout most of this week, and wasn’t expected to play today.
“Tyson Walker got sick two nights ago, and didn’t practice,” Izzo said. “This morning, we didn’t think he was gonna play, so I give him a lot of credit.”
Walker went 4-7 from the field, and scored eight points.
“He played 32 minutes in this one. I apologized to him after the game. We just had no choice,” Izzo said.
The story of the game for Indiana was Trayce Jackson-Davis, who made his presence felt everywhere on the floor, recording 31 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, and five blocks.
“I think he’s [Jackson-Davis] much better,” Izzo said. “I think he’s passing the ball so much better, and he shot much better from the line. He’s a good player.”
Jackson Davis’ five blocks today tied him for first in total career blocks in Indiana’s history.
Indiana was also bolstered by their bench, most notably guard Tamar Bates, who tied his career-high of five three-pointers.
TJD @TrayceJackson x @IndianaMBB pic.twitter.com/eAT6L3hk3I
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) January 22, 2023
Despite the loss, MSU received impressive performances from senior forward Joey Hauser, and junior guard Jaden Akins, who recorded 22 and 15 points, respectively.
“You have to bring it, in every aspect, especially on the road,” Akins said. “You can’t make a lot of mistakes, and you don’t have a lot of room for error. You have to be on top of your game to get road wins. It’s tough in the Big Ten.”
The Spartans are now in fifth place in the Big Ten standings after Sunday’s loss while Indiana sits right behind them in sixth place.
“I’m proud of the way we competed under the circumstances.” Izzo said.
The Spartans will head back to the Breslin Center for a matchup against Iowa on Thursday, before heading back on the road to face Purdue and Rutgers.
Zach Edey and No. 3 Purdue earn hard-fought win over Michigan StateFINAL: Michigan State 55, No. 17 Michigan 70Michigan State set for Wisconsin road test
In this episode of Impact Izzone Michael Markoch and Brendan Schabath take you through all the happenings over the last three games for Michigan State basketball, the current state of affairs in the program and preview a tough road matchup for the Spartans against Indiana. All that and more on the latest edition of Impact Izzone.
EAST LANSING — The Michigan State men’s basketball team snapped a two-game losing streak after defeating No. 23 Rutgers on Thursday night. MSU freshman Jaxon Kohler set four career highs and helped the Spartans earn a 70-57 win over the Scarlet Knights.
Kohler recorded career-high numbers in points (12), rebounds (11), minutes (23) and blocks (3).
“He [Kohler] rebounded the ball well,” head coach Tom Izzo said after the game. “He is good on the block and good on the ball. I think we did a better job of getting him the ball.”
A.J. Hoggard once again took control of the floor as he ended the night with a game-high 16 points and seven assists. He’s recorded 50 points in the past five games.
Just the beginning for @jaxonkohler pic.twitter.com/tn4JOsqI1g
— Michigan State on BTN (@MichiganStOnBTN) January 20, 2023
After another sluggish start to a game, Michigan State rallied back to earn a first-half lead over Rutgers. The Scarlett Knights led by as much as eight points early in the game. Despite struggling early in the game, Michigan State’s sharpshooters put on one of their better performances of the season.
The Spartans shot 54.5% (12-22) from three-point range and shot 47% (26-55) overall.
“We said we would get in the paint and pick out some open looks and we did,” Izzo said. “I was really pleased with getting 19 assists against a team that is so good defensively.”
Similar to the game against No. 3 Purdue on Jan. 16, the Spartans missed a heavy volume of shots until they finally started to go inside the basket in the latter part of the first half.
The eye-opening fact of the first half is that Rutgers out-rebounded Michigan State 21-11. Izzo was not thrilled by the rebound comparison.
“When they get 18 offensive boards, you usually don’t win games,” Izzo said. “We got 19 assists against a great offensive team and that’s hard to do.”
The Scarlet Knights would end the night with 42 rebounds, 18 of them being offensive boards. In comparison, the Spartans rebounded the ball six times on offense throughout the game.
Rutgers center Clifford Omoyuri played a crucial part in that.
He finished the night with 12 points and 12 rebounds, his second straight double-double. Against Ohio State on Jan. 15, Omoyuri recorded 14 points and 11 rebounds.
“We got thrown around tonight if you ask me,” Izzo said. “I love the way they [Rutgers] play.”
The positive note was that the Spartans’ shot selection improved against the Scarlet Knights compared to recent games.
“We said it was going to be a rock fight. It was a rock fight against Purdue, meaning that it was very physical,” Izzo said. “They are tough games, grinding games. We’re getting a little better.”
Sophomore Jaden Akins’ dunk midway through the second half had the Izzone on its feet. Since Malik Hall’s injury, Akins has taken a larger role in the starting lineup. He credits his increased game time to his recent changes in the way he prepares for games.
The roof at Breslin might explode after this @JadenAkins3 dunk. @MSU_Basketball x @B1GMBBall pic.twitter.com/PSug8YnQBb
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) January 20, 2023
“With my mental approach to things, I feel like I changed that a little bit,” Akins said. “I know I’m approaching the game the right way.”
Michigan State will move on to a road game against Indiana this weekend. The matchup against the Hoosiers on Sunday, Jan. 22 is a noon tip-off from Bloomington.
