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East Lansing– In Michigan State’s final test before going on the road, the Eastern Kentucky Colonels will come into East Lansing looking to pull the upset. However, as the Spartans look to continue rolling on both ends of the court, this proves to be a tall task.
Defensively in their last three games, MSU is averaging 31 turnovers forced and 45 points allowed. This is in large part due to the inbound press that the Spartans utilize all game, which so far has created a massive disruption in offensive flow for opponents.
In their last game against Eastern Michigan, MSU held the Eagles to 34% shooting on the night in a defensive performance that featured a nine-point third quarter. One potential crack in the wall could be rim protection.
As EMU’s junior forward Sisi Eleko made her impression inside by earning a double-double with 25 points and 12 rebounds.
This comes with the important caveat that MSU was missing an impact transfer in the interior, as junior forward Grace VanSlooten did not appear due to an illness and could return against EKU.
Not only may the Spartans have VanSlooten back but they also bring star power in the backcourt, and a lot of depth on the bench.
Starting guards junior Theyrn Hallock and graduate Julia Ayrault combined for 31 points against EMU and basically put the game to rest in the first half.
The Spartan bench is also gaining valuable minutes in the early goings, and making a real impact on games.
MSU has scored at least 42 bench points in each of the first three games, with the effort against EMU being fronted by freshman center Ines Sotelo and redshirt freshman guard Kennedy Blair.
Sotelo went 5-8 from the field, good for 13 points and Blair went 2-3 from beyond the arc and finished with 11 points.
EKU, who got their first win against Southern Illinois, is looking to keep moving in the right direction. To pull off the shocker, they need a big night from their backcourt.
In their win against SIU, freshman guard Liz Freihofer broke out for 13 points and was aided by an 11-point, five-rebound effort from senior guard Kaitlyn Costner. Costner should be someone to look out for, as she has Big Ten experience at Ohio State before transferring to EKU last season.
EKU could further expose the Spartan paint defense if fifth-year forward Jasmine McGinnis-Taylor puts together a nice performance.
She put up a double-double against SIU, consisting of 12 points and led the team in rebounds with 11. She also established a defensive presence with five blocks.
The Colonels are also battle-tested, having already arguably played their toughest opponent of the season in No. 7 LSU, so don’t expect this EKU squad to back down from a challenge.
MSU will look to end their early run at home undefeated on Thursday, Nov. 14, with tip set for 6:30 p.m.
EAST LANSING – Michigan State men’s basketball hasn’t overcome Kansas since the 2015 State Farm Champions Classic.
Denzel Valentine led No. 13 MSU to overcome No. 4 Kansas, 79-73, with a triple-double (29 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists). In 2024, unranked MSU is taking on No. 1 Kansas in the Champions Classic on Tuesday night.
The Spartans stand at 2-0 after hosting Monmouth and Niagara. Senior guard Jaden Akins led against Monmouth with 23 points to tie his career-high and junior forward Jaxon Kohler led against Niagara with a double-double posting career-highs of 20 points and 13 rebounds.
MSU has been having a slow heat-up in its first two games from behind the arc. Against Monmouth, they put up a 16.7 three-point percentage, and against Niagara, they improved to a 33.3 three-point percentage.
The Spartans won the rebound battles in their first two non-conference match-ups, putting up 48 against the Hawks and 45 against the Purple Eagles.
Scouting Kansas
The Jayhawks hold the fourth-longest win streak for the No. 1 team in the Associated Press Top 25 era with 47. They are coming off a 92-89 win over No. 9 North Carolina. The Tar Heels knocked the Spartans out of the NCAA Tournament last season in the second round.
Transfer senior guard Zeke Mayo (South Dakota State) led Kansas in points with 21. Graduate center Hunter Dickinson followed with 20 points and put up a double-double with 10 rebounds.
Dickinson is a familiar face to MSU. Before Kansas, Dickinson was with MSU’s in-state rival Michigan where he averaged 17.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists over three seasons.
Mayo is joined by two more transfers this season. Junior guard Rylan Griffen (Alabama) and junior guard A.J. Storr (Wisconsin).
Griffen put up six points, one rebound and two blocks versus UNC. Storr had 13 points, two rebounds, three assists and one steal.
Freshman forward Flory Bidunga is also worth highlighting who racked up eight points, eight rebounds and one block against the Tar Heels.
Last Time Out
The last time MSU and Kansas went head-to-head was the 2021 Champions Classic in New York where No. 4 Kansas won 87-74. The Jayhawks lead the all-time series 8-7, 2-2 in the Champions Classic. The Spartans are 5-22 all-time against teams ranked No. 1 in the AP poll.
Tip-off for this Champions Classic match-up is set for 6:30 p.m. from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Tune into the live radio broadcast featuring Matt Merrifield and Allie Cohen locally on 88.9 FM or at impact89fm.org/listen-live/.
EAST LANSING- The Michigan State Spartans will take on the Eastern Michigan Eagles Monday night at the Breslin Center.
MSU is 2-0 in the regular season, along with an exhibition game win over Wayne State.
The Spartans are coming off a massive win over Yale, where they defeated the Bulldogs, 100-44.
MSU had its third game of the season scoring at least 100 points, and their third game of the season beating their opponents by at least 55.
The Spartans played an aggressive offense getting in the paint and getting fouled, shooting 74.4% from the line.
MSU’s bench has looked stellar thus far, with redshirt freshman guard Kennedy Blair who put up 12 points and seven rebounds against Yale.
The emphasis on having a strong bench contributes to the entire team dynamic and helps build the performance of the starters.
