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EAST LANSING- After a third-round team score of 285 on Wednesday, May 8, the Michigan State women’s golf team placed third at the NCAA East Lansing Regional, earning a spot in the NCAA Championships.

The Spartans would shoot a collective total of 860 (-4) through 54 holes of golf, placing themselves in the top three behind Oklahoma State, and Southern California.

MSU’s team score of 860 was 12 shots better than its previous low 54-hole score in an NCAA Regional (872 both at the 2023 Palm Beach Regional and the 2017 Athens Regional).

See you in California!!#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/5jj0IZ91nA

— Spartan Women's Golf (@MSU_WGolf) May 8, 2024

Senior Leila Raines would lead MSU in the third round with a 69 (-3), with a tournament score of 210 (-6) through three rounds, shooting 73 (+1) on Monday, and 68 on (-4) Tuesday.

“It feels amazing – this is what we worked all season for,” said Raines in a statement after her Wednesday round. “The anticipation of it, being at home, and then just being able to pull it off like we wanted to is really rewarding.

Raines took 4th place individually, setting a 54-hole record for a Spartan in an NCAA Regional. This will also be the fourth-straight appearance in the NCAA Championships for Raines, who has gone with the team three total times (2021, 2023, and 2024) and qualified as an individual in 2022.

And Leila for eagle on 13! pic.twitter.com/D3iFxBBGza

— Spartan Women's Golf (@MSU_WGolf) May 7, 2024

“Being able to end my senior year here and now, a ticket punched to nationals, you can’t ask for much more,” said Raines in her Wednesday statement.

Junior Katie Lu, a first-team All-Big Ten selection, would be the next Spartan to place in the top 20, firing a tournament score of 216 (E). Lu would cap off her tournament with a 71 (-1), bouncing back after a Tuesday round of 73 (+1) and a Monday score of 72 (E).

A birdie on 7️⃣ for @katie_luuu pic.twitter.com/8Z9aUrckyq

— Spartan Women's Golf (@MSU_WGolf) May 8, 2024

Junior Shannon Kennedy shot an even-par 72 in a round that included a team-best six birdies, while sophomore Paula Balanzategui carded a 1-over 73 to round out MSU’s team scores in the third round. Balanzategui tied for 20th overall at 3-over 219 (74-72-73). Junior Brooke Biermann also tied for 20th finishing with a three-day total of 219 (72-71-76).

As for MSU head coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll, this will be her 14th appearance at the NCAA championships, as the Spartans will make their 16th all-time program arrival.

“The feeling of wanting to be there never dies and it never ends,” said Slobodnik-Stoll regarding coaching at the NCAA Championships.

“You are going to get to take those players who are representing Michigan State and all they’ve done and all they’ve worked for, to the national championship, which is the pinnacle of their career. And those are going to be memories that they’re going to remember for the rest of their lives.”

The 2024 NCAA Women’s Golf Championships are set for May 17-22 at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California. MSU will be making its third appearance in the past four seasons.

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With just a little over a month of the 2024 MLB season in the books, there have been surprises, disappointments, breakouts, and everything in between. With plenty more baseball left to be played, it is a bit of a mystery in terms of what production may or may not be sustainable, but regardless, it will be a sight to behold.

Rookie Revolution:

So far in 2024, some of the most impressive standouts come from the rookie pitchers. Chicago Cubs rookie Shota Imanaga has shined in his short MLB tenure, leading the league with a 0.78 ERA. The 30-year-old southpaw signed a four year, $53 million contract with the Cubs after spending the last seven years pitching in Japan. Imanaga also has a 5-0 record as a starter, clearly indicating his ability to get the job done for the first-place Cubbies.

However, Imanaga may not be the best rookie in the National League Central. Jared Jones’ high velocity and nasty pitch repertoire gives the Pirates a potential ace of the future. In Jones’ last outing on Saturday, the 22-year-old put on an astonishing performance at PNC Park, pitching seven innings while allowing only one hit and striking out ten Rockies hitters in a Pirates victory. Jones’ 52 punchouts are tied for second among all starters, and a scary one-two punch could be brewing in the Steel City once former No. 1 pick Paul Skenes gets the call to the majors.

The NL Central is not the only division with star-studded pitchers, as the NL West also has a youngster looking to join the ranks. After backing up the brinks truck to sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12 year, $325 million contract, expectations were through the roof for the new Dodgers starter.

Yamamoto opened his rookie campaign with a disastrous first start in South Korea against the Padres, allowing five runs on four hits in only an inning of work. Since then, Yamamoto has been everything Dodger fans have expected, netting a 1.64 ERA since his inaugural start and a 2.92 ERA on the young season. The race for NL Rookie of the Year should be a tight one between these three highly impressive young arms.

Trouble in Texas:

They say everything is bigger in Texas, and it seems that still applies to postseason hangovers. Fresh off their first ever playoff meeting in the ALCS, the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros both got off to slow starts to open the 2024 slate. The Astros, coming off their World Series in 2022 and the retirement of Dusty Baker, were hit hard with regression.

The Astros opened up the season by going 10-19 in the month of April, including an opening series sweep at home at the hands of the new-look Yankees. Jose Altuve and Kyle Tucker have been splendid for the struggling ‘Stros, but the real issue lies in the rotation. Injuries and struggles have depleted the Astros starters, contributing to a 4.75 ERA as a team, which is 26th in the MLB. The 12-22 record in Space City is tied with the Angels for last in the AL West and among the five worst records in all of baseball, only trailing the Rockies, Marlins, and White Sox.

As for the defending champion Rangers, their World Series hangover was less severe, but they still got off to a disappointing start due to their lofty expectations. Just a year ago, Corey Seager hit .327 with a 1.013 on base plus slugging OPS and finished in second place in AL MVP voting. To open the 2024 season, the two-time World Series MVP opened the season hitting .228 with a .594 OPS and a .138 batting average over the last 15 days.

Despite the slow start from Seager, the Rangers are still sitting at a 19-16 overall record and are half a game back in of the division from the leading Seattle Mariners. Like their Lone Star Series rivals, the Rangers have woes in the pitching rotation with both Max Scherzer and Nathan Eovaldi sidelined with injuries and Jacob DeGrom and Tyler Mahle both shut down until August at least. Despite subpar contributions from some of their most valuable contributors, the Rangers got off to a slower start than most expected. With both Texas teams suffering some early adversity, it will be interesting to see how they will rebound from this slow start, as we should expect to see both of these teams playing some October baseball yet again.

Stars Struggling:

Through the first month of the MLB Season, there have been a lot of bats who are red-hot, like Tyler O’Neill and Alec Bohm. On the other end of the spectrum, a lot of stars have gotten off to slow starts to open the 2024 season. Randy Arozarena is one of these players. The power has been there for the 29-year-old, but Arozarena is last among all qualified hitters with a .143 batting average on the new year. Arozarena’s struggles are a large factor as to why the Rays are 17-18 and fourth in the AL East.

Two other stars hitting below the Mendoza Line are Matt Olson and Bo Bichette. Olson is known for his light tower power, hitting 54 homers a year ago. However, Olson is hitting a measly .197 with only three homers in 2024. As for Bichette, he has never hit below .290 in a season, until now. Bichette can’t seem to put the bat on the ball with a .195 average thus far, despite three straight seasons of 175 or more hits. The 16-19 Blue Jays will need far more from their most consistent contact hitter if they want to escape the cellar of the loaded AL East.

Stars are struggling all across the MLB, but none are struggling more than in the Big Apple. Juan Soto has been masterful in his short tenure as a Yankee, but his lineup partner Aaron Judge is having a particularly slow start to 2024. Judge’s 44 strikeouts are tied for seventh in the MLB and is hitting .220 just two years removed from his historic 62-homer MVP season in 2022.

Taking the Subway to Citi Field, both Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor are off to slow starts of their own. Alonso is hitting .206 and Lindor is hitting .207 to start the year as the two most important bats in Carlos Mendoza’s lineup have been ice cold through a month of action. Alonso is hitting .038 over his last seven games and both Mets stars have an OBP lower than .300. It is a safe bet to assume that almost every struggling star will catch fire at some point, but it is definitely still concerning to see many of the household names slumping this early.

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1. Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams, USC, QB, Junior

A | For a year, QB Caleb Williams has been slated to go number one overall in this draft, and if not number one, then at least the first quarterback taken. He’s everything you could want in a franchise QB. He has a rocket arm, the ability to move in and out of the pocket, elite improvisation skills, and can make plays on and off schedule. In terms of value, there is none. He’s the best player in the draft, and he’s being drafted as such. If you’re the Bears, this is the biggest home run you can possibly hit.2

1. Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU, Senior

B- | It’s been a long time coming for the 2023 Heisman winner. Starting as a freshman at Arizona State University, QB Jayden Daniels’ development throughout his college career is nothing short of impressive. He’s one of the best runners in this class as a QB, and he has great accuracy to boot. The B- comes from the other QB on the board, Drake Maye, who I think has a much higher ceiling than Daniels. Regardless, Daniels is a great player whose development has been fun to watch.

1. New England Patriots: Drake Maye, North Carolina, QB, Sophomore (RS)

A | After a plethora of teams trying to move up to this pick, the Pats stay pat and take QB Drake Maye. As a prospect, Maye is one of the best in this class. While he’s not a finished product and has much to learn, he has one of the highest ceilings out of anyone in this class. If Maye can reach that ceiling, New England will have their franchise QB for many years to come.

1. Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State, WR, Junior

A | No one is happier than GM Monti Ossenfort when he’s able to stick and pick the 2023 Biletnikoff Award winner. Simply put, WR Marvin Harrison Jr. is one of the best receiver prospects to come out of college in a decade. He has the size, strength, speed, toughness, and football IQ to become an all-time type of receiver. Arizona doesn’t have a legit WR1 on their roster, so Harrison Jr. can come in and immediately be that alpha receiver. Don’t be surprised if he ends up in the same spot as his dad, in Canton.

1. Los Angeles Chargers: Joe Alt, Notre Dame, T, Junior

A- | For a month or two now, many have expected the Chargers to trade back from this spot to allow another team to select a certain Michigan QB. In reality, HC Jim Harbaugh is more than happy to stick at number five and give QB Justin Herbert even more protection with the addition of T Joe Alt. He has surprising movement skills at his massive 6 ‘9, 321 lbs frame, and, paired with fellow tackle Rashawn Slater, they will be one of the best tackle duos in the NFL.

1. New York Giants: Malik Nabers, LSU, WR, Junior

A- | The Giants are seemingly sticking with QB Daniel Jones with this selection. WR Malik Nabers brings immense explosiveness and twitchiness to a receiving room that doesn’t have much of that. His elite change of direction and questionable physicality lends him to becoming more of a slot WR, but don’t be surprised if he plays more of an X role in New York.

1. Tennessee Titans: JC Latham, Alabama, T, Junior

D | This is a reach to me. With tackles like Olu Fashanu, Taliese Fuaga, Troy Fautanu, and others still on the board, going with T JC Latham here doesn’t make much sense. Don’t get me wrong, Latham is a good prospect. At 6’5, 342 lbs, he’s a massive human being, incredibly hard to move, and has a sturdy base. But, I see Latham as more of a guard in the league and the Titans are going to try him at tackle. Prove me wrong Latham, prove me wrong.

1. Atlanta Falcons: Michael Penix Jr., Washington, QB, Senior

F | Wow! In the biggest shocker of night one, the Falcons selected QB Michael Penix Jr. to be the successor to QB Kirk Cousins. You start scratching your head when you remember that Atlanta gave Cousins a four-year, 180-million-dollar contract this offseason. To go even further, Penix Jr. will be 24 on May 8. If Cousins plays out his contract, Penix Jr. won’t get the chance to play until he’s 28. Even if Cousins doesn’t play out the entirety of his contract, Penix Jr. will be getting the reins to this offense on the wrong side of 25. Of course, Penix Jr. is a great player, but I’m utterly surprised by this move and I can’t find a reason for it.

1. Chicago Bears: Rome Odunze, Washington, WR, Senior

A+ | Another Washington player comes off the board when the Bears step up to the podium and pick WR Rome Odunze. He’s one of the top eight players in this draft and gives new Chicago Bear QB Caleb Williams a WR room of D.J. Moore, Keenan Allen, and now Rome Odunze to work with. If that’s not setting up your quarterback for success, I’m not sure what is.

1. TRADE | Minnesota Vikings: J.J. McCarthy, Michigan, QB, Junior

C+ | Minnesota trades up just one spot with the Jets to secure the selection of the 2024 National Champion, J.J McCarthy. With the departure of QB Kirk Cousins, the Vikings desperately needed to get their long-term option at QB, and they hope McCarthy can be just that. I understand trading up one spot to get him, but for such an unknown like McCarthy, I would’ve kept the capital and hope he lasted one pick more.

1. TRADE | New York Jets: Olu Fashanu, Penn State, T, Junior (RS)

B+ | After collecting tackles Morgan Moses and Tyron Smith this offseason, the Jets go back to the tackle well and select T Olu Fashanu. He can sit behind those two tackles, learn, and eventually take the reigns at either right or left tackle. It’s a great situation for Fashanu and a smart pick by the Jets.

1. Denver Broncos: Bo Nix, Oregon, QB, Senior

B- | For the first time ever, six QBs have gone in the first 12 picks of an NFL Draft. For the last pick of those picks, QB Bo Nix is heading to Denver. While a slight reach, I understand taking him here. If you try to wait for him to drop/trade back up later, you risk not being able to get one of the top six QBs in this class. Denver needed a QB and got their QB with this pick.

1. Las Vegas Raiders: Brock Bowers, Georgia, TE, Junior

C | Another surprise comes when the Raiders select TE Brock Bowers from Georgia. After drafting TE Michael Mayer last year, it’s going to be a full TE room in Vegas, and I’m not sure how either TE will be able to garner the receptions that they deserve. Regardless, Bowers is a top-ten prospect in this class and makes this offense better on day one.

1. New Orleans Saints: Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State, T, Junior (RS)

A- | By far, the Saints’ biggest need is tackle, so taking T Taliese Fuaga out of Oregon State is a no-brainer for them. Fuaga is a mauler in the run-blocking game and a solid pass-blocker as well. While this doesn’t fix all of the Saints’ offensive line problems, it goes a long way to improve it.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Laiatu Latu, UCLA, ED, Senior

B- | The first defensive player finally comes off the board when the Colts select the UCLA ED, Laiatu Latu. After medically retiring a few years ago, Latu has had a long road to get to this position. Latu was able to get back here through his incredible polish as a pass rusher and his great hands when attacking offensive linemen. While the Cots may have had more pressing needs, Latu is a good pick.

1. Seattle Seahawks: Byron Murphy II, Texas, DI, Junior

B | With the first draft selection of new HC Mike Macdonald, he goes defense with the selection of DI Byron Murphy II. He’s incredibly explosive and athletic as a pass-rusher and pairs nicely with fellow interior defensive lineman, Leonard Williams. Watch out NFC East QBs.

1. TRADE | Minnesota Vikings: Dallas Turner, Alabama, ED, Junior

A- | With the second trade of the first round, it’s the Vikings again moving up. This time, they move up for the athletic freak from Alabama, ED Dallas Turner. After the loss of ED Danielle Hunter in free agency, this pick immediately fills a need for Minnesota. Yes, having to give up a bit of capital to get him stings, but he can develop into the type of impact player where it’s worth every penny.

1. Cincinnati Bengals: Amarius Mims, Georgia, T, Junior

A- | While the Bengals already have tackles Orlando Brown Jr. and Trent Brown in town, adding T Amaruis Mims is still a great choice. Mims won’t be fully ready to go on day one, so being able to sit behind fellow mountain-size tackles is great for him. For the Bengals, Mims has the chance to develop into an All-Pro tackle, and this pick is a home run if that happens.

1. Los Angeles Rams: Jared Verse, Florida State, ED, Senior

B | This is a strong pick for the Rams, both literally and figuratively. Figuratively, the Rams have big holes in their defensive line and ED Jared Verse fills their DE hole. Literally, Verse brings great strength and power to said defensive line. A good pick for LA.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers: Troy Fautanu, Washington, T, Senior

A | This is back-to-back years of the Steelers selecting tackles with their first pick. Last year, they picked T Broderick Jones, this year, it’s T Troy Fautanu. Fautanu has some medical questions but is very effective as a pass-blocker and run-blocker when he’s healthy. His hands have good punch and he’s a plus athlete. If Fautanu can stay healthy, he will have a great NFL career in Pittsburgh.

1. Miami Dolphins: Chop Robinson, Penn State, ED, Junior

C+ | Speed is the name of Miami’s game, and I guess that’s also true with their defense. ED Chop Robinson has one of the fastest first steps out of any edge that I’ve ever seen and no one in college could stop him because of this. But, the rest of Robinson’s game has some left to be desired. He’s very unpolished and has much to learn, but he has sky-high potential.

1. Philadelphia Eagles: Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo, CB, Senior

A+ | This is one of the best picks of the first round, and GM Howie Roseman didn’t have to move an inch. After an amazing Senior Bowl, CB Quinyon Mitchell catapulted himself into the conversation for CB1 of this class. The Eagles’ biggest need was cornerback, so why not be able to draft arguably the best one with your own pick?

1. TRADE | Jacksonville Jaguars: Brian Thomas Jr., LSU, WR, Junior

B+ | After losing WR Calvin Ridley in the offseason, the Jags used their first pick and gave QB Trevor Lawrence a new speedy weapon in WR Brian Thomas Jr. His unique combo of height and speed gives him the potential to become a legit WR1 in the NFL.

1. TRADE | Detroit Lions: Terrion Arnold, Alabama, CB, Sophomore (RS)

A | The hometown team for this year’s draft, the Lions, moved up five spots with the Cowboys to select CB Terrion Arnold from Alabama. This is the third time in three years that GM Brad Holmes has traded up in the first round, and this has the chance to be the best out of all of those picks. Arnold will walk in on day one of training camp and compete for CB1 in Detroit.

1. Green Bay Packers: Jordan Morgan, Arizona, T, Senior

C | The Packers did need another offensive lineman, but T Jordan Morgan is a bit of a reach. I do think he’s a first-round talent, but seeing the versatile C Graham Barton still on the board, it’s hard to stomach not picking him. Regardless, Morgan is a very solid player and upgrades the Packers’ offensive line.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Graham Barton, Duke, C, Senior

A- | In a spot where the Bucs can go in a lot of directions, they go with Barton from Duke. He can play nearly every position on the offensive line, but in Tampa, I see him playing one of the three interior offensive line positions.

1. Arizona Cardinals: Darius Robinson, Missouri, ED, Graduate

C+ | The Cardinals have a lot of holes still on their roster, so it’s hard for them to go wrong with their second pick in the first round. With that pick, they go with the massive ED from Missouri, Darius Robinson. While it’s questionable that he went in the first round, he’s an immediate improvement in Arizona.

1. TRADE | Kansas City Chiefs: Xavier Worthy, Texas, WR, Junior

B+ | I’m not sure I would give this high of a grade for any other team that could’ve taken WR Xavier Worthy in the first round, but the Chiefs have a top-five all-time QB with a rocket-arm, so it’s a little different here. Along with the fact that they already picked up WR Marquise Brown in the offseason, the speed in KC is now unreal.

1. TRADE | Dallas Cowboys: Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma, T, Junior (RS)

B | After moving back a few spots with the Lions, the Cowboys draft project tackle, Tyler Guyton. He’s another tackle that has incredible tools, he just needs a place to learn and develop. Based on the history of Cowboys’ tackles, Dallas is a good spot for Guyton.

1. Baltimore Ravens: Nate Wiggins, Clemson, CB, Junior

B+ | With only two CBs gone in the first round, a CB-needy Ravens team had a lot to choose from. They ended up going with CB Nate Wiggins from Clemson. He has great length, speed, and change-of-direction ability. He does have a problem with tackling, but he has all the tools to be a legit lockdown CB1 in the league.

1. San Francisco 49ers: Ricky Pearsall, Florida, WR, Senior

C+ | In a big surprise, the 49ers take a WR with their first pick, that WR being the Florida prospect, Ricky Pearsall. After rumors of San Francisco shopping WRs Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, this makes sense for them. Pearsall brings reliable hands and great shiftiness with him to the Bay.

1. TRADE | Carolina Panthers: Xavier Legette, South Carolina, WR, Senior

B | The Panthers moved up one spot, from the first pick of the second round to the last pick of the first round, to pick WR Xavier Legette. Legette is a big, outside threat with room to grow as a player. Pair him with QB Byrce Young and they can play off each other and grow together.

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This is it, the last mock draft before the 2024 NFL Draft. This is the fifth mock that has been published in this draft process, and it’s been an honor to share them with you all.

A lot has changed and nothing has changed at the same time. Some of these picks you’ll recognize, some may surprise you. And like before, there are some crazy trades as well.

Since this is the last mock for this year, I’ve decided to do three full rounds. That’s 100 NFL draft picks. Because of such length, I won’t waste anymore time and we’ll get into it.

ROUND ONE

1. Chicago Bears: Caleb Williams, USC, QB, Junior

I’ve done five mocks leading up to this years’ draft, all five of them had Williams going first to the Bears. There’s not much more to say about Williams as a prospect that hasn’t already been said. He’s an other-worldly prospect.

1. Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, LSU, QB, Senior

Will the Commanders select Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels? It’s a coin-flip right now, but because of the hiring of OC Kliff Kingsbury, I lean towards Daniels.

1. TRADE | Minnesota Vikings: Drake Maye, North Carolina, QB, Sophomore (RS)

With Maye now sitting here at pick three, the Vikings unload all their draft capital that they’re garnered over the months leading up to the draft and move up to take him.

1. Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State, WR, Junior

His father, Marvin Harrison, is one of the greatest wide receivers to ever play the game. The fourth overall pick in his draft, his son Harrison Jr., has the chance to be an all-time type of receiver as well.

1. TRADE | Denver Broncos: J.J. McCarthy, Michigan, QB, Junior

Another trade-up for a QB, this time it’s the Broncos moving up to pick five for 2024 National Champion, J.J. McCarthy. HC Sean Payton finally has his guy in Denver,

1. New York Giants: Rome Odunze, Washington, WR, Senior

At pick six, it’s a choice between two of the best WR prospects in a decade. In 5.0, the Giants picked Odunze, a WR that I think is a better fit in New York than Malik Nabers.

1. Tennessee Titans: Joe Alt, Notre Dame, T, Junior

This pick makes all the sense in the world for the Titans. Alt is a top five prospect in this draft class and easily the best tackle prospect to boot. Tennessee, in need of their franchise LT, draft Alt to hopefully fill that need.

1. TRADE | Indianapolis Colts: Malik Nabers, LSU, WR, Junior

With Nabers slightly slipping, the Colts pay to move up seven spots to grab another weapon for QB Anthony Richardson. Nabers, paired with WRs Michael Pittman and Josh Downs, creates a lethal WR room in Indy.

1. Chicago Bears: Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois, DI, Senior

The first defensive player comes off the board when Chicago selects Jer’Zhan Newton. Newton, one of the more looked-over prospects in this class, gets his recognition via a top ten pick.

1. New York Jets: Brock Bowers, Georgia, TE, Junior

After the Jets addressed their tackle problem in free agency with the signings of T’s Morgan Moses and Tyron Smith, they pivot and select the all-world TE talent, Brock Bowers.

1. TRADE | New England Patriots: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State, T, Junior (RS)

After trading back with Minnesota, the Patriots select Fashanu. New England can really draft any position, so they look to upgrade their tackle position in their first draft pick in the post-Bill Belichick era.

1. TRADE | Los Angeles Chargers: Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State, T, Junior (RS)

Back-to-back picks from a team that traded back from the top five. In the second one of those picks, the Chargers pick the mauling tackle from Oregon State, Taliese Fuaga.

1. TRADE | Philadelphia Eagles: Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo, CB, Senior

Three trades in a row! This time it’s Philly moving up nine spots with the Raiders to select the best CB prospect in this class, Quinyon Mitchell.

1. New Orleans Saints: Troy Fautanu, Washington, T, Senior

The Saints are in desperate need of another tackle to add to their offensive line. Fautanu, the versatile tackle from Washington, heads to the Big Easy to fill their need.

1. TRADE | Atlanta Falcons: Jared Verse, Florida State, ED, Senior

In a Falcons’ offseason shrouded with offensive moves, Atlanta moves back a few spots and takes the powerful edge from Florida State.

1. Seattle Seahawks: Dallas Turner, Alabama, ED, Junior

Another edge comes off the board when the Seahawks take the high-ceiling Dallas Turner. A new piece for new HC Mike Macdonald’s defense.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Terrion Arnold, Alabama, CB, Sophomore (RS)

The Jags desperately need a CB1 to be a staple of their secondary. Terrion Arnold has the potential to be just that.

1. Cincinnati Bengals: Amarius Mims, Georgia, T, Junior

Bengals get a good one here with the selection of Amarius Mims. Mims, who has the potential to become a legitimate top five tackle in the league, joins fellow mountain-sized tackles Orlando Brown Jr. and Trent Brown in Cincy.

1. Los Angeles Rams: Byron Murphy II, Texas, DI, Junior

The headline of the Rams 2024 offseason was the retirement of soon-to-be hall of famer DT Aaron Donald. His retirement leaves a huge hole in the Rams defensive line, so the draft pick of Byron Murphy II should fill that hole back up.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers: Brian Thomas Jr., LSU, WR, Junior

Pittsburgh traded WR Diontae Johnson this offseason, which left just WR George Pickens as the only legitimate threat in their receiving core. Drafting Brian Thomas Jr. brings a second threat and a whole new, speedy dimension to the Steelers reciever room.

1. Miami Dolphins: JC Latham, Alabama, T, Junior

Miami lost multiple offensive lineman this past free agency period. With the 21st pick, they select JC Latham and look to move him inside to guard to partially replace their losses.

1. TRADE | Las Vegas Raiders: Michael Penix Jr., Washington, QB, Senior

QBs Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew make up the Raiders current quarterback room. Looking around the rest of the AFC West, you need a high-level quarterback to compete. Michael Penix Jr. has the chance to compete.

1. TRADE | New England Patriots: Bo Nix, Oregon, QB, Senior

One of the Patriots most glaring needs is the most important one, quarterback. In their second of two picks that they received from trading back with the Vikings, they find their new quarterback.

1. Dallas Cowboys: Graham Barton, Duke, OL, Senior

Graham Barton can play all five offensive lineman positions at a high level. Cowboys pick him here and will puzzle piece him into their own offensive line.

1. Green Bay Packers: Cooper DeJean, Iowa, DB, Junior

It’s hard to pinpoint what Green Bay can do with their first pick. A fit I like for them is DeJean, who can play safety, slot CB, or outside CB for the Packers.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Laiatu Latu, UCLA, ED, Senior

Latu is a tough case to crack. As an edge, he’s beyond his years and incredibly polished, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that he medically-retired from the sport a few years ago before coming back with UCLA. If he stays healthy, this is a great steal for the Bucs.

1. Arizona Cardinals: Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon, C, Junior

Arizona is another team that can pick any position. With the 27th pick, the Cardinals get their new center in Jackson Powers-Johnson to spearhead their revamped offensive line.

1. Buffalo Bills: Adonai Mitchell, Texas, WR, Junior

In a surprising move, the Bills traded star WR Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans. This move leaves Buffalo in desperate need to give QB Josh Allen another star receiver. Lucky for them, this WR class has all-time type of potential and has one of my favorite players in AD Mitchell.

1. Detroit Lions: Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama, CB, Junior

The Lions don’t have a lot of needs on their team, but if you had to pick one, you’d probably pick cornerback. Everyone was drinking the Detroit kool-aid last year with their run to the NFC championship game, so why not draft Kool-Aid now?

1. Baltimore Ravens: Tyler Guyton, Oklahoma, T, Junior (RS)

Baltimore take the raw Oklahoma tackle with their first pick. Guyton has all of the tools in the world to become a high-level tackle in the league, but he needs time to sit to reach this potential.

1. San Francisco 49ers: Nate Wiggins, Clemson, CB, Junior

Wiggins may be the best pure lockdown corner in this draft class, but his downsides come in when you look at his size (6’2, 173 lbs) and his willingness to tackle opposing players. Regardless, Wiggins in San Fran has the chance to be dangerous.

1. Kansas City Chiefs: Kingsley Suamataia, BYU, T, Sophomore (RS)

The champs end round and night one with the selection of another high-upside tackle. Suamataia, just like Guyton and Mims, has a plethora of physical tools to build upon.

ROUND TWO

1. Carolina Panthers: Xavier Legette, South Carolina, WR, Senior

The Panthers start off night two with getting QB Bryce Young a new weapon in Xavier Legette.

1. New England Patriots: Troy Franklin, Oregon, WR, Junior

New England took Nix with their second pick in the first round, so why not use your next pick on getting his college receiver? Franklin and Nix will have an immediate connection in the Patriots’ new offense.

1. Arizona Cardinals: Chop Robinson, Penn State, ED, Junior

The Cardinals use the 36th pick on one of the more interesting prospects in this draft, Chop Robinson. The raw Robinson has much to learn, but sky is the limit if he properly develops in Arizona.

1. Washington Commanders: Tyler Nubin, Minnesota, S, Senior

The first safety of the draft comes off the board when the Commanders take the Minnesota prospect, Tyler Nubin.

1. Los Angeles Chargers: Braden Fiske, Florida State, DI, Senior

The Chargers go back to the trenches with their second pick, but this time, it’s on the other side of the ball. Fiske drips with athletic ability and looks to blow up opposing quarterbacks.

1. Tennessee Titans: Chris Braswell, Alabama, ED, Senior

Braswell was lost in the shuffle in Tuscaloosa with the likes of Will Andersen Jr. and Dallas Turner in the same locker room, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve this selection. Braswell brings a blend of speed and power that could be dangerous in Tennessee.

1. Carolina Panthers: Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Missouri, CB, Junior (RS)

Just six picks later, Carolina is back up on the clock. They go with Rakestraw Jr. to bring a physical presence to their cornerback room.

1. Washington Commanders: Jordan Morgan, Arizona, T, Senior

Another team with two picks in the top ten of this round. After taking Nubin, Washington flips the side of the ball and adds Morgan to their offensive line.

1. Green Bay Packers: Payton Wilson, NC State, LB, Senior

Pick 41 is where the first linebacker of the draft comes off the board. Wilson joins fellow LBs Quay Walker and Isaiah McDuffie in Wisconsin.

1. Houston Texans: T.J. Tampa, Iowa State, CB, Senior

After an eventful offseason, the Texans are finally on the clock at pick 42. With his pick, they grab the lengthy cornerback from Iowa State to pair with CB Derek Stingley Jr.

1. Atlanta Falcons: Ladd McConkey, Georgia, WR, Junior (RS)

New quarterback in town, Kirk Cousins, loves it when Atlanta takes the sure-handed, shifty receiver from Georgia, Ladd McConkey. McConkey with WR Drake London will be fun to watch.

1. Las Vegas Raiders: Kamari Lassiter, Georgia, CB, Junior

Another Georgia player comes off the board when the Raiders selects Kamari Lassiter. He might not be the most physically dominant or fastest player, but his best attribute is his mind and football processor.

1. New Orleans Saints: Kris Jenkins, Michigan, DI, Junior (RS)

Jenkins’ father played most of his career with the Panthers. In this mock, Jenkins will get to play for the Panthers’ division rival, the Saints.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas, TE, Junior

Indy grab another weapon for Anthony Richardson, this time it’s ultra-athlete from Texas, Ja’Tavion Sanders

1. New York Giants: Mike Sainristil, Michigan, CB, Senior

Giants use the 47th pick on the talented slot CB, Mike Sainristil. You might last remember Sainristil from nearly returning an interception for a touchdown in the title game against Washington.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Darius Robinson, Missouri, ED, Graduate

The Jags stick with defense with their second pick, but this time they target the defensive line with the selection of Darius Robinson. One of the draft process’ biggest risers lands in Jacksonville.