Keon Coleman will not play basketball this season, will focus on footballZach Edey and No. 3 Purdue earn hard-fought win over Michigan StateFINAL: Michigan State 55, No. 17 Michigan 70
EAST LANSING — In a game that came down to the final seconds, the Michigan State men’s basketball team fell short against No. 3 Purdue as the Boilermakers earned a 64-63 win. Despite Tyson Walker’s 30-point performance, Purdue’s Zach Edey stole the spotlight with a career-high 32 points and the game-winning shot.
Walker recorded the first 30-point game for Michigan State since Cassius Winston scored 32 points against Michigan on Jan. 5, 2020.
Purdue improves to 17-1 on the season while MSU is now 12-6.
“There are not many times when I enter the locker room and thank my team for competing,” head coach Tom Izzo said. “We battled back and out-rebounded them [Purdue]. I felt like we gave everything we got, except for the beginning.”
Final from the Breslin Center. pic.twitter.com/fOdTnp3xn9
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) January 16, 2023
With just three seconds left, Edey hit the game-winner. The Spartans had one more chance to win the game with 1.8 seconds left with Walker, but his rushed attempt fell short.
Michigan State was down by as much as 13 points in the first half before guard A.J. Hoggard and Walker cut the deficit to two points before halftime. It was an unexpected lethargic start to the game for MSU.
“I thought we did a poor job early on,” Izzo said. “We wanted to move them, and we didn’t move them. Later on, we moved them and opened up some shots.”
The Spartans were without star forward Malik Hall after he left injured against Illinois on Jan. 13. It remains unclear if Malik Hall will return to the court soon.
“Malik [Hall] handled it so well, and we don’t know exactly what’s going on,” Izzo said. “A specialist just looked at it [Hall’s foot], and he had a meeting with him. Nothing looks good in the immediate future, but whether [he’s out] the full year or not, we don’t know.”
MSU’s wing play in the first chunk of the first half was not opening space for the guards to put shots up. It took until the last three minutes before halftime for Walker and Hoggard to find a scoring rhythm.
Edey recorded 17 points at halftime and foreshadowed what was to be a career performance. Although MSU center Mady Sissoko started defending the 7-foot-4 Boilermaker well at the start of the game, Edey’s size and power led him to a strong start against the Spartans.
“The last basket he [Edey] made hurt me more than anything because that was the game point for them,” Sissoko said. “It is difficult to stop him if you give [him] the angle.”
To start the second half, senior forward Joey Hauser tied the game at 27 and set the tone for the rest of the game. Michigan State took higher percentage shots and found their stride. Hoggard would end the game with 14 points and a game-high eight assists.
MSU turned the tide when Walker hit back-to-back three-pointers with 4:15 left to play. Purdue’s Fletcher Loyer, brother of former MSU guard Foster Loyer, traded three-pointers with Walker. Loyer ended the game with 17 points in 5-9 shooting.
Loyer’s ability to get to the rim late in the game made the difference for Purdue.
Purdue shot exceptionally well at the free-throw line, shooting 88%, while Michigan State shot 70% from the line.
“We’ve been through the wars before and experience helps in this kind of situation,” Hoggard said. “We’re going to build on that and continue to fight.”
With 12 seconds left on the clock, Walker notched his 30th point of the game, and the Spartans believed they had the game under their belt. The players believed it, and the fans did more.
ANOTHER @TysonWalker13 x @MSU_Basketball pic.twitter.com/HJr9fbaooO
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) January 16, 2023
“Tyson Walker has really grown as a man and so has A.J. [Hoggard],” Izzo said. “We can’t have bad starts. You can’t have empty possessions. We had a lot of those.”
In a packed Breslin Center, fans did their best to inspire MSU to an upset win over Purdue. The last time MSU took down a top-five team was against Purdue last February where Walker hit a game-winning three-pointer.
“We appreciate the Izzone,” Hoggard said. “They’re like our sixth man and one of the best sixth men in the country. We appreciate them for coming here every night and giving their all.”
It didn’t work out this time for MSU, but the fight was there. A fight and mental edge that was needed after losing to Illinois and losing one of their key players in Hall.
“We have a lot of basketball left,” Izzo said. “Thursday is going to be the same kind of battle.”
Michigan State returns to the hardwood on Thursday, Jan. 19 when they host Rutgers. Tip-off against Rutgers at the Breslin Center is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Michigan State set for Wisconsin road testMichigan State defeats Michigan 59-53, extends win streak to sixKeon Coleman will not play basketball this season, will focus on football
As the Impact Izzone returns in 2023, Brendan Schabath, Michael Markoch and Luca Melloni break down the happenings around Michigan State basketball over the holiday break. A break in which the Spartans won seven games in a row, most recently on the road against No. 18 Wisconsin. The guys break down that big win for MSU as well as preview the Spartans’ matchup against Illinois coming Friday at 9:00 pm. Plus, a look into the crazy Big Ten season so far. Check out the latest edition of Impact Izzone right now!
EAST LANSING — The Michigan State men’s basketball team begins a two-game road trip starting Tuesday, Jan. 10 against the Wisconsin Badgers followed by Illinois on Jan. 13. After successfully defeating Michigan and extending the win streak to six, the Spartans continue to play one of the most strenuous weeks in their schedule.