MSU’s offense was complimented by their lock down defense, which forced the Bulldogs to 31 turnovers.
The Spartans utilized their full court press and trap defense, and put pressure on the Bulldogs, halting their offense.
MSU’s offense went through a rough patch late in the third quarter with multiple turnovers due to missed passes and offensive miscommunications.
Despite the minor setback, the fourth quarter group was able to get back in the game and finish strong.
The Eastern Michigan Eagles are 0-2 so far this season, with losses from Texas State and Alabama A&M.
MSU should be able to come home with another slam dunk win and see if they can reach another 100-point game.
The Spartans and the Eagles will face off at the Breslin Center at 6:30 p.m.
EAST LANSING– Following a dominant 107-43 victory over Oakland, Michigan State looks to keep its momentum rolling as Ivy League foe Yale comes to the Breslin Center.
The key for MSU ahead of this contest remains to play aggressively on both ends of the court, as the Spartans have been incredibly disruptive on defense and remain physically imposing offensively.
In their opener, the MSU defense forced 33 turnovers and a 0-17 shooting performance from three. On almost every miss or turnover forced, the Spartans found a way to get out and run in an impressive transition game that led to 38 points on the fast break and 44 off turnovers.
When the Spartans actually took the time to run an offensive set, they either got great looks in the post or from beyond the arc.
Junior forward Grace VanSlooten led the charge inside by scoring 15 and grabbing four offensive boards, aiding in MSU’s 48 paint points and 19 on second-chance opportunities.
The Spartans also found success from long range and finding good shots, going a respectable 11-24 from three with four different guards hitting at least two.
In Yale’s opener, the Bulldogs needed a 26-point fourth quarter to earn a three-point victory over Monmouth.
Containing the Yale guard duo of senior Mackenzie Egger and first-year Marisa Chapman should be a massive assignment for MSU defensively. Both recorded 39 minutes on the court and combined to score just over 65% of the Bulldogs’ points.
Egger went 11-19 from the field, 3-4 from three, and finished with 25 points and nine rebounds against Monmouth.
In her debut for Yale, Chapman made an immediate impact by earning a double-double consisting of 17 points and 12 rebounds.
Much like MSU, Yale displayed elite perimeter defending in their opener by allowing zero made threes in a 0-11 defensive performance.
Both MSU and Yale look to move to 2-0 on the season Friday, Nov. 8, with tip set for 7:00 p.m.
EAST LANSING-Michigan State Volleyball travels to the East Coast for their next matchup, as they travel to College Park to battle the Maryland Terrapins Thursday night.
The Spartans are looking to turn things around and snap their losing streak. MSU comes into this matchup, losing three straight and 12 out of 13. Their last matchup was a loss in four sets to the Ohio State Buckeyes.
The Spartans have struggled in conference play, but have had the misfortune of playing several ranked teams. The Spartans currently sit near the bottom of the Big Ten and are looking to climb the ranks.
Michigan State needs its key players to step up in this match if they want to emerge victorious. Junior outside hitter Akasha Anderson currently leads the team in kills with 272 and Senior setter Julia Bishop leads the team in assists with 508. Anderson also has 17 aces on the season, tied for a team-high with senior defensive specialist Nalani Iosia.
Iosia also leads the Big Ten with 372 digs on the defensive front, while Sophomore middle blocker Zuzzana Kulig leads the team with 114 blocks, currently 3rd in the Big Ten.
The Terrapins are led by graduate student pin hitter Samantha Schnitta, who leads the team with 269 kills while fifth-year setter Sydney Dowler leads the Terps in assists with 464.
Schnitta also leads the conference in aces with 61. On the defensive side, fifth-year libero Lily Gunter leads the team with 270 digs, while sophomore middle blocker Eva Rohrbach leads the team in blocks, racking up 73 on the season.
The Terrapins head into this matchup also struggling in conference play, losing eight straight. The Terrapins were swept in three sets in their previous matchup, as the Indiana Hoosiers defeated them at home.
The Terps also sit near the bottom of the Big Ten standings, sitting just one spot ahead of the Spartans. The last time these two teams faced off, the Spartans swept all three sets at home on November 3, 2023.
Michigan State has been successful in the past, as they lead the series all-time with 15 wins in 18 matchups.
Both teams are looking to put a stop to their skids in this matchup and gain some momentum. As the season draws to a close, both teams are looking for some positives that they can build on for the future.
The match will be played on Thursday at the XFINITY Center Pavilion, and game time is 8 p.m. Eastern Time. The game will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
EAST LANSING- Michigan State women’s basketball is set to take on the Oakland Golden Grizzlies on Tuesday night at the Breslin Center for the home opener of their regular season.
MSU is coming off a slam dunk win over Wayne State in their exhibition game last week after beating the Warriors 101-40.
The Spartans looked dominant on the defensive end, allowing Wayne State only five points at halftime.
The Spartans’ talent was on full display, with junior forward Grace VanSlooten putting up 16 points and six rebounds.
VanSlooten’s performance got her named on the Cheryl Miller Award Preseason Watchlist.
First-year center Inés Sotelo had a huge showing in her MSU debut, putting up 13 points and two rebounds.
MSU looked great on the rebounding side of things against Wayne State. Junior guard Abbey Kimball put up a team-high nine rebounds with four points.
The rebounding game was highlighted by head coach Robyn Fralick, as a goal for the Spartans to improve on this season.
“There has to be a habit of it, (rebounding) every single time a shot goes up,” Fralick said.
MSU needs to continue to be aggressive at the net and capitalize off forced turnovers.