1. Cincinnati Bengals: Roman Wilson, Michigan, WR, Senior

After applying the franchise tag on him, the future of WR Tee Higgins in Cincinnati is shrouded with questions. Because of this, the Bengals use their second pick on Roman Wilson.

1. Las Vegas Raiders: Ja’Lynn Polk, Washington, WR, Junior (RS)

Another college QB and college WR pairing here with the 50th pick. This time, Vegas pairs first round pick Penix Jr. with one of his college WRs, Ja’Lynn Polk.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers: Zach Frazier, West Virginia, C, Senior

Pittsburgh, as of when this article is published, doesn’t not have a center on their roster. It is one of their biggest needs, so they fill that need with the experienced Zach Frazier.

1. TRADE | Kansas City Chiefs: Keon Coleman, Florida State, WR, Junior

A champion trade! KC moves up over ten spots to grab the living highlight reel that is Keon Coleman. You may remember him from his time in East Lansing, where he spent two seasons at Michigan State

1. Philadelphia Eagles: Ricky Pearsall, Florida, WR, Senior

Pearsall will slide right into the slot WR role in Philly and complete their dangerous-looking offense. Ricky’s hands are his best attribute, and if you want proof of this, look up his catch against Charlotte and tell me that it is not one of the best college catches in a decade.

1. Cleveland Browns: Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M, LB, Senior

Another LB is off the board when the Browns take Edgerrin Cooper with their first pick. He’s lengthy, athletic, and brings a new dimension to Cleveland’s defense.

1. Miami Dolphins: Xavier Worthy, Texas, WR, Junior

Speed, speed, speed. That’s the name of Miami’s offensive game. QB Tua Tagovailoa has a group of track-stars to throw to when the Dolphins pick Xavier Worthy.

1. Dallas Cowboys: Jonathon Brooks, Texas, RB, Sophomore (RS)

The first RB is off the board when Dallas picks up the hometown RB, Jonathan Brooks. The Cowboys lost fellow RB Tony Pollard this offseason, so Brooks can come in and immediately be their bellcow back.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Christian Haynes, Connecticut, G, Senior

Tamps gets another piece for their offensive line with the selection of Christian Haynes. The Connecticut product brings an immense amount of college experience with him.

58 Green Bay Packers: Ruke Orhorhoro, Clemson, DI, Senior

Green Bay adds some more juice to their defensive line when they pick Ruke Orhorhoro. Orhorhoro has a high-floor and can come in and immediately make an impact.

1. Houston Texans: Kiran Amegadije, Yale, T, Junior

Houston uses their second pick on the Yale product, Kiran Amegadije. It’s always hard to project FCS players to the NFL, but Amegadije is one of the best tackles to come out of the FCS in a while.

1. Buffalo Bills: Cole Bishop, Utah, S, Junior

Because of cap concerns, Buffalo has had to let go of a few players that make up their secondary. Desperately needing to build that secondary back up, they go with Cole Bishop.

1. Detroit Lions: Marshawn Kneeland, Western Michigan, ED, Senior

Yes, Detroit brought in ED Marcus Davenport this offseason, but he’s not your long-term option. I think Kneeland can come in and immediately make an impact and have a long career with the Lions.

1. Baltimore Ravens: Jermaine Burton, Alabama, WR, Senior

If there’s a player-team fit that I like the most in this draft, it might be Jermaine Burton to the Ravens. The DMV team still needs another receiver, and Burton brings the physicality and feistiness of past Ravens and AFC North players.

1. San Francisco 49ers: Mason McCormick, South Dakota State, G, Senior

McCormick is another high-riser in this draft process. This might be a tad light for him, but the 49ers need offensive line help and I think he fits what the 49ers look for.

1. TRADE | Los Angeles Rams: Jonah Eliss, Utah, ED, Junior

After trading back with the Chiefs, the Rams are still able to grab Jonah Eliss with the last pick of the second round. He and Murphy II immediately make the Rams’ pass rush much more dangerous.

ROUND THREE

1. Carolina Panthers: Adisa Isaac, Penn State, ED, Senior

Carolina starts off round three with the selection of Adisa Isaac. Isaac, maybe not as explosive as the other Penn State edge taken in this draft, still brings a high-level of explosiveness and power to Charlotte.

1. Arizona Cardinals: Max Melton, Rutgers, CB, Senior

Melton is another high-riser in this draft process. He can play either inside or outside, so the Cards take him here and piece him into their defense.

1. Washington Commanders: Bralen Trice, Washington, ED, Senior

Washington to Washington for Bralen Trice. Obviously not the same location, but Trice can bring serious power to our nation’s capital.

1. New England Patriots: Junior Colson, Michigan, LB, Junior

Born in Haiti, Junior Colson has one heck of a ride to the NFL. Well he made it, and he brings great size to New England’s linebacking core.

1. Los Angeles Chargers: Blake Corum, Michigan, RB, Senior

Another Michigan player is off the board when Blake Corum heads to LA. You think Jim Harbaugh won’t take one of his Michigan players? Coupled with the fact that RB Austin Ekeler is now in Washington, it’s easy to see this happening.

1. New York Giants: Brandon Dorlus, Oregon, DI, Senior

The Giants add to their defensive interior with the selection of Brandon Dorlus from Oregon. To boot, he can also move out to a 4-3 edge if New York wants to as well.

1. Arizona Cardinals: Javon Bullard, Georgia, S, Junior

Already back up on the clock, Arizona goes with the best-player-available and selects Javon Bullard from Georgia. He brings great versatility to the Cardinal’s secondary.

1. New York Jets: Javon Baker, UCF, WR, Senior

Another weapon for QB Aaron Rodgers when the Jets take Javon Baker. He’s a great outside threat to pair with WRs Mike Williams and Garrett Wilson.

1. Detroit Lions: Johnny Wilson, Florida State, WR, Junior (RS)

Another WR off the board when the Lions take the 6’7 receiver from Florida State. His size and length will undoubtedly be a problem near the endzone and Detroit doesn’t have a receiver in the build of Wilson.

1. Atlanta Falcons: Khyree Jackson, Oregon, CB, Senior

Besides CB A.J. Terrell, the Falcons don’t have a legit second CB option. Khyree Jackson, with a compelling blend of speed and length, heads to the ATL to be that option.

1. Chicago Bears: Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky, WR, Senior

The Bears WR core already looks dangerous already they added Keenan Allen, so when they add the nearly-impossible to take down Malachi Corley, the Windy City is going to be much-watch football this season.

1. Denver Broncos: Devontez Walker, North Carolina, WR, Senior

This is the fourth WR taken in the last five picks. This time it’s Denver grabbing the high-upside prospect from North Carolina.

1. Las Vegas Raiders: Andru Phillips, Kentucky, CB, Senior

Andru Phillips is a ultra-physical corner and plays with a type of tenacity that’s hard to find. He makes a good-fit in Vegas.

1. TRADE | Los Angeles Rams: Spencer Rattler, QB, Senior (RS)

The Rams trade up a few spots here to draft Spencer Rattler from South Carolina. The former five star prospect coming out of high school has an opportunity to take over in LA whenever QB Matthew Stafford calls it a career.

1. Atlanta Falcons: Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson, LB, Junior

Atlanta goes back to their defense with their second of three third round picks, this time grabbing the high IQ Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

1. Cincinnati Bengals: Gabriel Murphy, UCLA, ED, Senior

Cincy adds another pass rusher to their defense when they select Gabriel Murphy from UCLA. Murphy is a crafty, technical pass rusher that has great hand-usage.

1. Seattle Seahawks: Blake Fisher, Notre Dame, T, Sophomore (RS)

While Joe Alt is, rightfully, getting a lot of praise for this work, the other Notre Dame tackle, Blake Fisher, is a great prospect as well. He’s young and brings power to his pass and run blocking.

1. TRADE | Atlanta Falcons: Jaden Hicks, Washington State, S, Sophomore (RS)

When the Falcons traded back with the Colts in the first round, they didn’t just get the 15th pick, they also received this pick as well. With this pick, they upgrade their secondary with the Wazzu product, Jaden Hicks.

1. TRADE | Washington Commanders: Jalen McMillan, Washington, WR, Senior

After trading back with the Rams, the Commanders give new QB Jayden Daniels another weapon in Jalen McMillan. Now all three Washington WRs are gone.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jarrian Jones, Florida State, CB, Senior

Since the departure of CB Mike Hilton in 2020, Pittsburgh has been looking for another slot CB of his caliber. They select Jarrian Jones with the 84th pick to possibly find the same-caliber slot CB.

1. TRADE | Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jaylen Wright, Tennessee, RB, Junior

Tampa jumps up a few spots with Cleveland to snag the speedy RB from Tennessee, Jaylen Wright. Wright, paired with RB Rachaad White, creates a lethal 1-2 on the Bucs.

1. Houston Texans: Cedric Gray, North Carolina, LB, Senior

The Texans improve their linebacking core with the selection of Cedric Gray from North Carolina. It will be fun to see what he can do with former LB himself, HC Demeco Ryans, in Houston.

1. Dallas Cowboys: Brenden Rice, USC, WR, Senior

This is the second time this draft that a son of a hall-of-fame WR has been taken. First it was Marvin Harrison Jr., now it’s Brenden Rice, son of WR Jerry Rice, heading to Dallas.

1. Green Bay Packers: Austin Booker, Kansas, ED, Sophomore (RS)

The Packers go four-for-four in taking defensive players in this draft when they pick Austin Booker out of Kansas. He joins Cooper DeJean, Payton Wilson, and Ruke Orhorhoro in Green Bay.

1. TRADE | Cleveland Browns: Jamari Thrash, Louisville, QB, Senior

Cleveland are still able to grab a WR after moving back a few spots with Tampa. The WR they grab is Jamari Thrash from Louisville.

1. Arizona Cardinals: Trey Benson, Florida State, RB, Senior

It’s hard to pick for Arizona, since they really need everything. With this pick, they pick Trey Benson to pair with RB James Conner to create a thunder and lighting sort of pairing.

1. Green Bay Packers: Patrick Paul, Houston, T, Senior

The Packers are already back up on the clock, and this time they take an offensive player. With the 91st pick, Green Bay select the large and looming tackle from Houston, Patrick Paul.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Renardo Green, Florida State, CB, Senior

After trading Carlton Davis III to Detroit, Tampa needs a new corner for their roster. As such, they go and grab the physical outside corner, Renardo Green.

1. Baltimore Ravens: Caelen Carson, Wake Forest, CB, Senior

Another corner is off the board when Baltimore takes Caelen Carson. He brings physicality, experience, and great tackling to the Ravens team.

1. San Francisco 49ers: Bucky Irving, Oregon, RB, Junior

Death, taxes, and the 49ers selecting a RB in a NFL Draft. Bucky Irving joins RBs Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell in the Bay.

1. Kansas City Chiefs: Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Texas Tech, S, Senior

This offseason, KC traded away CB L’Jarius Sneed to the Titans. While Texas Tech S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson doesn’t play exactly like Sneed, I think he fills a Chief need.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Christian Mahogany, Boston College, G, Senior

Jacksonville looks to upgrade their offensive line when they pick up Christian Mahogany from Boston College.

1. Cincinnati Bengals: Michael Hall Jr., Ohio State, DI, Sophomore (RS)

Michael Hall Jr. stays in state when the Bengals take him with the 97th pick. Well not as big as maybe he should be, he wins with great speed and agility.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers: Jacob Cowing, Arizona, WR, Senior

The Steelers go back to the WR well and grab Jacob Cowing from Arizona. Cowing, with his shiftiness and short area speed, slots right into a slot WR role in Pittsburgh.

1. Los Angeles Rams: Roger Rosengarten, Washington, T, Junior (RS)

LA gave Matthew Stafford some new found protection when they select Roger Rosengarten from Washington.

1. Washington Commanders: Theo Johnson, Penn State, TE, Senior

100 picks later, the Commanders end night two and round three with the selection of super-athlete Theo Johnson.

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EAST LANSING – On Saturday, Michigan State football participated in their first scrimmage of the spring, which tested the player’s ability to make in-game decisions. MSU defensive coordinator Joe Rossi thinks the talent in the linebacker room showed out during the scrimmage.

“You have practice and it’s done one play at a time, ‘hey it’s first down, it’s second down’. It’s all scripted right?,” Rossi said. “You get into a scrimmage, it’s more of a true game-like feel where you’re putting the ball down and you’re playing.”

Rossi was adamant about seeing his players in pressured moments, without it being a controlled environment.

With the addition of head coach Jonathan Smith and his staff, the offense has changed for the Spartans, but the defensive scheme is where the integration of a new style is the most important.

“It’s going to take time,” Rossi said. “They’ve got to be able to have a new verbiage, new fundamentals, and techniques that they have to be able to put together. It’s a race to get that done as quickly as possible.”

Defensive line coach Legi Suiaunoa is set on building a new scheme for the Spartans. Sophomore defensive lineman Jalen Thompson is excited about the challenge of a more fast-paced role in the new defensive style.

“The difference from last year is I play a rusher who also drops back in coverage,” Thompson said. “It’s like a linebacker but on the front line, compared to last year being in a three-point defensive stance.”

With the changes to the Spartans’ style of play, each player is adjusting. Especially Thompson and the defensive front.

“I’m really taking in every little detail listening to coach,” Thompson said. “This scheme is more fast-paced, coming from a slower play style from last season. Getting used to that pace is the biggest adjustment.”

MSU’s spring practices come to a close with the spring showcase on April 20 at 2 p.m. in Spartan Stadium.

“The best part of spring is that we don’t have to get ready to play physically in a game. Our main focus is development and then teaching what the fundamentals are here,” Suiaunoa said.

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State baseball was back in action at McLane Stadium for the first game of a weekend series against the Niagara Purple Eagles. The Spartans defeated Niagara 9-0 courtesy of a four-run fifth inning to improve to 13-14 on the season and earned their first shutout win since the 2022 season.

“I thought we played very well today, we played well defensively,” said MSU head coach Jake Boss. “Our pitching I thought was outstanding, really good outing by Joseph [Dzierwa], a lot of positives today.”

Entering the fifth inning, the Spartans led the Purple Eagles 2-0 after senior outfielder Greg Ziegler and freshman center fielder Landen Lozier were hit by pitches.

A double to right center by junior first baseman Nick Williams extended the Spartans’ lead to 3-0 with senior outfielder Jack Frank scoring the run

A wild pitch by graduate pitcher Liam Reynolds for the Purple Eagles also allowed Williams and freshman infielder Ryan McKay to score. Lozier singled to center to cap off a four-run bottom of the fifth for the Spartans, as they led 6-0 after five innings of play.

In the seventh inning, the Spartans’ success continued. Lozier delivered again with another single to center, and senior third baseman Dillon Kark also singled to extend the MSU lead to 9-0.

Sophomore pitcher Joseph Dzierwa shined in the win, allowing no runs, and five hits, and recorded nine strikeouts in seven innings pitched.

Offensively, MSU was led by Landen Lozier, who went 2 for 4 with four RBIs. Dillon Kark and Nick Williams also contributed with an RBI.

“I think it’s important to extend him a little bit more, he’s in good enough shape to do it,” said Boss. “It’s good to get to get him deep enough into the game with that amount of pitches.”

The Spartans have now extended their win streak to three and look to extend their streak in the second matchup against Niagara on Saturday. First pitch is set for 3:35 p.m.

“They’re [Niagara] tough, they’re hard nosed, they’re scrappy, we’re gonna get a good effort out of those guys tomorrow,” said Coach Boss. “We need to be ready to play tomorrow and I feel good that our guys will be ready to go.”

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MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo – For the sixth time this season, the No. 1 seed Michigan State hockey team faced off against Michigan, this time in the Maryland Heights regional final with a trip to the Frozen Four on the line. The No. 3 seeded Wolverines defeated the Spartans 5-2 with four third-period goals to advance to their third consecutive Frozen Four, bringing MSU’s historic season to a stunning close.

“We win with class and we lose with class, I thought our guys finished the game really well,” said MSU head coach Adam Nightingale. “That’s how we’re trying to lay the foundation for our program.”

In a tie game at 2-2 midway through the third period, twelve seconds was all it took for the Wolverines to pull away. Junior forward Dylan Duke, who has scored in every matchup this season against the Spartans, scored the game-deciding goal, with sophomore forward TJ Hughes picking up the assist.

Sophomore forward Gavin Brindley scored the second goal off a great between-the-legs pass from Frank Nazar to extend the Wolverine lead to 4-2.

“Give credit to them [Michigan], they’ve got some talent, some guys made big-time plays,” said Nightingale. “Frankie [Frank] Nazar made a special play.”

Duke scored his second goal of the game to put the finishing touches on the win for Michigan with two minutes to play.

Graduate goaltender Jake Barczewski shined in the win, recording 38 saves on the night. Graduate defenseman Marshall Warren and junior defenseman Ethan Edwards also recorded goals for the Wolverines.

Freshman forward Gavin O’Connell and sophomore forward Joey Larson both recorded power-play goals for MSU in the loss. Freshman goaltender Trey Augustine recorded 30 saves for MSU.

Despite the loss, the Spartans have much to be proud of this season, as the team won the Big Ten regular season and tournament title for the first time in program history.

“We were first place wire to wire and that’s not easy to do in our conference with the youngest team,” said Nightingale. “That’s why I respect our guys a ton, every night this year we played, the other team was coming in playing first-place Michigan State, and that’s pretty impressive.”

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MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo – For the sixth time this season, No. 1 seed Michigan State hockey will face off against No. 3 seed Michigan, this time in the NCAA tournament regional final with a trip to the Frozen Four on the line.

Both the Spartans and Wolverines had come from behind wins to advance to the final.

MSU advanced to the regional final after rallying from a 4-2 deficit to defeat Western Michigan 5-4 in overtime off a game-winning goal by senior forward Jeremy Davidson. Sophomore forward Karsen Dorwart and senior defenseman Nash Nienhuis also helped spark the rally for MSU with goals in the third period.

The Wolverines defeated North Dakota 4-3, rallying from a 2-1 deficit entering the third period to advance to the regional final. Junior forward Dylan Duke’s two goals in the third period led Michigan, while sophomore forwards Frank Nazar and TJ Hughes also recorded goals in the win.

The Spartans enter this game with a 4-1 record against Michigan on the season and have won the last four meetings against their rival. Their last win came just a week ago when they defeated the Wolverines 5-4 in overtime to capture the Big Ten Tournament Championship.

Michigan’s lone win against the Spartans came in the first game of the season series on Jan. 19 at Munn Ice Arena, in which the Wolverines won 7-1.

The key to a Spartan victory will be to control the Wolverines on the power play. Michigan is the number one team in the nation in power play percentage, while MSU ranks seventh.

The Wolverines will need to take advantage of their opportunities on the power play against Michigan State’s defense, which struggles to kill penalties.

The Spartans will look to advance to their first Frozen Four since winning the 2007 National Championship, while Michigan is looking to advance to their third straight Frozen Four. Puck drop is set for 6:30 p.m. ET from Centene Community Ice Center.

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EAST LANSING- After dropping the first game of their weekend set on Friday at McLane Stadium, MSU baseball looked to bounce back on Saturday afternoon in the middle game of the three game series.

Nick Powers took the bump for the Spartans, making his 7th start of the season.

Powers was excellent on the day going seven innings while only allowing two runs on seven hits.

He had two strikeouts and allowed one walk on the day as well, leading the Spartans to a 5-2 victory

“I thought Nick was great, really good,” head coach Jake Boss said after the game.

“He was in command of the strike zone all day long, he was throwing three pitches for strikes, and that’s what Nick does.”

Michigan State got the scoring going in the third inning off a long three run bomb into the Red Cedar River by Jack Frank, his third home run of the season, giving MSU an early 3-0 lead.

“Approaching every day or at bat the same way, whether it’s good or bad, can’t be result oriented,” Jack Frank said.

“Yesterday wasn’t as good of a day for me, but at the end of the day, that’s baseball . . . Just keep doing the same things day in and day out and I think good outcomes come to you.

Frank’s homer was his first since March 3rd against Western Michigan and he indeed to his team high 21 RBIs on the season.

Rutgers would strike back with runs in the fifth and sixth on a home run by Johnny Volpe and a sacrifice fly by Pete Durocher, cutting the Spartans lead down to 3-2.

MSU was able to get an insurance run back in the bottom half of the sixth, on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ryan Seymour.

The offense continued in the seventh as Sam Thompson led off with a double, and was eventually driven in by Frank on a single for his fourth RBI of the afternoon.

Ryan McKay would ground into a double play with the bases loaded to end the inning, holding the MSU lead at 5-2.

Aaron Mishoulam came on for the Spartans in relief of Powers, and would retire the Scarlet Knights in order in the top of the eighth.

Mishoulam faced some trouble in the ninth allowing an infield single, and another base runner on an error by Seymour at shortstop, but held onto the pick up the six out save, securing the victory for Michigan State, and earning Nick Powers his fourth win of the season.

“You know what you’re getting, he’s gonna show up, he’s gonna do his thing every time,” said Frank, reflecting on Powers’ start.

The Spartans evened up the series with the win, and improved their Big Ten record to 2-3, and overall record to 11-14.

Michigan State will go for the series win in the rubber match on Sunday, with Nick Ferazzi on the mound.

Zack Konstantinovsky will be making the start for Rutgers.

“Kinda the same approach as today, they’re good, that’s a good team over there,” Boss said.

“We need to take advantage of opportunities when we do get them.”

An Easter Sunday first pitch is set for 1:05 PM EST, as MSU will look to take the series against the Scarlet Knights.

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MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. – For the first time since 2012, the Michigan State hockey team appeared in the NCAA Hockey Tournament against in-state foe Western Michigan in the Maryland Heights regional semifinal. The No. 1-seeded Spartans rallied from a 4-2 deficit to defeat the Broncos 5-4 in overtime, advancing to the regional final.

“Proud of our guys, that was a really special game for us, our goal is to come here and win two hockey games,” said MSU head coach Adam Nightingale. “Our group has done a good job of being even-keeled.”

Entering the third period, MSU trailed 4-2 after three unanswered goals in the second period for Western Michigan by freshman forward Alex Bump, senior forward Sam Colangelo, and graduate defenseman Zak Galambos.

Halfway through the third period, senior defenseman Nash Nienhuis scored to help spark the Spartan rally, cutting their deficit to one.

“It just comes down to our forwards and their ability to turn pucks over and make great plays,” said Nienhuis. “I got to compliment our forwards, they help make it easy for us.”

With under a minute to play, sophomore forward Karsen Dorwart received a great pass from freshman defenseman Artyom Levshunov to even the contest up at four.

Nine minutes into overtime, senior forward Jeremy Davidson scored the game-winner to cap off a thrilling come-from-behind win for the Spartans.

“He’s been through a lot, thankful for him for buying in, it was good to see him get the goal,” said Nightingale.

Freshman goaltender Trey Augustine recorded 34 saves in the win. Sophomore forward Daniel Russell and junior defenseman David Gucciardi also recorded goals in the win.

The Spartans will face the winner of North Dakota and Michigan in the regional final. Puck drop is set for 6:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State hockey will compete in the NCAA Hockey Tournament for the first time since 2012, fresh off of winning their first Big Ten Tournament title in program history.

The Spartans earned the fourth No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and will face off against Western Michigan in the Maryland Heights Regional Semifinal on Friday, March 29. North Dakota and Michigan also highlight the region.

“We’re focused on the first game, one game shot anything can happen, I’m excited for our guys to earn this opportunity and take advantage of it,” said MSU head coach Adam Nightingale.

Western Michigan enters the tournament with a 21-15-1 record on the season and finished sixth in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference with an 11-13-0 conference record.

The Broncos currently boast the 11th-best scoring defense, allowing 2.49 goals per game. The Spartans and Broncos rank among the best in the nation in scoring offense with MSU ranking seventh and Western Michigan ranking ninth.

“[Western Michigan] competitive, they score, they’re one of the highest scoring teams in the country, they play heavy, those are all qualities of a really good team. There’s a reason they’ve had the season they’ve had,” said Nightingale.

Western Michigan does an excellent job on the penalty kill. The Broncos are 12th in the country in penalty-kill percentage. This will be a key for the Broncos against the Spartans on power plays, as MSU ranks seventh in power play percentage.

Players to watch for Western Michigan include senior forward Sam Colangelo and junior forward Dylan Wendt, who lead the Broncos in goals with 23.

Key players to watch for MSU include freshman goaltender Trey Augustine, senior defenseman Nash Nienhuis, and sophomore forward Daniel Russell, who all had impactful performances in the Big Ten Tournament.

“It feels great, we put a ton of work in this year and to see how that played out is great,” said MSU senior defenseman Nash Nienhuis.

Senior forward Jeremy Davidson and sophomore defenseman Matt Basgall, who were both crucial down the stretch in the overtime win against Michigan, will also be players to watch.

The key for the Spartans will be to take advantage of power play opportunities against a Western Michigan unit that excels on the penalty kill.

The Spartans will look to capture their first NCAA Tournament win since 2008. Puck drop is set for 5 p.m. at Centene Community Ice Center.

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EAST LANSING – Upon opening Big Ten play in College Park against Maryland over the weekend, the Michigan State baseball team will travel to Ann Arbor on Tuesday to face rival Michigan in their first and only road matchup with the Wolverines in 2024. First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. at Ray Fisher Stadium.

With two outs in the ninth inning on Friday, graduate catcher Sam Thompson played hero ball for the Spartans, as his RBI single tied the game at five and sent the contest to extras. Unfortunately for the Spartans, they fell to Maryland, 7-6 in extra innings. On Saturday, Michigan State took an early 2-0 lead, and later a 5-2 victory over Maryland, as Nick Powers powered MSU to a victory behind eight innings of two-run ball.

With the series on the line on Sunday, all eyes were on Nick Ferazzi. The graduate right-hander dazzled on Sunday afternoon, punching out seven Terrapin hitters in six innings, the most of his tenure in green and white. Spurred by home runs from Sam Busch and Christian Williams, the Spartans sported a 4-1 lead after seven innings.

Maryland ultimately tied the game at four, and forced extra innings, in which they took a 5-4 victory, as well as the opening series of Big Ten play. Sunday’s victory was Maryland’s second walk-off victory of the weekend.

MSU will face an uphill battle in Ann Arbor in slowing down Michigan’s red-hot slugger Stephen Hrustich, whose seven home runs are second in the Big Ten on the young season. Hrustich is one of three Wolverines with an OPS above 1.000 and is fresh off of a five-RBI weekend, including another home run in State College.

Hrustich, a graduate outfielder from Stone Mountain, Georgia, was on fire as of late, with a .417/.553/.889 slash line with four homers and ten RBIs over his last ten games. Hrustich and two-way star Mitch Voit, who leads the Wolverines with a .327 batting average, will be players to watch on Tuesday.

Outside of Hrustich, Michigan’s lineup has struggled, as the Wolverines sit dead last in the Big Ten in batting average with a .242 clip. On the defensive side, it has been a season to forget, as they are second-to-last in earned run average allowing almost seven runs per game.

As for the Spartans, freshman infielder Ryan McKay was on a tear of his own, as his .344 average sits second on the team, only behind senior Jack Frank. McKay went 3-4 on Saturday’s victory for Michigan State, as his strong play left him in the starting lineup full-time.

With the series loss, Michigan State fell to 9-12 with their date with Michigan looming. In four meetings in 2023, including a Spartan victory in Phoenix, the in-state rivals split the season series, 2-2, though Michigan won the series in Ann Arbor. Michigan State is 112-215-2 against the Wolverines all time, and looks to get back into the win column on Tuesday.

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Amidst the suspension of Michigan State head football coach Mel Tucker, who was accused of sexual harassment, now begs the question: How will Michigan State football move forward amongst all the chaos surrounding the program?  MSU suspended Tucker on Sunday, Sept. 10 without pay as the university continues its investigation, leaving the fourth-year head coach’s...

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EAST LANSING – On a sunny Sunday afternoon, the Michigan State women’s soccer team hosted the Dayton Flyers and the competition resulted in a tie, 2-2. The Spartans also honored alumni from the Spartan women’s soccer team at halftime of the match.  The Spartans move to a 5-2-1 record overall with the draw, as Dayton...

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State head football coach Mel Tucker has been suspended without pay, the university announced in a press conference on Sunday afternoon.

The move, announced by MSU athletic director Alan Haller, comes after a report was published by USA Today just after midnight on Sunday morning, hours after Michigan State’s second game of the season against Richmond. The article detailed accusations of sexual harassment from Michigan-based Title IX attorney Rebecca Leitman Veidlinger, who began working on the case in January.

“This step to place Mel Tucker on an unpaid leave is equally necessary and appropriate for today’s circumstances,” MSU interim president Teresa K. Woodruff. “These actions are not taken lightly, and I know AD Haller is making them in support of the individuals impacted.”

Veidlinger completed and submitted her 106-page investigation on July 25.

An official hearing is set for the week of October 5, during MSU’s bye week. According to the article from USA Today, another Title IX attorney was hired by Michigan State to determine if Tucker violated university rules.

“I want to reinforce that these matters are unique and complex, and our investigations are designed to be comprehensive and fair,” said MSU interim president Teresa K. Woodruff. “Our guiding principles are equity and process and confidentiality for all involved, in order to protect the integrity of the investigation.”

Haller announced that secondary coach Harlon Barnett will coach the team on an interim basis. Former MSU head coach Mark Dantonio will serve as an associate head coach.

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State football took care of business on Saturday afternoon in their second game on the season, pounding the Richmond Spiders 45-14 and improving to 2-0 on Saturday afternoon at Spartan Stadium. With another slow start from the offense, MSU stepped on the gas with six straight drives resulting in points. “We...

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EAST LANSING – For the first time in history, Michigan State and Richmond faced off on Saturday afternoon.

“Really proud of the way our team came out. We did not do these guys lightly,” said Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker in the post-game press conference.

Here are four takeaways from Saturday’s game:

The running game is making a comeback

“I think we can rely on every running back that we have,” said MSU redshirt junior quarterback Noah Kim.

Redshirt sophomore running back and transfer from the University of Connecticut, Nathan Carter had 111 rushing yards and got three touchdowns.

Kim had 21 rushing yards.

Redshirt junior running back Jalen Berger had seven rushing yards for the game. Berger limped off the field in the first quarter and was seen on the sidelines with a boot on his right foot during the second half.

Need for ball security and clean football

MSU struggled from fumbles and a dropped interception.

The Spartans fumbled the ball twice in the second half turning it over to the Spiders. The first fumble resulted in a Richmond recovery and a 47-yard touchdown.

“The ball security is job security,” said Tucker

Multiple holding calls were called against the Spartans. It hurt them most after the big 31-yard pass from Kim to Redshirt junior tight end Maliq Carr for a touchdown, and they got pushed back to first-and-20.

The offense needs to get into a rhythm quicker

Last week, MSU had a slow start against Central Michigan. It was the same story against Richmond. MSU started with only a 50-second possession before having to kick it back to Richmond.

“We could still come out a little faster,” said Kim. “We should look to start a little faster.”

The Spartans needed to make the big plays quicker, but there were some impressive plays once they got into their rhythm.

The 31-yard pass from Kim to redshirt freshman wide receiver Jaron Glover. Carter recorded a 44-yard rush touchdown. And Carr’s one-hander for a 22-yard gain.

Kim totaled 292 passing yards.

MSU needs a strong defense for next week against Washington

MSU sacked Richmond redshirt sophomore quarterback Kyle Wickersham three times. The first sack was in the first quarter by Brandon Wright and Simeon Barrow. Wickersham was sacked again in the first quarter by Derrick Harmon and Aaron Brule. Then in the second quarter, Wright sacked Wickersham again.

With Washington coming to East Lansing next week, the Spartans need to be ready to defend the Husky offense. Last season, MSU traveled to Husky Stadium and lost 39-28. Will the Spartans redeem themselves on their home field? We will see next week.

The Spartans will host the Huskies at Spartan Stadium on Sept. 16 at 5:00 p.m.

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EAST LANSING- Michigan State volleyball hosted Duke University on Friday evening. They recorded a 3-0 loss for their third of the season.