Tuesday’s game will be the 153rd all-time meeting between Michigan State and Wisconsin. The Spartans lead the all-time series 85-67 over the Badgers.
“This will be our first time on the road in more than a month,” head coach Tom Izzo said. “They [Wisconsin] are always very experienced though they do have one freshman that’s playing well for them. They are always very tough, solid and fundamental. They never turn the ball over– it’s illegal in the cheese state.”
The Badgers (11-3) return to the Kohl Center after suffering a 69-79 defeat against Illinois on Jan. 7. Sophomore guard Chucky Hepburn led the Badgers with 22 points, seven assists and four steals but were unable to flip the score against Illinois in Champaign.
The loss against Illinois was Wisconsin’s first conference defeat of the season.
Wisconsin senior Tyler Wahl will be a game-time decision if he plays against the Spartans on Tuesday. The 6-foot-9 sharpshooter has not practiced all week and did not play against Illinois after suffering an ankle injury.
“They [Wisconsin] have some other guys that have really stepped up,” Izzo said. “[Chucky] Hepburn is one of the most improved players in the league by far.”
With the Badgers likely to have Wahl sidelined again, they will look to Hepburn and the 7-foot junior Steven Crowl to put up important numbers on the board.
During its six-game win streak, Michigan State is scoring 70.7 points per game while holding opponents to 56.5 points per game. The Spartans are first in the Big Ten conference field goal defense (38.3%).
Izzo gave positive comments on Malik Hall’s status after he rolled his ankle against Michigan on Jan. 7. Hall previously missed eight games due to a foot injury in November and returned to action against Buffalo on Dec. 30.
“The outside of his [Hall] ankle was almost on the floor but he’s doing pretty good,” Izzo said. “He practiced yesterday, and there’s no damage to his foot, now it’s the ankle a little bit. Getting him back to full [fitness] in the next two weeks is going to be the biggest part because he’s just so versatile.”
Hall recorded 15 points in the win over the Wolverines and was instrumental in keeping the scoreboard on the Spartans’ side as their rivals tried to close in on the comeback in the second half.
The Spartans will need another influential performance from Hall and junior point guard A.J. Hoggard, who is in third place in assists (6.4 APG) in the Big Ten.
In Hoggard’s last four games, he’s scored 38 points and dished out 33 assists while only turning over the ball five times.
“We’re a better defensive team than last year already,” Izzo said. “We’ve been able to collect some good wins, so we’ll see what we can do on the road. There are no bad teams in the league.”
Tuesday night’s game against Wisconsin is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will air on ESPN. The Spartans will follow up the trip to Madison with another road game to Illinois (Jan. 13) before returning to East Lansing to face Purdue on Monday, Jan. 16.
Michigan State defeats Michigan 59-53, extends win streak to sixKeon Coleman will not play basketball this season, will focus on footballMalik Hall expected to return against Buffalo
EAST LANSING – The Michigan State men’s basketball team extended its win streak to six games after defeating rivals Michigan on Saturday afternoon. Junior guard A.J. Hoggard propelled MSU to a 59-53 victory behind his 15 points and six assists in front of a crowded Breslin Center.
“That was a tough game to officiate, tough game to coach, tough game to watch, but a beautiful game to win,” MSU head coach Tom Izzo said. “I thought both teams played pretty well defensively, but I’m not sure I’ve seen that many air balls by both teams.”
Both teams struggled offensively and shot a combined 36% from the floor. Some of the shots completely missed the basket, which was a rare sight for both teams.
Malik Hall scores a basket during Michigan State’s 59-53 victory over Michigan on January 7, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)Hoggard, Malik Hall and Tyson Walker combined for 44 of the 59 total points on Saturday. Hall notched his second double-digit scoring game since coming back from injury against Buffalo on Dec. 30.
“He [Hall] communicates, he talks, and he just makes it easier for the other players,” Izzo said. “He sprained his ankle and played through it.”
After trailing by a 10-point deficit for the majority of the second half, the Wolverines almost sparked a comeback led by center Hunter Dickinson. Dickinson ended with a game-high 18 points and scored 14 in the second half to try to reach the Spartans.
“We had to get back to where we are as a team,” Michigan head coach Juwan Howard said. “We tried to keep A.J. [Hoggard] off the paint, which is tough to do.”
Michigan’s Kobe Bufkin was second in scoring for the Wolverines with 14 points. The 6-foot-4 guard from Grand Rapids went 7-8 from the free-throw line and was a crucial part of Michigan’s offensive transition.
In a lackluster first half, Michigan State came out on top 27-18 heading into the break. Hall had seven points in the first half to facilitate the lead.
“I’m really proud of Malik,” Izzo said. “Since Jaden and Malik have come back, we’re looking better.”
The game started with a double technical given to Michigan’s Terrance Williams II and MSU’s Walker after a verbal exchange prompted a tech. Walker would end with 14 points and two assists.
“It was a low-scoring game,” Walker said. “They played some good defense, but some of the shots we missed. I don’t think we’ve ever hit more than one air ball and we had four today.”
Soon after, Hoggard’s second assist of the game went to center Mady Sissoko for an alley-oop that had the Breslin crowd on its feet. Hoggard finished with a game-high six assists and made difficult shots down the stretch.