Coach Fralick also mentioned that the Spartans’ free-throw shooting needs to improve. The Spartans made 16-25 free throws and 5-13 from the arc.
Offensive shooting will have to be more efficient against tougher opponents. Nonetheless, the Spartans were still able to put up 101 points.
Oakland won their exhibition game against Rochester Christian University, 91-66. Both teams look to increase their win streak in the regular season.
MSU and Oakland will face off Tuesday at 6:30 at the Breslin Center.
EAST LANSING – Michigan State men’s basketball is set to open its season against Monmouth University on Nov. 4 at the Breslin Center.
MSU took on Northern Michigan and Ferris State in a pair of exhibitions in October. The Spartans topped the Wildcats 70-53 on Oct. 13 and the Bulldogs 85-67 on Oct. 29.
Last Tuesday, senior forward Frankie Fidler led MSU with 14 points against Ferris State. Sophomore forward Coen Carr and sophomore forward Xavier Booker also racked up double-digits with 12 and 11 points respectively.
Junior forward Jaxon Kohler led in rebounds with 11 and junior guard Tre Holloman led in assists with nine. Ferris State scored 10 points off of MSU’s 14 turnovers. Senior center Szymon Zapala led in turnovers with four.
Scouting Monmouth
This will be the first meeting between MSU and Monmouth. The Spartans have a 4-1 all-time record against teams that currently make up the Colonial Athletic Association.
Monmouth played in an exhibition against Rhode Island College on Oct. 25. The Hawks succeeded the Anchorman 95-65 with redshirt sophomore guard Andrew Ball leading with 15 points.
Sophomore forward Cornelius Robinson III and junior center Dok Muordar led Monmouth in rebounds with nine and eight respectively. The Hawks turned the ball over 14 times granting the Anchorman 17 points off those turnovers.
Muordar is a 7-foot-1 transfer from Cleveland State. Joining him in Monmouth’s transfer class are junior guard Madison Durr (The Citadel), senior forward Chris Morgan (North Texas), sophomore guard Aric Demings (Utah Tech) and graduate forward Jordan Meka (Georgia Tech).
Redshirt sophomore forward Jaret Valencia and junior guard Jack Collins were both selected for the Preseason CAA Awards. Valencia was selected to the Preasons All-CAA Second Team and Collins was an honorable mention selection.
MSU’s opening night tip-off is set for 7 p.m. on Nov. 4. Tune into the live radio broadcast featuring Matt Merrifield and Allie Cohen locally on 88.9 FM or at impact89fm.org/listen-live/.
EAST LANSING- The Michigan State men’s soccer team will face-off against Rutgers in their final home game of the season at DeMartin Stadium on Sunday with the Big Ten tournament looming.
The Spartans are coming off a hard-fought 2-2 draw against the No. 1 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. Senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan and sophomore forward Richie Ludwig found the back of the net in the second half to earn MSU a point.
MSU enters this matchup with the Scarlet Knights in fourth place in the Big Ten with 14 points and a 4-3-2 conference record. When it comes to their place in the Big Ten tournament, the Spartans can clinch the No. 4 seed in the tournament with a win or draw against Rutgers.
Rutgers comes to East Lansing at the bottom of the Big Ten with seven points and a 2-6-1 conference record. The Scarlet Knights snapped their four-game losing streak after an impressive 3-1 win against the No. 10 ranked Maryland Terrapins.
Key players to watch for the Scarlet Knights include senior midfielder Curt Calov and junior forward Ian Abbey, Calov leads the Scarlet Knights in points with 12 and goals with five on the season. Abbey has recorded nine points, five assists, and two goals on the season.
The Spartans will face off against the Scarlet Knights before finding out their place in the Big Ten Tournament with the first round set to start on Nov. 7. First touch for MSU’s regular-season finale is set for 1 p.m. at DeMartin Stadium.
EAST LANSING– Michigan State Football looks to play spoiler against the undefeated No. 13 Indiana Hoosiers on Saturday afternoon.
Under first-year Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti, Indiana have transformed from a bottom-of-the-barrel power five team, into a College Football Playoff contender.
Cignetti has lived up to his opening press conference where his message to recruits:
“It’s pretty simple, I win – Google me,” Cignetti said.
As a head coach, Cignetti has a record of 127-35, coming to Indiana after a successful five-year stint at James Madison University.
Bloomington has come into the national spotlight due to the Hoosiers 8-0 start, with a visit from ESPN’s College Gameday in last weekend’s 31-17 victory over Washington.
The Spartans are further back in the Big Ten standings but have been far more tested than the Hoosiers. The Spartans have losses over Ohio State and Oregon while Indiana still hasn’t played an AP Top 25 team.
Despite not playing high-quality teams, Indiana has still impressed. Stopping Cignetti’s high-octane offense will be the Spartans’ main priority. But it won’t be easy, with the Hoosiers scoring over 30 points in all eight games this season.
Indiana quarterback redshirt senior Kurtis Rourke is slated to start after missing last week with a right thumb injury. Rourke has tossed 15 touchdowns this season with almost 2,000 passing yards in seven starts.
Spartans defensive coordinator Joe Rossi will be sending pressure Rourke’s way,
Similar to the Spartans, the Hoosiers have a split backfield with running backs senior Justice Ellison and redshirt senior Ty Son Lawton who share the workload, rushing for a combined 1,000 yards and 17 touchdowns.
After a crushing rivalry loss, Spartans sophomore QB Aidan Chiles still needs to clean up his turnover issues which cost the Spartans a win in Ann Arbor.