“We’re not a team that’s gonna dwell, I don’t dwell,” said Michigan State head coach Leah Johnson. “We say our peace, we watch our film, and we have the same kinda conversations if we win or lose.”

MSU entered Friday’s game on a four-game winning streak after facing Belmont and Syracuse in the Kathy DeBoer Invitational. The team recorded consecutive sweeps.

This was MSU’s first faceoff since Nalani Iosia was named B1G Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 5, becoming the first Spartan to hold the title since Jamye Cox in 2019.

Duke’s Gacie Johnson served the first ball of the game. The rally resulted in a point for Duke, who maintained the lead the entire first set, maxing out at a seven point lead. The Blue Devils clinched the set 25-19. Freshman outside hitter Tylah Holdem recorded several rally-winning hits in the first period for the Spartans.

Duke opened the scoring in the second set. MSU maintained a much closer point differential, even gaining leading momentum and never trailing behind more than three points until Duke middle blocker Lizzie Fleming pulled the Blue Devils to 19-15 lead. The Spartans held themselves within four points until Duke closed the set 25-22 for their second of the game.

MSU gained new momentum, opening scoring in the third set. Sophomore middle blocker Nil Okur blocked several hits early in the third allowing the Spartans to stay within three points of the Blue Devils. Sophomore Aliyah Moore delivered several impressive spikes to regain Spartan possession, and tips from outside hitter Grace Kelly had Spartans leading 14-13.

Gracie Johnson continued to lead the Blue Devils offensively, but MSU pulled within two points before Duke took the third and final set of the match 25-23.

Johnson was particularly impressed with Moore’s performance tonight.

“She’s been out with injuries, so this is her first true weekend back,” said Johnson. “She hit .500, 10 kills on 18 swings which is phenomenal, so I was excited about that.”

MSU will face off at home against North Carolina at 1 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.

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EAST LANSING – On a night when Michigan State men’s soccer honored America’s favorite soccer coach, Ted Lasso, the Spartans found a way to win, getting a late penalty kick from junior Sean Kerrigan to secure a 1-0 victory. While pitch conditions may not have been ideal to some, Kerrigan, an Ireland native, said the steady rain throughout was ideal for him.

“In this weather, there’s more chance of me scoring a goal than when the sun is out,” said Kerrigan. “This is perfect weather for playing football.”

The first half saw little action, with no shots on goal for the entirety of the first 45 minutes. While the field conditions were wet and that likely played a factor, the defense for both sides played exceptional.

Into the second half, MSU’s defense continued to play well, limiting the Dayton offense to forced, uneven shots on goal.

“To me, the whole key is the shutout,” said Michigan State head coach Damon Rensing. “If you don’t give up goals, you’ve got a chance to win.”

Barbecue Sauce!!

Highlights from tonight's 1-0 #VictoryForMSU over Dayton… it was a defensive battle in the rain, but the Spartans emerged victorious on #TedLassoNight at DeMartin!!#DeMartinDefended pic.twitter.com/6oiyvuPG8e

— MSU Men's Soccer (@MSU_MSoccer) September 8, 2023

Michigan State’s starting defensive backs of freshman Will Eby, senior Elijah Howe, and sophomore Jeremy Sharp made it very difficult for the Dayton offense to get good looks. Sharp made key plays throughout the game to continue his very strong start to the season.

“This is a complement to Jeremy, this was probably his weakest game…and he was still good,” said Rensing. “He’s been great for us, and arguably our most consistent player.”

With No. 20 Notre Dame up next, the Spartans will have some work to do to get the best of the Irish.

“Notre Dame is a very good team, we know them very well and they know us,” said Rensing. “Notre Dame will be a great test to prepare us, and get us ready for our first Big Ten game against Rutgers.”

Michigan State’s next contest will take place next Tuesday, Sept. 12 against Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Kickoff will be at 8 p.m. EST.

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State women’s soccer’s late comeback against No. 15 Notre Dame fell short, as the Spartans were defeated by the Fighting Irish 2-1 on Sunday afternoon at DeMartin Stadium.

Notre Dame’s stout backline was as good as advertised in the match. Led by ACC Defender of the Year Eva Gaetino, the Spartans had no answer for the elite Irish defense that only allowed 16 goals a season ago.

“I thought we did an incredible job showing a lot of resolve, patience and composure,” said MSU head coach Jeff Hosler. “We just have to have our foot on the gas a little bit more a little earlier to give us a chance to equalize.”

In the ninth minute, Notre Dame struck first with a goal from senior forward Ellie Ospeck. Leah Klenke was credited with the assist after a nice cross into the box, leading to the easy tap in.

The Fighting Irish took their 1-0 into the half, led by a dominant backline and high press defense that stifled the Spartans counter-attack opportunities.

Notre Dame forward Maddie Mercado added an insurance goal in the 50th minute, which was assisted by Ospeck.

MSU had its share of opportunities in the second half. Seven shots on goal in the second half propelled the Spartans comeback attempt, which ended up falling short. Junior forward Jordyn Wickes recorded her team-leading fifth goal of the season in the 87th minute to cut the deficit to one.

“We wanted to get our outside box higher and more into the attack. It obviously left us more exposed, and that’s how we conceded that second goal,” Hosler said.

MSU had a corner kick just before the final whistle blew, but couldn’t equalize.

“We have to go get our result on Thursday. We got to do a better job and go get a result. It’s our third opportunity against a power-5 team, a perennial NCAA tournament team,” Hosler said.

The Spartans will return to action on Thursday, Sept. 7 at NC State. The team will return home on Sept. 10 for a match with the Dayton Flyers at 1 p.m.

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EAST LANSING– Michigan State, for its second match of the Kathy DeBoer Invitational, hosted Syracuse.  MSU won the match 3-0. The win marked head coach Leah Johnson’s 200th career win.  In the first set, the Orange struggled to keep up with the fast-paced rallies. MSU took the set 25-12. Freshman outside hitter Taylah Holdem was...

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State volleyball hosted Belmont for the Kathy DeBoer Invitational Opener on Saturday morning at the Breslin Center. 

The Spartans held the lead for the duration of the first set, finishing 25-17. The Bruins had a responsive defense, but struggled with fouls. Senior libero Nalani Iosia closed the set with a service ace. 

Belmont struggled to get points on the board in the second set, trailing 6-0. Although the Bruins adjusted and closed the gap to a tie 16-16, they never obtained the lead. 

The Spartans closed out the second set 25-19 after an attack error from senior opposite hitter Laura Shoopman and block assists from junior outside hitter Grace Kelly, and sophomore middle blocker Nil Okur. 

Despite a rocky start to the third set, the Spartans made adjustments to build their lead. MSU  increased its lead to 17, resulting in a 25-7 final score. 

Up next, the Spartans will host Syracuse on Sept. 2, with gametime set for 7:00 p.m.

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EAST LANSING — Michigan State football opened its 2023 season victorious on Friday evening, defeating the Central Michigan Chippewas 31-7 at Spartan Stadium.

After a first half filled with penalties and stalled drives, Michigan State was able to clean up its miscues, leading to a blowout win against its in-state opponent from Mount Pleasant, Michigan.

“I just thought we had some jitters out there,” said Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker. “We started slow, but we kept choppin’ and we were able to execute in all three phases and get the win.”

On the game’s first play, UConn transfer running back Nathan Carter came out of the gates with a 31-yard run.

The Michigan State offense went stagnant after Carter’s run, as the Spartans only put up six yards through the air in the first 20 minutes of action.

In the second quarter, the Chippewas scored the first touchdown of the contest, with a 12-yard pass to Chris Parker to go up 7-3.

The Spartans quickly responded with a 32-yard pass from quarterback Noah Kim to redshirt freshman wide receiver Jaron Glover to enter CMU territory. Shortly after, Nathan Carter ran up the middle for a two-yard touchdown to give the Spartans a four-point lead.

Kim, who was named the starter by head coach Mel Tucker on his pregame radio show, completed 10 of his first 21 passes in the first half but made second-half adjustments to improve his night. The redshirt junior finished the game with 279 yards and two touchdowns.

“Over the course of time, he won the job. This is his fourth season. He knows the offense. We feel like he can go and run the offense,” said Tucker.

“It’s the first game, mistakes are bound to happen,” said Kim. “We made some great plays out there, but we definitely left some out there.”

It was all Spartans in the second half, led by MSU’s defense that was flying around the field. Linebackers Cal Haladay and Jacoby Windmon combined for 18 tackles in the win. Halladay, a two-year letterwinner, also had an interception.

“In the first half, we had a little bit of a slow start,” said Haladay. “We got a lot of cleaning up to do.”

The second half featured a couple of highlight-reel moments. Redshirt junior wide receiver Christian Fitzpatrick hauled in a 72-yard reception to put MSU in the red zone, and sophomore wide receiver Tyrell Henry went up and caught a one-handed touchdown from Noah Kim to put the Spartans up 24-7 in the fourth quarter.

Tyrell Henry makes a catch in the end zone during the fourth quarter of Michigan State’s season opener vs. Central Michigan. Photo Credit: Jack Moreland/WDBM (Jack M)Four minutes later, Michigan State got possession and drove back down the field, with redshirt junior Maliq Carr catching an eight-yard touchdown pass.

Michigan State is now 9-0 in its traditional Friday night games at Spartan Stadium.

The Spartans start off their 2023 season 1-0 and will be back at home next Saturday for a date with the Richmond Spiders on Sept. 9 at 3:30 p.m. Zac Slowik and Matt Merrifield will be on the call from Spartan Stadium on Impact 89FM.

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EAST LANSING — Football season is finally here. As Michigan State goes through its final preparations for game one, the Spartans are set to host the Central Michigan Chippewas at Spartan Stadium for its annual “Stripe the Stadium” game on Friday evening.

The Spartans are looking to bounce back after a disappointing 2022 season, which ended with a 5-7 record and not reaching a bowl game for the third time in 16 seasons.

“No one can put more pressure on me than I put on myself,” said Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker.

Tucker has yet to announce who will be starting under center at quarterback for the season-opener, and likely will not reveal a starter until game time. With Payton Thorne transferring to Auburn, redshirt junior Noah Kim or redshirt freshman Katin Houser is in line for the starting job.

Kim appeared in four games in 2022 while serving as Thorne’s backup. He completed 14 of 19 throws for 174 yards and three touchdowns.

“We’ll see who runs out there first on Friday night and we’ll go from there,” Tucker said at his Monday press conference.

This is the second straight season where the Spartans will open up against a Mid-American Conference opponent. MSU kicked off 2022 against Western Michigan, defeating the Broncos 35-13.

Central Michigan comes off of a 4-8 campaign in 2022, while losing star running back Lew Nichols III to the NFL. However, the Chippewas do return a bulk of their starting defense, including consensus preseason All-Mid-American conference picks Jacques Bristol and Robi Stuart.

On the defensive side, Michigan State adds impactful talent through recruiting and the NCAA transfer portal. Coach Tucker bulked up his defensive line with the additions of Tunmise Adeleye, Dre Butler, and Jalen Sami. In recruiting, MSU lands four stars Bai Jobe, Andrew Depeape, Jordan Hall, and Jalen Thompson, who should all see game action Friday night.

Michigan State kicks off its 2023 season against Central Michigan at 7 p.m. You can listen to the broadcast on 88.9FM, with Zac Slowik and Matt Merrifield on the call.

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EAST LANSING – On a night where students, children, and parents alike packed the stands of DeMartin Field, the Michigan State women’s soccer team delivered on all ends of the pitch and defeated Eastern Michigan University, 6-0. The Spartans played in front of hundreds of fans tonight, including a roaring student section. Michigan State head coach Jeff Hosler voiced his delight with the students being back on campus and showing up for his team.

“There’s no question that our group fuels off the momentum and energy that the crowd brings,” said Hosler. “It’s so great to have the students back to bring that initial energy to campus. I think that shows in the way we played.”

With two goals in two minutes from Mackenzie Anthony and Raegan Cox, respectively, MSU built up a lead inside the 15 minute mark of the match. Anthony connected on two more goals, for the first hat trick of her college career. After a career night, Anthony emphasized the energy that the DeMartin Field fans brought tonight.

“The amount of fans is incredible,” said Anthony. “I’ve never been able to play in front of that many fans. It definitely gets your adrenaline pumping.”

Senior forward Mackenzie Anthony interacts with the crowd at DeMartin Field on August 31st, 2023. Photo Credit: Jack Moreland/WDBMThe second half was stagnant, until the 79th minute when Bella Najera scored her first goal of the season. Only a few minutes later, Sophia Piotrowski would connect on a penalty kick, to solidify this win for the Spartans and move them to 4-1.

Michigan State will take on No. 15 Notre Dame on Sunday, marking a major test for the program this season against one of the best programs in the country.

“Each match is a big match…But it’s hard not to treat Notre Dame a little different. Tough competition,” said Anthony.

The Spartans will kickoff against the Fighting Irish at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 3 at DeMartin Field celebrating Championship Sunday.

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EAST LANSING — As Michigan State women’s soccer goes through final preparations for the 2023 season, the Spartans look to continue their recent success under second-year head coach Jeff Hosler. The reigning Big Ten regular season champions have high expectations in 2023. The Spartans are ranked No. 17 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll,...

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INDIANAPOLIS – 2023 Big Ten Football Media Days are in full swing in Indiana’s capital. With the start of the season just over a month away, Big Ten coaches and players gathered at Lucas Oil Stadium for its annual Big Ten Media Days.   Michigan State Football head coach Mel Tucker, wide receiver Tre Mosley, offensive...

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EAST LANSING – Two former Michigan State men’s soccer players have announced their commitment to play for the Western Michigan University men’s soccer program, per WMU Athletics.  Defenders Nick Stone and Will Perkins will head to Kalamazoo to play for head coach Chad Wiseman and the Broncos.  Perkins and Stone are two out of the...

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EAST LANSING — The Michigan State 2023 football schedule got a big shake-up on Wednesday afternoon, as the team announced it will play Penn State at Detroit’s Ford Field in a primetime Black Friday matchup on Nov. 24 at 7:30 pm.

The game marks the first time Michigan State has played at Ford Field since 2010, when the Spartans defeated Florida Atlantic 30-17 on Sept. 11.

Michigan State was originally scheduled to host this matchup at Spartan Stadium for the last home game of the 2023 season. The Spartans will now host six games for this upcoming season.

Primetime in the Motor City.#RELENTLESS pic.twitter.com/mPsUK93145

— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) May 24, 2023

According to the university, season ticket holders and student season pass holders who already paid for the game will be refunded for tickets and parking.

Payton Thorne and Keon Coleman enter NCAA transfer portalTakeaways from Michigan State’s spring gameSpartans look to impress as spring practice comes to a close

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Omaha, NE — On Tuesday evening, Michigan State baseball played in its first Big Ten Tournament game since 2018. The eighth-seeded Spartans took on the top-seeded Maryland Terrapins in game three of the Big Ten Tournament at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska. Maryland won 3-2.

The Spartans scored one run early after freshman pitcher Kyle McCoy committed a throwing error. Junior infielder Trent Farquhar came around to score.

After only facing four batters and throwing 15 pitches, the Terrapins elected to make a pitching change in the first inning. Afterwards, Michigan State stranded runners at the corners, ending the inning.

It didn’t take long for Maryland to respond; in their half of the first, they had two runners in scoring position for senior third baseman Nick Lorusso. He sent a deep fly ball to center field, recording a nation-leading 97th RBI on the season. Immediately following, Maryland took the lead, making the score 2-1 on another sacrifice fly.

“Make no mistake, they’re (Maryland) really good over there,” MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said.

Michigan State grounded into five double plays on the night, tying a Big Ten Tournament record. The Spartans also left ten runners on base. Maryland pitching, however, issued eight walks.

“We had a lot of traffic on the bases,” said Boss Jr. “I think five double plays can get a little frustrating at times. I thought our guys did a great job of not letting that get to them and not getting too frustrated and just continuing to come at them, one through nine.”

Nick Powers worked quickly after the first inning, allowing one double in the third. Shortly after, Powers retired ten straight batters, settling in for four 1-2-3 innings.

“Once I settled in there, I just really trusted my stuff,” Powers said. “My change-up felt really good today, and I was just pounding the zone with multiple pitches, and that’s the name of the game, that’s how you keep hitters off balance, and I feel like I did that really well today.”

Redshirt junior centerfielder Greg Ziegler led off the seventh inning by nailing a triple to left field. Junior first baseman Brock Vradenburg hit the ball through the hole on the third base side to tie the game at two for his 67th RBI of the season.

In the bottom of the eighth, Maryland junior catcher Luke Shliger hit his second double of the game, scoring left fielder Jacob Orr to break the knot, effectively ending Power’s Day. Senior RHP Wyatt Rush came into the game for the Spartans, stranding Shliger at third to end the inning.

Powers’ final line was 7.1 innings pitched, allowing five hits, three runs, and striking out six.

With Tuesday’s loss, Michigan State will await the loser of Nebraska/Rutgers in the elimination bracket. That game will be played on Thursday, May 25th, with first pitch scheduled for 11:00 a.m. EST.

Coury: Michigan State Baseball looks to build upon strong season with postseason successMSU baseball sweeps Northwestern, moves to second in B1G standingsMSU baseball sweeps Northwestern in Saturday doubleheader

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EAST LANSING – The Michigan State Spartans wrapped up their weekend on Sunday afternoon with a three game sweep of the Northwestern Wildcats. Coming off of a Saturday doubleheader in which the Spartans outscored the Wildcats 14-6, Michigan State looked to continue its strong offense to finish off the series.

A double by infielder Casey Mayes sparked the scoring for Michigan State. This was the senior’s twenty third RBI to knock in Dillon Kark, and put MSU up by one run early on.

The score remained 1-0 until the fifth inning when Northwestern thought they had the lead off of a two run home run but it was then reviewed and determined to be a foul ball. The Wildcats stranded the runner and left the inning scoreless in the top of the fifth.

A big bottom half of the fifth inning started with a Brock Vradenburg double and Bryan Broecker tripled after clearing the bases and plating two pivotal runs for the Spartans. Dillon Kark followed with another two-run triple to extend their lead to five runs.

Northwestern’s bats came to life in the sixth inning, plating two runs on a sacrifice fly and an RBI double by senior Kevin Ferrer. These would be the only runs they were able to score for the game.

Left-handed pitcher Nick Powers had a strong outing Sunday, propelling him to a 5-0 record on the season. In six innings of work he only allowed two runs on five hits complemented by six strikeouts.

The seventh inning started with a pair of walks early that became costly as Dillon Kark got a hold of a pitch left high in the zone for a three run home run. This was Kark’s fifth home run of the season and extended the Michigan State lead to six runs. A costly overthrow by Northwestern allowed Greg Zeigler to score the ninth and final Michigan State run as they would go on to win by a final of 9-2.

Junior Dillon Kark had an outstanding day with two triples and a home run. Kark was responsible for five of the team’s nine runs.

“There’s still a bunch of guys that love to compete down toward the middle and the bottom of the order too, and it can really be somebody different any day,” said MSU head coach Jake Boss in regards to the team’ s top down confidence for players such as Kark.

This Big Ten series sweep puts Michigan State in sole possession of second place in the Big Ten with a 10-5 conference record. “Don’t write us off. We’re gonna play hard whether we win or lose,” said Boss Jr. “I don’t know that our guys are too hung up on it either.”

With a few Big Ten matchups looming the Spartans look to take their games one day at a time and see where it takes them. “We’re gonna do what we can do to try to win all of them,” said Boss Jr.

With Sunday’s game in the books, the Spartans improve to 28-13 overall and extend their win streak to five straight games. The Wildcats fall to 7-31. Michigan State will travel to Champaign for an important three game series against Illinois. Game one is slated for Friday, May 5 at 7 P.M.

MSU baseball sweeps Northwestern in Saturday doubleheaderMichigan State returns to McLane Stadium, defeats Notre Dame 12-5Michigan State falls to Michigan in second game of series

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State football got hit with some abrupt news on Sunday afternoon, as redshirt senior quarterback Payton Thorne and junior wide receiver Keon Coleman are entering the NCAA transfer portal, according to reports.

Thorne threw for 6,494 yards, 49 touchdowns, and 29 interceptions during his time in East Lansing. In 2021, he broke the school record for most touchdown passes thrown in a single season with 26.

In 2022, Thorne finished the year throwing for 2,679 yards, 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

Thorne’s departure signals a two-quarterback competition for MSU, as redshirt junior Noah Kim and redshirt freshman Katin Houser will most likely be battling for the No. 1 spot.

Coleman led all Michigan State wide receivers in 2022, with 58 receptions, 798 yards and seven touchdowns. The 6-foot-4 wideout became the focal point in the Spartans’ offense in 2022, and will likely draw significant interest from other schools.

Coleman also appeared on the basketball court at Michigan State, playing in six games during the 2021-22 season.

Takeaways from Michigan State’s spring gameSpartans look to impress as spring practice comes to a closeKeon Coleman will not play basketball this season, will focus on football

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EAST LANSING – Following a rainout on Friday, Michigan State baseball faced Northwestern in a doubleheader Saturday. The Spartans were victorious in both games, led by great pitching.

“I felt really proud of our guys. I thought we played really well today in both games and got good pitching performances out of our starters,” MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said.

Mitch Jebb lined a triple to the center field fence in the first and later scored off a Sam Busch RBI double. Busch now has 35 RBI’s on the season, the second most for an MSU player.

Joseph Dzierwa found his command early on the mound for Michigan State, striking out four in the first two innings and allowing no hits. He finished the game with five strikeouts in his six innings of action.

Northwestern center fielder Griffin Arnone made three spectacular catches early in the game, stealing multiple hits from MSU.

A sacrifice fly by sophomore Alex Calarco scored Owen McElfatrick in the third tying the game at one.

Jebb tripled for the second time today in the third scoring center fielder Greg Ziegler. He scored off a Brock Vradenburg sacrifice fly, giving MSU a two-run lead.

The Spartan bats came alive in the fourth. Three straight no-out singles by Bryan Broecker, Jack Frank and Dillon Kark led to one right. Casey Mayes grounded to the pitcher, scoring another, but Wildcat starter Matt McClure fought back to limit the damage to two.

NU catcher Cooper Foard opened the fifth inning with a solo homer to left, clearing the wall and finding the pine trees. Senior Kevin Ferrer drilled one to right, creeping over the wall and adding another home run to his two on the season.

MSU added to their lead in the seventh on behalf of a Frank sacrifice fly scoring Vradenburg. Ziegler scored in the eighth via a wild pitch and Vradenburg doubled, scoring Trent Farquhar. Vradernburg has 52 RBIs this season, sitting third in the Big Ten.

The Spartans led 8-3 heading into the ninth. Harrison Cook slammed the door closed on any NU comeback efforts. He and Dzierwa combined for six K’s and just five hits against.

Michigan State pitching was spectacular in game two headed by freshman Nolan Higgins. The righty allowed just one hit in the first six innings and struck out four. He finished the game with 6.2 innings pitched, three hits against and one earned run.

Vradenburg led off the scoring for MSU in game two with a solo homer to left. The 6-foot-7 second baseman now has 11 on the season, leading the Spartans. Vradernburg followed up in the fourth with a double and later scored.

In the sixth, the power-hitter sent one over the right-field wall and into the Red Cedar River for a three-run homer. Vradenburg leads the conference in batting average and is tenth in the NCAA. He finished the game with a team leading four RBIs.

“He’s (Vradenburg) a big strong guy that’s capable of a lot of different things and you know, that’s what we need him to do in the middle of the order,” said Boss Jr.

“There’s a lot of different ways that Brock can hurt you.”

NU got on the board in the seventh when Arnone doubled to right, scoring Tony Livermore. Luke Tanner followed up with a two-run RBI double making the score 6-3 heading into the seventh inning stretch.

Andrew Carson and Wyatt Rush pitched in relief for MSU, combining for one hit and completing the win in game two.

The Spartans will look to sweep Northwestern for the first time since 2018.

“We know that those guys are very capable over there, and we need to be ready to go. Don’t take anybody lightly,” said Boss Jr.

Game three of the series will begin at 1:05 p.m. Sunday.

Michigan State returns to McLane Stadium, defeats Notre Dame 12-5Michigan State falls to Michigan in second game of seriesMSU baseball defeated by Michigan, 5-3

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Courtside Convo returns for the final episode of the semester! The crew discusses the playoffs, updates around the NBA, along with live reactions from the NFL Draft. All that and more on this episode of Courtside!

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State returned home Tuesday following a series against Michigan in which they lost two out of three, but finished strong with a 14-2 win against the Wolverines. The Spartan bats stayed hot Tuesday’s game, winning 12-5 in their last regular season matchup against Notre Dame.

Freshman pitcher Robert Klann made his first career start for the Spartans. The Fighting Irish jumped on Klann early in the first, as he gave up two hits, including an RBI double that was smoked into center field by Irish first baseman Carter Putz.

Klann struggled with his command in the first and was unable to find the strike zone, resulting in two walks. The freshman recorded just one out before he was pulled from the game, leaving the bases loaded. He would get bailed out by Harrison Cook, who needed just one pitch to end the inning with a double play.

The Spartans faced an early 3-0 deficit, but as they have done all season, fought back. Good, patient at bats were key for them in the second inning. The Spartans drew three walks, along with good situational hitting by Mitch Jebb, who went the opposite way to bring in a run.

The Spartans recorded their second run of the inning on a sacrifice fly by second baseman Trent Farquhar. Along with Klann, it was no different for Irish starter David Lally Jr. Lally Jr. failed to make it out of the second, as walks and pitch count were a problem.

Pitching on both sides took control of the game. Both teams went down 1-2-3 in innings three and four. Irish pitcher Ricky Reeth got himself in a jam in the fifth inning, walking two and throwing two wild pitches, putting runners at the corners. Reeth fell behind 2-0 in the count to Spartan designated hitter Sam Busch, triggering a mound visit from pitching coach Chuck Ristano. On the very next pitch, Busch crushed a deep three-run home run to right field, marking his sixth homer of the season.

The Busch home run appeared to be the turning point in the game for the Spartans, but the Irish continued to go back and forth with MSU. Notre Dame responded with a pair of runs.

There were several long, tiring innings on Spartan and Irish pitching. Both sides combined for a total of 16 walks this game. The Spartans used six pitchers throughout the game, with head coach Jake Boss Jr. relying on his bullpen to record outs in high leverage situations.

MSU loaded the bases in the seventh against pitcher Ryan Lynch. The Spartans cleared the bases on a wild pitch and a single by Frank. The Spartans didn’t stop there, putting the game away with six runs in the inning.

With the win, Michigan State improves to 25-13, while Notre Dame falls to 23-16. The Spartans will open up a weekend series on Friday, April 28, as they host Northwestern for a three game set from McLane Stadium. First pitch Friday will be at 6:05 p.m.

Michigan State falls to Michigan in second game of seriesMSU baseball defeated by Michigan, 5-3Michigan State baseball falls to Purdue Fort Wayne

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ANN ARBOR, MI – Michigan State baseball faced off against Michigan Saturday afternoon for game two of the three game series. After winning Friday, U of M continued the momentum to earn an 8-3 win Saturday.

“It was disappointing today. I think we need to be ready right from the get-go, and it was a tough start for us,” MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said.

For the second time in two days, Michigan found their bats in the first inning bringing all nine batters to the plate. Following two walks and a single, senior Joey Velazquez hit one up the middle scoring two runs. In what seemed like a replay of the first one, Jack Van Remortel hit a two-run RBI single of his own bringing the total to four runs.

MSU right-hander Ryan Sczcepaniak entered the game halfway through the first, striking out two and getting out of the inning.

“I thought Ryan Sczcepaniak did a nice job, keeping it there and giving our offense a chance,” said Boss Jr.

The Spartans fought back in the third with a two-out rally. Trent Farquhar started the streak with a single, before crossing the plate on behalf of a Mitch Jebb RBI double. Brock Vradenburg followed that up with an RBI single of his own, scoring Jebb. Vradenburg and Jebb each have had back-to-back games with at least one run batted in.

The lead was cut to one in the fifth when Farquhar lined out, scoring Casey Mayes on the sacrifice.

Sczcepaniak pitched four and a third scoreless innings before a Van Remortel solo-homer ended that streak in the sixth. The sophomore struck out five in his five innings of action.

Michigan added two more runs in the sixth with shortstop Cody Jefferis and senior Ted Burton batting in the runs. One more in the eighth made the lead five headed into the last inning.

Michigan’s pitching was stellar again, with starter Connor O’Halloran throwing a complete game with five K’s and three runs against. The lefty continued his strong season, getting the win today and bringing his record to 7-2.

“We had a couple opportunities and couldn’t come through. Overall, a disappointing day, but we’ll be back and ready to play tomorrow,” said Boss Jr.

The final game of the series will take place Sunday at 1 p.m. at Fisher Stadium in Ann Arbor.

MSU baseball defeated by Michigan, 5-3Michigan State baseball falls to Purdue Fort WayneMSU baseball defeats Western Illinois in series opener

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ANN ARBOR, MI – Michigan State traveled to Ann Arbor on Friday for game one of their three game series with the Wolverines. The Spartans won the first matchup of the season between their in-state rivals in the 2023 MLB Desert Invitational in February, but Michigan got the job done with a 5-3 win.

“I thought it was a pretty good baseball game,” MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. “I thought we hit some balls hard, I’m pleased with our guys’ effort and it’s kind of one of those nights I guess.”

Michigan started the game strong on offense, with four runs in the first two innings. Cody Jefferis and outfielder Jonathan Kim each batted in a run in the second, but MSU starting pitcher Joseph Dzierwa limited the damage, stranding three baserunners. Dzierwa struck out three in his four innings of action.

The Spartans battled back to score two in the second through a Casey Mayes sacrifice fly and Mitch Jebb RBI single. This was the 19th RBI of the season for Jebb, who began the season on the list of the MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Draft Prospects.

Each side added one run to their total, with U of M’s Ted Burton homering and Brock Vradenburg adding another RBI to get him to 44 on the season, tying him for fifth in the Big Ten.

Michigan lefty Jacob Denner and MSU redshirt sophomore Noah Matheny each put together multiple scoreless innings on the mound. Matheny escaped a bases loaded jam in the seventh, forcing a lineout by former Spartan Gabe Sotres and getting out of the inning unscathed.

MSU got runners aboard early in the seventh, but were unable to capitalize.

“We had a chance in the seventh inning and hit a ball hard, and I thought we got a little bit unlucky and hit it right at the second baseman and got doubled off and I guess that’s how the game goes sometimes,” said Boss Jr.

Between Denner and Mitch Voit, the Wolverines slammed the door closed and finished the game with a 5-3 win. Pitching was the star for Michigan, allowing no runs after the fifth inning. Denner pitched two scoreless innings with three strikeouts and allowed just one hit.

The Spartans have failed to score more than three runs in back-to-back games, but will look to heat back up and hit like they have been most of the season, ranking second in the conference in batting average..

“I’m pleased with our effort today,” said Boss Jr. “We’ll be back at them tomorrow and we still have a chance to win the series, and that’s the goal every weekend. It’s hard to sweep anybody, so we’re a little bit behind the eight ball right now, but we’ll have a good effort tomorrow and be ready to go,” Boss Jr. said.

Game two of the series will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Michigan State baseball falls to Purdue Fort WayneMichigan State sweeps Western Illinois in Saturday doubleheaderMSU baseball defeats Western Illinois in series opener

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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

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EAST LANSING – The Michigan State Spartans hosted the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons for one game on Wednesday night in search of their seventh consecutive win. The Spartans fell short by a score of 3-2.

The first inning started off well for both teams, as the Spartans and the Mastodons exchanged singular runs in the first inning.

Michigan State’s starter Nolan Higgins only allowed a single run and had two strikeouts before being taken out of the game. Purdue Fort Wayne’s starter Brendan Reid threw a strong four innings, with three strikeouts and only one run allowed.

Both teams exchanged single runs in the first inning, and there were fourteen straight batters retired between the two teams. The Mastodons regained the lead in the top of the fourth inning, with a solo home run by outfielder Grant Thoroman, which was his fifth home run of the season.