“I think he’s [Hoggard] played a lot more under control,” Izzo said. “He took one bad shot.”
AJ Hoggard dribbles passed a defender during Michigan State’s 59-53 victory over Michigan on January 7, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)In terms of shot selection, Joey Hauser did not have his best offensive performance against the Wolverines, only scoring seven points on 3-13 shooting. However, Hauser recorded 10 rebounds to help the defensive effort by the Spartans and had one three-pointer.
“A year ago, that [performance] would’ve put him [Hauser] in the deep freeze,” Izzo said. “He took a little encouragement in the huddle, and he played.”
A pair of free throws were made with 0.1 seconds left by sophomore guard Jaden Akins, sealing the victory for the Spartans.
“Our defense has gotten better,” Izzo said. “That’s the encouraging part.”
The Spartans will travel to Wisconsin on Jan. 10 to face the Badgers. Tip-off from Madison is scheduled for 7 p.m.
EAST LANSING — Michigan State announced on Tuesday that sophomore wide receiver and guard Keon Coleman will not be a part of the basketball team this season and will focus on his football development, according to a statement.
The announcement came a week after the team said that Coleman joined basketball practice. He will focus on spring football for head coach Mel Tucker.
A little late on this one as I made my way up to EL for tonight's game, but news out of MSU today is that Keon Coleman will not be playing basketball at MSU at this time in order to focus on his bright football career. Statement from Spartans coach Tom Izzo below. @WDBMSports pic.twitter.com/tH2QdAaZTD
— Michael Markoch (@mcmarkoch20) January 3, 2023
“Keon Coleman and I spoke at length this week and we came to the joint decision that it would be best for him to focus on his football career and not join the basketball team at this time,” head men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo said on Tuesday.
The 6-foot-4 guard was a highly-rated three-sport athlete from Opelousas Catholic in Louisiana. He starred in football, basketball and track and field before he was recruited to Michigan State for football and basketball.
Coleman has 65 career receptions for 848 yards and eight touchdowns for the Spartan football team in his first two seasons. He also led the team in catches in 2022 with 58.
“Keon [Coleman] had a great football season, and it’s in his best interests to take the next few months to get ready for spring football, while also taking care of his academic obligations,” Izzo said.
On the hardwood, Coleman featured in six games for Izzo’s side and recorded his first career points against Michigan on Jan. 29, 2022.
“I love Keon and have such great admiration for him, but I also want what is best for him and his future,” Izzo said. “I’m glad we agreed that this was the best plan of action moving forward.”
EAST LANSING – The Michigan State men’s basketball team returns to the hardwood as it hosts the University of Buffalo on the night before New Year’s Eve. The Spartans look to extend their win streak to four games against a strong Bulls team on Friday afternoon.
Michigan State leads the all-time series against Buffalo 4-0 and this is the first time the two sides meet since 1938.
Senior forward Malik Hall is expected to return to the court after missing the last six weeks due to a left foot stress fracture. Hall is one of head coach Tom Izzo’s leaders and his absence in the last two months has been difficult without the 6-foot-8 forward on both ends of the floor.
He will look to regain form before the Big Ten schedule starts again in 2023.
GAMEDAY! Last one of 2022 tonight pic.twitter.com/oKKiD4MSQO
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) December 30, 2022
Before his injury, Hall averaged 12 points per game and 5.3 rebounds.
The Buffalo Bulls are 6-6 on the season, with an 0-2 away record while the Spartans have an overall record of 8-4.
The Spartans defeated Penn State, Brown and Oakland in their past three games. Senior forward Joey Hauser led MSU against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies with 16 points and four rebounds.
The Bulls are coming off an unprecedented 129-62 win against SUNY Canton, where seven players recorded double digits in scoring. The leading scorer was freshman guard Devin Ceasar with 25 points.
Sophomore guard Curtis Jones has been a critical player to the Bulls’ success this season, as he leads the team in points per game (14.8), minutes played per game (29.1) and points overall (177), while also having the second highest number of steals (20).
The game against the Bulls is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Dec. 30 at the Breslin Center. Going into the new year, the Spartans will host Nebraska on Jan. 3 and Michigan on Jan. 7.
EAST LANSING – When the final buzzer rang at the end of the game against Brown on Friday, Dec. 10, the entire Michigan State men’s basketball team crowded over one guy. It’s the player who always steps onto the court with a large grin on his face and radiates a positive attitude toward his teammates.
Forward Joey Hauser notched his 1,000th career point in the second half against Brown and was the center of attention on the court as his teammates hugged and celebrated his scoring landmark.
“It was a really emotional moment for me,” Hauser said on Friday night. “It was a really cool moment but definitely even more special having my teammates surround me and congratulate me.”
Hauser couldn’t believe the sound of 10,000 fans singing “Joey, Joey, Joey” around the Izzone once it was announced on the PA that he hit the 1,000-point mark.
“I didn’t know where I was at [on points] so it definitely caught me by surprise,” Hauser said.
The 6-foot-9 sharpshooter from Stevens Point, Wis. is a fan-favorite for many at Michigan State since he transferred from Marquette in 2019.
One of his biggest fans is his coach, Tom Izzo.
“He’s [Hauser] been one of my favorites,” Izzo said at the Phil Knight Invitational in November. “He just has because I always believed in him. I think he has more to give.”