Look for Spartans freshman wide receiver Nick Marsh to continue his great freshman season. In both of the Spartans’ Big Ten wins Marsh has been the leading receiver with over 100 receiving yards in both games.
With four games remaining the Spartans will need to win two in order to qualify for their first bowl game since 2021 and first under MSU head coach Jonathan Smith.
The Green and White will be donning their all-black jerseys for the first time this season on Saturday, a new uniform that debuted in 2023.
The Spartans are currently seven-point underdog at home, the same line they were able to cover and win outright against the Iowa Hawkeyes two weeks ago.
MSU will try to pull off the upset on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at Spartan Stadium. Listen to the game on Impact 89 FM, with Joe Dez and Oscar Henderson on the call at 3 p.m.
EAST LANSING- After retaining the Big Bear Trophy for the third straight season, Michigan State men’s soccer will travel to Columbus to take on the No. 1 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes on Tuesday night.
The Spartans and the Buckeyes come into this matchup with a top-four standing in the Big Ten. MSU enters this matchup fourth in the Big Ten with 13 points and a 4-3-1 conference record. Fresh off a win against Northwestern on Friday, the Buckeyes are second in the Big Ten with 19 points and a 6-1-1 conference record. The Buckeyes are one point behind the Indiana Hoosiers for first place in the Big Ten.
Senior midfielder Michael Adedokun and junior midfielder Marko Borkovic are players to watch for the Buckeyes in this matchup against the Spartans. Adedokun leads the Big Ten in points with 25 on the season. Adedokun also leads the conference in assists with nine on the season and is second in the conference in goals with eight.
Adedokun shined in the Buckeyes 2-0 win against the Wildcats last Friday with a goal and an assist. The midfield attack of Adedokun and Borkovic will cause a challenge for MSU junior goalkeeper Zac Kelly, who is fourth among Big Ten goalies with 43 saves and six clean sheets on the season, tied for most in the conference.
The Spartans will look to improve their placing in the Big Ten as they gear up for the Big Ten Tournament. The first touch from Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium is set for 6 p.m.
EAST LANSING- After a tough loss against the third-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes 38-7, the Michigan State Spartans go into a short week against the number six-ranked Oregon Ducks.
When playing a tough team like the Buckeyes, Junior running back Nate Carter described that you have to learn from this, and find ways to get better.
With MSU gearing up to take on another tough Big Ten and ranked opponent, let’s get into the things the Spartans will need to do to succeed.
Self-Inflicted Wounds:
During the season for the Spartans, penalties and self-inflicted wounds hurt them and prevented them from succeeding. MSU is 132nd out of 133 schools for penalties committed in the country. The Spartans have an average of 107 penalty yards given per game.
Against Ohio State, Maryland, Florida Atlantic, and Prairie View, penalties have given the opposing teams many opportunities to score. Against a top-10-ranked school like the Ducks, turnovers will harm the Spartan’s success on Friday Night.
Offensive Consistency:
MSU has had its ups and downs on the offensive side of the ball, and its offensive struggles have given up points on the board. Against Ohio State, Sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles had trouble taking care of the football.
MSU QB Aidan Chiles drops back to pass versus No. 3 Ohio State. (Sept. 28, 2024) (Matthew Reynolds)Chiles experienced OSU’s defense and fumbled the ball when taking a hard hit from defensive end Jack Sawyer. The Spartans hurt themselves in the passing game as well, dropping passes and fumbling after 20-plus-yard opportunities that could have changed the outcome of the game, and many games so far this season.
Chiles and the MSU regime will face another tough defense this week, meaning ball security on the quarterback and receiving side will be important for success.
Defensive Pressure:
The Spartan’s defensive pressure has been an upside to the Spartans in their three wins on the season. Big contributors to that success have been redshirt senior linebacker Cal Haladay, Sixth-year defensive lineman Khris Bogle, and redshirt senior linebacker Jordan Turner.
The veteran Spartan pass rush has given the team the chance to succeed on the offensive end. Against Ohio State, Turner intercepted a pass from senior quarterback Will Howard making a momentum-changing play for the Spartans.
The defensive line has been a shining part of the Spartan’s success so far this season. If MSU wants to put a cap on Oregon’s high-flying offense, Haladay and company will be crucial to come out of Eugene with a win.
Cornerback shifting:
In recent years for the Green and White, the secondary positions have been a struggle. But this year, Senior defensive back Dillion Tatum stepped up as a true defensive back number one.
However, due to injuries early on in the season, the Spartans had to adapt and change to succeed. Alongside Tatum, sophomore defensive back Chance Rucker, and redshirt junior Khalil Majeed became injured early on this season and have not returned.
This made MSU change some things around and challenge their depth in the cornerback position. In the beginning of the contest so far, the defensive back room has stepped up and made big plays for head coach Jonathan Smith. But, defensive back Charles Brantley has taken over the Defensive back role and has made big plays for MSU defending the toughest receivers the Big Ten has to offer.
MSU DB Charles Brantley runs back 100-yard pick six in Spartans victory over Prairie View A&M (Sept. 14, 2024) (Avery Kotel)Against Prairie View, Brantley set a record in East Lansing, picking off the Panthers and taking it 100 yards for the pick-six. MSU has made game-changing plays this season on defense, and those plays will be essential to stopping a Big Ten powerhouse as the Oregon Ducks.
Oregon Ducks Talent evaluation:
There’s no telling that the Oregon team is one of the best we’ve seen so far this year, as their ranking speaks for itself. With being number six, the Ducks have show-stopping talent on both sides of the ball. For MSU to compete against this squad, they will have to watch out for these players.