“We hit some balls hard at guys but just didn’t stick to our approach today and kind of got away from it and kind of got ourselves out and executed,” said MSU second baseman Trent Farquhar. “They played clean baseball, give them credit.”

The lead was extended in the fifth inning, with Purdue Fort Wayne’s second solo home run of the night by catcher Cade Fitzpatrick extending their lead to 3-1. This was Fitzpatrick’s first home run this season.

With two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, junior infielder Mitch Jebb scored on a fielder’s choice to pull MSU within one.

MSU threatened to score with two in scoring position in the ninth inning but ultimately fell short.

The Mastodons recorded two home runs and a double off the top of the right field wall to score their runs. MSU struggled at the plate, managing only six hits, four of which came in the first.

After the first inning, the Spartans went five innings without a hit, before Jack Frank singled in the sixth. The sole other hit belonged to Gregg Ziegler to start the ninth. Despite having some scoring opportunities, MSU left nine men on base throughout the game.

“We talked about doing several things before the game,” said Boss Jr. “We talked about a consistent offensive approach. We had four hits in the first inning and finished with six. We talked about consistent energy throughout the game. Half the time of the play, we didn’t want to be there.”

After the loss, Boss Jr. addressed the upcoming matchup against rival Michigan.

“It doesn’t matter who we play next,” Boss Jr said. “We can’t put this [game] away. We need to get better.”

“Beautiful thing about baseball is you get another opportunity to show that we can overcome adversity,” said Farquhar. “Obviously not the best game for us, but we just got to bounce back.”

As the rain poured down, the Spartans (23-11) fell to the Mastodons (10-28), snapping Michigan State’s season-high six game winning streak.

MSU will now travel to Ann Arbor for a rivalry series against Michigan starting April 21 at 4 p.m.

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EAST LANSING – The Michigan State football team had its spring game on Saturday, April 15 at Spartan Stadium.

The game featured a 15-period practice session, with scrimmage periods in the second half.

Here are three takeaways from the game.

The quarterback competition isn’t over yet

This spring, there has been an ongoing quarterback competition for who will be QB1. Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jay Johnson revealed at the beginning of spring football that fifth-year senior Payton Thorne, redshirt sophomore Katin Houser, and senior Noah Kim were the top three prospects.

MSU head coach Mel Tucker discussed the competition happening throughout the spring that will continue through the summer and fall, when looking at what was laid out on the field at the spring game.

“Today was very different from what we’ve seen on those guys throughout the spring,” said Tucker.

Payton Thorne celebrates with a teammate after a touchdown during Michigan State’s Spring Game on April 14, 2023. Photo Credit: Jack Moreland/WDBMThe running game is a must

MSU has five returning running backs, two transfers and one incoming freshman. It was tough for MSU to lose Elijah Collins, but Tucker is confident in transfers Nathan Carter and fifth-year Jaren Mangham.

“Both of those players are going to help us win,” said Tucker.

Mangham is a transfer from the University of Southern Florida. He had previously trained with Tucker at Colorado as a true freshman.

“He’s a smart player, really good ball skills, catching the ball out of the backfield and he understands pass protection as well,” said Tucker.

Carter is a junior transfer from the University of Connecticut.

“He’s got really good explosiveness, good vision, and he runs with a lot of toughness. He also has really good ball skills,” said Tucker.

Every position is up for grabs

Head Coach Mel Tucker during Michigan State’s Spring Game on April 14, 2023. Photo Credit: Jack Moreland/WDBMWith every player on the field receiving reps, players who weren’t quite yet on anyone’s radar had breakout plays.

Tucker discussed that he and the coaching staff feel every player understands the expectations and standards they are putting forward.

“I think every position has had a really good competition,” said Tucker.

In the final seconds of the spring game, Kim completed a stellar pass to redshirt sophomore Anotonio Gates Jr. Additionally, junior kicker Stephen Rusnak completed a 43-yard field goal attempt.

“We’re just going to focus on getting better every single day,” said Tucker. “We have quite a few workouts and practices before our first game, so we’ve got a lot of opportunities to improve.

Spartans look to impress as spring practice comes to a closeKeon Coleman will not play basketball this season, will focus on footballJayden Reed declares for 2023 NFL Draft

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State and Western Illinois played a doubleheader Saturday due to impending weather Sunday. The Spartans won both games, sweeping the series.

Harrison Cook started on the mound for the Spartans in game one. Besides allowing six hits, he was very efficient, allowing just two runs, compared to his ERA of 5.58. From the third through the sixth, Cook retired eight straight batters. His day concluded with two outs in the seventh.

After a scoreless first two innings, MSU catcher Sam Thompson lined one to left field over the wall and into the pine trees for his second home run of the year.

The Spartans rallied in the fourth, piling four runs on four hits led by a Jack Frank two-run shot. MSU batted around the entire order, bringing nine to the plate and expanding the score to 5-0.

Frank once again opened the scoring in the fifth, totaling his fourth RBI of the game and 30th of the season. Senior Casey Mayes followed with a single up the middle, scoring two more to set the game at 8-0. In game one, the Spartans knocked 12 hits.

“He’s pretty locked in right now as are a couple other guys, but Jack’s got a lot of power,” said MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. “That’s what he’s capable of. I thought he put together a couple of really good at-bats, and stayed under control mechanically.”

In the seventh, Western Illinois loaded the bases with two outs, walking in a run for the Leathernecks to cut the deficit to six. Redshirt sophomore Noah Matheny was able to get out of the jam.

The Spartans added their ninth run of the game after centerfielder Gregg Ziegler stole second, allowing designated hitter Sam Busch to steal home. MSU connected to add three more runs, forcing the doubleheader run rule to be implemented at a score of 12-2.

Unlike the first game of the day, Western Illinois scored first. After a leadoff double, right fielder Rickey Pospisil roped a ball down the third baseline for his seventh RBI of the season.

However, the lead didn’t last long, as the Spartans responded with another set of back-to-back home runs, just like Friday. These came from Bryan Broecker and Frank to give the Spartans a 2-1 lead.Frank went 6-8 at bat in the two games and Broecker went 4/4 in the second game.

After a difficult second inning, Nick Powers settled in nicely after giving out the solo run. Powers pitched into the eighth, before the weather delay, throwing 7.2 innings and allowing three hits, two walks and striking out four, while only giving up one run.

“I thought we pitched extremely well today, and I’m really pleased with the effort out of both starters,” said Boss Jr. “Defensively we were clean, we didn’t make an error all day long, and we put up two big numbers, and so that’s a good recipe for a doubleheader sweep.”

The Spartans extended their lead to two in the third inning after a groundout from Brock Vradenburg, scoring Farquhar for his 41st RBI this season.

In the sixth, Vradenburg and Broecker got aboard early and scored off a Frank RBI double for his seventh RBI of the day. Afterward, a balk scored Broecker, and Frank later came around to make the score 6-1.

Rain showers delayed the conclusion of the game, but Michigan State ended up taking six more runs after the sixth inning to win all five of their games this week, bringing their season record to 23-10.

“We just played five games in five days,” said Boss Jr. “You try to play 56 games and sometimes, you get back-to-back midweek games, but credit our guys. I thought they handled five games in five days pretty well.”

Michigan State will play against Purdue Fort Wayne on Wednesday, April 19 at McLane Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.

MSU baseball defeats Western Illinois in series openerMichigan State defeats Oakland in front of packed McLane StadiumSpartans split Saturday doubleheader against Buckeyes

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State continued its homestand at McLane Stadium on Friday, defeating Western Illinois in a comeback effort, 10-9. It was a hot one in East Lansing, with a temperature of 83 degrees and sunny at first pitch. The heat didn’t stop the Spartan fans from coming out, and there was another great crowd in attendance.

“It doesn’t have to be pretty but you know, everyone had a good time, and so we’ll take it,” said MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr.

Pitcher Joseph Dzierwa started his eighth game of the season for the Spartans, and struggled early. The 4-23 Leathernecks of Western Illinois jumped out of the gates, putting two runs on the board in the first inning. The Leathernecks made some hard contact in the first inning, with the Spartans defense making a few misplays.

The first inning wouldn’t be the end of the Western Illinois attack. The Leathernecks continued putting up patient and smart at-bats against Spartan pitching.

Western Illinois starter Jake Armstrong, who entered the game with 21 walks in seven starts, walked four hitters, but escaped trouble numerous times. His luck ran out in the fourth inning, on a mistake pitch to catcher Bryan Broecker, who slugged his fifth home run of the season. Armstrong finished with six innings pitched, allowing four walks, striking out three, and giving up five earned runs.

The Spartans made critical baserunning mistakes, and played sloppy defense throughout. MSU finished the game with six errors, and a crucial one in the first inning that allowed a single by left fielder Casey Mayes, allowing Nick Mitchell to get to third base. Mitchell scored on the very next pitch, as shortstop Derek Botaletto drove him in on a single to shortstop.

“The defense tonight was extremely disappointing, very uncharacteristic of us,” said Boss Jr. “But again, at the end of the day, we got a big hit when we needed it. We took what we were given and found a way to win again.”

The sixth inning is when the Spartans made their surge against Western Illinois starter Jack Armstrong. The inning began with back-to-back home runs from redshirt sophomore Sam Busch and Broecker, who hit his second homer off the game.

“Yeah, not a pretty game to say the least,” said Broecker. “However, there’s no quit in our dugout ever. There was encouragement regardless of some of the mistakes that we were making early on. And we stayed excited. We stayed pulling for each other and luckily we were able to pull it out.”

The Spartans then played long ball again in the seventh, as Greg Ziegler hit a ball out of the park in left for his second home run of the season. The Spartans took a 10-8 lead in the seventh, plating five runs on three hits and four walks.

There was one final comeback attempt in the ninth inning for Western Illinois, as Adam Juran hit a solo shot to left, recording the last run for Western Illinois.

With the win, Michigan State improves to 21-10, while Western Illinois falls to 4-24. The Spartans will wrap up their series with the Leathernecks on April 15, playing a doubleheader. Game 1 from McLane Stadium will start at 11:35 a.m. followed by game two at 3:35 p.m.

Michigan State defeats Oakland in front of packed McLane StadiumSpartans split Saturday doubleheader against BuckeyesMichigan State baseball defeats Ohio State 7-1 at Jackson Field

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State returned home Wednesday afternoon from its extra inning win in South Bend against Notre Dame on April 11, and capped it off with another win by a final score of 8-3 at McLane Stadium.

McLane Stadium brought in 1,541 fans Wednesday night which was a big contribution to the win.

“[It was an] unbelievable crowd tonight, This is my 15th year here… I don’t know if we’ve ever had a crowd like that. I told my guys people are excited for what they’re doing,” head coach Jake Boss said.

Oakland plated a record-setting 35 runs in its previous game and looked to continue the offensive dominance but the Spartans were able to silence their bats in a well rounded 8-3 win.

The Golden Grizzlies struck first but quickly lost their momentum in the bottom of the first inning as with the bases loaded their pitcher made a mental error and balked in the first Spartan run of the game.

Oakland’s early bats allowed for the team to jump ahead to an early 3-1 lead in the 3rd inning but MSU quickly responded with four runs of their own in the bottom of the inning and never lost the lead again.

Right fielder Ian Clearly was Oakland’s key contributor getting a hit that would knock in two RBIs for them early on. He leads his team with a .312 batting average.

First baseman Brock Vradenberg and right fielder Jack Frank were huge contributors to the game. Vradenberg had a four for five night at the plate with two singles and two triples.

He was able to knock in two RBIs as well as score himself on a base hit by Jack Frank all in that momentum shifting third inning. Frank also had a two for three night with two RBIs to help propel the team to victory. A night like this was one that continued to show once again that the Spartans have an offense that has been able to hit the ball well.

That's a VICTORY FOR MSU

FINAL: MSU 8, OAK 3#GoGreen | #SpartanStrong pic.twitter.com/KXEPzB6ufJ

— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) April 13, 2023

Vradenberg was able to grant MSU the Big Ten lead in triples and has been a huge part of the team’s phenomenal .311 conference leading team batting average. As for personal accolades he tied for fifth in the conference for RBIs with 38 and continued to show why he has the leading batting average in the Big Ten at .424.

“There is always a threat for an extra base hit or an RBI every time he steps to the plate. He is hitting the ball really hard right now,” Boss said.

Coming in to relieve for four innings the right-handed Spartan pitcher Nolan Higgens was able to shut down Oaklands offense allowing no runs and striking out six batters in his outing.

“His stuff is really good. He’s got some swing and miss stuff. He’s got a bright future ahead,” Boss said.

Oakland now falls to 14-18 on the season while the Spartans improve to 20-10, winning 13 of their last 16 games and hope to carry the momentum into their upcoming series against Western Illinois.

First pitch against Western Illinois is scheduled for April 14 at 6:05 p.m. at McLane Stadium.

Michigan State baseball defeats Ohio State 7-1 at Jackson FieldMSU baseball returns to Jackson Field for weekend series against Ohio StatePREVIEW: Michigan State baseball heads to Western Michigan

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MSU softball attempted to end its three game losing streak, facing off against the Fighting Irish on Tuesday afternoon. In six innings, the Spartans were defeated 8-0.

“I thought today was a good moment for our bats,” said MSU head coach Sharonda McDonald-Kelley. “They got going a little bit better than I’ve seen them. It didn’t really show much on the scoreboard, but I think it’s really something that we can build on.”

Notre Dame got off to a strong start, obtaining a three-run lead in just the first inning. Carlli Kloss and Joley Michell stole second base in the first, placing themselves in scoring position. Both players capitalized, scoring the first two runs of the game for the Fighting Irish, with graduate student Lexi Orozco running in the final score of the inning on a single from Macie Eck.

The second inning served as a slight bright spot for the Spartans, who held Notre Dame to a 1-2-3 inning.

Notre Dame brought out the theatrics for the third inning, with junior Karina Gaskins sending a home run out of Secchia Stadium in the first at-bat of the inning. The Spartans appeared to mitigate the damage, sitting on two outs with Leea Hanks on first after a fielder’s choice. Anna Holloway hit the second home run of the inning for Notre Dame, and her second of the season.

After a scoreless fourth inning from both sides, Jane Kronenberger added another run to Notre Dame’s total, stretching the lead to seven going into the bottom of the fifth.

Leea Hanks scored the final run of the game for Notre Dame at the top of the sixth, stretching their lead to eight and ending the inning with a double play, causing the mercy rule to come into play to secure the Fighting Irish victory. The victory was the 849th win for head coach Deanna Gumpf, setting a new record for wins by a Notre Dame softball head coach.

Michigan State will return to Secchia Stadium on Wednesday, April 12th at 5:00 p.m. to face off against in-state rival, the Michigan Wolverines.

“We think this Michigan team is a team that we matchup well against, but you kinda throw all of the records…all of the things out the door when it comes to rivalries…so we’re just excited to go play it,” said MSU’s head coach Sharonda McDonald-Kelley.

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State concluded its series against Ohio State Saturday, playing a doubleheader at Jackson Field. MSU split the doubleheader but won the weekend conference series. It was the Spartans’ third series win in as many weekends.

“We told our guys at the beginning of the year that if you win every series, you’re probably Big Ten champions,“ said MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. “We’ve won three of them, and we’ve got five to go.”

“It’s hard to sweep anybody; I don’t care who you are and where you’re playing. It’s really tough to sweep, and so the goal is to win the series, and I am thankful for us to get that done today,” said Boss Jr.

In game one, Ohio State got on the board in the first to start the action. Centerfielder Kade Kern doubled, scoring Trey Lipsey for his 19th RBI. The Buckeyes scored one more in the inning.

The Spartans responded in the bottom half of the third, headed by Jacob Anderson’s second triple of the season, scoring one in the third.

After initially thinking he was out of the inning with a strikeout; Harrison Cook got hit by the ball on his back for the second time, allowing a Buckeye to come around and score for their fourth run in as many innings.

Bryan Broecker got his fourth RBI of the series and his 21st of the season to cut Ohio State’s lead to two.

That momentum didn’t last long as catcher Matthew Graveline belted a two-run jack to the right, his third of the year. Graveline brought in four RBIs in the first game.

“We got our butt handed to us in the first game, but that’s the beauty of baseball,” said Dillion Kark. “You just have a short memory, and we played 40 minutes after, so I couldn’t really carry it into this game, and I mean mercy down so it was a good day overall winning series.”

The Buckeyes blew the game open in the seventh, putting six runs in the inning and bringing ten men to the plate.

The first game ended 13-2 in the seventh due to a conference run rule during a doubleheader on the last day of the series.

VICTORY FOR MSU!!

Spartans bounce back in G2 with 16-3 win over Ohio State, splitting DH after losing G1, in Saturday's DH at Jackson Field.

MSU won the @B1Gbaseball series, its 3rd-straight B1G series victory in as many league weekends!!#VictoryForMSU | #SpartanStrong pic.twitter.com/uOUTPGKCFZ

— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) April 8, 2023

“I don’t know that I’ve ever been a part of being 10 run ruled in one game and then turning around and doing it to the opponent. Kind of a strange day,” said Boss Jr.

In game two, the script flipped. Michigan State trotted around the bases, scoring six runs, two of which occurred off an error by Graveline. The rally started at the top of the order as Trent Farquhar was hit by the pitch. The Spartans brought 12 batters to the plate in the inning.

“We got great kids that have really strong leadership out here,” said Boss Jr. “And so when I challenged those guys between the game today, I walked away, and I heard our leaders kind of pick up on that, and really, just the emphasis was on flipping the script. Game two to their credit, they got that done, and that’s hard to do when you get your backside handed to you like we did in game one.”

In the top half of the second, Ohio State got one run on a sacrifice fly in the top half, before Kark yanked a two-run shot 404 feet for his fourth homer of the season, making the score 8-1. Kark ended up with five RBIs on the day.

“It felt really good,” said Kark. “I’ve seen the ball really well. Just driving the ball around. And yeah, it was a good day.”

On the mound, junior Nick Powers was in control. After allowing a run in the first and second, Ohio State couldn’t do anything offensively. Powers threw six innings, giving up five hits, two runs, and striking out one. This was the most innings Powers has pitched all season.

“Nick was really good today,” said Boss Jr. “Believe it or not, it can be tough to pitch with a big lead like that because I think sometimes guys lose focus. I thought Nick did a really good job of damage control and really didn’t let them back into the ballgame, which was huge.”

The Spartans scored in every inning they came to bat besides the sixth and had 16 hits.

“I’d credit a lot to our hitting coaches,” said Kark. “They work with us anytime we want an off day when they could have an off day, and they’re sitting at home; we asked him to come throw to us and work with us. So credit to these guys and the scouting reports they build and really helps.”

Michigan State (18-10) won 16-3 in seven innings and the Spartans’conference record is now 6-3. Their next game is in South Bend, Indiana against Notre Dame on Tuesday, April 11, starting at 6 p.m.

Michigan State baseball defeats Ohio State 7-1 at Jackson FieldMSU baseball returns to Jackson Field for weekend series against Ohio StatePREVIEW: Michigan State baseball heads to Western Michigan

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EAST LANSING – After flooding from the Red Cedar River this week, Michigan State announced that its scheduled series against the Ohio State Buckeyes would take place at Jackson Field. MSU won game one, 7-1.

Spartan bats connected early against Ohio State’s left-handed pitcher Isaiah Coupet. Bryan Broecker’s single drove in Mitch Jebb and Brock Vradenburg for the first runs of the game. Broecker had three RBIs in the game.

“He’s (Broecker) a pretty mature player,” said head coach Jake Boss Jr. “He’s gotten a lot better and came up with a big spot today, early in the first inning, that was really maybe the biggest at-bat of the game. So yeah, it was good to see him get the barrel to the ball there.”’

Before Coupet was taken out, he threw a wild pitch allowing redshirt freshman Jacob Anderson to score.

After an injury-related pitching change, Buckeye pitcher George Eisenhardt walked three straight Spartan batters, allowing one more run.

The Buckeyes used six pitchers in the series’ first game ahead of Saturday’s doubleheader.

“We put up seven runs, we found a lot of different ways to score and our guys didn’t expand the strike zone too much at the plate which is fun to watch. We are seeing the ball well right now,” Boss Jr. said.

Spartan starter Joseph Dzierwa came out of the gates firing for MSU. The freshman threw six innings, allowing only two hits and four walks while striking out four and giving up one run, including a lot of soft contact with eight flyouts and four groundouts.

Out of the bullpen for the Spartans, Andrew Carson threw up zeros through three innings, facing 11 batters.

“We needed a great effort on the mound tonight from Joseph and Andrew,” said Boss Jr.

MSU tacked on two more runs in the eighth to win the ballgame 7-1. However it wasn’t just an ordinary victory; it was Boss Jr’s 400th win. Boss Jr. is just the third MSU coach to get to 400 wins.

“That’s so awesome for coach,” said junior Trent Farquhar. “He’s working day in and day out. He deserves this, and it’s just awesome to play for a guy like Coach Boss Jr and to see him get his 400th win, especially here in the city of Lansing, is just awesome.”

“It means a lot,” said Boss Jr. “We’ve had a lot of good players here. I’ve been here for a while and had a lot of good coaches and I think this was the dream job for me a long time ago. So yeah, I think they all mean something. 400 is fantastic, but looking for 401 tomorrow.”

Michigan State took game one of the three-game set against the Buckeyes on Friday, improving to 17-9. They will conclude the series with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 1:05 p.m.

MSU baseball returns to Jackson Field for weekend series against Ohio StateLugnuts snatch 12-3 win over Spartans in 15th Crosstown ShowdownMichigan State, Lansing Lugnuts set for 15th Crosstown Showdown

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State baseball is set to return to Jackson Field for a three game, two day series against Ohio State in an important Big Ten mid-season series.

Last season the two teams met for a three game set in two days due to poor weather conditions. Ohio State took the high scoring series win over the Spartans and won their last meeting by a score of 7-8.

The Buckeyes are still above .500 but have struggled in Big Ten play thus far with a record of 1-5. With conference play having just started this series feels like a must win for them in the Big Ten race, as they currently stand at the bottom of the conference.

OSU has an offense that has shown great scoring abilities at times.. The team consists of five players with batting averages above .300 on the season, led by catcher Cole Andrews who is batting a strong .338 and a team leading 20 RBIs. The Buckeyes will need a big series offensively against a tough Spartan team that has shown an ability to out-score opposing teams in high scoring games.

The Spartans are coming off of the Crosstown Showdown against the Lansing Lugnuts and look to use that exhibition game as a springboard for their upcoming series. In the postgame interview head coach Jake Boss said: “I thought we did some good things. I thought we could take away a lot of things from just kind of paying attention to how the Lugnuts did some things.”

The Spartans had a very strong inning against a professional baseball team in the third, scoring three runs. They are hoping this game was a good learning experience all around as they saw what it takes to compete at such a high level. Second baseman Trent Farquhar reflected on the game in an interview.

“It shows a lot,” said Farquhar. “It showed us tonight that we can compete with some pro guys. I think it’s just a confidence booster for us.”

As MSU looks to continue to improve as the season progresses, they’ll put their skills to the test against a resilient Buckeyes team. This series is important for the Spartans, who are 4-2 in conference play with only Indiana and Michigan ahead of them with records of 5-1.

Michigan State’s offense has shown no signs of slowing down, as infielders Brock Vradenburg and Trent Farquhar are both in the top ten for batting averages in the conference. Vradenburg sits in second with an outstanding .442 average in 104 at bats, second to Jonathan Kim of Michigan who is batting .456 in only 57 at bats. Farquhar sits at number seven, batting .389 in 108 at bats and is a real threat on the base paths.

Both have been huge contributors to a strong offense this season for the Spartans. They’ll look to continue this momentum as the season goes along.

The games will be played at Jackson Field on Friday April 7 at 6:05 pm and April 8 with a doubleheader slated for 1:05 and 4:35 pm.

Lugnuts snatch 12-3 win over Spartans in 15th Crosstown ShowdownMichigan State, Lansing Lugnuts set for 15th Crosstown ShowdownPREVIEW: Michigan State baseball heads to Western Michigan

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EAST LANSING – After a weekend that Michigan State softball would like to forget against Maryland, the Spartans got back in the win column, winning a tight contest with Oakland University, 4-3.

The Spartans entered this standalone matchup sitting at 10-17 overall, with Oakland holding a 7-10 record. MSU is coming off a three game road trip in which they were outscored 22-0 to Maryland. Oakland came to Secchia Stadium after splitting a pair of games with Youngstown State.

It was a big day for one Spartan in particular, as freshman Hailey Bila recorded her first at bat in collegiate softball, and the first hit of her young career. After the game, Bila was all smiles.

“Honestly, I’ve been waiting for this moment for a really long time now,” said Bila. “I’ve had a lot of support from my teammates. As soon as my name got called to be in the lineup, they (teammates) were cheering for me.”

The first inning saw most of the scoring, as Oakland opened with an RBI single. The Spartans scored all four of their runs in the opening inning, starting with a leadoff homer from senior Jessica Mabrey. Junior Jenae Wash and Colette Allen, and senior Anna Fox all followed with RBI’s, stretching the Spartans lead.

Oakland pitcher Sydney Campbell came in to pitch in relief for starter Mia Konyvka in the first inning, and was dealing for the rest of the game against the Spartans. Campbell finished with just over five innings pitched, only allowing three hits while striking out two.

Pitcher Madison Taylor threw six full innings for the Spartans, only giving up three runs and tying her career high in strikeouts with four. Postgame, Taylor described how she was able to stay composed after giving up runs.

“Just trusting my teammates and working through it…staying confident,” said Taylor.

First year head coach Sharonda McDonald-Kelley spoke on how the team bounced back after struggling the previous weekend.

“Anytime you can get a win on the ballfield, it’s huge. We just take each piece that we liked, build on it and move forward.”

With the win, Michigan State moved to 11-17 on the season, with Oakland falling to 7-11.

The Spartans’ showdown with Michigan on Wednesday is canceled due to inclement weather. MSU will face Iowa in a three game series this weekend, beginning with a 5:00 pm first pitch at Secchia Stadium on Friday.

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EAST LANSING- Michigan State baseball traveled to Jackson Field Tuesday evening for its 15th Crosstown Showdown exhibition match with the Lansing Lugnuts. The Lugnuts won their 10th straight game against the Spartans, securing a 12-3 win.

“I mean it’s always a fun night, I thought we did some good things, I thought we could take away a lot of things from just paying attention and watching how the Lugnuts did some things,” said MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. “It’s every guy’s dream and goal to play at this level and I think we got a little bit of a taste of what it’s gonna take for some guys to play at this level.”

The Lugnuts came out swinging in the first two innings plating four runs on six hits. Four of those hits for extra bases.

Lugnuts first baseman Jake Winkler had three of the first four RBIs, finishing with five.

Michigan State rebounded in the third with three runs on four hits. The RBIs came from Trent Farquhar’s triple to right and Mitch Jebb’s single.

“I think the most important thing is our guys made adjustments the second time through the order, which was good to see,” said Boss Jr. “The first time you don’t have any scouting reports you don’t really know how you’re going to be attacked by their guy.”

Farquhar spoke about the experience of playing in the Crosstown Showdown.

“I honestly thought it shows tonight that our team is good and we can compete with some pro guys,” said Farquhar. “I use it just like a confidence booster for us and getting to see that we’re not too far off from those guys and how far off our dream is so it’s really fun to see.”

straight Crosstown Showdown wins!

Jack Winkler: 2-2, 2 2B, 5 RBI, BB
Caeden Trenkle: 2-3, 3B, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB
Euribiel Angeles: 2-4, 2B, 3 R, SB
Daniel Susac: 2-4, R pic.twitter.com/O7avTYJS0v

— Lansing Lugnuts (@LansingLugnuts) April 5, 2023

In the bottom of the third Lugnuts came right back scoring another three-run inning opening up the game to 7-3.

After a 20-minute weather delay, the game resumed at the top of the fourth.

The Lugnuts tacked on five more in the fifth, bringing ten men plate to plate, which made the score 12-3.

The Spartans might have lost 12-3, but according to Farquhar, the experience was an enjoyable one.

“(It is) so much fun, especially when the community can come out for baseball in April,” said Farquhar. “Not the best night, but to see everybody out here just really encouraging to us and really glad that we were making it. Even though it didn’t go the way we wanted it to, it is still so much fun playing professional baseball.”

The Spartans (16-9) continue regular season play with a non-conference showdown Wednesday, April 5, hosting Bowling Green. First Pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.

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EAST LANSING- Michigan State baseball heads down the road on Michigan Ave. to face off against the Lansing Lugnuts for the 2023 Crosstown Showdown at Jackson Field Tuesday night.

The last meeting between the neighboring teams was in 2022 when the Lugnuts defeated MSU 3-2.

The Spartans are coming off a 2-1 weekend in Piscataway, New Jersey against Rutgers, bringing their conference record to 4-2.

In the series, Joseph Dzierwa and Harrison Cook recorded wins on the pitching side, catcher Bryan Broecker batted in six runs in game two, and first basemen Brock Vradenburg had three RBIs in game three.

The Lugnuts are the High-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletic’s and they play in the Midwest League. They have not started their season yet, so this will be their first action prior to opening night Friday. Last season, Lansing had 54 wins and 77 losses.

It's CROSSTOWN SHOWDOWN GAME DAY!!

Michigan State vs. @LansingLugnuts

Gates open at 6 pm and 1st pitch at 7:05 pm!!

: https://t.co/Qo0i8MZaaU

Follow the action from Jackson Field:
:https://t.co/V8vUdVQMxl
:https://t.co/VkUyGNGJ6X#GoGreen | #SpartanStrong pic.twitter.com/I7D69u0d25

— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) April 4, 2023

The Crosstown Showdown has been played since 2007 and the Lugnuts lead the series nine to two. Although the two don’t play every year, they have 11 of the past 15 seasons.

In the first-ever meeting between the two teams, the Lugnuts held off MSU 4-3 and slammed the door on the comeback efforts.

Michigan State got its first win in the showdown in 2009, defeating Lansing 12-2 in front of almost 13,000 fans.

MSU also held on to a 2-1 win in 2011 but has lost nine straight since then.

First pitch is slotted for 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 4, at Jackson Field, home of the Lansing Lugnuts.

Gates open at 6 p.m. and the first 1,000 fans will receive green and white Lugnuts jerseys upon entry. A number of Spartans will also be available for autographs before the game.

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EAST LANSING — Michigan State University announced on Friday afternoon that Robyn Fralick is the new head coach of the Michigan State women’s basketball program.

Fralick previously coached at Bowling Green State University where she had a 88-73 record and had three postseason appearances. This season, Fralick led BGSU to a 31-7 record, matching the school and Mid-American Conference records for most wins in a single season. The Falcons reached the WNIT Final Four.

“This is a great day for Spartan women’s basketball as we welcome Robyn Fralick to our Spartan Family,” said Haller. “Her resume speaks for itself, both in the historic success and championships she captured at Ashland and the job she did turning around the program at Bowling Green, not only capturing a championship but also creating an expectation of postseason success.”

Before BGSU, Fralick was the head coach at Ashland University. She had a 104-3 (.972) record, the highest winning percentage in NCAA history at any level. She has also held coaching positions at Appalachian State (2004-05), Western Michigan (2005-07) and Toledo (2007-08).

Welcome to East Lansing, Coach Fralick!

— Michigan State Athletics (@MSU_Athletics) March 31, 2023

She is a 2004 graduate of Davidson, having earned her undergraduate degree in psychology with a minor in religion. At the end of her four-year playing career, she left Davidson among the career leaders in assists (4th), steals (8th) and free-throw percentage (12th). Fralick earned her master’s degree in counselor education from Western Michigan in 2007. She is a local of the Lansing area and a graduate of Okemos High School.

“It’s truly one of the elite programs in the Big Ten and the country, with everything that’s necessary to develop student-athletes and compete at the highest level,” said Fralick. “We will work tirelessly to pursue excellence on and off the court and build a culture and team built on togetherness and toughness. We’re excited to get to work!”

Fralick is the sixth head coach in program history and will be formally introduced at a press conference next week.