It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Hauser at MSU.
Hauser had his fair share of critics since suiting up in East Lansing. Most critics argued over his defensive ability and consistency with his shooting.
“I don’t know why fans criticize him [Hauser]. They work their ass off every day,” sophomore guard Jaden Akins said after MSU’s win over Kentucky at the Champions Classic. “It’s great to see him have a great game and I know he’ll have more in the season.”
Joey Hauser grabs a rebound during Michigan State’s victory over Brown on December 10, 2022. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)In Michigan State’s last stretch of games, Hauser has proven himself to be the go-to player along with senior guard Tyson Walker.
Going into the final stretch before the New Year arrives, Hauser is averaging 13.9 points and 7.4 rebounds. It was Hauser who led the Spartans with 23 points to upset Kentucky earlier in the season and his 15 rebounds helped MSU to its first conference win of the season against Penn State.
Last year, Hauser scored 27 points in MSU’s 74-73 win over Davidson in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
Throughout his three years at Michigan State, Hauser is averaging 46% from the floor and 38% from three-point range.
Hauser’s workload has also significantly increased since he started playing at MSU in 2020. In his first two seasons, Hauser averaged 22 minutes per game. He’s clocking in at 33.6 minutes per game through the first 11 games of the 2022-2023 season.
At this time last year, his success at Michigan State was ambiguous at best. He’s taken steps to cement his position as one of Izzo’s best leaders. Now, he’s arguably one of the most important pieces of this team and their ambitions of a ninth Final Four run.
“I just try to do as much as I can for this team offensively,” Hauser said. “It’s pretty clear I got to shoot the ball when I’m open and the guys want me to shoot the ball.”
Hauser and the Spartans take the court again on Dec. 21 when they host Oakland University at the Breslin Center. Tip-off against the Golden Grizzlies is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
EAST LANSING – The Michigan State men’s basketball team earned its seventh win of the season after defeating Brown 68-50 on Friday night. Senior Joey Hauser led the Spartans with 22 points and reached 1,000 career points in the latter half of the game against the Bears.
The Spartans improve to 7-4 on the season, while the Bears are now 6-5. The Bears were on a five-game win streak before facing MSU.
“I’m the happiest guy in America now that the 11 games of Hell are over,” head coach Tom Izzo said. “Trust me when I say we need some practice time because we probably have less than any team in the country.”
The Spartans had a slow shooting performance to start the game, only shooting 1-7 in the first four minutes. The rhythm picked up after senior guard Tyson Walker made a layup and a deep three-pointer in back-to-back possessions to extend the lead to 9-5 after six minutes.
Junior guard A.J. Hoggard, who scored a career-high 23 points in the win against Penn State on Dec. 7, scored 17 points against Brown. Hoggard shot 4-4 from the free-throw line and the entire team went 6-6.
“It’s probably one of my best free-throw shooting teams,” Izzo said. “We’re not great on nights getting to the line. We’ll have to practice that too.”
Jaden Akins dribbles toward the lane during Michigan State’s victory over Brown on December 10, 2022. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)The Spartans finished the first half shooting 38.7% from the floor. Sophomore guard Jaden Akins showed off his range with pair of three-pointers in the first half. He ended the game with three threes and nine points.
“Jaden Akins is getting better. He’s getting healthier,” Izzo said. “I don’t expect him to be there [at 100% fitness] until Christmas.”
MSU went into halftime with a healthy 32-18 lead.
The Spartans continued their hot scoring streak in the second half, shooting 45% (15-33) and making four three-pointers. Hauser made a three-pointer from the top of the arc to open the scoring in the second half.
“We didn’t set the world on fire offensively,” Izzo said. “We’re working on our offense. That’s where we’re a little out of sync.”
Hauser received an enormous ovation from the Breslin Center crowd after he subbed off late in the game. Hauser transferred from Marquette in 2020 and has been a fan favorite for many at MSU.
Apart from his 22 points, Hauser recorded five rebounds and four assists to lead the Spartans to their seventh win of the season. Hauser scored 12 points in the win against Penn State.
“I don’t know if anyone’s ever been excited about finals week but we definitely get some time off. I think mentally and physically, we get some time off,” Hauser said. “It definitely caught me by surprise [reaching 1,000 career points].”
On the other side, Brown guard Paxson Wojcik led his team with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Wojcik’s father, Doug, is an assistant coach for Michigan State.
Wojcik played at Loyola Chicago before transferring to Brown in 2021.
MSU guards Davis Smith, Nick Sanders and Steven Izzo played in the final minutes of the game as the Spartans held a comfortable 20-point lead.
Joey Hauser drives to the lane during Michigan State’s victory over Brown on December 10, 2022. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith )After the final whistle, Michigan State players huddled over Hauser to celebrate his memorable night.
“It was a really cool moment, but definitely even more special to have my teammates surround me and congratulate me,” Hauser said.
The Spartans will return to the hardwood when they host Oakland on Wednesday, Dec. 21. Tip-off from the Breslin Center is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Spartans ‘out-toughed’ by Northwestern at home in Big Ten openerSpartans close out PKI with tight victory over PortlandNo. 12 Michigan State defeats Oregon in second game of Phil Knight Invitational
EAST LANSING – No. 20 Michigan State’s lackluster performance leads to a 70-63 loss in the Big Ten opener to Northwestern.