Starting on the offensive side, you have to talk about who is leading the charge. Senior quarterback Dillon Gabriel has been leading the Ducks for years, and is firing on all cylinders so far this season.
Gabriel has averaged a 151.8 passer rating in conference play, and a 75% completion percentage in the Big Ten. Gabriel, at home, is averaging nearly 9 yards per attempt with four touchdowns so far. When the Ducks are at home, Gabriel’s stats are significantly better with an 84 percent completion percentage instead of 75.
With a career of 134 passing touchdowns, Gabriel is continuing to play at a higher level than ever, which will be MSU’s highest priority.
With Gabriel playing his best ball coming into this matchup, other players have been showing out on that side of the ball as well. Senior receiver Tez Johnson is averaging 11 yards per reception this season with two touchdowns already in conference play.
Johnson is a fast receiver who can lose defenders with a move quickly, his elusiveness can create a problem for MSU and their defensive back room. Already, he has gained 121 yards this season, coming off a 1,182-yard year in 2023.
Switching over to the defensive side, a familiar face to MSU is leading the QB pressure over in Eugene. Former MSU defensive lineman Derrick Harmon will cause problems for the MSU offensive line.
Harmon in his first week as a Duck, had 5 tackles, one solo tackle, a forced fumble, and one and a half sacks. Harmon is currently the highest-graded defensive tackle in the Big Ten according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).
Harmon so far this season has gained 18 tackles, 2 sacks, and a forced fumble already, spearheading the Big Ten at the position. Time will be important for Chiles to not throw any turnovers, and Oregon’s defense will try to force as many as possible.
Michigan State looks to turn it around against another ranked Big Ten opponent in Eugene. You can listen to the matchup live on Impact 89 FM with Joe Dez and Oscar Henderson on the call. The pregame will start at 8:30 p.m., with a 9:00 p.m. start time.
EAST LANSING– Michigan State Hockey has high expectations coming off a historic 2023-24 campaign.
The Spartans are led by head coach Adam Nightengale, who was hired in 2022. Nightingale turned the program around in his first two seasons, with a record of 42-29-5, the second-most wins over two years in program history.
Last season, the Spartans won the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles, along with a second-round appearance in the NCAA Men’s Hockey tournament.
For how great the last season was, the Spartans still believe they have unfinished business.
“We want to win a national championship, so we have a lot to work toward and something to prove,” said alternate captain Matt Basgall.
MSU sophomore defender Matt Basgall hoists the Duel in the D trophy after a Spartan victory over Michigan on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2024 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. (Avery Kotel)Heading into the new season, the Spartans are no longer a team flying under the radar. Both major polls have the Spartans as the No. 4 ranked team.
Not only do they have the respect of the media, but they were also selected as the favorites to win the Big Ten by the coaches.
Sophomore goaltender Trey Augustine is eager to face the challenge of meeting those high regards.
“There are obviously a lot of expectations this year, and we know there’s a lot of work to be done. We look forward to the challenge and to seeing what we can do this year.”
Along with Augustine, junior forwards Karsen Dorwart and Isaac Howard were named to the All-Big Ten First Team.
Senior Red Savage was voted captain by the players, despite only being in his second season as a Spartan.
“He plays extremely hard, he plays winning hockey and I think he’s a great example for our young guys,” Nightingale said.
The Spartans are returning 17 players from the year prior, while also mixing in some new faces.
“You can expect us to look different this year – we have nine new players,” Dorwart said. “We have guys who are able and ready to step up into new roles.”
However, the Spartans did lose their star defenseman from the year prior Artyom Levshunov, who was drafted second overall in the NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks.
Many other players had the opportunity to leave the Spartans for “The Show” but ultimately decided to come back for another year of collegiate hockey.
“We had four guys who had the opportunity to sign NHL contracts and decided not to,” Nightingale said.
Munn Ice Arena is celebrating a milestone 50th anniversary this season. Last season, Spartan fans showed out, ranking sixth in average attendance.
The Spartans’ first series at Munn is a big one, facing off against the National Championship runner-up Boston College Eagles. This will be a top-five matchup as the Eagles are ranked No. 2 in the polls.
The Spartans will also have four games against in-state rival, the Michigan Wolverines. After winning the regular season series 3-1, the Spartans beat the Wolverines in an overtime thriller to win the Big Ten Tournament.
Ultimately the Wolverines got the last laugh, eliminating Michigan State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Spartans will begin their season with a weekend against the Lake Superior State Lakers on Oct. 4 and 5.
Nightingale is quite familiar with Lake Shore State, beginning his college hockey career as a Laker before transferring to Michigan State in 2002.
EAST LANSING– Coming off a hard-fought defeat at the hands of No. 4 Penn State and dropping to 7-6 overall, Michigan State volleyball continues their road stint in search of a win over 7-5 Indiana.
While the Spartans have the record advantage against IU at 53-35 all-time, MSU has not defeated the Hoosiers in Bloomington since Nov. 25, 2017. The Spartans are also yet to defeat IU in any setting since Nov. 30, 2019.
Both squads are also eyeing their first B1G wins of the season, as IU suffered two conference road losses as well. This time to conference newcomers from the west, Washington and Oregon.
To right the ship for the Spartans, the offensive output of junior outside hitters Akasha Anderson and Taylor Preston has to stay hot.
Preston is coming off of an 18-kill performance against PSU, good for a season-high. Preston currently has 105 kills on the year at an average of 2.56 kills per set.