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EAST LANSING – Just as Michigan State’s basketball season comes to a close, the buzz for the football season is just beginning. Michigan State football held a press conference on March 30 to talk about offseason work, what to expect heading into the season, and how the team looks to improve from a disappointing 2022 campaign.

With Tuesday’s press conference focusing mainly on offense, the talking point shifted to the defensive side of the ball on Thursday.

New Michigan State cornerbacks coach Jim Salgado spoke to the media again and was asked about the transition from the NFL to college football, and how the coaching style may be different.

“I’m still going to be the same person that I am. I’m going to coach [players] to the best of my ability to help them succeed,” Salgado said. “Whether I was coaching on Sundays or Saturdays…[players] want to be coached. At the end of the day, [players] want to know one. You care about them. Two. You’re there to help them succeed.”

Young players in the secondary said that there was a focus this offseason on building chemistry with each other both on and off the field. Sophomore cornerback Dillon Tatum spoke highly of his roommate Jaden Mangham and the other sophomores in his class.

“Last year, there was a couple older guys that were playing, so now that they’re gone, it’s the young 2022 class,” Tatum said. “You got myself, Jaden, and Malik Spencer here…I think as a group, we’re going to be tight.”

The 2022 class is full of raw talent, and there is no exception with Jaden Mangham. Mangham showed promise last season as a freshman, before a scary head and neck injury in MSU’s loss to Ohio State derailed his season; however, he is not letting an injury get in the way of him making an impact for Michigan State this season.

“It definitely made me better,” said Mangham. “Injuries will always happen, so once that happened to me, I just basically found that as I got that out of the way. So now I can actually take it to the next level, and I know what I have to do…I know what I should do to avoid what happened.”

The young class of 2022 has many bright spots and the players are ready for the bright lights. As the spring game approaches, many Michigan State fans will be intrigued to see who is producing on the defensive side of the ball and what the lineup is going to look like. If you ask Tatum what the secondary is going to do, his answer is quite clear.

“I feel like we’re going to replicate the No Fly Zone,” said Tatum.

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EAST LANSING— Michigan State baseball (13-8) looks to take a season sweep against in-state rival Western Michigan (5-16). The Spartans have won eight of their last nine games and hope to continue their winning ways against a familiar opponent they faced less than one week ago.

In their last meeting, the Spartans rallied plenty of runs complemented by a very strong pitching performance to come back from a 3-0 deficit and win by a score of 8-3 on March 22.

“Put on the pressure,” said MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. “Get ahead early in the count and play well on defense. If we do that we give ourselves a pretty good chance.”

The Spartans continue to show that they are capable of winning in many different ways as their pitching has seen some improvement throughout the past few games. While they may be defensively trending in the right direction, their strength is their offense. Their .314 team batting average is among the top 30 in the country at No. 26.

A focal point of the team’s current success comes from their ability to stay confident and resilient.

It's a Tuesday Spartan Game Day!!

MSU at Western Michigan – 3:05 pm

: https://t.co/ondKZNsNXH
: https://t.co/n8ayeOgwtt
: https://t.co/6Jcl6cFMcP#GoGreen | #SpartanStrong | @JakeDresselhou1 pic.twitter.com/TabQ7xkOcA

— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) March 28, 2023

“They don’t get too high, they don’t get too low,” said Boss Jr. “They show a lot of sustained enthusiasm whether they are up or down.”

The Broncos have dropped six straight games and are looking to snap that streak in their home opener Tuesday. The key to their game is a steady stream of runs all throughout the game as well as another strong outing from the pitching staff. The team has shown they are capable of scoring a solid amount of runs as well as pitching well at times but consistency is a huge aspect of this game.

Inclement weather changed the date of this game to be played Wednesday, March 28 with the first pitch set to start at 3:05.

MSU baseball sweeps doubleheader against PurdueMichigan State baseball hosts Purdue in B1G season openerMSU baseball looks to extend win streak against Western Michigan

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EAST LANSING — After a rainout on Saturday forced Michigan State and Purdue to play a doubleheader Sunday, the Spartans swept the double header, taking two out of three from the Boilermakers in the opening Big Ten series of the season.

In the first game of the doubleheader, Purdue took advantage of the shift in the first inning. Michigan State shifted twice to the left side, where a double play could have been turned to end the inning. Purdue ended up scoring two in the first two innings.

Ryan Szczepaniak came in for relief for Nolan Higgens in the fifth, keeping Purdue at bay pitching four innings, only allowing two hits and striking out five, allowing zero runs.

“I think Ryan’s a guy that has a chance to be special on the mound for us here,” said MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. “It’s been kind of an up-and-down season so far for him and a couple of other guys, and so, I guess, the challenge is to repeat, to follow up a good performance with another good performance.”

After the seventh-inning stretch, Sam Busch pinch-hit for Jacob Anderson. Busch doubled to right field, and Bryan Broecker scored to put the score at 3-2 Purdue.

“That’s what he’s capable of; he’s a big strong kid who is starting to get regular at-bats this year, and he’s really taken advantage of his opportunity, which is what we challenged our guys to do at the beginning of the year in September,” said Boss Jr.

In the eighth, Purdue pitcher Aaron Suval came into the game and pitched for the third time this week. Unlike Friday’s game, his command wasn’t firing on all cylinders, walking two and allowing two runs putting the Spartans ahead 5-3. Purdue got one run in the ninth, but it was not enough.

“It was huge to bounce back the way we did,” said Busch. “Getting the first one, tough pitching at the end really sealed the deal for us; coming to the next one, we had a lot of momentum and put together a lot of good at-bats, and the scoreboard said it all.”

Game two was the same story for Purdue, scoring two runs in the first.

After only bringing 10 men to the plate against Purdue pitcher Kyle Iwinski in the first three innings, the Spartans hit two deep balls to right center field. Their four-run inning was highlighted by Busch’s two-run homer, scoring Brock Vradenburg.

“It’s a pretty cool feeling,” said Busch. “I knew I got it pretty well, but I put my head down and ran, and I was just trying to get a fastball over the plate I can handle and I did.”

In the bottom of the fifth, Bryan Broecker singled on a bunt and got to second base after the catcher’s error; Busch and Vradenburg came around to score after the overthrow. After the three-run inning, the Spartans led 7-2.

The Spartans sent 27 combined batters to the plate in the fourth, fifth and sixth, scoring all 12 in the middle frames. Batting around leads to a lot of confidence among teammates.

“That makes my job a lot easier when they are on base,” said Vradenburg. “It also creates a lot of havoc for their pitchers if they’re gonna worry about them stealing or something. So kind of like gives me a sense of relaxation, and they’re always probably going to be on base for me. So it just makes me excited to go ahead.”

Purdue brought the game within six but ended up on the wrong side of the doubleheader sweep by MSU, losing the second game 12-6.

“We can do a lot of damage here,” said Vradenburg. “We’re kind of playing with that chip on our shoulder like no one really cares about us. So we want to make people realize that we’re no slouch and definitely want to get back to the tournament.”

Michigan State (13-8) will play Western Michigan in Kalamazoo on Tuesday, March 28, starting at 3:05 p.m.

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EAST LANSING – After rain forecasted for Saturday altered some plans, Michigan State faced a double-header to begin conference play, going against a strong Wisconsin team in Secchia Stadium.

The Spartans entered the matchup with a record of 9-12 after defeating Central Michigan to begin the homestand. The Badgers began the day with a record of 13-8, coming into the double-header following an impressive win over No. 13 ranked Alabama. Wisconsin’s record could be deemed as deceiving, as they are 13-4 in their last 17 games, starting the year slow with an 0-4 skid.

Michigan State’s defense fought against some adversity in the first inning. Sitting with players on second and third base, the Spartans secured three straight outs to end the top of the first, including their rejection of Skylar Sirdashney’s attempt to steal home. They would carry this momentum into the bottom of the first, striking first blood with an early run from Jessica Mabrey.

After an unremarkable second inning, Wisconsin utilized some theatrics to get on the board. Skylar Sirdashney advanced from second to third base off of a wild pitch, then secured a run for the Badgers off of a double steal.

The bottom of the third and the entirety of the fourth consisted of 1-2-3 innings, but all of the waiting paid off in the fifth. Sirdashney got her revenge for her failed attempt to steal home earlier in the game, hitting the first opposing home run in Secchia Stadium this season and recording an additional RBI with Brooke Kuffel scoring as a result.

The top of the fifth would cap off with Crane recording two RBI’s after hitting a ground ball that just barely stayed inside the field of play, which allowed both Ellie Hubbard and Katie Keller to score. The Spartans decided to employ a similar strategy during their turn at bat, with AJ Militello recording a run after Jessica Mabrey hit a ground ball that rode the foul line to stay inbounds.

The final two innings would result in no score change, with Wisconsin winning 5-3.

In the second matchup of the day, the Spartans came out scorching hot. During a near home run from Mandy Esman that bounced off the top of the wall, Macy Lee used the situation to her advantage to score the first run of the match. Esman would get retribution for the missed home run, scoring during Barroso’s single hit.

MSU continued their domination in the second inning, adding two more runs from Esman and Barroso to extend their lead to four.

“I just tried to relax, stick with my plan, and not get too much in my head and then just do my thing,” said Esman. Wisconsin cut into the four point deficit at the top of the fourth, with Konwent hitting a home run to start the inning. Schlossler and Kuffel scored two more runs for the Badgers, cutting the lead to only one for the Spartans.

The Spartans would add some separation in the bottom of the fourth, with a run coming from Militello. After a strong defensive effort to begin the fifth, Barroso hit a home run to extend the lead to three.

The sixth inning began with a quick possession by the Badgers that didn’t result in any changes. On the other side, the bottom of the sixth included the Spartans putting the final nail in the coffin, with runs scored by Mabrey and Militello after Macy Lee used the left foul line to her advantage.

Michigan State defeated Wisconsin 8-4 after a scoreless seventh inning, splitting the double header 1-1 between both teams.

The Spartans will face the Badgers on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. at Secchia Stadium to finish their three game series.

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EAST LANSING- Michigan State baseball started conference play at home Friday afternoon against Purdue. The Boilermaker’s five-straight runs were enough to complete a 5-4 comeback over MSU, and earn their first away win of the season.

“It’s not an effort related thing, but it’s an execution thing. The effort was fine, the effort was there, but we need to execute,” said MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. “When the effort is good, it doesn’t always win you games.”

Michigan State started strong and got on the board in the first through a Brock Vradenburg RBI double, which scored lead-off hitter Trent Farquhar. This was Vradenburg’s 28th RBI of the season, leading the team and placing him third in the Big Ten.

The Spartan added three more runs in the second inning. Jake Dresselhouse, Trent Farquhar and Mitch Jebb each batted in a run, improving the lead to four. This was Freshman Jake Dresselhouse’s second RBI in as many games.

“He’s [Dresselhouse] a talented player. I mean he’s one of the best high school outfielders in the state coming out of Orchard Lake St. Mary’s,” said Boss Jr. “He’s gonna be a very good player for us.”

Farquhar’s RBI double in the fourth inning brought his season total to 11 doubles, leading the conference and now third in the NCAA.

MSU lefty Joseph Dzierwa started on the mound for the Spartans and retired his first nine batters without a blemish.

In the fourth, Purdue got their first hit of the day, and later in the inning, were a few feet short of knotting the game at four with a grand slam. Instead, Connor Caskenette’s deep fly ball to left found the glove of Casey Mayes, but one run still scored on the sacrifice fly. Dzierwa fought back to allow just one run after finding himself in a hole with the bases-loaded with no outs.

The Boilermakers continued to find themselves on base in the fifth scoring three more runs. Paul Toetz batted one of those runs in, bringing his season total to 31 RBIs, leading the team and tying for the Big Ten lead.

Final score from McLane Stadium at Kobs Field:

Purdue 5, Michigan State 4

G2 of series scheduled for Sat at 3:35 pm.#GoGreen | #SpartanStrong pic.twitter.com/uBQpJKHjta

— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) March 24, 2023

Purdue starting pitcher Khal Stephen struggled in his first two innings, but found command after that. The Boilermaker pitcher had a win in the first game of the season, the first home game of the season and was looking for one in the first conference game of the season.

Stephen struck out a career-high eight players and pitched another career-high six innings in the game.

Andrew Carson reacted well to the pressure for MSU and tallied three strikeouts. Carson entered the mound and got out of a bases-loaded jam before pitching three more scoreless innings.

A Purdue rally in the ninth loaded the bases for the third time in the game, leading to the winning run and making the game 5-4.

MSU pitcher Wyatt Rush struck out the next two batters getting out of the inning with just one run against, but Michigan State could not find the game-tying run in the ninth.

Purdue reliever Aaron Suval pitched the final three innings, recording three strikeouts while slamming the door closed on the MSU late comeback efforts.

“We’ve got to take care of the details and got to take care of the little things,” said Boss Jr. “When you play better than the other team, you usually win, and when you lose, you really deserve to lose. And we deserved to lose today. We didn’t play well enough.”

Saturday’s matchup has been postponed due to cold temperatures and inclement weather. Sunday will now be a double-header with game one slated for 12:05 p.m. and game two taking place around 30 minutes after the first game is completed.

Michigan State baseball hosts Purdue in B1G season openerMSU baseball looks to extend win streak against Western MichiganMSU Baseball falls to Gardner-Webb, 7-3

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EAST LANSING– Michigan State baseball (11-7) looks to make a statement in its Big Ten opening series against Purdue University (9-10). After a comeback win in their home opener against Western Michigan, the Spartans look to continue their winning ways during Fan Appreciation Weekend in a three-game series against a resilient Boilermakers side.

The Boilermakers have won the last three games against the Spartans with an all time record of 30-25 in the history of these Big Ten rivals.

Purdue’s last seven games have been uncharacteristic as they have struggled to plate as many runs as they had early on. They started their first twelve games of the season with an average of 9.5 runs per game in that span. They have since then lost six of their last seven games while averaging just above 4.14 runs per game.

The Boilermakers hope to get back on track this weekend after a very tough out of conference schedule by reigniting their very high scoring offense.

“Purdue is very well-coached and has played a good schedule,” MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said.

The Spartans are looking to start conference play on the right foot this weekend and hope to get an early jump in the Big Ten standings after a disappointing result last season.

Let's get this Big Ten season started.@MSUBaseball is home tonight against Purdue at 4:05 pm! pic.twitter.com/29FH3YOUMc

— Michigan State Athletics (@MSU_Athletics) March 24, 2023

“The Big Ten opener is obviously very important. We were very disappointed in the way we finished last year and the goal is to win the series,” Boss Jr. said.

Michigan State has had some very solid pitching in their last few outings but a 6.21 ERA as a team this year will not be able to contain a strong hitting team such as Purdue. On the offensive side of the ball, Michigan State has a team batting average of .314, ranking them 27th in the country.While it may be early in the season, this series will not be taken lightly and will be a very good indicator of both of these teams trying to find their footing going into a long season.

Game one on Friday, March 24 is slated for 4:05 p.m. while Saturday’s game will be at 3:55 pm. The series finale will start on Sunday, March 26 at 1:05 p.m. at McLane Stadium.

MSU Baseball falls to Gardner-Webb, 7-3MSU baseball looks to extend win streak against Western MichiganMichigan State baseball splits doubleheader in MLB Desert Invite

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EAST LANSING – A game that was originally scheduled to be played in Kalamazoo was moved to East Lansing, due to wet field conditions.Michigan State baseball opened up its schedule at home against Western Michigan on Wednesday afternoon after being on the road for the first 17 games. MSU rallied back to win 8-3.

MSU has won 10 of its last 11 home openers.

“It’s great to get the home opener. We’ve been looking forward to this since September,” said MSU head manager Jake Boss Jr. “We love playing at home, we love our park, we love our fans. Good to finally be here after the first 17 games over the four weeks. It’s always fun playing out here.”

In the first inning, Western Michigan sophomore pitcher Luke Thelen got out of a jam after allowing two walks and hitting one with a pitch. After settling in, he retired 10 of the next 12 batters he faced and was throwing a no-hitter until the bottom of the fifth.

Coming into play Wednesday, MSU had a .318 batting average, and an average of 11.7 hits and 7.7 runs.

Thelen finished his start, pitching four innings, allowing two hits, giving up four walks and striking out five.

Momentum shifted when MSU junior third baseman Dillon Kark singled, ending Thelen’s no-hitter to lead off the fifth. The Spartans rallied, showing resilience and bringing eight men to the plate, tying the game at three.

“This is a group that doesn’t get too high or low,” said Boss Jr. “That’s something we’ve talked about since September as well, so I give ’em a lot of credit. I think our leadership is really good with these guys and our seniors especially. “They bought into that and they’ve kinda taken ownership of that.”

The Spartans broke the game open in the sixth inning, scoring four and putting MSU up 7-3. Trent Farquhar was one of the main contributors in the inning with two RBIs. He finished the day with three.

On the pitching side, MSU junior pitcher Nick Powers was firing on all cylinders out of the bullpen. He was the third Spartan on the mound Wednesday. He threw 4.2 innings, striking out five, and only giving up one hit.

“I’m really happy for Nick, he started opening night for us and didn’t throw well and he’s had a couple other opportunities and has kinda struggled a little bit,” said Boss Jr. “So for him to get back on the mound and not pack it in and throw the way he did today, hopefully it’s kinda a springboard for the rest of the year for him.”

“He’s certainly capable,” said Boss Jr. “He’s been our number one guy here in the past and if he can get going like he threw today, and stack up a bunch of different outings like he did today, we’re going to be in for a good spring. He’s a big part of what we are trying to do this spring.”

The Spartans, (11-7) extend their win streak to six. MSU will open Big Ten play this weekend against Purdue. The first game is at 4:05 p.m. Friday. MSU will play Western Michigan once more in Kalamazoo on Wednesday, March 29 at 4:05 p.m.

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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

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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

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State softball’s home opener took place on Tuesday, March 21 as the Spartans secured a 3-0 victory over Central Michigan University. The Spartans improved their season record to 9-12 overall before they kick off their Big Ten campaign later this week.

After fears of a possible snow-cancellation earlier this week, Central Michigan made the trip to East Lansing and were greeted by a warm welcome from mother nature. With cloudy skies and temperatures around 50 degrees, the Spartans and Chippewas faced off in Secchia Stadium.

The main storyline of the first two innings was the pitching heroics of both Faith Guidry of MSU and Grace Lehto of CMU. Neither pitcher allowed any runs throughout the two innings, with Guidry not allowing a single player on base. Lehto showcased her resilience in both innings, throwing strikeouts after giving up a walk and a hit respectively in inning one and inning two.

Michigan State began to pull away at the top of the third, with Guidry continuing her heroics with three straight outs, including one strike out. At the bottom of the third, the Spartans turned up the heat on offense. With bases loaded, Alexis Barroso stepped up to the plate and while she did not get on base herself, Barroso was able to deliver a sacrifice-fly for Anna Fox to score the first run of the game.

The quest for the perfect game by Guidry ended at the top of the fourth, with Michaleigh Vallimont becoming the first Chippewa on base after earning a walk. While it appeared as if this might build some momentum for CMU, the Spartans delivered two straight outs to end the possession.

A few highlights from tonight's 3-0 win over Central Michigan!

Faith Guidry tossed a two-hit shutout for the Spartans while AJ Militello belted her second home run of the season.#GoGreen | #UNLEASH pic.twitter.com/yTXKoc7lYU

— MSU Softball (@MSU_Softball) March 22, 2023

During MSU’s turn at bat at the bottom of the fourth, AJ Millitello hit her second home run of the season, her first since Feb. 17.. “Just playing and having Michigan, the state that I grew up in, across my chest is very surreal…very special,” Millitello said.

The Chippewas had their best chance all game at the top of the fifth, with the opportunity to load the bases ruined by two consecutive outs. The Spartans took advantage of CMU’s missed opportunity, stretching their lead to three with a run from Jessica Mabrey.

The top of the sixth opened with the first hit from CMU’sAbbey Tolmie. Just as the door began to open for the Chippewas, it was slammed shut with the Spartans producing a double-play and a third out on the following two pitches.

Following a quiet sixth inning from the Michigan State offense, the top of the seventh produced a déjà vu for those in attendance, with the Chippewas securing their second hit of the game following an early out.

Michigan State begins their three-day homestand against Wisconsin on Friday, March 24 in Secchia Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. against the 13-8 Badgers.

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EAST LANSING — Michigan State baseball looks to continue its five game winning streak as they host Western Michigan University on Wednesday, March 22. The Spartans have outscored opposing teams 41-22 heading into the first home game of the season against the Broncos.

The last time these two teams squared off, the Broncos beat the Spartans 18-7 on April 13, 2022.

The Spartans have had offensive firepower all year long, batting an average of .318. The team is led by infielder Brock Vradenburg who is batting .466 in 73 at bats with 6 home runs. The Spartans slugger is ninth in the nation in batting average.

The Broncos look to get back in the win column after a tough start early in the season. WMU is batting an average of .259 and is capable of scoring runs. The Broncos are led by redshirt junior outfielder Will Morrison, who is batting a team-high .424 in 66 at bats this year.

The Spartans hope to slow Morrison’s bat down and control the game defensively. MSU has limited its opponents to an overall batting average of .271 this season, indicating a strong start on the mound.

The key to this game is attention to detail. Pitching needs to be consistently solid all game to prevent WMU from gaining momentum. As for the hitting there just needs to be confidence among the team. The Spartans have done a solid job of producing support all around that may not show up in the box score. They look to continue this trend moving forward as everybody needs to contribute in order to maintain their success.

First pitch against Western Michigan is slated for 3:05 p.m. MSU will then open the Big Ten season on Friday, March 24 against Purdue.

MSU extends win streak against Indiana StateMichigan State finishes weekend in the Carolinas 1-2MSU Baseball falls to Gardner-Webb, 7-3

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EAST LANSING— After inclement weather in Terre Haute, Indiana canceled Friday and Saturday’s games, Michigan State baseball faced the Indiana State Sycamores in a doubleheader on Sunday, March 19. The Spartans won both games extending their winning streak to five.

Game 1:

It was just 35 degrees at first pitch but MSU freshman pitcher Joseph Dzierwa came out of the gates firing. He had eight strikeouts facing 14 batters. Dzierwa gave up one hit with no walks. He threw 65 pitches with 42 of them being strikes in his 3.2 innings, before handing the ball over to freshman Nolan Higgins.

MSU junior right fielder Jack Frank was three for five in game one with three RBIs. Michigan State had its eye in game one against Indiana State. MSU knocked 14 hits, and walked seven times in its 8-2 victory.

“Everybody contributed offensively, even if it didn’t show up in the box score, I think we did a lot of little things right, that put our guys in position to score,” head coach Jake Boss Jr said. “Some things didn’t show up in the box score, but were really, really big parts of both games. It was a big day at the plate, and guys threw well today on the mound.”

Sycamore’s pitcher Connor Fenlong had a rough time with his command. He had four walks with one hit by pitch in three innings. Before turning the ball over to his bullpen, Fenlong allowed four earned runs on five hits.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, Indiana State opened with back-to-back homeruns on consecutive pitches from Higgins to a pair of redshirt sophomores Keegan Watson and Parker Stinson, making it 6-2

The Spartans finished game one with an 8-2 win.

Game 2:

The top half of the first inning started like game one for the Spartans, having scored four runs in the inning with two off a Frank two-run shot.

MSU redshirt sophomore designated hitter Sam Busch had two RBIs and Frank had three in the game. Michigan State had 14 hits.

Michigan State pitching struggled to start game two. In the first Inning, MSU redshirt sophomore Adam Berghorst couldn’t get out of the first only getting two outs.

Berghorst threw 34 pitches facing seven batters, allowing three earned runs off two singles and two walks, before being relieved by junior Harrison cook. Indiana State was able to bat around just like MSU did in the first game.

Cook settled in nicely, not allowing a single run until the sixth inning when left fielder ​​Adam Pottinger hit a two run shot which made the game 8-5 Spartans. This homer was just his second hit in his 4.2 innings of work.

Indiana state wasn’t quite done, as Miguel Rivera hit a high two-run shot to right field to make the game 8-7 in the bottom of the eighth. The Spartans held on to win after two insurance runs scored in the top of the ninth winning 10-7.

“I’m really proud of our guys today. I think they showed a lot of toughness, both physically and mentally, the conditions were not ideal, but both teams had to play in it and our guys really showed up today,” Boss Jr. said.

The Spartans (10-7) will host Western Michigan in East Lansing on Wednesday, March 22 at 3 p.m.

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State University announced on Monday that the women’s basketball head coach Suzy Merchant is stepping down effective immediately after 16 seasons with the program, according to an official statement. This was a mutual decision coming from Merchant, Athletic Director Alan Haller and the Michigan State University Vice President

Associate head coach Dean Lockwood will serve as interim head coach as the university conducts a search for the vacant head coach position.

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce I am stepping down from Michigan State University due to health reasons,” Merchant said. “After much consideration and consultation with my healthcare providers, I have come to the difficult decision that it is in my best interest. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the entire Michigan State community, including the administration, faculty, and staff.”

Thank you for everything, Coach Merchant!

: https://t.co/74ElZ0pSEO pic.twitter.com/YWIwGRj8tg

— Michigan State Athletics (@MSU_Athletics) March 13, 2023

Merchant finishes her time at MSU with a 327-186 record, leading the team to two Big Ten titles and 10 NCAA tournament appearances. During her 2021-2022 season, she reached 500 career wins and just one game later her 300th win as the head coach of the Spartans.

“We are grateful to Coach Suzy Merchant for her contributions to Michigan State women’s basketball and Spartan Athletics over the last 16 seasons,” Haller said. “Beyond the team’s on-court success, she invested considerable time and energy into our local community as a leader and a role model for young people.”

Women’s basketball head coach Suzy Merchant releases statementKamaria McDaniel leads MSU in upset win over No. 4 Indiana

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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.

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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.

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State hosted Long Island and Bowling Green in a multi-record-breaking tri-meet for their annual Jan Howard Breast Cancer Awareness Meet.

MSU set five program records, recorded two perfect 10.0s, and set multiple new career highs.

“Hey, these fans are waiting to see what all the chatter has been about. Let’s just give it a show,” said MSU head coach Mike Rowe. “And it was that easy. That’s all I had to say, and then just step back and watch what happens.”

Right up front Jenison was beaming with energy between what the gymnasts brought to the competition floor and the crowd. The Spartans dominated on vault with a new program high of 49.575, and freshman Nikki Smith earned a perfect 10.0. BGSU and LIU both had rocky starts, but that didn’t stop either from pushing through. The Falcons ended with a 48.850 and the Sharks ended with a 49.000.

“I’m feeling super excited especially because it’s my first 10.0 in college.” said Smith. “My expectations for the rest of the year is to keep going up from here.”

The Spartans went into rotation two on fire. They earned their first 10.0 on bars in program history from senior Jori Jackard. “When her dismount dropped in front of me, I was like, there it is,” said Rowe.

“It feels so amazing just to have my team behind my back and supporting me,” said Jackard.

MSU broke their bars record for the second time this season, with a score of 49.550. Although, the Falcons and Sharks struggled to keep up. LIU fell behind MSU by 1.200 points and BGSU fell behind by 1.225 points.

Rotation three was solid for MSU, and they broke yet another record to set their new beam record to be 49.600. BGSU was on floor, and earned a 48.075 and LIU earned a 49.175 on vault. There was little progress made by the Falcons and Sharks on catching up to the Spartans. MSU stood at 148.725, LIU at 147.100, and BGSU at 146.975.

The fourth and final rotation sealed the deal for MSU. Anchored by a stellar performance from sophomore Skyla Schulte, the Spartans swept the competition to set a new school record of 198.225.

Despite MSU taking the competition as a team, for all-around LIU and BGSU got up on the scoreboard. Third place went to sophomore Kathryn Weilbacher from BGSU, and the second place went to freshman Syd Morris from LIU. Smith took first place and set a new school record for all-around with a score of 39.775.

Rowe is proud of this team’s cohesion.

“They help each other, they have each other’s backs, ” said Rowe. “They give each other good advice. They stick together and basically, that’s the message we were trying to send as that’s how we would be successful.”

Up next, the Spartans will host Northern Illinois on March 11 at 7 p.m. for their senior night.

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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.”

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SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Michigan State tied the best-of-three series at 1-1 after defeating Notre Dame 4-2 Saturday afternoon. Coming into Saturday’s contest, the Spartans were 0-14 in Big Ten tournament games.

“We played how we wanted to play. We played to our identity,” said MSU head coach Adam Nightingale.

The Spartans came out with blazing speed and aggression, 12 minutes into the contest MSU had a 16-1 shot advantage and a handful of chances to net their first on Notre Dame goaltender Ryan Bischel in the series, but the nations leader in save percentage was on top of his game early.

A Spartan turnover while the defensive line was changing led to the first goal of the game. Senior forward Solag Bakich and assistant captain Trevor Janicke skated in on MSU goaltender Dylan St. Cyr, who was left with zero defenders back, making it 1-0 for the Fighting Irish.

It was not till the 53rd shot of the series where MSU solved Bischel. With Grant Silianoff in the penalty box, Jeremy Davidson buried a precise cross ice feed from senior forward Nico Müller. Davidson’s eighth goal of the season tied the game up at 1-1 midway through the second period.

“Once we got that first one it just felt like a bit of a relief and it felt like we could beat those guys,” said junior defenseman Nash Nienhuis.

MSU doubled up in the middle frame as freshman forward Tiernan Shoudy was able to find a streaking Matt Basgall who wristed one past the blocker of Bischel for his fourth goal and his 17th point of the season.

“A really good feeling after being down by one to come out of that period up by one,” said freshman forward Daniel Russel.

Two quick goals by Michigan State in the third period pushed the lead to 4-1 with 14:26 remaining. Nienhuis recorded his fourth goal of the season thanks to a Jagger Joshua pokecheck and some swift puck movement and just two minutes later Karsen Dorwart from between the goal line and face-off circle sniped one near side on Bischel.

“We were firing on all cylinders. Our forecheck was unreal. We shut them down pretty good so it was just an overall great team game,” said Nienhuis.

Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson decided to pull Bischel with 6:40 remaining and the Irish on the power play and it proved dividends as Jack Adams tipped a point shot past St. Cyr for Notre Dame’s second goal of the game.

The Spartan defense and St. Cyr held tight, securing a 4-2 victory.

The Spartans and the Fighting Irish square off once more on Sunday at 6 pm. The winner will move on to the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament.

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SOUTH BEND, IN — In a hard fought game, the No. 5 seed Michigan State Spartans fell to the No. 4 seed Notre Dame 1-0 in the first game of the best of three Big Ten Tournament series.

Although the Spartans did not see the outcome they wanted, they played an incredibly strong game, leading the shot margin 36-21.

“It’s part of the foundation we are trying to build. It’s not about what happens or if the puck goes in, it’s about your next shift. ” said head coach Adam Nightingale. “They’ve done a great job buying into that and knowing things won’t always go your way.”

Ryan Bischel played an unbelievable game for the Fighting Irish with a total 36 saves, shutting out the Spartans. This was his fifth shutout of the season and his second against MSU.

In the regular season, the Spartans came out on top with a 2-1-1 margin over the Fighting Irish. The last time these two teams played, Michigan State swept Notre Dame with 3-0 and 3-2 victories in East Lansing.

Michigan State was 0-13 in the Big Ten Conference’s postseason tournament coming into this matchup. They now add to that streak, being 0-14 in conference post season games.

The first period came with a lot of fast paced play from both teams, the way they have played all season. Michigan State took early advantage of getting in the offensive zone and applying pressure on Bischel. After having a bye week in the last week of regular play, it was clear the Spartans were hungry to be back on the ice.

With 5:48 left in the first period, senior forward Jagger Joshua was whistled for interference, giving Notre Dame the first power play of the night. Although the Spartans were able to kill the penalty, the Irish found their momentum in the final five minutes and did not slow down, getting some good looks at the net, but Dylan St. Cyr denied his former teammates any chance to get the puck behind him. MSU led the shot margin 10-9 by the end of the first period.