Northwestern senior guard Boo Buie continued to be a thorn in the side of MSU, as he has been his entire career. Bouie averages over 17 points a game against the Spartans and he scored 20 on Sunday, including big shots and free throws at the end to seal it.
“Maybe it’s something about the atmosphere,” Buie said. “Coming to play in that type of atmosphere just picks my game up.”
Sunday’s game marked the first time that MSU lost a conference play opener that was played in the Breslin Center since 2014.
“I thought we got out-toughed,” said head coach Tom Izzo.
It is not every year that Michigan State can feel relieved to begin the conference season, but the non-conference schedule was brutal for the Spartans. According to KenPom.com, a website that tracks advanced stats in college basketball, MSU has played the seventh toughest schedule in the country and the toughest in terms of opponents’ offenses.
Michigan State looked well-rested and comfortable early on. Three-pointers were falling, bigs were getting open on rolls to the rim and the defense was stout.
On paper, Northwestern did not provide much firepower offensively. The Wildcats ranked 178th in the nation in offensive rating.
On the court, the Wildcats gave the Spartan defense trouble. The shooting percentage numbers won’t jump off the screen, but the Wildcats were able to maintain composure once they had the lead. Northwestern kept attacking the rim and was rewarded with 24 free throws.
“Our defense has been carrying the day and we have really been struggling offensively,” said Chris Collins, head coach of Northwestern. “We have been stagnant and not moving too well. Tonight, we got back to playing how we want to play.”
Northwestern did not waver even after MSU hit five of its first six threes, and the Wildcats hung around and took a 38-37 lead into halftime.
“I was concerned about the knockout punch early,” Collins said. “They hit us with five or seven quick ones early and then we settled down and hit a couple of shots to get ourselves in the game. To be able to get the lead at half I thought was important.”
Sophomore guard Jaden Akins returned to the lineup for the Spartans. Akins missed the entire Phil Knight Invitational and the game against Notre Dame. He not only returned, he took A.J. Hoggard’s spot in the starting lineup.
“I changed the lineup for a reason,” Izzo said. “It was to light a fire under A.J. for not doing the things that I need done as a point guard. To his credit, he responded extremely well”
Akins is not all the way back in terms of his conditioning, Izzo said. He expects Akins to play 16 to 18 minutes a game for about the next two weeks.
Tyson Walker’s aggressive playstyle on both ends of the floor makes him the impact player he is. He will reach, he will contest players’ shots at the rim and he will look to create space for his own shots on offense. Most of the time, Walker is capable of getting blocks and steals without fouling. However, foul trouble kept Walker out of a lot of the second half on Sunday. He picked up his fourth foul with 16:36 left in the game.
“We are good enough to win these games,” Izzo said. “We are good enough to beat just about anyone we’ve played so far. The disappointment for me tonight is that we couldn’t take the banging they did.”
Michigan State drops to 5-4 on the year and 0-1 in the Big Ten. The Spartans travel to Penn State on Wednesday to face the Nittany Lions.
PORTLAND, Ore. – In yet another game that came down to the final seconds, No. 12 Michigan State escaped the Chiles Center in Portland with a 78-77 win over the Portland Pilots. Junior point guard A.J. Hoggard led the Spartans with 12 points and nine assists to end the Phil Knight Invitational with a 2-1 record for MSU.
“The players make the plays, but the job of a coach is to put them in a place where they can be more successful,” head coach Tom Izzo said. “We have to get better. I have to get better.”
Michigan State is now 5-2 on the season after Sunday night’s victory.
Early in the second half, junior center Mady Sissoko slammed dunked an alley-oop to put the Spartans up 46-42. Sissoko took a hard fall after that play and was on the floor in pain. He got up seconds later and continued playing but played limited minutes as the game went on.
The Spartans had a 12-point lead with 3:52 left in the game. A three-pointer by Pilot guard Juan Sebastian Gorosito and a series of free throws put them back in the game in the final minute.
Pilot forward Kristian Sjolund made two threes, including one off a turnover.
The Pilots made nine three-pointers in the first half but were held to only four in the second half.
“They have an exciting team,” Izzo said on Portland. “They play well. They’re well-coached. They do a lot of good things.”
The Spartans relied heavily on Hoggard in the final stretch and his distribution helped his team edge past the Pilots.
“I thought A.J. [Hoggard] struggled in the first half,” Izzo said. “Everybody has strengths and weaknesses and one of his strengths is he finishes pretty well, gets to the rim, and uses his strength. He was much better defensively in the second half.”
Hoggard bounced back after a quiet performance against Oregon on Nov. 25. Against the Ducks, he recorded nine points and just three assists.
It was Hoggard’s left-handed jump shot that extended the Spartans’ lead late in the game.
Another Spartan who had an impact on Sunday’s game was graduate guard Jason Whitens. Whitens played in each of the three games at the PKI tournament and played an MSU career-high 16 minutes on Sunday.
Whitens used his athleticism to grab rebounds and even get crucial points in transition for the Spartans.
“He does a lot for us,” Hoggard said on Whitens. “He brought energy and he got a couple of good buckets for us at the right time.”
“He [Whitens] loves us, and he goes out there and plays hard for us,” Hoggard said.