Anderson also remains the kill leader for MSU on the season, with a total of 151 and an average of 3.21 per set. She also ranks first in attacking errors for the Spartans at 70, so minimizing mistakes could also be key.
The Hoosiers also bring a fair amount of fire power in the form of junior opposite hitter Avry Tatum, whose 158 kills on the campaign ranks 11th in that category in the B1G.
Defensively, senior libero Nalani Iosia remains the cornerstone for MSU. As 4.26 digs per set is good for second in the B1G, and has reached the 200 mark for digs on the season. This overall also ranks third in the conference.
Her counterpart for the Hoosiers, sophomore libero Ramsey Gary, is up to 185 digs on the season and is hoping to give the MSU offensive effort some issues as well.
One distinct advantage MSU holds over IU is the middle game. The presence of sophomore middle blocker Zuzanna Kulig brings 60 total blocks, nine solo and 51 assisted, and lands in the top five in the conference.
She is assisted by junior middle blocker Evie Doezema, with a .381 hitting percentage and 37 total blocks.
Doezema matches up with IU’s junior middle blocker Madi Sell, who has posted similar total blocks at 37, but is behind in the hitting percentage line at .259.
MSU attempts to break their losing streak in Bloomington against IU on Oct. 4, with game-time set for 7 p.m.
EAST LANSING— Ranked first in the United Soccer Coaches poll, Michigan State women’s soccer returns to East Lansing after facing No. 9 Penn State and No. 11 Ohio State on the road. Tomorrow, MSU returns to DeMartin Stadium to face Rutgers.
Following a 2-2 draw against Ohio State on Thursday, MSU extends their undefeated record to 8-0-3, the best start in program history.
Graduate forward Meg Hughes and goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks tapped in goals for the Spartans. Hughes now leads the team with 16 points.
Parks was named Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week and NCAA Player of the Week after her dazzling performances against Nebraska and Penn State. Against the Buckeyes, Parks recorded seven saves and netted her first goal off a penalty kick.
Rutgers record is 8-1-1 but has been undefeated 4-0 in conference play. Sophomore forward Ashley Baran tapped in the game-winning goal to beat Michigan 1-0 on Thursday.
Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Olivia Bodmer made her four recorded saves solely in the first half.
The Scarlet Knights now have recorded seven straight shutout wins and have not allowed any goals to be scored in 640 minutes of play. This is their longest stretch of shutouts since 2017.
The Spartans will look to sophomore defender Renee Watson in the contest against the Scarlet Knights.
Watson recently returned from the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, representing Team Canada in Colombia. She returned to the Spartans for conference play and had a great shot against the Buckeyes that ricocheted off the right post.
Her return adds another strong piece to this MSU backline looking to continue the success they have had all year.
The Spartans look to end Rutgers shutout streak tomorrow, September 29. First touch is set for noon and the game will be aired on Big Ten Plus.
East Lansing– The Spartans have a tall task ahead of them on Saturday night, hosting the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes at Spartan Stadium.
During Ryan Day’s tenure as head coach of the Buckeyes, their calling card has always been talent. There were reports this offseason that the roster assembled by Day cost over $20 million in NIL funds.
The Buckeyes’ offense is explosive, scoring at least 49 points in all three games this season.
However, the Buckeyes haven’t faced tough competition, playing two MAC teams and Marshall, out of Conference USA.
The Spartans will be the first Big Ten and Power Four opponent for the Buckeyes, which means there could be some growing pains early for the Buckeyes. So the Spartans must start fast if they want to put the Buckeyes on their heels early.
Here are five players that MSU needs to look out for:
Wide Reciever, Jeremiah Smith:
Freshman wide receiver Jerimiah Smith has been the star of the Buckeyes offense. Smith has gained national recognition for his play as a true freshman, scoring two touchdowns in his first-ever collegiate game.
The five-star recruit from Miami Gardens, FL. has shined early catching 14 passes. He also leads the team with 283 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Smith will be battling with Spartans’ wideout Nick Marsh for many freshman awards.
Spartans’ defensive backs Charles Brantley and Angelo Grose have had stellar starts to the season but Smith isn’t like any wide receiver they’ve seen yet. Smith will definitely be lacing them up on Sundays in a few years.
Quarterback, Will Howard:
Senior quarterback Will Howard has been good, completing 68 percent of his passes and throwing for six touchdowns.
The Kansas State transfer isn’t being asked to carry the load that a C.J. Stroud or Justin Fields had to. His role is to get the ball to the athletes in the loaded Buckeyes’ wide receiver room and take care of the football.
Howard still has more upside than Kyle McCord, the 2023 starting quarterback who transferred to Syracuse after one year of starting.
The Spartans’ pass rush led by Khris Bogle and Jordan Turner will have to force Howard to make quick decisions and limit the big play ability.
Running Backs, Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson:
The two-headed backfield of Judkins and Henderson is one of the best in the country. Judkins, a transfer from Ole Miss, is the speed outside back that can break one free at any time. Judkins has had a larger share of the carries so far, rushing for the Buckeyes.
Then there’s Henderson, the bruiser is great at finding seams up the middle, even if it means running through the defender.
Through the first three games, the Buckeyes have been careful with Henderson, a back that has dealt with some injury concerns in the past.
However in his limited action this season, Henderson has averaged over eight yards per carry and four rushing touchdowns.
Thanks to Spartans’ defensive coordinator Joe Rossi the run defense has been much improved this season, on Saturday they will need to neutralize the Buckeyes’ ground game to have a chance.