The second period started fairly similar to the first. Both teams saw multiple good looks at the net. The Spartan defense did a great job of blocking shots and shutting down the Irish attack. Michigan State saw a good offensive push once again, and successfully set up many opportunities, but couldn’t quite get their sticks on the puck in front of the net.

With 3:47 left in the second period, senior forward Trevor Janicke got a pass from on the left circle to the front of the net, where junior Grant Silianoff snuck it straight past St. Cyr. Jack Adams also had an assist on the goal, giving Notre Dame a 1-0 lead going into the final period. Notre Dame led the shot margin 19-18.

“We are playing our game and they were just able to capitalize with that one goal,” said freshman forward Tiernan Shoudy. “They are just really well coached and play their style and it’s hard to create offense off of it.”

In the first two minutes of play in the third, freshman Tiernan Shoudy had a big rush to the net, but Bischel denied his shot and Mucha’s rebound attempt.

Five minutes into the period, MSU sophomore forward Tanner Kelly and Notre Dame graduate defenseman Chase Blackmun were called for roughing, sending the game to a 4 v 4 matchup. Throughout the 4 v 4, the Spartans kept the majority of the puck control. This led to many good chances, but still no goal for MSU.

“We just have to find another level of work and get on the inside,” Nightingale. “We created quite a bit of chaos and we have to be ready to go tomorrow.”

The Spartans saw their golden opportunity halfway through the period when Irish sophomore Jake Boltmann was sent to the box for roughing. However, the Irish penalty kill stopped the Spartans from getting many looks on net. Notre Dame’s penalty kill for the regular season was .752.

With 7:30 to play the Irish almost saw a chance to tally another point on a 2 v 1 rush, but St. Cyr made a crucial diving save to block the shot. St Cyr had 20 saves on the night.

Michigan State got one more chance at the power play after senior Jesse Lansdell received a penalty for tripping. Daniel Russell saw his best chance of the night and got the puck right behind Bischel’s pads, but the puck hit the bottom of the crossbar and bounced back out.

In the final 1:30 of the game St. Cyr headed off the ice to give the Spartans the extra skater. Tiernan Shoudy saw a good chance at the corner of the net, but it was knocked out by an Irish defensemans stick. The Spartans may not have been able to get past Bischel, but had a lot of positives coming out of tonight.

“I think we outplayed them, especially in the first and the third,” said St. Cyr. “I think we just have to continue to stick with the chances and get guys in front of Bischel.”

Puck drop for the second game of the series is Saturday at 4:30 at Compton Family Ice Arena.

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SOUTH BEND, Ind. — With a bye to end the regular season, Michigan State spent the final weekend as fans, hoping that the chips fell in a way that would bring home-ice advantage in the Big Ten tournament.

It led Jagger Joshua to do something he never had before.

“It definitely wasn’t the best feeling, especially rooting for Michigan,” he said. “That’s not something I really enjoyed.”

Joshua and the Spartans needed their rivals to beat Notre Dame once that weekend, which, coupled with Penn State’s loss to Wisconsin — would bring postseason hockey to Munn Ice Arena for the first time since Big Ten hockey began in 2013-14.

That didn’t happen, so now MSU heads to Notre Dame.

The 2023 #B1GHockey Tournament bracket is set!

: https://t.co/6mugCYQbFr pic.twitter.com/JVYog4PuZW

— Big Ten Hockey (@B1GHockey) February 26, 2023

“It would have been nice to get home ice,” Michigan State coach Adam Nightingale said. “You know, I think we’re so thankful for the crowds we’ve had, the support and all this excitement with the program.”

However, he urged his players to keep perspective. The Spartans were projected to finish last in the Big Ten’s preseason coaches’ poll. Despite that, their fifth-place finish is tied for the second-best in program history and best since the conference expanded to seven teams.

“Coming into the season, we talked a lot about trying to earn some respect, and I think we have done that in college hockey, but we’re still not to the level we want to get to,” Nightingale said.

He said that this weekend presents another opportunity to take a step forward. The Spartans have never won a Big Ten tournament game before, but goalie Dylan St. Cyr is confident that his team can do it against the Fighting Irish.

“I think it’s a mindset,” St. Cyr said. “That’s the biggest thing. I think that’s the change in the culture that’s having to come now is having the mindset to expect to win rather than going there and hoping to win.”

Michigan State returns to South Bend for the first time since Oct. 28-29, the opening weekend of conference play. That weekend, following a 5-0 blowout, MSU responded with a 1-1 tie and the shootout win.

If anything, that shootout win proved to the Spartans they can beat the Irish, which they kept in mind for the Feb. 3-4 series in East Lansing. There, the Spartans swept Notre Dame for the first time since 2006, giving them confidence they can do the same in the tournament.

A hard-fought win was the perfect tribute to this senior class! pic.twitter.com/i0mRXN2cRL

— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) February 5, 2023

“Our record against them this year I would say gives us confidence,” Joshua said. “We’ve obviously seen them a couple times now, and we’ve had some success against them and their system.”

Since that sweep, however, the Irish have won four straight on the back of an outstanding stretch from goalie Ryan Bischel. Boasting the second-highest save percentage in college hockey (.932), Bischel ended the season stopping 174 of 181 shots against two top-10 teams.

St. Cyr, who played two seasons with Bischel at Notre Dame, recognized the chance to beat his former teammates again, but he remained focused on the game in front of him.

“It’s always a fun little rivalry,” he said. “You get to go back and play against your buddies…but once you kind of get on the ice, it’s back to that game mode, and we have a job to do.”

Per 3 | Our jaws – DROPPED.

https://t.co/HtoiQMJWc2
https://t.co/dhUJa1nPQr
@BigTenNetwork#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/cPDSL702wC

— Notre Dame Hockey (@NDHockey) February 26, 2023

Despite the recent success against the Irish, the Spartans know that winning a playoff series on the road won’t be easy.

“It’s very rare to sweep Notre Dame,” Nightingale said. “Historically, it doesn’t happen very often. Their ability to bounce back, and I think their coaches do a great job of focusing on the right things and the way their team plays.”

If they pull it off, however, Michigan State is back in contention for the NCAA Tournament. The Irish are No. 14 in PairWise, while the Spartans are No. 19. A win (plus some losses from the other bubble teams) would put them back in line for a berth.

“We’d love an opportunity to play in the tournament,” Nightingale said. “But those are all things that we got to take care of today to make sure that happens.”

The road ahead won’t be easy for the Spartans. If they win this weekend, they likely face either Minnesota or Michigan in the semifinals. However, it all starts in South Bend.

While, like Nightingale said, Notre Dame is a well-coached team, St. Cyr believes Michigan State can use that to its advantage.

“They’re a really structured and well-coached team,” said St. Cyr. So I think we kind of have to exploit that knowing that their game is predictable in ways that we can try to exploit.”

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State baseball wrapped up its third and final game in the One Spartanburg, Inc. Baseball Classic on Sunday afternoon against Presbyterian College. MSU suffered an 8-6 loss against the Blue Hose and left the Carolinas 1-2.

“I’m very disappointed in today’s outcome, and it was just a disappointing weekend for us,” MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. “Overall, I think we did some good things both yesterday and today, but it wasn’t quite enough.”

Entering Sunday’s matchup, both teams were 4-2 on the season.

The Spartan offense started strong early in the top of the first. Junior first baseman Brock Vradenburg hit a two run homer to left center field driving in junior Trent Farquhar. This homer was Vradenburg’s first of the year.

Presbyterian College was quick to respond in the bottom half of the inning as right fielder Joel Dragoo scored from a double to left by catcher Dalton Reeves off MSU pitcher Andrew Carson, making the score 2-1 for the Spartans.

In the home half of the second, Presbyterian College leveled the score at 2-2. Reeves reached on an error by MSU senior left fielder Casey Mayes.

Freshman first baseman Evan Cuervo doubled to left and his teammate Jack Gorman made it 5-2 in the third inning.

Carson’s days came to a close after three IP, giving up five hits, five runs, four being earned. Carson was replaced by sophomore right hander Ryan Szczepaniak who was charged with loss.

Final score from Clinton, SC:

Presbyterian 8, Michigan State 6

MSU back in action next weekend in Charleston, SC.#GoGreen | #SpartanStrong pic.twitter.com/OA2J4r3ous

— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) February 26, 2023

Michigan State closed the gap in the fourth inning as redshirt sophomore Bryan Broecker hit MSU’s second homer of the day, driving in Mayes to make it 5-4.

In the bottom of the fifth, Reeves picked up his fourth RBI, homering to right field scoring Dragoo. That made it 7-5 in favor of Presbyterian College.

In the eighth inning, MSU junior right fielder Jack Frank hit a solo home run which brought the Spartans within two runs again.

“I give our guys credit, we put ourselves in a position where we can tie the game or take the lead in the ninth, but we weren’t able to quite get it done, so credit to Presbyterian, offensively, they were really good today. We need to be better next weekend,” said Boss Jr.

Michigan State (4-3) will play College of Charleston and Charleston Southern in Charleston, South Carolina next weekend. Game one against College of Charleston is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Friday, March 3.

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State baseball team played their second game of the weekend in the One Spartanburg, Inc. Baseball Classic on Saturday afternoon against Gardner-Webb, losing by a score of 7-3.

In MSU’s first matchup in the invitational on Friday, the Spartans beat University of South Carolina Upstate by a score of 13-6. Gardner-Webb defeated Northwestern 6-2, in their first game.

Two batters in, Gardner-Webb came out of the gate swinging. Senior left handed hitter Curtis Robison hit a solo home run to right field off redshirt sophomore MSU pitcher Noah Matheny, making the score 1-0 in favor of Gardner-Webb in the first.

Gardner-Webb tacked on another run in the third, making the score 2-0, after sophomore second baseman AJ Solomon doubled to start the inning. Solomon eventually scored off a sacrifice fly to center field.

In the bottom half of the fourth, Matheny’s day ended after two base runners got on. Matheny handed the ball over to MSU pitcher Nick Powers, before handing the ball to Harrison Cook to finish the inning. Gardner-Webb ended up extending their lead, to five.

Matheny’s final line was three IP, four hits on four earned runs with one walk and three strikeouts. Matheny picks up his second loss of the season.

In the top of the fifth, Michigan State rallied with two outs in the inning, scoring three runs. Junior shortstop Mitch Jebb doubled to left center, scoring juniors Trent Farquhar and Dillion Kark. Junior Brock Vradenburg also got in the action, singling and scoring Jebb, and cutting Gardner Webb’s lead to two.

Bottom half of the fifth, junior designated hitter Bo Rusher III hit a two run homer to center field, bringing Gardner-Webb’s lead back to four, where it stayed for the remainder of the game.

“I didn’t think we particularly swung the bat well today, obviously as we’ve done in the past few games,” MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. “You’ve got to credit their left-hander starter (Tyler Switalski) a little bit, he got us to chase some balls out of the strike zone with his breaking ball and that was unfortunate for us. But we just didn’t do enough to get ourselves back into the ballgame when we got down, and that was disappointing, but that’s the way the game is. We still have a chance to basically win the series tomorrow, so we need to play well and hopefully we can get that done.”

Michigan State (4-2) will play Presbyterian ( 4-2 ) on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 1 p.m. EST.

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EAST LANSING — The Michigan State baseball team battled against the University of South Carolina Upstate, also called the Spartans in South Carolina on Friday afternoon. Unlike the movie 300, two Spartan sides faced off against each other in the One Spartanburg, Inc. Baseball Classic this weekend. Michigan State won the battle by a score of 13-6.

Last weekend, Michigan State won three of the four games in the MLB Desert Invitational. They beat Michigan 15-8, took one of two in a doubleheader, winning seven to four against Fresno State, and losing to Arizona seven to one. MSU concluded play in the invitational against Grand Canyon, winning seven to one.

Moving into today’s game, South Carolina Upstate got their offense firing early. Daniel Gernon batted a RBI double, bringing Troy Hamilton home to score the first run of the game. Noah Rabon also doubled in the first, but MSU pitcher Joseph Dzierwa was able to strand him with a strikeout and ground out to end the first.

“I thought Joseph Dzierwa was pretty good again today,” MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. “He had a tough start walking a guy and giving up a double, and then really kind of settled into it and, unfortunately, kind of made one bad pitch with the grand slam, but, other than that he was really, really good. He keeps showing signs of what we think he can be here and he’s just going to continue to get better and better and better. I’m really proud of Joe for getting his second win today,” said Boss Jr.

Michigan State’s offense went six up, six down, to start the game against Reese Dutton. This was before redshirt sophomore and designated hitter Sam Busch reached first base through an error made by Johnny Sweeny.

Shortly afterwards, a single by Dillon Kark and a bunt single by Greg Ziegler set up Trent Farquhar. Farquhar’s line drive to left field brought all three runners in, making it a 3-1 game. MSU ended up putting a four spot up in the third inning.

In the fourth, Bryan Broecker was hit by a pitch. Busch also originally got a free base after he was hit, but after discussion from the umpire crew, it was a foul ball off the swing. The next pitch Busch saw, he hit a double and advanced on to third on the play at home trying to get Broecker.

Broecker was ruled safe, making the score five to one.

Immediately after, Ziegler doubled to make the score six to one. The inning ultimately came to a close for Michigan State after Ziegler was called for runners interference at third base.

In the sixth, the Upstate Spartans brought MSU’s lead to one after a grand slam to left field from Grant Sherrod off of Dzierwa.

Dzierwa’s final pitching line in his first start of the season was six IP, five runs all earned. He also gave up seven hits, two walks, five strikeouts and got the win.

In the top half of the seventh, Michigan State scored five insurance runs before Upstate scored one in the bottom half of the inning, but MSU got that run and one more right back.

“When they got the big grand slam and made it close, our guys really responded, so I’m very proud of our guys and the approach that they took all day long,” Boss Jr. said. “We just keep playing hard and nothing really fazes these guys and they showed that today, so we put together nine pretty good innings of baseball,” said Boss Jr.

Michigan State (4-1) will play Gardner-Webb on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 2 p.m. EST.

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EAST LANSING – Saturday’s 6-2 loss at Wisconsin threw a wrench into Michigan State’s postseason plans. The Spartans are now on the outside looking in to make the NCAA Tournament, and they’re in danger of having to play the first round of the Big Ten tournament on the road.

Michigan State’s second bye happens to be the last week of the regular season, so its fate is controlled by the rest of the Big Ten.

There are three series this weekend: Wisconsin at Penn State, Notre Dame at Michigan and Ohio State at Minnesota. While the latter won’t have much effect on the Spartans, the other two are critical to determine whether MSU gets home-ice advantage.

So what should Michigan State fans want? Who needs to win for the Big Ten playoffs to come to Munn Ice Arena? What needs to happen to put MSU back into NCAA Tournament contention?

Let’s take a look at both tournaments and see what is the best case scenario.

Big Ten Tournament

The format for the Big Ten tournament is simple: the first seed, which Minnesota clinched, gets a first-round bye. The remaining six teams face off in a best-of-three series. The winners are then reseeded for the semifinals, and everything from that point on is single elimination. Every game is held at the home rink of the team with the higher seed.

The points system in college is more complicated than the NHL version. If you’re unfamiliar, it works like this:

• Three points for a regulation win.
• Two points for an overtime/shootout win.
• One point for an overtime/shootout loss.
• No points for a regulation loss.

OK, now that we’re all on the same page, let’s look at how this applies to the current standings.

Michigan State has 34 points — three ahead of both Penn State and Notre Dame. That lands the Spartans in fourth place, which is the lowest possible seed for home-ice advantage. To remain that way, the stars need to align in the final week.

First, Michigan needs to take care of business against Notre Dame. Both teams split in November, but now in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines will need to take at least four of six points.

Second, Wisconsin needs to beat Penn State at least once in State College. The Nittany Lions can get no more than three points to stay behind the Spartans. It is a tall order, however — PSU is 2-7-1 in its last 10 games, but the Badgers have yet to win a conference road game.

The Big Ten’s tie-breaking procedures are complicated, to say the least, so MSU can’t win if all three teams are tied at 34 points. Two-way ties are broken by head-to-head records, and since the Spartans are 2-1-1 against both Penn State and Notre Dame, they would win in that case.

However, if all three are tied, then the conference resorts to overall conference win percentage. In that case, it comes down to ties. Notre Dame has three, Michigan State has two and Penn State one. There, ties count as a half of a win, so the Irish would win in that situation, making MSU the fifth seed.

The chances of Munn Ice Arena hosting a Big Ten tournament game are low. PlayoffStatus.com gives it a 22% chance of happening, mostly because of PSU-Wisconsin. However, the Badgers have knocked off both MSU and Minnesota in back-to-back weeks, so anything is possible.

NCAA Tournament

If you missed it, I wrote an earlier article about what Michigan State needed to do to make the NCAA Tournament. I recommend checking that out if you haven’t, since that explains how the selection process works.

The loss to Wisconsin significantly hurt the Spartans’ chances. They’re now down to No. 18 in PairWise, which makes them the third team out after Alaska and Notre Dame.

Updated version of the NCAA bracket. Michigan State now on the outside looking in after the Wisconsin loss.

Made a few changes this week, moved some teams around to be more like what the NCAA would do: pic.twitter.com/wuFpQuZDOa

— Jacob Stinson (@jacobfstinson) February 22, 2023

PairWise is designed to reward teams for winning against quality competition. When Michigan State lost, Omaha — which is 9-1-1 since Dec. 31 — took its place.

The Spartans’ advantage is that the Big Ten is loaded with high-end teams, so there’s ample opportunity for quality wins. While they’re on the outside now, if they win the first round of the conference playoffs, consider them locks for the tournament.

According to PlayoffStatus.com, MSU has a 43% chance to face Penn State in the conference tournament. The Nittany Lions only beat the Spartans once in four tries, but they’re ranked No. 7 in PairWise. Therefore, two wins against a top team should be more than enough to catapult Michigan State into a playoff spot.

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EAST LANSING – The Michigan State women’s basketball team (14-13, 6-10) played their last home game of the season late Wednesday afternoon at the Breslin Center, defeating the Minnesota Golden Gophers (10-18, 3-14) 71-67 on senior day.

The game was moved from a 7 p.m. tipoff to 4:30 p.m. due to inclement weather.

Michigan State honored three graduating seniors after the game. Jayla James, Stephanie Visscher, and Kamaria McDaniel were all recognized for their contributions on and off the court.

“To see their journey and see the growth that they’ve made since they got here, it’s special,” said interim head coach Dean Lockwood. “More than anything, it’s kind of a benchmark moment. This is a chapter that’s ending because those three will never wear this uniform on this floor again. There’s always a little sadness to it, but you’re also excited for them and their futures.”

“They’re my sisters,” said sophomore guard DeeDee Hagemann. “All three of them bring those positive vibes, they always keep our energy up, and we wouldn’t be us without them.”

It was a defensive battle in the first quarter, as both teams struggled from the field. Each team shot a combined 4-20 early on, and Minnesota would only shoot 12% in that span.

The Spartans ended the first quarter with a 17-7 lead. That would quickly fade as the Golden Gophers improved on the offensive side and went on a 7-0 run to begin the second quarter. A three-point basket by graduate guard Mi’Cole Cayton tied the game at 23-23 with under five minutes left in the half.

Minnesota took its first lead of the contest in the third quarter, going up 40-39 after a 6-0 run. However, Michigan State stopped the Golden Gophers from scoring in the final 2:20 and regained the lead at 51-45 to start the fourth quarter.

Freshman guard Mara Braun led the Golden Gophers in scoring with 17 points.

Both teams traded buckets in the fourth quarter, but the Spartans were able to put the game away. Graduate guard Kamaria McDaniel led the team in scoring down the stretch, putting up 10 of her 15 points in the final 10 minutes.

Four Spartans reached double figures in scoring, with Kamaria McDaniel and sophomore guard Matilda Ekh leading the team with 15 points. Senior guard Moira Joiner and DeeDee Hagemann also added 11 points.

“DeeDee and Tilly [Matilda Ekh] have been very stable for us. When they do well, we typically do well,” Lockwood said. “That’s the beauty of this game, it never falls on one person, it always has been and always will be a team game.”

Michigan State will close out the regular season on the road against Penn State on Saturday, Feb. 25. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m.

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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- Michigan State’s Dominic Pianto and Brock Vradenburg collected two Big Ten weekly awards Tuesday afternoon. Vradenburg was named Player of the Week and Pianto was named Co-Pitcher of the Week, sharing the award with Iowa’s right-handed pitcher Brody Brecht.

This is the first time Pianto and Vradenburg have collected conference honors in their careers.

Pianto entered the game against Fresno State throwing a very dominant 8.2 innings in his relief appearance, ringing up four strikeouts, giving up three hits, and one run, but no walks. During his 8.2 innings of work, he had five 1-2-3 innings.

Vradenburg batted 10-18 this past weekend in the MLB Desert invitational with seven runs scored, four RBIs, a .722 slugging percentage and a .600 on-base percentage.

He had hits in all four games this weekend.

Brecht pitched against the Quinnipiac Bobcats on Saturday facing 15 batters, retiring all of them raking up ten strikeouts in five innings pitched. He had a pitch count of 69 before turning the ball over to Zach Voelker to finish the game.

The 3-1 Spartans will head to South Carolina to play USC Upstate, Gardner-Webb and Presbyterian this weekend.

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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.

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State Baseball opened their season Friday, Feb. 17 with a win over rival Michigan in Mesa, Arizona.

The Spartans’ season opener came just four days after a mass shooting killed three MSU students and injured five more on the East Lansing campus.

In an interview with MLB Network on Friday morning, manager Jake Boss Jr. addressed the challenging week that his team had endured.

“It’s been a tough week; Tuesday, we were completely off. Wednesday we wanted to give our guys some space. Everyone grieves differently, and everyone’s experience was completely different on Monday. Giving them some time and being there for them, letting them grieve how they grieve is important,” said Boss. “Once our guys got back together on Thursday as a group, the togetherness part was very important, and it was good for everyone to see one another, getting on the road was really important.”

Before the first pitch on Friday, the teams huddled together behind home plate, embraced, and had a moment of silence to honor the victims. The Spartans and Wolverines also displayed stickers on their helmets to show support for all of those who were impacted.

Michigan defeated Fresno State earlier that day, started off hot with the bats, and got out to a 5-1 lead in the second inning.

The Spartan’s scored seven straight, taking the 8-5 lead into the seventh inning. Keeping the momentum going, Michigan State finished the game with a 7-3 run, scoring 15 runs and holding their in-state rival to just eight.

Nick Powers, Joseph Dzierwa, Harrison Cook and Wyatt Rush all pitched for the Spartans, with the win going to Dzierwa in his debut and the save to Rush. Dzierwa’s 4.2 innings pitched were impressive, allowing no runs and just three hits, as well as striking out five.

Trent Farquhar, Brock Vradenburg and Jack Frank led the team with three hits a piece, and Dillon Kark along with Frank had three RBIs.

Cody Jefferis batted in three runs for Michigan on his three hits, having a solid offensive game and Wolverine pitcher Chase Allen got the bulk of the work on the mound.

Although the Spartans were thrilled with the opening-day win, this was more than just a game. Following a big game for the infielder, MSU’s Trent Farquhar spoke his mind about what this game meant to all involved.

“We really, really appreciate and respect the coaching staff, their players for dabbing us up before the game, with hugs and stuff like that. So it meant a lot to me, especially being a kid from the state of Michigan, getting to see that rivalry come together. It was just awesome,” Farquhar said.

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EAST LANSING— The Michigan State baseball team played a doubleheader on Sunday, Feb. 19 against Fresno State University and the University of Arizona. In the first game, the Spartans defeated Fresno State 7-4, in their first matchup since 2018. In the nightcap, MSU fell to Arizona 7-1.

Fresno State started the game firing on all cylinders on the offensive side, driving in two runs in the first and ending Spartan starter Adam Berghorst’s day after two outs. Fresno State had eight batters come to the plate in the inning.

Momentum shifted when reliever Dominic Pianto entered the game, shutting the door and pitching 8.1 innings through the end of the game. He allowed three hits on the day, two runs, with only one being earned. He had four strikeouts on 107 pitches.

“Dominic Pianto was just outstanding. For him to do what he did today was a huge boost for our team. He never was really in trouble, he was in command the whole way,” said head coach Jake Boss. “He did a really nice job of getting us out of the first inning and the plan was to at least get us into the fifth or the sixth, but he was just extremely efficient, got outs early in the count and was just in control the whole way.”

The Spartans came back in the third getting three runs on the board. The inning started with a single by Trent Farquhar, who was three for five on the day. Farquhar stole second, bringing him into scoring position for Mitch Jebb, who brought him home.

After two walks to Brock Vrandenburg and Jack Frank, Casey Mayes brought them in on an RBI triple. Mayes finished the game with three runs batted in.

The spartan offense kept clicking throughout the game totaling 15 hits. In the five-inning, the lead was extended to three, making the score 5-2 with RBIs from Frank and Kark.

In the sixth inning, Fresno State made things close. A triple from Bobby Blandford scored Tyler Davis. Blandford later scored off a throwing error made by Jebb.

The Spartans would win 7-4 after Vradenburg, and Bryan Broecker in the ninth scored insurance runs.

Michigan State faced Arizona in game two of Sunday’s doubleheader, but the perfect start to the season would not continue.

“In game two, we ran into a really good arm, the left-hander pitcher from Arizona (Bradon) Zastrow was outstanding. The velocity was good, the breaking ball was good; I think he was as good of an arm as we’ll see all year long,” said Boss. “I don’t think we played poorly today, I just think we got beat by a very good team.”

MSU starting pitcher Noah Matheny struck out the side in his first inning with the Spartans and got out of a jam in the second.

Arizona outfielder Chase Davis’ two-run-homer got the scoring going early in the third inning. Michigan State evened it up in the bottom of the third with a Broecker sacrifice fly, scoring Sam Thompson.

The Wildcats regained the lead and didn’t look back. Davis hit a second home run and tallied an RBI double, totalling the junior with four RBI’s in the game.

Kiko Romero, Tommy Splaine and Tyler Casagrande also batted in one run each for Arizona.

Arizona left-hander Bradon Zastrow struck out five and allowed just one run in his 5.1 innings on the mound. Following two electric games for the Spartans on the offensive side, they could not get much going, totaling just fives hits in the game.

Dawson Netz and Chris Barraza entered in relief for the ‘Cats and sealed the win.

Max Chapman, Nolan Higgins, Gavin Sitarz and Brian Martin joined Matheny as Spartans on the mound on the night. Greg Ziegler lead the green and white with two hits in his three appearances at the plate.

“We’ll regroup and be ready to go for tomorrow,” said Boss.

Michigan State’s next game will be Monday afternoon against Grand Canyon at 1 p.m., a short turnaround following an emotional week for all in the MSU community. Right-hander Andrew Carson is expected to take the mound for MSU.

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State wrestling head coach Roger Chandler earned his 50th career win on Friday, Feb. 10, as No. 24 Michigan State notched a victory in the last home event of the season. The Spartans secured their first ranked win of the season against No. 22 Indiana, 20-16.

“My name is on it [the wins] as head coach, but these are their wins that they earned, and I couldn’t be more proud of a group of guys,” Chandler said.

As the night got started, the Jenison crowd had some honoring to do. Eight seniors were honored for their dedication to the program.

Graduates Cameron Caffey, Rayvon Foley, Benny Gomez, and Ryan Vasbinder said goodbye to Jenison as they walked the mat with their families. The Spartans also bid farewell to Peyton Omania, Skyler Crespo, Cameron Monzadeh, and Miles Hoey.

“To be honest, I didn’t know it was going to be my 50th [win],” Chandler said. “Obviously, it’s bittersweet. Guys like Cam Caffey and Rayvon Foley, they’ve been here six of my seven years here as head coach, and those guys earned most of those wins.”

Leading the match was junior Tristan Lujan, who made his return to the lineup after not competing in the last dual.

After a scoreless first period, Lujan elected to start down to begin the second period, where he mustered an escape. That would prove to be the match-winner, as the rest of the match was scoreless and the Spartans would head into the second bout with a three-point lead.

Up next, No. 29 Henry Porter for the Hoosiers took on No. 17 Rayvon Foley for the Spartans. Porter managed some early takedowns to go up 6-2 at the end of the first period. Foley cut the deficit to 6-5 with just over a minute left in the second, but a pair of escapes and a late takedown would earn Porter the upset decision, 10-5.

Jordan Hamden for Michigan State came into the 141-bout trying to regain the lead for the Spartans, but Cayden Rooks for Indiana had other plans. Rooks collected four takedowns in the match, with Hamden only able to come up with five escapes. The Hoosiers were ahead for the first time, leading 6-3.

In the 149-pound weight class, Omania for the Spartans looked to take down Indiana’s active career leader in wins for the program, Graham Rooks. The match was physical out of the gate, but Omania struggled to get many offensive attacks going against Rooks. Heading into the second period, Omania only had a two-point deficit, but Rooks handled the California native throughout the rest of the match, winning 13-4.

Coming off a huge tech fall in his last match, Caleb Fish looked to keep the momentum going in the 165-bout against Hoosier Nick South. Fish got a takedown within the first minute of the match, with no real action occurring until the final stanza when South would get an escape with under a minute to go. Fish managed to fend off South for the rest of the match, also tallying a point for riding time to earn the decision 4-2.

A ranked dual win at Home to close out the B1G season! #GoGreen | #SpartanStrong pic.twitter.com/1328W1BREw

— Spartan Wrestling (@MSU_Wrestling) February 11, 2023

The 13th-ranked Spartan Layne Malczewski would take on Clayton Fielden, in hopes of keeping Michigan States’ dual chances alive. Malczewski would take 1:37 of riding time into the second period, and he controlled Fielden throughout. Fielden eventually got some riding time himself, but a flashy turnaround and thrilling pin by Malczewski put Michigan State back on top, 15-13.

Cam Caffey strolled onto the mat to take on Indiana’s Drayton Harris to attempt to extend the Spartans lead. A 22-4 tech fall win would seal the deal for Michigan State before the final match even takes place.

Already leading 20-13, Ryan Vasbinder was only wrestling for individual achievement here, as he stepped out to take on Indiana’s No. 26 Jacob Bullock. Vasbinder scored first on an escape, but two third-period escapes for Bullock would notch the win for him.

“Last year they had great regular seasons and didn’t have great postseasons,” Chandler said. “We’ve changed some things in the approach and you can see they are starting to bubble to the top.”

Michigan State will end its regular season in Mount Pleasant against Central Michigan University on Feb. 17, starting at 7 p.m.

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EAST LANSING — As Adam Fantilli skated to the Michigan locker room, the crowd at Munn Ice Arena showered him with boos. He had just been ejected for fighting with Michigan State’s Nash Nienhuis, so his night was over.

Instead of taking a straight line to the bench, Fantilli veered towards the student section, raised his hands and encouraged fans to boo him even louder.

They gladly obliged.

On a night where the list of penalties was as long as a drugstore receipt, the brawl between Fantilli, Nienhuis and every other skater on the ice was the most potent memory of the Wolverines’ 4-2 win Friday night.

While tensions had been rising for the entire game, they boiled over when Fantilli cross-checked Nienhuis from behind after a stoppage. Other Spartans, including freshman Tiernan Shoudy, took issue and came to Nienhuis’ defense.

“We just had a little bit of grabbing,” Shoudy said. “And then I saw their two D coming down. I don’t know what happened from there. Everyone was just a mosh pit.”

Here’s the fight that got Fantilli ejected: pic.twitter.com/Vozhp1j0Fh

— Jacob Stinson (@jacobfstinson) February 11, 2023

That “mosh pit” resulted in 38 total penalty minutes and ejections to both Fantilli and Nienhuis.

Michigan State coach Adam Nightingale didn’t think much of the ordeal. Rather, he praised his team for playing with zeal while not losing its composure.

“I have a hard time calling any of that fighting,” Nightingale said. “I know they called it fighting, but there were scrums. There was emotion, right? That’s good, I think you’ve got to play the game with emotion.”