The Spartans were left stunned after a turnover by forward Joey Hauser led to a three-pointer by the Pilots with 43 seconds left to make it a one-point game.
After a series of possession and an unconverted go-ahead basket by Pilots guard Tyler Robertson, the Spartans left Chiles Center with the slender 78-77 win.
After MSU guard Pierre Brooks missed a mid-range jumper, Portland called timeout with 8.1 seconds left. They would have to go the length of the floor, which they did with ease when Robertson had an opportunity for the game-winning layup down on the block but overshot it off the glass
“The nice part is I know we can get a lot better,” Izzo said. “I have no doubt in my mind we can get a lot better.”
Michigan State will return to East Lansing on Monday and immediately prepare for a road game against Notre Dame. Tip-off on Wednesday, Nov. 30, against the Fighting Irish is scheduled for 9:15 p.m. from South Bend, Ind.
No. 12 Michigan State defeats Oregon in second game of Phil Knight InvitationalNo. 12 Michigan State set for second game of PKI tournamentNo. 12 Michigan State opens Phil Knight Invitational against No. 18 Alabama
PORTLAND, Ore. – Graduate senior forward Joey Hauser recorded an 18-point double-double to lead Michigan State to a 74-70 win over Oregon in the second game of the Phil Knight Invitational.
On Thursday, the Spartans suffered a loss against No. 18 Alabama but were efficient in all aspects of the game to beat a physical Ducks side Friday night.
“We’re ahead of where I thought we were going to be when the season started,” head coach Tom Izzo said. “I did not have a good feeling about last night. Alabama is really good. I just think we didn’t compete the way you have to compete [against Alabama].”
In a game that came down to the wire, the Spartans kept their composure to improve their season record to 4-2.
W in Game 2 pic.twitter.com/gCHeZZMyy8
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) November 26, 2022
The Spartans shot 44.3% from the floor and made nine three-pointers in Friday night’s game. They only made four three-pointers against Alabama.
Meanwhile, a depleted Ducks side is now 2-4 after Friday night’s loss. The Ducks were without junior guard Keeshawn Barthelemy after he injured his left foot against No. 3 Houston on Nov. 20.
“I feel for Dana [Altman],” Izzo said. “I want to say I know what he’s going through, but he’s going through worse.”
Four scholarship players were on the court by the end of the game for Oregon.
The Ducks’ star center N’Faly Dante left the game against the Spartans in the first half with an apparent injury. Dante, who led UO in points, rebounds and field goal percentage, would not return. Senior forward Quincy Guerrier also fouled out with around seven minutes left to play.
Guerrier was one point shy of recording 1,000 career points.
Hauser, who left the Moda Center Thursday night with soreness in his ankle, became a driving force behind the Spartans’ win over the Ducks. He recorded 10 rebounds along with 18 points
“Joey [Hauser] has been one of my favorites because I’ve always believed in him,” Izzo said. “I got after him a bit [during the game] and I think a year ago he wouldn’t have responded. I think he played so well.”
Senior point guard Tyson Walker was another player for MSU that was heavily praised after the game. Walker tied Hauser with 18 points but added eight assists to amplify a strong individual performance.
Walker hit two free throws with 11 seconds left on the clock to solidify the 74-70 lead.
“I was proud of Tyson for making big shots,” Izzo said. “We had three guys; Tyson, AJ [Hoggard] and Mady [Sissoko] who all made six straight free throws.”
The Spartans went 11-12 from the free-throw line against the Ducks.
Sophomore guard Pierre Brooks hit three three-pointers and finished the game with 15 points, a significant improvement from his five points the previous night against the Crimson Tide.
Izzo said he was not impressed with Brooks’ performance against Alabama but was proud of his shot selection on Friday night.
“I had a talk with coach and I just need to do a lot more,” Brooks said. “In the last game I felt like I was just out there, I wasn’t really making any effect on the game. I was just a body out there. Today, I proved myself to be a lot better.”
Brooks played a career-high 35 minutes.
Michigan State will close the Phil Knight Invitational on Sunday, Nov. 27 to face Portland at the Chiles Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. EST from the University of Portland.
No. 12 Michigan State set for second game of PKI tournamentNo. 12 Michigan State opens Phil Knight Invitational against No. 18 AlabamaFINAL: Michigan State 70, Alabama 81
PORTLAND, Ore. – After an 81-70 loss to No. 18 Alabama in the first game of the Phil Knight Invitational, the Michigan State men’s basketball team returns to the hardwood to face Oregon at the Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum.
“We ran out of gas and it hurt our offense,” head coach Tom Izzo said after Thursday’s loss. “We have to get some guys [to play] better.”
The Spartans (3-2) were handicapped on the floor without senior forward Malik Hall (foot injury) and Jaden Akins (ankle injury) on Thursday night, but Izzo included some rotational players on the court.
update: Our next game in the PKI will be against Oregon, tonight at 12 AM ET on ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/vJHcPXsANu
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) November 25, 2022
Freshmen Tre Holloman, Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper combined for 29 minutes on the floor.
“We don’t have enough bodies right now, and those freshmen played a lot of minutes,” Izzo said. “In all honesty, Jaxon [Kohler] played pretty well, Carson [Cooper] struggled with some things, but I didn’t think I’d be playing those guys for 20 minutes.”