Safety, Caleb Downs:
The Buckeyes are equally talented on the defensive side of the ball. Sophomore safety Caleb Downs was a star on the Alabama defense that made a run to the College Football Playoff last season.
As a true freshman, Downs led the Crimson Tide defense in tackles (107) and earned All-American honors.
After the retirement of Nick Saban, Downs entered the transfer portal as the consensus number-one prospect, landing at Ohio State.
Downs is the leader on the Buckeyes’ defense, a top-ten defense in the country. The Buckeyes are ranked fourth in points allowed per game (6.7) and second in yards allowed per game (180).
The path to victory for Michigan State
The odds are stacked against the 24-point underdog Spartans to pull off the upset, but wilder things have happened in college football.
Spartans’ quarterback Aidan Chiles will need a performance similar to his week two start against the Maryland Terrapins, most importantly Chiles needs to take care of the ball.
The Spartans’ offense will need to finish drives, something that was a problem against FAU and more recently against Boston College. Three points won’t be enough when the Buckeyes’ offense is on the other side of the ball.
Look for tight end Jack Velling to be utilized more in the red zone, the tight end caught eight touchdowns for Spartans head coach Jonathan Smith at Oregon State last season.
The Spartan running backs Nate Carter and Kay’ron Lynch-Adams need to be more dependable, the bulk of their yards have come on big plays.
The duo has to be better in obvious running situations, they have been stifled in those situations too many times so far this season.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Spartans need to bring pressure and make life difficult for Howard.
They also need to force field goals, the Buckeyes have scored touchdowns on all 11 trips to the red zone this season.
This Buckeyes team has its sights set on a National Championship and a win against a different team in Michigan. Who knows, possibly the Buckeyes could let their guard down and the Spartans could shock the college football world.
You can listen to the Spartans matchup against the Buckeyes on Impact 89 FM on Saturday, with pregame starting at 7 p.m. with Oscar Henderson and Joe Dez on the call.
EAST LANSING- After a close loss to Boston College in Chestnut Hill on Saturday, Michigan State travels back to Lansing to take on the undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes.
Against Boston College, sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles threw 17-35 and 241 yards, but the story of the season and this game are his turnovers.
Chiles threw three interceptions which cost MSU the game, to seal it for Boston College, Chiles heaved a ball into double coverage which was picked off, ending the Spartan’s chance at success.
The Spartans had bright spots all over the field, as junior tight end Jack Velling racked up 77 yards on six receptions, being an anchor offensively for MSU.
With three core receivers out, redshirt freshman Iziah Johnson and Senior Montorie Foster Jr. must be consistent for Chiles during this game.
True freshman wide receiver Nick Marsh was ruled out against Boston College, by getting hit in the knee on a first-down completion against Maryland.
Marsh contributed heavily to the gritty road win, gaining 194 yards and a 77-yard touchdown catch to extend the Spartan lead.
Head coach Johnathan Smith plans to give an update on the Big Ten Freshman of the Week this Friday. Junior receiver Jaron Glover is returning for the Spartans due to injury, but the star-studded freshman Nick Marsh.
MSU’s defense has a tough task against them, playing one of the best offensive threats in the county. OSU’s junior running back Quinshon Judkins and senior wide receiver Emeka Egbuka will prove troublesome for MSU.
Judkins in his last game rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns against Marshall. Egbuka had 117 yards and one touchdown that night as well.
Senior running back TreVeyon Henderson rushed for two touchdowns on six carries for 76 yards. Henderson and Judkins complete the one-two punch running back room that hurts all defenses in the country.
MSU is not the only team with a star-studded freshman receiver, OSU’s freshman receiver Jerimiah Smith has shocked the world at 18 years old.
Smith has had at least one touchdown in every game this season, putting up one against Marshall for 53 yards.
Smith’s deep ball threat will create trouble for MSU’s cornerback room, with injuries all over the Spartan’s secondary.
Michigan State invites the Buckeyes to East Lansing for a late-night brawl. Kickoff is slated for 7:00 pm on Saturday, as Joe Dez and Oscar Henderson will have the call live from Spartan Stadium on WBDM Sports.
EAST LANSING- On Friday, Michigan State’s men’s soccer team goes to Los Angeles, California, to go up against the UCLA Bruins, which will be their first time playing each other as members of the Big Ten.
The Spartans go into the game 2-4-2 overall and a 1-1 record in Big Ten play. The Spartans look for some momentum after losing their last game to Penn State 2-1. If the Spartans win, they will improve their Big Ten record to above a 500 winning percentage.
This season, the Spartans have been led by junior midfielder Jonathan Stout, who not only leads the team in goals but points as well. Stout has scored a goal in two straight games and looks to carry that momentum into the matchup against UCLA. Sophomore forward Richie Ludwig has also done damage this season by scoring a goal and having two points.
Other Spartans to watch out for in this matchup are senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan, who has one goal so far for MSU this season, and senior midfielder Shion Soga, who has two assists on the season for the Spartans.
UCLA is coming in with a bit of momentum after beating Westmont 5-1 on Tuesday, improving their overall record to 4-2-3 and a Big Ten record of 1-1-1.
The Bruins are led by graduate student midfielder Edrey Caceres and junior forward Nikolai Rojel, who each have three goals and six points so far on the season. The Spartans will also need to watch out for graduate student midfielder Sveinn Hauksson, who has two goals so far on the season.
The Spartans look to improve their conference record to 2-1. Kickoff from Wallis Annenberg Stadium starts at 10 p.m. on Friday.
EAST LANSING- In the wake of a 1-0 victory over No. 9 Penn State in Happy Valley, the Michigan State women’s soccer team won their fifth match heading into tonight’s tilt in Columbus.