His squad had plenty of reasons to be emotional early. Michigan scored three goals — including one from Fantilli — in the first 12 minutes. Viktor Hurtig had one called back for goaltender interference. Referees intervened in scrums after nearly every whistle.

The first period made it clear the upstart Spartans were never going to be competitive in a track meet. They simply could not match the speed of a more talented team. They would need to be aggressive on the puck if they wanted a chance, so that’s what they did.

“Any time you give skillful players time and space, they’re going to make plays,” Nightingale said. “I thought we did that in the first, and then I thought in the second and third we did a better job of eliminating time and space.”

Michigan State would start a run of its own in the second. Shoudy would get the home team on the board, and the physicality forced the Wolverines to play on their heels for large swaths.

Tiernan Shoudy puts MSU on the board in the second. pic.twitter.com/IY1GfbrIlG

— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) February 11, 2023

After Shoudy’s goal, things hit the fan. Michigan’s Ethan Edwards was ejected for a hit to Matt Basgall’s head. Then came the Fantilli-Nienhuis fight. Countless other scrums ensued throughout the game.

Michigan interim coach Brandon Naurato didn’t take kindly to the change of pace.

“They can’t play with us,” Naurato said. “They can’t play with us unless they goon it up, so we got the bad end of the deal there.”

While Naurato’s comment can seem abrasive, he’s not completely wrong.

The Wolverines are chock-full of NHL-ready talent. They dressed eight draftees Friday, including three first-round picks. Fantilli is a consensus top prospect in the upcoming draft. The Spartans’ highest draft pick, Hurtig, was picked in the sixth round. There simply aren’t enough skaters in green and white sweaters that can match Michigan’s pace, so playing the body becomes the only option.

Senior forward Nicolas Müller scored in the third period, cutting the deficit to one. While the Spartans had their chances, they couldn’t get another past goalie Erik Portillo, who stopped 30 of 32 shots on goal.

With Dylan St. Cyr on the bench, Michigan State made one last-ditch effort to tie the game with an extra attacker. However, forward Gavin Brindley would send one into the empty net and seal the Wolverines win.

Brindley with his second of the night! pic.twitter.com/uwgD8kiIcm

— Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) February 11, 2023

To no one’s surprise, there were more fights. A frustrated David Gucciardi and Cole Krygier would both go after Brindley and earn game misconducts with 1:01 left. If it wasn’t clear before, that moment proved just how deeply these two teams despised one another.

“You can ask any guy in that room…we hate these guys,” Michigan captain Nolan Moyle said. “And we always say, you can’t beat these guys enough.”

Overall, the in-state rivals would combine for 105 penalty minutes. Only an Oct. 23 game between Alaska and Omaha had more this season (143). The Spartans would account for 57 of those minutes, the most by any team not in the aforementioned Alaska-Omaha contest.

After the game, Nightingale emphasized his team’s need to balance aggression and discipline, playing physically without taking unnecessary penalties.

“I thought our guys did a great job of not running their mouths,” Nightingale said. “We want to play between the whistles, and emotions boil over at times in scrums, and that’s part of our game.”

Shoudy shared the same sentiment.

“We just want to play between the whistles,” he said. “Like, we don’t want to be taking penalties there…I think we can play that style if that’s what they want to play, but I mean, that’s not necessarily what we always want to do.”

These two teams face off again Saturday night at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. Neither Fantilli nor Nienhuis will be allowed to play. The Spartans will need a short memory, but more importantly, they’ll need to avoid falling into the same traps that gave them almost an hour’s worth of penalties. Under the bright lights and larger crowd of an NHL rink, that challenge will only get more difficult.

Unlike the NHL, however, fighting leads to more than a five-minute trip to the penalty box. In college hockey, it could prove costly in an important late-season rivalry game.

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EAST LANSING– No. 12 Michigan State travels to No. 17 Iowa to kickstart its month-long road meets. The Hawkeyes will host the Spartans in their first-ever meet inside Xtream Arena on Saturday, Feb. 10.

“We have made some great progress this week and are looking to capitalize on that, along with a couple of line-up changes in an effort to give opportunities to some individuals who have improved and deserve their shot at getting competitive experience at the same time,” head coach Mike Rowe said.

MSU has been a breakthrough team this year with a record of 4-1. The Spartans are undefeated in the Big Ten conference with a record of 3-0. In their last matchup, they overcame Penn State with their highest score of the season and fourth-highest in program history.

A 197.450. MSU also set season highs on bars (49.400) and floor (49.425) and secured all event titles.

The Hawkeyes are 4-4-1 this season. They finally clinched their first Big Ten win against Nebraska on Feb. 6, 196.475-195.400, to make their record in the Big Ten 1-1-1. Despite this being Iowa’s lowest score of the season, it triumphed in all four events and posted a season-high team score on beam of 49.300.

Both teams rank nationally in the top 25 for all four events. MSU is No. 8 on vault, No. 19 on bars, No. 10 on beam, and No. 14 on floor. Iowa is No. 11 on vault, No. 24 on bars, No. 22 on beam and No.13 on floor.

In the meet against Penn State, MSU sophomore Gabi Stephen earned a career-high 39.575 to win the all-around title. Stephen posted the highest all-around score of the season and the fourth-best-all-around score in program history to tie with teammate Skyla Schulte.

Beware. This gem can be lethal.

𝑽𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒎 #GoGreen | #LeoReveal | #Hungry4More pic.twitter.com/HpbPPK2TPo

— MSU Gymnastics (@MSU_Gymnastics) February 11, 2023

Stephen is ranked 18th nationally for all-around.

Freshman Nikki Smith also added herself to the Spartan history books with a career-high of 9.925 on Bars to put her at seventh in program history.

In their last meeting, the Hawkeyes won 196.475-196.350 in East Lansing. MSU head coach Mike Rowe referred to Iowa as one of their traditionally toughest competition in the Big Ten.

The competition begins at 6 p.m. ET. and can be streamed on B1G+. View live results on MSUSpartans.com.

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EAST LANSING — Michigan State forward Erik Middendorf has never been fond of the University of Michigan.

“Growing up playing at the U.S. (National Team Development) Program,” he said. “All those guys growing up wanted to go to Michigan, and that was never the case for me.”

Middendorf spent two seasons with the USNTDP. Five of his ex-teammates became Wolverines, but Middendorf said he was always partial to the Spartans.

“I was always kind of a Michigan State fan even though I wasn’t committed here,” he said. “Just because of the blue-collar and underdog mentality, and just how those Michigan guys treat Michigan State.”

If Middendorf is any indication, there’s still no love lost between the in-state foes. That rivalry, the most-played in college hockey, resumes this weekend for the 341st and 342nd time.

The second game is the annual Duel in the D, a neutral-site game played at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. Starting in 2016, both teams compete for the “Iron D” trophy. While the Spartans won it the first time, Michigan has won all five since.

Puck drop for the first game is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET Friday in East Lansing. The Duel in the D will begin at 8 p.m. ET Saturday.

Unlike previous years, this series has major Big Ten implications on the line. Last year, Michigan State entered the series with eight consecutive losses. This year, the Spartans are in a four-way tie for second place in the conference.

“The standings weren’t really close last year,” sophomore defenseman David Gucciardi said. “This year they are. We’re excited, just more going into the game, more energy for us, more fuel to our fire.”

For the Spartans, this series is one of two left before the regular season ends. Wisconsin remains, but they will need to win at least one this weekend if they want to host a Big Ten tournament series or qualify for the NCAA playoffs.

MSU Hockey is set to face rival Michigan this weekend in a two-game series. Here’s a breakdown of what needs to happen for MSU to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012.

: ⁦@jacobfstinson⁩
: ⁦@smith25_sarah⁩
https://t.co/5EyvAEhm39

— Impact 89FM Sports (@WDBMSports) February 9, 2023

After sputtering over the holidays, Michigan State has rediscovered its offense, scoring three or more goals in five of its last six. That matches up well against goalie Erik Portillo, who has the second-lowest save percentage among Big Ten starters (.908).

For the Wolverines, this is not only a chance to avenge December’s loss at Munn Ice Arena but also an opportunity to help its seeding in the NCAA Tournament. They’re currently No. 4 overall in PairWise rankings, so a win could help boost their rank and draw an easier first-round opponent.

Michigan’s offense revolves around its top line of Gavin Brindley, Adam Fantilli and Rutger McGroarty. All three are elite players who played in the IIHF World Junior Championship in December. The trio has combined for 36 goals and 90 points.

Fantilli leads the charge on offense. He missed four games — including the December series with MSU — for training camp with Canada’s World Juniors team. Regardless, the freshman still leads the nation in points (45), and he’s expected to make an impact this weekend.

Brindley breakaway and Fantilli finish! It’s 2-1 Michigan #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/GLI6iOE9W2

— Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) February 4, 2023

Middendorf played junior hockey with both Fantilli and McGroarty on the Chicago Steel in the United States Hockey League. As a 16-year-old, Fantilli won the MVP of the USHL playoffs.

“He’s a generational player,” Middendorf said. “He had a full beard when he was 16 and I was a 20-year-old in Chicago. He’s just a mature player. He plays the game really well. He’s really fast.”

Middendorf knows that the key to beating the Wolverines starts with locking up his former teammates.

“I think getting into [Fantilli],” he said. “Bumping him, staying on top of him, making the game hard for him…It could slow their offense down and their top line. I think we match up really well.”

Impact staff predictions

Stinson: Both teams split. The Wolverines are incredibly talented, but they’re inconsistent, especially on defense. Fantilli will give Michigan a boost, but I don’t trust Portillo and the defense to win U-M two games.

Jacob Phillips, Hockey Beat Reporter: A split is the best anyone can hope for. Last time U-M traveled to Munn, the Spartans skated away with a one-goal victory. When MSU traveled to Yost, it was the Wolverines with the one-goal W. Expect the same from a nearly identical series.

Ryan Radosevich, Hockey Beat Reporter: Split. I’d expect Fantilli to win at least one game for the Wolverines, but Munn Ice Arena has been an incredibly tough road location for any team not named Minnesota. The Spartans need points this series, and they can definitely take them in a win at Munn.

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We’ve reached the point of the college hockey season where we can start talking about the postseason. For the first time in a long time, Michigan State fans have a reason to pay attention. The Spartans haven’t qualified for the NCAA men’s hockey tournament since 2012.

While it’s nowhere near a guarantee that the Spartans will qualify, they have a good chance. They control their own destiny, but the path to get them to the postseason is complicated.

That being said, let’s look at how the NCAA Tournament works, how teams are selected and what needs to happen for Michigan State to make its first postseason appearance in over a decade.

What are PairWise rankings?

PairWise is the most important factor in determining who makes the NCAA Tournament.

In short, PairWise is an advanced metric that objectively compares every team in Division I to one another. The higher a team is ranked, the more comparisons it wins. Teams are compared in three categories. For each category it wins, teams are given a “point.” If a team has more points, it wins the comparison. Those categories are:

• Head-to-head record.
• Records against common opponents.
• Rating percentage index (RPI). This measures a team’s strength of schedule by averaging a team’s record, its opponents’ records and its opponents’ opponents’ records. This is also the tiebreaker if two teams each finish with one point.

That can be a bit confusing, so let’s use an example. Michigan State is No. 14 in PairWise, one spot ahead of No. 15 Connecticut. The Spartans and Huskies haven’t played each other this season, so the head-to-head record doesn’t matter.

On the other hand, both schools have played Ohio State, Long Island and UMass-Lowell. The Spartans are 5-3-0 in those games, while the Huskies are 4-1-1, which gives Connecticut the better winning percentage (.750). One point for UConn.

However, RPI is where Michigan State wins the overall comparison. While Connecticut has the better record (17-8-3), the Spartans’ tougher schedule gives them the slight edge. Despite each team winning one point, MSU wins the comparison for having the higher RPI.

The process is repeated for all 61 teams. The team that wins the most comparisons is ranked first, and the team that wins the least is ranked last.

How does the NCAA determine seeding?

The NCAA Tournament features 16 teams. The first six bids automatically go to the winners of each major conference tournament. The remaining 10 spots are at-large bids given to the teams with the highest PairWise rating.

It’s rare a team outside the top 16 in PairWise wins its conference tournament. However, this season will be an outlier. The Atlantic Hockey Association has no teams in playoff position, and its leader, RIT, is No. 19. If the season ended today, then Omaha and Northeastern, both tied at No. 16, would miss the tournament, and RIT would get the final spot.

Once the teams are selected, they’re divided into four groups. The top four teams are given No. 1 seeds, the next four are given No. 2 seeds, and so on.

The regional rounds of the tournament are held at four neutral sites. Each No. 1 seed is placed in the region closest to its home school. For example, if Minnesota finishes as a No. 1 seed, it should begin at the West Regional in Fargo, North Dakota. After the top seeds are placed, the remaining teams are seeded in a serpentine order. Minnesota would get the No. 16 overall seed, currently RIT.

Michigan State, as the No. 14 seed, would get the No. 3 seed, Boston University.

How does this affect Michigan State?

Let’s tie this all back to the Big Ten. Five of the seven teams are in a playoff spot. Each team has either four or six games left, so there’s still plenty of time for movement in the standings.

*Series will feature at least one neutral-site game. Michigan-Michigan State will have one game at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, and Michigan-Ohio State will play one game at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland.

Notre Dame and Michigan State switched spots after the Spartans swept the Fighting Irish last weekend. Notre Dame is now on the outside looking in, and with star forward Ryder Rolston out for the season, its tournament hopes are dwindling.

For Michigan State, its postseason case hinges on the upcoming series with Michigan. Beating a struggling Wisconsin team won’t provide much boost, so the rivalry series will be the last chance to take points against a good team.

Michigan State doesn’t need to sweep Michigan to stay alive, but it needs to walk away with points. If the Spartans splits with the Wolverines, sweeps Wisconsin and wins the first round of the Big Ten tournament, then they should be considered locks for the tournament.

However, it all starts with Michigan.

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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.

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EAST LANSING – No. 24 Michigan State wrestling suffered a hard-fought loss in its dual against No. 21 Illinois on Sunday afternoon. A comeback effort by the Spartans fell just short as Illinois won with a score of 17-16.

The Spartans fall to 1-5 in Big Ten, with each loss coming to teams ranked in the top-25.

Opening the night in the 125-pound weight class, Benny Gomez for the Spartans battled Maryland’s, Maximo Renteria. Gomez got his first look at Big Ten action this season and with Renteria through the first period, as it was 0-0 to start the second.

After Renteria got a quick two, followed by a Gomez escape, the crowd was buzzing toward the end of the third period. With a late takedown, Renteria iced the match, winning by a 4-1 decision.

In the 133 class, Rayvon Foley had a difficult time handling Lucas Byrd, who sits at a 21-3 record this season. In the third period, Foley got a quick escape to cut Byrd’s lead to 5-1; however, an elusive escape and last-second takedown would give Byrd the 8-1 decision.

Trailing 6-0 heading into the third bout, junior Blake Noonan stepped in to fill Jordan Hamden’s shoes. Getting his first action in Big Ten play, Noonan found it challenging to get anything going against the 141-pound Illinois redshirt freshman, Danny Pucino.

It was all Pucino from start to finish, as he got the bonus points and won by tech fall, 23-8.

Peyton Omania put some life into Jenison early in his 149-pound bout against Illinois’ Jake Harrier. Omania went up 2-0 early, but Harrier found 6 quick points to go up 6-2.

Omania got the home crowd going after a takedown to tie it up 6-6, but an official review resulted in the takedown being erased due to an out-of-bounds call. Harrier finished strong to take this one 8-4.

At 174, freshman Ceaser Garza looked to continue the Spartans’ comeback against No. 12 Edmond Ruth. It was a valiant effort by Garza who came up just short, as Ruth’s takedown ability proved to be too much with a 13-7 decision, and the Fighting Illini stretched their lead to 17-7.

Final from Jenison#GoGreen | #SpartanStrong pic.twitter.com/MwjFJVJqnP

— Spartan Wrestling (@MSU_Wrestling) February 5, 2023

No. 14 Layne Malczewski was on the mat for Michigan State at 184 pounds, dueling No. 24 Dylan Connell.

After a stalemate for a long period, Malczewski got the first point on an escape in the second period. He made an effort to get in a few more attacks in the second period, but Connell fended him off well.

Malczewski came out on top in a low-scoring match, with a decision of 2-0.

With only two bouts left in the dual, the Spartans needed Illinois native Cam Caffey at 197 to spring his team back level on the scoresheet against Zac Braunagel. Braunagel controlled this match for much of the way, but something clicked with Caffey at the end, and he turned it up a notch.

As the seconds whittled away at the end of the third period, Caffey managed two electric takedowns in about 12 seconds and had every Spartan fan in Jenison fieldhouse on their feet.

Heavyweights Ryan Vasbinder (MSU) and Matt Wroblewski (Illinois) led the final bout. Vasbinder needed bonus points for the win, so he did his best and left it all on the mat. Wroblewski stayed back and did not attempt to do much attacking, as he just had to keep it a stalemate to get the win. Vasbinder got an escape in the second period, but no scoring after resulted in a 17-16 team win for Illinois.

The Spartans move on to their final home dual of the season against the Indiana Hoosiers on Friday, Feb. 10, before one final regular season dual. The Spartans hope to get a good run of form before the Big Ten Championships and NCAA Championships.

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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.

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EAST LANSING — The Michigan State women’s basketball team will end its two-game road trip at the home of the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Thursday, Feb. 2. The Spartans look to get back to winning ways after suffering an 86-76 loss against No. 22 Illinois over the weekend.

The Spartans will play their second straight game without head coach Suzy Merchant on the bench. Merchant suffered a medical incident on Jan. 28 that kept her from traveling with the team during its road stretch.

Assistant coach Dean Lockwood will act as the interim head coach until further notice.

The Cornhuskers lead the series history 9-5 against the Spartans, and are undefeated in Pinnacle Bank Arena. The last matchup at Nebraska was on Dec. 31, 2019, with the Cornhuskers claiming an 82-71 victory.

The Spartans enter this matchup 11-10 on the season and 3-7 in Big Ten play. Michigan State is 1-5 in their last six matchups, a drastic fall compared to their 6-0 start to the season.

MSU is third in the Big Ten in assists per game (18.1) and ninth nationally. They are also ranked third in the Big Ten in steals per game (11.0).

Some Spartans enter this matchup on a hot streak, including Moira Joiner, who has recorded at least 10 points in each of her last three games. Taiyier Parks scored in double figures the last two games, and Kamaria McDaniel recorded 23 points in MSU’s last outing against No. 22 Illinois.

The Cornhuskers come into this game with a 12-9 record overall and 4-6 in the conference after an 80-76 loss to No. 6 Iowa. While Sam Haiby missed 10 out of Nebraska’s first 11 games due to injury, she has started to catch fire, averaging 12.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and two steals over the last five games.

Haiby is also 15 points away from becoming the 13th player in Nebraska’s history to score 1,500 career points.

The 6-foot 3 sophomore Alexis Markowski grabbed her ninth double-double of the season, scoring 12 points and grabbing 11 rebounds against the Hawkeyes.

Tip-off from Lincoln, Nebraska is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. and the game will stream on Big Ten Network. The Spartans return to the Breslin Center on Sunday, Feb. 5 when they host Michigan at 3 p.m.

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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.

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EAST LANSING – On any given Friday night in January, Munn Ice Arena is typically filled with 6,000 or more hockey fans settling in to watch the Spartans. However, on this past Friday night, the Spartans’ home rink was filled with over 100 people who are usually covering those games; student journalists.

A group of four student organizations gathered Friday night to face off in Impact’s third annual broomball match. The groups included host Impact 89FM, MSU’s student radio station, the State News, Spartan Sports Report and MSU Telecasters.

The contest has historically just been a competition between Impact and the State News but with a mismatch in manpower in recent years, the decision was made to extend an invitation to other student organizations.

The goal was to make the game more competitive as Impact has handily won every meeting. Some goals aren’t always met.

Impact dominated the game and took home its third consecutive victory, 5-2.

Sam Kurtzman, Zac Slowik and Brendan Schabath pose for the most menacing picture of the night. // Photo Credit: Delaney RogersWith a new challenge in front of them, an invigorated group of Impacters were well prepared to take down their opponents. As WDBM garnered nearly 50 players on its squad, the game was billed as “Impact vs. Everybody.”

With music blaring and cheers from the bench ringing through Munn Ice Arena, Impact got off to a hot start. The game was played in five-minute shifts in which play was then stopped for substitutions. Impact scored before the first switch.

Impact’s executive board celebrates with the trophy. Left to right: Operations Manager Sam Kurtzman, Marketing Director Ashley Land, News Director Zac Slowik, Sports Director Brendan Schabath, Programming Director Mckenna Lounds, Station Manager Delaney Rogers. // Photo Credit: Adam SteinhauerOffensive zone pressure and a “boots on the ground” game plan led to an early goal for the red and black. Hockey beat reporter Ryan Radosevich showcased his skills all night for Impact. Radosevich, a former hockey player himself, proved that despite the obvious differences between broomball and traditional hockey, experience on the ice pays off.

It started early with a loose-ball collection on the near-side boards in the attacking zone. Radosevich collected himself, dangled a defender and found Impact News Director, Zac Slowik in front of the crease. After a short scramble, Slowik punched the ball into the back of the net and Impact was off and running.

It was a big night for Slowik as he finished with two goals, two assists and was +4 while on the ice.

The Impact bench cheers on their teammates on the ice. // Photo Credit: Jeremy WhitingImpact would score four unanswered goals from a flurry of players. Men’s basketball beat reporter Michael Markoch connected with Sports Director Brendan Schabath for an assist as Schabath tipped the ball just in time to find women’s basketball beat reporter Matt Merrifield for a second goal.

Schabath completed the night with two assists while contributing a +4 mark during his ice time.

Hockey beat reporter Jacob Stinson also notched a tally on the scoresheet for Impact as he netted the third goal of the night. Stinson collaborated with women’s basketball beat reporter Allie Cohen for the goal. Cohen was a star all night for Impact.

Cohen was celebrating a birthday as she took the ice Friday night. Perhaps no one, herself included, expected she would be celebrating by taking home the MVP honors for WDBM. Cohen surprised many with a standout performance for her ability to gain possession of the ball in the neutral zone and push it forward for offensive opportunities. She was constantly in the mix of Impact’s 45 total shots on goal and was an easy choice as the MVP.

Maggie Heflin, Paige Drob and Matt Anikiej brave the slippery conditions of the ice for a serious winners photo after the game.The State News put forth a quality effort in a comeback attempt in the second half of the game.

Despite minimal offensive chances due to Impact’s suffocating backline defense, MSU Telecasters sideshow producer Danny Zivian was heavily involved in any chances that did come about. He made a crisp pass to State News men’s basketball beat reporter Melanie Soverinsky who smacked the ball past goalkeeper Zach Surdenik for the team’s first goal of the game.

The squad would get one more after Spartan Sports Report director Ethan Hunter found a streaking Alex Walters for their second goal. Walters, an environment reporter for the State News, would score the final goal of the night for his team.

Some Impact team members pose for a victorious picture with the trophy. Left to Right: Nick Sanchez, Emma Frank, Adam Steinhauer, Sophie Scureman-Stoops, Sav Hamed, Ashley Land, Paige Drob.As the clock ticked ever so close to zero, Impact held a decisive 4-2 lead. Yet, the radio broadcasters were not satisfied. Specialty show host of The Vibe, Matt Anikiej, was the benefactor of a mad dash in front of the goal as he scored WDBM’s fifth and final goal of the contest. A goal that would send Impact into a frenzy of excitement and celebration as the result was imminent.

The horn sounded and a swarm of Impacters donning all-black attire gathered around the shiny gold trophy at center ice. Hugs, high fives, screams of excitement and joyous laughter were abundant in the post-game celebration.

Impact’s office team poses for a photo with the trophy. Left to Right: Sarah Laughner, Jake Rhodes, Sam Kurtzman, Matt Cruz, Adam Steinhauer, Ashley Land, Zac Slowik.The 5-2 final score mirrors the exact same score from the previous year. Three years ago (the 2020 contest was canceled due to COVID) Impact routed the State News to the tune of a 15-1 victory. The blowout inflated the odds of this year’s contest as the spread closed at 3.5 goals (Merrifield Sportsbook). With back-to-back 5-2 victories, Impact is 1-2 ATS in the last three contests.

Impact would like to thank MSU Athletics and Munn Ice Arena for the use of the facilities during the game. They would also like to thank faculty members Jon Whiting (MSU Telecasters), Chris Richert, Kim Margolis, Wesley Herold (State News), Lori Ann Dickerson and Dan Dickerson (Spartan Sports Report) for their participation in the event.

Impact can relish in the win for now, but next year’s game is already fresh on the mind of those returning to continue Impact’s dominant legacy.

The Zac(h)s! News Director Zac Slowik and Sports Broadcast Director Zach Surdenik gather on the boards for a celebratory picture after the game. // Photo Credit: Brendan SchabathGoal Scorers

Impact 89FM:

Zac Slowik (2)

Matt Merrifield (1)

Jacob Stinson (1)

Matt Anikiej (1)

State News/Spartan Sports Report/MSU Telecasters:

Melanie Soverinsky (1)

Alex Walters (1)

Playlist | Songs for sending your broomball enemies to the hospital

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Host Michael Markoch is joined by Jay DeCoster, Jack Latterman and Grey Skudlarick to recap last week’s NFL divisional round games, shouted out their favorite performances from the week and picked who will advance to the Super Bowl. That and much more (including Chad Henne) on the latest edition of The Pylon!

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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.

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EAST LANSING – The Michigan State women’s basketball head coach Suzy Merchant will miss Sunday’s game at Illinois after being in a minor one-car accident Saturday morning due to a medical incident, according to a press release.

Update from MSU Women's Basketball: pic.twitter.com/UobQuLf4Io

— Michigan State Women's Basketball (@MSU_WBasketball) January 28, 2023

The press release said Merchant was taken to Sparrow Hospital in Lansing and is currently in stable condition. The cause of the accident is unknown.

Dean Lockwood will act as the interim head coach while Merchant is away.

Details on where the accident occurred, the medical incident Merchant went through and when she will return to the team are currently unavailable.

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EAST LANSING – The Big Ten conference has named Michigan State freshman Nikki Smith both Big Ten Gymnast of the Week and Freshman of the Week after leading the Spartans to a historic win over No. 3 Michigan on Jan. 22.

Smith earned conference honors for the first time in her career and became the first Spartan to collect both awards in the same week since Skyla Schulte did on March 8, 2022.

Smith shares the Big Ten Gymnast of the Week award with Iowa’s Adeline Kenlin and Rutgers’ Hannah Joyner.

She played a crucial role in MSU’s victory over Michigan last weekend. In the meet, she set two career highs. On vault, she scored a 9.950 and for all-around, she scored 39.525 which led her to win the all-around title.

B1GWGYM WEEKLY AWARDS

𝙏𝙧𝙞-𝙂𝙮𝙢𝙣𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙨: Adeline Kenlin (@IowaGymnastics), Hannah Joyner (@RUGymnastics) & Nikki Smith (@MSU_Gymnastics)
𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙝𝙢𝙖𝙣: Nikki Smith
𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩: Mya Hooten, @GopherWGym

https://t.co/RrSO1qOezm pic.twitter.com/hWe0pJilDU

— Big Ten Conference (@bigten) January 24, 2023

Smith tied her career highs on beam and floor against the Wolverines, finishing in a tie for seventh on beam with a 9.825 and placing fourth on floor with a 9.900. She finished in fourth place on bars with a 9.850.

Additionally, Smith tied for fifth all-time in program history for all-around and tied for third all-time on vault.

Smith and the Spartan gymnastics team return to action on Sunday, Jan. 29 in College Park, Maryland. The event is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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EAST LANSING- Michigan State infielder Mitch Jebb was named to the Perfect Game Preseason All-Big Ten Team on Friday, Jan. 20.

In 2022, Jebb led the Spartans with a .356 batting average, ranking top ten in the conference. He also ranked first for MSU in hits with 78, stolen bases with 20, and walks with 38.

Perfect Game described Jebb as a “speedy high-contact hitter with elite approach and solid power, great athlete in middle infield.”

Jebb was the toughest player to strike out in the Big Ten, with just 16 K’s in 209 at-bats. This ranked 17th in the entire NCAA. He also hit 6 home runs and tallied 46 RBIs in 2022.

He earned third-team All-Big Ten honors in 2022 and found his name on the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings Midwest All-Region Second Team. The Saginaw native was the first ABCA All-Region awardee since 2016.

He also is on the list of MLB Pipeline Top 100 Draft prospects and d1baseball.com’s College Top 100 Prospects ahead of the 2023 season.

MSU Baseball’s Jebb Tabbed To @PerfectGameUSA's Preseason All-B1G List

: https://t.co/0ztWpLjJHw#GoGreen | @jebb_mitch pic.twitter.com/2tKSEaxJrS

— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) January 23, 2023

The junior spent his summer in the Cape Cod League, where he was selected to the West Division All-Star Team and finished the season ranked third on Baseball America’s Top 50 Cape Cod League Prospects list.

The Spartans kick off the season in the 2023 Major League Baseball Desert Invitational, taking place in ballparks in the Phoenix area. First on the schedule is a matchup against the Michigan Wolverines on Feb. 17 at 6 p.m. ET at Sloan Park.

MSU will then play a split doubleheader on Sunday, Feb. 19, with both games being played at SRF at Talking Stick. The first matchup is with Fresno State at 3 p.m. ET and then the Spartans take on Arizona at 8 p.m. ET.

The first home game of the season is scheduled for March 24 against Purdue.

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EAST LANSING – The Michigan State women’s basketball team (11-9, 3-6) took care of business and snapped its four-game losing streak 85-63 against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (8-13, 2-7) on Sunday afternoon at the Breslin Center.

Sunday’s contest celebrated the 50th anniversary of Title IX and MSU alumni.

The Spartans started the game with efficient and turnover-free basketball, as the team did not commit a turnover in the first quarter. MSU had a 27-10 run in the first quarter and only committed two turnovers in the first half.

“I think part of the reason why we were efficient was because we were able to get stops and keep our pressure on them in our transition game,” said head coach Suzy Merchant. “I thought our players, whether they were subs or starters, did a good job of pushing tempo and making good decisions.”

In the second quarter, Rutgers did not record a field goal in the last 4:30. The Spartans would go into the locker room up 48-26.

Senior guard Moira Joiner led the Spartans with 9 points in the first half. Sophomore guards DeeDee Hagemann and Matilda Ekh added 7 points.

Check out the handles on @ballin_deedee35 to find Isa!! pic.twitter.com/0FIIQvwAhC

— Michigan State Women's Basketball (@MSU_WBasketball) January 22, 2023

Along with the contributions from the bench, four players recorded double figures for the Spartans. Freshman guard Abbey scored 13 points and shot 50% from the field.

“She’s [Abbey Kimball] starting to get into her groove a little bit,” Merchant said. “I think her basketball timing and everything is coming back, and we’ve seen it before Christmas and into the early part of January.”

Kimball has seen increased playing time in the past month and the work on the court is showing why she’s a reliable option.

“It was hard to establish yourself when you’re coming in right when Big Ten play starts,” Kimball said. “I think that I engraved into my head and mentality that every opportunity matters. When I got in, whether it was the first quarter or the fourth quarter, I had to do what I could do with those minutes.”

The Scarlet Knights came out scoring on their first three shots to start the quarter and forced head coach Suzy Merchant to call an urgent timeout. Freshman guard Kaylene Smikle played a crucial role in trying to get the Scarlet Knights level with the Spartans.

Smikle ended the night with 27 points on 53% shooting. She had three steals to go along with her impressive individual performance.

The Spartans would respond by going on a 9-0 run to close out the third quarter and lead 63-44.

The team only shot 23% from the three-point line despite the dominating Spartan performance. Scoring in the paint was a great strength, as senior forward Taiyier Parks had a redeeming game with 14 points.

The Spartans would go on to seal the 85-63 win.