Kohler scored six points and had seven rebounds against the Crimson Tide.
The Spartans struggled to defend Alabama’s freshman sensation Brandon Miller, who ended the night with a game-high 24 points and nine rebounds.
Oregon comes into Friday night’s contest with a 2-3 record. They lost the first PKI game against No. 20 Connecticut 59-83.
The 7-foot Ducks center Kel’el Ware scored 18 points and recorded nine rebounds against UConn.
Throughout the 2022-2023 season, senior center N’Faly Dante is averaging 14.8 points and 7.4 rebounds for the Ducks. Dante is from Bamako, Mali, and was the No. 1 recruit out of Kansas in 2020 playing for Sunrise Christian Academy.
The Ducks’ losses before UConn were against No. 3 Houston on Nov. 20 and UC Irvine on Nov. 11.
Tip-off against the Oregon Ducks is scheduled for midnight EST from the Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Ore. It will air on ESPN2 and Impact 88.9 FM with broadcasters Brendan Schabath and Zach Slowik.
FINAL: Michigan State 70, Alabama 81No. 12 Michigan State opens Phil Knight Invitational against No. 18 AlabamaMarkoch: MSU needs to rely on its defense for continued success
EAST LANSING – Michigan State took care of business at the Breslin Center against Northern Arizona on Monday Night. The Spartans defeated the Lumberjacks 73-55 in dominant fashion. Michigan State got out to a quick start in its home opener. Forwards Joey Hauser and Malik Hall hit two early threes and the Spartans jumped out...
EAST LANSING – The Michigan State men’s basketball team picked up an exhibition game 73-56 win over Grand Valley State at the Breslin Center on Tuesday night. Here are three takeaways from the Spartan’s exhibition game against the Lakers. Dominating guard play It was no surprise when Michigan State ran out senior Tyson Walker and...
EAST LANSING – Michigan State had its hands full in an exhibition game against Grand Valley State on Tuesday. The Spartans beat the Lakers 73-56, pulling away in the second half. “I am very disappointed and I’ll call out almost every player,” said head coach Tom Izzo after the game. Izzo couldn’t help but smile...
EAST LANSING – Michigan State basketball forward Malik Hall has been named to the preseason All-Big Ten team on Thursday. The Spartans prepare to tip off in less than a month against Grand Valley State University in an exhibition on Nov.1. Hall led the Spartans to a 23-13 season in the 2021-2022 season, averaging 8.9...
EAST LANSING – Tom Izzo is a Spartan for life, both figuratively and literally. The men’s basketball head coach agreed to a lifetime contract on Thursday and will be paid an average of $6.2 million every season he remains as head coach. The contract will be up for formal approval by the Michigan State Board...
EAST LANSING – Four-star forward Coen Carr committed to Michigan State on Tuesday evening. Carr is the fourth commit in the 2023 class and head coach Tom Izzo is quickly compiling one of the best recruiting classes of his career. Carr is from Greenville, South Carolina, and plays at Legacy Early College. He stands at...
EAST LANSING – Gehrig Normand announced his commitment to play basketball at Michigan State on Tuesday night via Instagram. Normand is a four-star wing from North Richland Hills, Texas. @MSU_Basketball pic.twitter.com/fLEMVNC20N — Gehrig Normand (@GehrigNormand20) August 3, 2022 The 6-foot-6 wing chose the Spartans over Tennessee, Illinois, Wisconsin and others. Normand took an official visit...
EAST LANSING – For the first time since 2011, the Michigan State men’s basketball team will play on an aircraft carrier off the coast of San Diego for the 2022 Armed Forces Classic against Gonzaga. On Wednesday, CBS Sports revealed that the Spartans and the Bulldogs will face off on the USS Abraham Lincoln on...
EAST LANSING– The Big Ten Conference revealed the upcoming opponents for the 14 men’s basketball programs on Thursday, June 16. The conference also announced that the tournament would return to the United Center in Chicago on March 8-12, per the press release. Michigan State men’s basketball is set to host Maryland, Minnesota, Northwestern as well...
EAST LANSING – Max Christie has hired an agent and will stay in the 2022 NBA Draft. Christie’s career at Michigan State has ended after one season. The freshman guard started 35 games for MSU last season as a freshman and averaged 9.3 points, 1.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds a game. He was named to...
EAST LANSING, Mich— Michigan State has added some much needed depth to the 2022 frontcourt. On Sunday afternoon, IMG Academy senior Carson Cooper announced that he would be joining MSU for the upcoming season. The 6-foot-11, 220-pound forward spent two years playing for Jackson Northwest and spent his junior year playing alongside new teammate Jaden...
EAST LANSING, Mich— Michigan State coach Tom Izzo received some mixed news on Monday afternoon. After entering the transfer portal on April 19, junior forward Julius Marble announced that he would be transferring to Texas A&M to join head coach Buzz Williams. Marble, a Dallas native, now returns home to join a team that went...
EAST LANSING, Mich— After seeing center Julius Marble enter the transfer portal on Tuesday afternoon, Michigan State received some good news early on Wednesday. A message from #10 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/KIdU8FW5eS — Michigan State Men’s Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) April 20, 2022 Senior forward Joey Hauser announced that he would be using his COVID-19 year of eligibility and...