MSU will travel to Champaign and take on the Illinois Fighting Illini on Sunday, Jan. 29 at 6 p.m.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Michigan State track and field team competed on Saturday, Jan. 22 at the Simmons-Harvey Invitational in Ann Arbor. The Spartans competed against Big Ten rivals Purdue, Michigan and Ohio State in the invitational.

The women’s team finished third in the invitational with 96 points behind Ohio State (2nd place) and Michigan (1st place). The men’s team finished in last place with 64 points in the meet.

Despite a last place finish for the men’s team, the Spartans saw a strong performance by fifth year senior pole vaulter Trevor Stephenson, who finished first in the pole vault with a jump of 5.20 meters.

3️⃣ event winners from today's Simmons-Harvey Invite!

Opal Jackson – Shot Put – 15.83m
Val Pallett – Weight Throw – 18.65m
Trevor Stephenson – Pole Vault – 5.20m#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/y3XwWpgBRS

— MSU Track & Field/XC (@MSU_TFXC) January 21, 2023

The Spartans also recorded top 3 finishes in the 400 meter dash and shotput. Spartan sophomore sprinter Noah Sage finished second in the 400 meter dash with a time of 48.08. In the shot put, freshman thrower Colby Morlock came in third in the shot put with a throw of 17.39 meters.

In the 4 x 400 the Spartans distance runners Noah Sage, Antonio Postell, Kendel Hammock, and Jalen Jackson finished 3rd with a time of 3:09.05.

On the women’s side, the Spartans received first place finishes from sophomore Opal Jackson in the shotput and sophomore Valadian Pallett in the weight throw. Jackson threw 18.60 meters in the shot put, while Pallett threw 18.65 meters in the weight throw.

MSU also saw strong performances in the 3000 meter run by fifth year senior distance runner Katie Osika who came in fourth place with a time of 9:33. Senior sprinter Amani Nuels finished in the second with a time of 7.45 seconds.

The Spartans will travel to Bloomington for the Indiana University Relays on Jan. 27 while other runners will travel to Louisville for the PNC Lenny Lyles Invitational.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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EAST LANSING – One common phrase heard from Michigan State hockey head coach Adam Nightingale is focusing on the next one – the next game, the next goal, the next shift. After a tough series loss to No. 8 Ohio State, the Spartans had only to look forward to hosting No. 5 Penn State. A five-game losing streak raised a lot of questions about the potential in the second half of the season.

This past weekend, MSU answered with a resounding sweep of the Nittany Lions with one win in overtime and another in a shootout.

Here are three takeaways from the weekend.

Danny Russel and Matt Basgall celebrate after Russel’s shootout goal during Michigan State’s tie with No. 5 Penn State on January 14, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)Jagger Joshua does it again

Jagger Joshua has not been short of surprises by any means this season. Not only is the senior left winger leading in goals after this series, but he’s also the first Spartan to reach double-digit goals on the season. He now sits at the top of the goal sheet with 11 scored through 14 games. That’s three more than his first three years at Michigan State combined.

Joshua, who is 6-foot-3, is no stranger to playing the body in front of the net, and that’s what has made him such a valuable player on offense this season.

“I think my body and the work I put in the gym makes it a little hard for the opponents to get me out of the way,” Joshua said. “It just comes down to my work ethic and using my body to my advantage.”

That physicality in front of Nittany Lions’ goaltender Liam Souliere was a crucial part of Michigan State’s offense. In game one, Souliere dropped the puck in the slot setting Joshua up to score on his own rebound. Game two saw even more production from Joshua as he scored his second hat trick of the season, the first since Michigan State hosted Long Island University on Oct. 22. That makes him the second player in college hockey to have multiple hat tricks this season.

With a tough slate of games ahead, Jagger Joshua is one player that MSU can look to for offensive production. Expect to hear his name a lot more as the season continues.

Speed kills on defense

PSU is an incredibly fast hockey team, and the Spartans found themselves in trouble on the transition from offense to defense. Dylan St. Cyr is a reliable goalie, but he isn’t a brick wall. MSU’s defensemen were too often outskated by PSU even when the Spartans had numbers. This gave the Nittany Lions easy breakaways and backdoor looks.

“I thought there were times when we were really good,” said Nightingale. “I thought there were other times where they didn’t work up the ice and set their gap and then they’ve got a ton of speed coming at them.”

The best example of this came in game two in the third period. Danny Dzhaniyev was able to beat out MSU defenseman Michael Underwood in front of the Spartans’ net. All PSU needed was one lateral pass from Ashton Calder to give Dzhaniyev a wide-open shot for the lead.

This isn’t to say MSU struggled on defense. In game two, especially, they were able to stick with their opponents for longer, limiting breakaways. However, with two top-ten matchups on the horizon, the Spartans will need their defensemen to skate with some of the best players in the country.

“Munn was electric”

The past few years haven’t been the best for MSU hockey to say the least. Last season alone, MSU managed to end the year with a 12-23-1 record, one already surpassed in Nightingale’s first season. One of the many reasons for such a sudden turnaround for this program is the energy of Munn Ice Arena. The team shows up to Munn ready to play high-quality hockey against skilled opponents, and the fans recognize the potential. In turn, the players feed off that energy like nothing else, and the cycle continues.

“Munn was electric,” said Nightingale. “It’s unbelievable.”

In December, the Spartans only notched one win against the Michigan Wolverines. That was the last game they played at Munn before returning to host the Nittany Lions over an entire month later. Coming away with an overtime win and a shootout win against a top-ten team demonstrates the importance of Munn’s atmosphere to MSU hockey.

“That’s really where Michigan State is different. This is a real hockey fan base… our guys feed off that.”

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EAST LANSING — When putting together a top forward line, most people would expect a combination of skill and experience, pairing skilled goal-scorers with veterans that know where to find them. Most wouldn’t expect two freshmen and a senior with eight goals in his first three years to mesh well.

For Michigan State, however, it’s worked beautifully.

All three stars of the Spartans’ shootout win over No. 5 Penn State play on the top forward line: Jagger Joshua the first star, Karsen Dorwart the second and Daniel Russell the third. The trio combined for three goals, three assists and two shootout goals to earn the extra point and take both games at home Saturday night.

There are a lot of reasons why that top line has been so effective. Still, one of its biggest strengths is a mutual understanding of each player’s respective roles, which Michigan State coach Adam Nightingale says allows each player to play to their potential.

“Player development is understanding who you are and what makes you great,” Nightingale said. “You combine those three together when they’re playing their best, it looks like that.”

Joshua’s role is the most clearly defined of the bunch. Before this season, he had always fit the enforcer role above anything else. While he was 6-foot-3 and an imposing player, he only had 20 points over his first 98 games, mostly relying on his physicality instead. However, when Nightingale and his staff took over in May, they saw something different.

“I didn’t spend much time analyzing Jags’ game before,” Nightingale said. “We kind of just got here and looked at what we had. I saw a big, powerful guy that wants to play a power game and that’s maybe got better hands than people give him credit for, and maybe that he thought.”

That powerful game was on full display Saturday. Joshua scored three goals — his second hat trick of the season — all within feet of goalie Liam Souliere’s crease. The first two came on nearly identical plays, where Joshua set up shop on the far post and tapped in two slick passes from Dorwart, tying the game at three apiece.

Here's the equalizer from Jagger Joshua, his second of the night. pic.twitter.com/Eoq25Y3k4b

— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) January 15, 2023

“Ironically, that was something that was an emphasis this week in practice,” Joshua said. “Our coaching staff did a great job of pre-scouting and putting me in the right spot, and I was just lucky to have an opening out there.”

Penn State would take the lead again on a Danny Dzhaniyev goal in the third, but it wouldn’t last for long. It took 11 seconds for Joshua to tip in the equalizer, which would ultimately send the game to overtime.

Since focusing on his hands with Nightingale, Joshua’s game has clearly reached a new level. With his frame, he’s repeatedly been able to get to the front of the net and score from tight angles, and defenses have had trouble stopping him.

“I think my body and the work I put in the gym makes it a little hard for the defending opponents too, I guess, get me out of the way,” Joshua said. “I think it just comes down to my work ethic and using my body to my advantage.”

While Joshua was the star Saturday, that’s not to say that all credit falls on him. He took the time to credit both freshmen for finding him in great spots to score.

“Playing with two great players like Russell and Dorwart has helped me out tremendously,” Joshua said. “I mean, just like you saw the first two goals, that wouldn’t happen without my linemates.”

Dorwart got the primary assist on Joshua’s first two goals, making the same pass to the same spot on the ice. As the center, he takes plenty of pride in his playmaking, which he says flourishes because of the space his line creates for him.

“Those two guys are both incredible players,” Dorwart said. “They both have a lot of speed, so when they’re flying down the wall it opens up a lot of space…So I think (I’m) just getting the puck into their hands and just letting them do their thing.”

When the game reached overtime, however, the Spartans turned to three freshmen. Nightingale started a lineup of Dorwart, Russell and defenseman Matt Basgall to set the tone.

“I think it shows the belief the coaching staff has in all of us freshmen, not just me. Then, you know, playing with Russ and Bazzy there in overtime, you have confidence playing with guys like that just because, you know, they’re so good.”

With the open ice that a 3-on-3 overtime provides, teams often opt for speed and quickness with the puck, and that’s what Russell provides.

“Russ is so shifty,” Dorwart said. “Like, no one can hit him.”

While neither team scored, the group delivered with stout defense after a slash on Joshua gave Penn State the 4-on-3 advantage. Russell delivered with a strong forecheck that slowed down the most uptempo team in college hockey.

Russell’s two-way impact is hard to match. He and Dorwart are tied for the team lead in points (22), and he has the second-highest plus/minus rating of any Spartan (+11). For as shifty and agile as he is with the puck, Russell rarely stops moving away from it.

“Russ really works, you know,” Nightingale said.

While Saturday’s game would go in the record book as a tie, the shootout presented an opportunity for the Spartans to pick up an extra point in the Big Ten standings. After Tanner Kelly scored on his signature forehand-to-backhand move, Dorwart was up next.

“I can’t give away my secrets,” he said, “but, I don’t know, (I was) just trying to come in with a little speed and get a quick shot off. The ice was kind of chopped up, so I wasn’t trying to do anything too fancy.”

With a quick wrist shot and not much stickhandling, Dorwart put the Spartans up 2-0 in the shootout. Connor MacEachern would score on the Nittany Lions’ next attempt, leaving Russell with a chance to win if he scored.

The shootout winner from Daniel Russell! #V4MSU #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/cZopG5zmFz

— Munnsters (@MSUMunnsters) January 15, 2023

He fumbled the puck slightly, but he recovered and buried it. Souliere broke his stick over the crossbar, and the Spartans walked out with both the extra point and three of four wins over Penn State.

With that point, Michigan State now sits in a three-way tie for second place in the Big Ten, and it has the first line to thank for all but one goal and one shootout goal.

According to them, it all comes back to each member playing well within their respective roles.

“The biggest part is playing with two players that understand my game, and I understand theirs,” Joshua said. “We seem to gel together really well.”

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Michigan State women’s basketball team dropped a Big Ten game to its rival Michigan 70-55 on Saturday afternoon at Crisler Arena. Despite a convincing start to the game, the Spartans are now 2-5 in the conference after losing their last three games.

The Spartans came into the matchup with two straight losses against Maryland and Wisconsin. Turnovers and sloppy execution from MSU wouldn’t help snap the losing streak, as the team committed 14 turnovers in the first half while shooting 35% from the field.

“We’re not a team that turns the ball over like that,” said head coach Suzy Merchant. “I don’t think it’s a turnover problem, I just think they did a really good job of staying in front of us and taking charges. We didn’t do a very good job of being solid and strong as they were.”

Final at Crisler. pic.twitter.com/CqgHWa0rGj

— Michigan State Women's Basketball (@MSU_WBasketball) January 14, 2023

After starting the contest on an 8-2 run, the Spartans couldn’t build on the lead after turning the ball over nine times, including five turnovers coming from traveling violations.

In the second quarter, the Spartans only made two field goals, and the other 12 points came from the charity stripe.

Graduate guard Kamaria McDaniel would lead the team with 12 points on 4-16 shooting. The rest of the team failed to reach double-digits in points.

“All we can do is learn and get better,” McDaniel said. “At the end of the day, you have to stick together. We can’t dwell on this, so we need to get back to the gym and get our shots up.”

Senior guard Moira Joiner found herself in foul trouble in the third quarter, with four fouls by the end of the quarter. She would foul out of the game midway through the fourth quarter.

If there was anything good that the Spartans took away from this loss, freshman guard Abbey Kimball took advantage of the 10 minutes played, scoring five points, including hitting a step-back jumper.

The Wolverines were led by senior guard Leigha Brown, who finished the night with 17 points.

Michigan State will be back in East Lansing on Wednesday, Jan. 18 to take on No. 12 Iowa at 7 p.m.

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State women’s soccer stars Lauren DeBeau and Lauren Kozal were drafted to the Portland Thorns FC in the 2023 National Women’s Soccer League Draft in the second and third rounds, respectively.

DeBeau and Kozal will be teammates in the Pacific Northwest in the upcoming 2023 NWSL season after completing a historic run for MSU where they won the 2022 Big Ten conference and were runners-up in the conference championship.

The pair will become the third Spartan to join the NWSL in the last three years after forward Ava Cook was drafted to the Chicago Red Stars in 2022.

Despite being registered for the 2023 NWSL Draft, defenders Ruby Diodati and Samantha White went undrafted. They could still join an NWSL side as an undrafted player.

MSU forward Lauren Debeau in the Spartans’ 1-0 home loss to Wisconsin on Sept. 23, 2021/ Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBMLauren DeBeau F (Portland Thorns FC/2nd Round, 24th pick)

DeBeau transferred to Michigan State in 2021 after spending two seasons at Central Michigan University where she earned Mid-American Conference All-Freshman Team honors in her first season.

After a successful debut season under newly-appointed MSU head coach Jeff Hosler, DeBeau quickly became a fan favorite with her natural goal-scoring ability and technical excellence. The native of Shelby Township, Michigan won the Big Ten Forward of the Year after leading the Spartans with 11 goals and four assists in 2022.

“Being drafted by Portland Thorns FC absolutely means the world to me,” DeBeau said. “If I could tell my 7-year-old self that I would get the opportunity to play professional soccer, she would be screaming with joy.”

The versatile forward led the Big Ten Conference with five game-winning goals in 2022.

“Dreams truly can become reality through hard work,” DeBeau said. “I am forever grateful to my teammates, coaches, friends and family that helped me make this dream come true.”

DeBeau will have the opportunity to learn from NWSL veteran and Portland Thorns FC captain Christine Sinclair.

“Lauren made a huge statement in the way she performed this season,” Hosler said. “She embraced a new role in going from playmaker to goal scorer and was every bit the difference-maker in the attack for us. The big plays she made in key moments attribute to her competitive nature and mentality.”

MSU goaltender Lauren Kozal winds up for a goal kick in the Spartans’ 1-0 home loss to Wisconsin on Sept. 24, 2021/ Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBMLauren Kozal GK (Portland Thorns FC/3rd Round, 32nd pick)

The Portland Thorns drafted Lauren Kozal with the 32nd pick of the NWSL draft on Thursday night, after a trade with the Houston Dash to acquire the rights to draft Kozal.

She is the first Spartan in program history to be named a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy– the most prestigious award in collegiate soccer.

Kozal, a former back-to-back All-American and two-time Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year appeared in all 23 games for the Spartans in 2022. The star goalkeeper led the Big Ten with 10 clean sheets and had a goals-against average of 0.808. She also notched 63 saves on the year.

“I am so thankful for the opportunity to compete at the highest level alongside some of the best athletes in the world,” said Kozal. “I am so thankful to everyone involved in helping me become who I am today.”

Hailing from Ada, Michigan, Kozal played for Michigan State for four seasons after redshirting her freshman year. She played every game for MSU since then and became a champion in her final season in East Lansing.

“It’s been such a pleasure watching the way Lauren has grown under Megan Link’s leadership into the nation’s very best player at her position,” Hosler said. “Lauren has not only embraced every challenge given to her but excelled and done it in very big championship moments. She is a shining example of leaving a place better than the way she found it.”

The Spartan duo will suit up for the reigning NWSL champions in the 2023 season.

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EAST LANSING – Former Michigan State men’s soccer defender Tyler Crawford announced on Wednesday that he has signed a professional contract with One Pro Sports Management and will pursue a professional soccer career.

“I want to thank all my teammates, coaches and staff for an enjoyable time here at Michigan State,” Crawford said in a press release. “I’m excited for this next step in my career and I’ll forever be grateful for the opportunity that Michigan State gave me.”

Crawford appeared in all 16 games for the Spartans in his first season, including an appearance in the starting lineup 12 times. The freshman from Lutz, Florida earned his first collegiate point against Chicago State on Sept. 12, recording an assist in Michigan State’s 4-1 win.

Congratulations to Tyler Crawford for signing with One Pro Sports Management!

https://t.co/X3EOWQmazN#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/h5Z1PdzH1W

— MSU Men's Soccer (@MSU_MSoccer) January 12, 2023

Before MSU, Crawford was a member of the Columbus Crew Academy. He also played for the Canadian U20 National Team in April 2020, making two appearances against Costa Rica.

Crawford recorded 1,152 minutes on the pitch for MSU- the most out of the freshman class. Crawford brought pace and agility to the Spartans’ left flank, frequently defending and attacking the opponent’s wingers.

“We are excited and happy for Tyler in achieving a life-long dream of becoming a professional soccer player,” said head coach Damon Rensing. “Tyler has a bright future and a very high ceiling as to where pro soccer can take him.”

Crawford has not yet indicated where he will be playing professionally.

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EAST LANSING – The Michigan State volleyball team has hired Zheng Xiang as an assistant coach after it was officially announced on Tuesday.

Xiang comes to MSU from Rice where he worked as associate head coach, defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator. Xiang has also worked at Texas A&M as a volunteer assistant coach, and an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Texas at San Antonio.

“I am honored and excited to be joining the Spartan family,” Xiang said in a press release. “I can’t wait to meet the team, our alumni and the Spartan fans.”

At Rice, he played a large role in their program. The Owls finished the season ranked No. 19 in 2022 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll with a 27-4 record and a second-round appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Rice went to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2019 and 2021.

Under Xiang, the Owls also went on to win one C-USA regular season title (2018), two C-USA West Division titles (2020, 2021) and two C-USA tournament titles (2018, 2022).

As a recruiter at Rice, Xiang constructed four recruiting classes in the Top 55 and one in the Top 50, as ranked by PrepVolleyball.

Xiang has not only coaching but playing experience as well. He was a member of Indiana’s club team from 1997-2000 and was captain of the squad in his final season. Xiang played for two years at Texas and earned first-team All-Southern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association honors in 2006.

“He is a proven winner. He has recruited, developed, and supported student-athletes to perform at the highest level and has demonstrated commitment to the process of building and sustaining a program’s success,” said head coach Leah Johnson. “I am thrilled to add my friend and colleague to the Spartan family.”

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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

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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.

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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.”

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Evanston, Ill. — The Michigan State women’s basketball team (10-5) extended its winning streak to four games after a late Northwestern comeback that fell short in a 71-64 win at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

“Anytime you can win on the road in the Big Ten, it’s a good thing,” said head coach Suzy Merchant. “They [Northwestern] can play zone so you need to be able to hit shots. I thought there were stretches where we played well and other stretches where we didn’t play well.”

Another 𝗪.#RiseUp × #SpartanStrongHER pic.twitter.com/SEVmVlBvRz

— Michigan State Women's Basketball (@MSU_WBasketball) January 3, 2023

The Spartans started the contest slowly, shooting 2-7 from the field and trailing early to the Wildcats. Northwestern came out shooting 9-13 from the field. Graduate guard Kamaria McDaniel would cut into the early deficit in the first quarter with a three-pointer, making it 20-15.

Sophomore forward Matilda Ekh helped propel the Spartans’ comeback in the second quarter, shooting 5-6 from deep and recording 17 points at the half. The sophomore from Sweden recorded a season-high 21 points and posted double figures for the 10th time this season.

“We were moving her [Ekh] as much as we could so it made it hard for them to follow her on a cut every single time,” Merchant said. “We moved her around enough that I thought it caused them the inability to hone in on her.”

Senior forward Taiyier Parks continued to be a presence on the glass for the Spartans, putting up 17 points and 6 rebounds and was one the team leaders in the scoring department.

MSU hit a trio of three-pointers to extend its lead to 62-49 in the third quarter, led by junior guard Julia Ayrault hitting two threes to widen the margin.

Northwestern started the fourth quarter on fire, scoring six of the first eight points and cutting the deficit to 64-55. The Wildcats outscored the Spartans 15-9.

MSU guard Moira Joiner would put the game out of reach thanks to two late free throws to extend the Spartan lead to seven.

The Spartans will stay on the road this week as they prepare to take on Maryland on Saturday, Jan. 7 at 1 p.m.

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EAST LANSING – The Michigan State women’s basketball team returned to the Breslin Center on Thursday afternoon and stunned the No. 4 Indiana Hoosiers with an 83-78 upset win.

Four Spartans reached double-digits in the win, with graduate senior Kamaria McDaniel leading the team with 24 points- her fourth 20-point game of the season. Senior forward Taiyier Parks and sophomore guard Matilda Ekh each had 18 points, and sophomore guard DeeDee Hagemann added 15 points and eight assists.

The 18 points scored by Parks tied her career-high for the second time this season.

“We’ve been close on a lot of these games,” said head coach Suzy Merchant. “We were talking about changing our mindset and thinking about when things get tight, we’re not going to play to lose, we’re going to play to win.”

The Spartans’ win resulted in the Hoosier’s first loss of the season, as Indiana dropped to 12-1 overall. This was the highest win over a ranked opponent since upsetting No. 4 Michigan, 63-57, last season on Feb. 10, 2022.

With the win, the Spartans have won three-straight games and improved to 9-5 overall and 1-2 in conference play.

YESSSSS!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/6jx7eeU9oe

— Michigan State Women's Basketball (@MSU_WBasketball) December 29, 2022

Along with a solid offensive performance from MSU for all four quarters, the team forced 21 turnovers against an Indiana team averaging 12 turnovers a game so far this season.

“I thought our kids did a great job of controlling the tempo, they had to play it our way, we had 28 points off turnovers and that is a team that averages 12 turnovers a game,” said Merchant. “I thought our kids were speeding them up and were playing faster than they normally do, which was important for us.”

The first half featured a 15-27 shooting performance from the Spartans, along with Indiana going 12-23 from the field. MSU would add the first four points of the second quarter and kept the Hoosiers at bay before a Sydney Parish three-pointer to stop the Indiana scoring drought. Senior forward Mackenzie Holmes would add her 14th point of the first half to make it 35-33 MSU at halftime.

Holmes would finish with 32 points and 12 rebounds.

Michigan State would go up by 11 points with under four minutes to play in the third quarter after a pair of free throws by DeeDee Hagemann.

Michigan State led the game for 35:49 of the contest, trailing for just 1:40, and there were seven ties.

The Hoosiers tied the game at 58-58 in the fourth quarter after a Holmes free throw. The tightly-contested matchup between the Spartans and the Hoosiers kept fans on their feet.

With each team trading baskets and Indiana tying the game twice, the Spartans found a way to come out of the contest with a victory, going 11-15 at the free-throw line in the fourth quarter.

The Spartans will travel to Evanston to take on Northwestern on Jan. 2 at 8 p.m.

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The Michigan State women’s basketball team played its first game of the 2022-23 season against the Delaware State Hornets. The Spartans dominated the court and won 86-37, starting the season with a strong win.  Four Spartans had double-digit scoring. Junior guard Gabby Elliott led the team with 14 points, six rebounds, and two assists.  This...

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EAST LANSING – No. 6 Michigan State women’s soccer will be competing for its first-ever Big Ten tournament title, as the top-seeded Spartans are set to face No. 21 Penn State in Columbus.   The regular season champions are coming off a 2-1 victory against Nebraska in the semifinal on Thursday, Nov. 3. Goals from graduate...

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EAST LANSING – An 89th-minute goal by No. 18 Ohio State’s Devyn Etling sent Michigan State men’s soccer out of the Big Ten tournament and abruptly ended the Spartans’ season on Friday.  “We had our chances, and obviously, Ohio State had some chances,” said head coach Damon Rensing. “It was a great college soccer game,...

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EAST LANSING – The Michigan State women’s soccer team advanced to the Big Ten Tournament semifinal after a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Sunday. Sophomore forward Jordyn Wickes’ second-half brace inspired a comeback victory for MSU at DeMartin Stadium. “We were undefeated in the regular season, but we didn’t get a chance...

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EAST LANSING — The Michigan State Spartans dropped a hard-fought battle to the No. 4 Michigan Wolverines at the Big House on Saturday night, pushing the Spartans to their fifth loss this season. The Spartans were unable to keep a hold of the Paul Bunyan trophy for the first time in the Mel Tucker era...

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EAST LANSING – The No. 6 Michigan State women’s soccer team begins its postseason on Sunday, Oct.30, against Minnesota. The Spartans are on the quest for the Big Ten double after winning the conference title.   Hosler led MSU to its best regular-season finish in program history by winning its first-ever Big Ten title and having...

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State Volleyball is back on the road to face  No. 9 Minnesota. In the last match between the Spartans and the Golden Gophers, Minnesota swept MSU in a three-set match.    The Spartans look to get back to .500 with a win over Minnesota. They are 10-11 on the season and...

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EAST LANSING — The Michigan State men’s soccer team will travel to Columbus to face off against Ohio State for the final road game of the season. The Spartans come off of a 1-0 loss to No. 8 Maryland in College Park, where the Spartans went the entire game without regestering a single shot on...

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EAST LANSING — The Michigan State cross-country team wrapped up its regular season with a first-place finish by the No. 23 women’s team at the EMU Fall Classic on Friday. The Spartan women placed three runners in the top 10 and seven runners in the top 20. They finished 78 points ahead of second-place Windsor...

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State opened its home series against the Long Island University Sharks Friday night. After a tightly-contested first period, the Spartans opened up the scoring in the second and closed out a 3-1 win to start the weekend. “For us, it doesn’t matter if it’s non-conference or conference. We want to keep...

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EAST LANSING — A bevy of personal bests were set by Michigan State cross-country runners at the Nuttycombe Invite on Friday, Oct. 14.  Held in Madison, Wisconsin, the Nuttycombe Invite featured elite talent on both the men’s and women’s sides. The No. 17 Spartan women finished in 18th place out of 36 teams with 530...

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State redshirt junior wrestler Peyton Omania will represent the United States at the 2022 U23 World Championships. The competition is organized and sponsored by United World Wrestling, the highest governing body of wrestling in the world.  Omania is one of America’s premier wrestlers on the world stage. He won two-straight U23...

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State failed to sweep their home series against No. 16 Umass Lowell, losing 3-2 on Friday night. Despite the loss, freshman defenseman Matt Basgall scored his first goal of the season.   “I think it for sure gave us life and energy and all. I think it’s important that you’re never out...

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State women’s soccer continued their impressive run on Thursday night with a 1-0 win over the Indiana Hoosiers at DeMartin Stadium. Thursday’s success made it five straight wins for the Spartans, making it 6-0-1 on the season in Big Ten play. Zivana Labovic’s first-half goal proved to be the game-winner. Labovic’s...

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EAST LANSING – The Michigan State women’s soccer team continues its homestand on Thursday, where the Spartans (10-1-3) will face off against the Indiana Hoosiers (2-5-6) for the last regular season home night game. Earlier this week, MSU earned the No.15 spot in the NCAA national rankings for the first time since Sept. 29, 2009. ...

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East Lansing—Michigan State men’s soccer wrapped up its last non-conference game of the season on Tuesday night with a 2-1 victory over the Saint Mary’s Gaels. Tuesday’s contest was Breast Cancer Awareness night, where the Spartans wore pink ribbon pins to raise awareness. The Spartans’ record is now 5-5-2 on the season, while the Gaels...

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EAST LANSING – Both Michigan State soccer programs are 2-0 against Michigan this season after the women’s team defeated the Wolverines on Sunday. Forwards Jordyn Wickes and Lauren DeBeau were on the scoresheet once again and earned the Spartans a 2-0 win in front of a record-breaking DeMartin Stadium crowd for women’s soccer.  “That was...

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EAST LANSING– No. 11 Minnesota had a six-match winning streak over Michigan State before Sunday’s match. The Gophers ended up sweeping the Spartans and walked away with a 3-0 win, extending their win streak to seven.  Right at the start of set one, freshman middle blocker Nil Okur got a kill for the Spartans after...

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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...

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State University began its 2022-23 season by hosting an exhibition game against the U.S. National Team Development Program U18 at the newly renovated Munn Ice Arena. Michigan State looked to s off its new season strong under new head coach, Adam Nightingale, but the 2023 Michigan State goalie commitment, Trey Augustine,...

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State is coming off a 2-1 overtime loss against Ohio State on Sept. 30th to put their overall season record at 4-5 (0-4 In Big Ten). This is the Spartans’ third loss in a row, a streak they seek to end on Sunday against Ohio University. Ellie Rutherford was the lone...

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East Lansing, Mich. – For the first time since 2017, Michigan State men’s soccer took home the Big Bear Trophy after a 2-0 win over the Michigan Wolverines, on a rainy night at DeMartin Stadium.  Tuesday night’s victory was complemented by a sell-out crowd of 3,047 in attendance- the largest of the season.  “The Red...

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EAST LANSING – There is no bigger day on the Michigan State men’s soccer calendar than the rivalry game against Michigan for the Big Bear Trophy. The Spartans (2-4-2) host the Wolverines (3-4-2) on Tuesday night in their second game of the Big Ten season.  “When you have a traveling trophy, anytime you can pick...

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EAST LANSING– Michigan State midfielder Justina Gaynor was named in the TopDrawerSoccer National Women’s Team of the Week as an honorable mention on Tuesday. The junior from Shelby Township, Michigan, attempted a trio of shots, with one finding the back of the net on Sunday, Sept.25 against Purdue. Gaynor’s performance lifted the Spartans to a...

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EAST LANSING – On a crisp, cool night in East Lansing, Michigan State women’s soccer recorded its seventh shutout of the season, led by senior goalkeeper Lauren Kozal, in a scoreless draw against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Thursday night at DeMartin Stadium.  Thursday’s result puts the Spartans at 6-1-3, while the Hawkeyes go to 3-4-3...

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State women’s soccer returns to DeMartin Stadium after a successful Big Ten season-opener on the road against Illinois. Forward Lauren DeBeau led the Spartans’ 3-0 charge scoring all three goals in 11 minutes. The Spartans will host the Iowa Hawkeyes on Thursday night.  “Our offense is as good as it’s been...

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EAST LANSING — The Michigan State women’s cross country team finished first at the 41st annual Spartan Invitational, while the Spartan men took third on a hot and humid Friday afternoon. The Michigan State women scored 19 points in the big win over second-place Grand Valley State (71 points) and third-place SUNY Geneseo (171 points),...

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EAST LANSING- Michigan State Field Hockey will look to rebound from Friday’s overtime loss to Rutgers as they welcome the Bellarmine Knights on Sunday. The Spartans come into this matchup with a 3-2 record on the season. After winning their first three games of the season the Spartans have lost two straight games, one to...

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EAST LANSING- The Michigan State baseball team announced on Wednesday that former MLB outfielder Adam Eaton has been hired as the new Director of Player Development.  Eaton’s role on head coach Jake Boss’s staff will primarily be giving insight on the base running, hitting and outfield play.   “His baseball resume is filled with success at...

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EAST LANSING – Michigan State found its footing once again after being winless in its last four games. Senior forward Gianni Ferri inspired the Spartans to a 4-1 win over Chicago State University on Monday night. “Winning is the most important thing,” Ferri said. “To be able to contribute after not being in the team...

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EAST LANSING — A little rain never stopped the Michigan State women’s soccer team as they were able to take down the undefeated No. 19 Colorado Buffaloes 4-2 on Sunday afternoon. The Spartans were led by graduate forward Camryn Evans who scored a hat trick in front of the home crowd. Today’s results put the...