For the first time in program history, the Spartans were the top-ranked team in the country and their 8-0-2 record through ten games was the most prolific start in program history. In Jeff Hosler’s third season in green and white.
Graduate goalie Kaitlyn Parks was awarded Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week honors behind a career-high 11 saves in MSU’s shutout victory over Penn State.
On the heels of her sizzling performance as of late, Parks has allowed just one goal across three conference wins, decreasing her goals allowed on average (GAA) to 0.75.
Following Sunday’s victory, DeMartin Stadium is home to four players with ten or more points; graduate transfers Meg Hughes and Emily Mathews, sophomore midfielder Bella Najera, and graduate student midfielder Justina Gaynor.
Gaynor leads Michigan State with six assists in 2024, though scored the lone goal of the contest in the third minute last weekend, a strike that was the driving force behind MSU’s standing atop the United Soccer Coaches Poll.
Gaynor’s game-winner was her third of the season, tying her with three other players for third among all Big Ten scorers.
In the case of Hughes and Mathews, both women quickly made their presence felt in East Lansing upon their arrival through the transfer portal, leading Michigan State in goals and points.
The duo have been key to MSU’s success early on, as the Spartans lead the Big Ten in goals, assists, and goal differential due to a potent offense led by the transfer tandem of Hughes and Matthews.
Ohio State is sitting at 7-1-2 early on in the season, and is unbeaten in front of the home crowd at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, fresh off a 2-1 win over Northwestern in their last outing on Sunday.
On the offensive end, the Buckeyes have dazzled early on in large part due to their dynamic duo of Amanda Schuleter and Kailyn Dudkovich up front. Dudkovich, an all-Big Ten Second Team honoree in 2023 has only built upon her 2023 standout campaign in her senior season.
Dudukovich and Schuleter have ushered the Ohio State offense to new heights, with both players among the top five in the Big Ten in both goals scored and points.
However, the duo are the only two members of head coach Lori Walker-Hock’s unit who have eclipsed the ten-point plateau to date.
Minding the net for OSU is junior Molly Pritchard, whose 36 saves place sixth among all Big Ten goalkeepers. Pritchard has allowed just four goals for the Buckeyes this season in over 800 minutes in net, tallying just a 0.44 GAA.
Historically, Michigan State has been subpar when suiting up in Columbus, losing 13 of the 16 contests that took place when visiting Ohio State.
Ahead of their 30th meeting of all time, MSU holds a 2-0-1 advantage across their last three meetings, though the Spartans clinched the Big Ten regular season title at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in October of 2022.
Michigan State and Ohio State will face off tonight at 7:00 p.m. before the Spartans return home to East Lansing to host Rutgers on Sunday at noon for MSU’s Alumni Day.
EAST LANSING- On Thursday night, the No. 5 Michigan State women’s soccer team returned to action in front of the Spartan faithful, hosting 2023 Big Ten co-champion Nebraska at DeMartin Stadium ahead of a rivalry tilt with No. 9 Penn State in State College.
The Spartans held on to a 2-1 lead headed into halftime, courtesy of goals from graduate transfers Meg Hughes (forward) and Emily Matthews (midfielder), but not without a Cornhusker goal courtesy of Sadie Waite.
The impact transfers only added to their sizzling start in green and white, as the pair lead MSU in points and are within the top 10 in the Big Ten in points in their final seasons of eligibility.
Matthews’ goal was her second in as many games for the Spartans, with another strike reaching the back of the net in the 5-0 thrashing of Maryland last Thursday.
Ultimately, Michigan State prevailed by a score of 4-1, with senior forward Jordyn Wickes and sophomore defender Ella Janz adding to the score sheet for MSU.
The Spartans’ 2024 record improved to a sizzling 7-0-2, notching their best start since 2009 when they also started 7-0-2.
Michigan State’s dynamic offense has seen sustained success in recent weeks, with the Spartan offense accruing four or more goals in three of the last four contests spearheaded by the terrifying trio of Hughes, Matthews, and sophomore midfielder Bella Najera
Wickes’ goal was her first of the season on the heels of the senior’s significant knee injury in the spring, likening the recovery process to “the hardest year of my life”.
“It’s been really hard to come back from this and to be able to see myself out there making a difference and to watch the ball go in the back of the net like it used to for me, I mean, it was everything,” Wickes said.
“That moment meant so much to me.”
Despite a three-goal victory, Michigan State head coach Jeff Hosler was still unsatisfied, feeling that Michigan State missed too many opportunities.
The missed opportunities were something that Hosler emphasized needed to be worked on now that Big Ten play is in full swing.
“We have got to be more efficient,” Hosler said.
Despite his qualms with offensive production at points, Hosler and Wickes both emphasized the importance of such a home victory with MSU set to play in front of a raucous Penn State crowd come Sunday.
As for the Nittany Lions, they have won three straight headed into the duel with the Spartans, including a 1-0 home victory over Northwestern on Thursday.
Penn State has scored nine goals across their three-game win streak, spurred by a dazzling offensive showing from redshirt senior forward Kaitlyn MacBean.
MacBean, who is second in the conference in both points and goals, netted two goals and tallied five points over PSUs last three matches headed into Sunday, including the lone goal in Penn State’s most recent outing against the Wildcats.
The Nittany Lions’ stout defensive gameplan has also contributed to their bout of recent success, having only allowed one goal over the course of their win streak while blanking both Big Ten foes they faced in Michigan and Northwestern.
With both squads red-hot going into Sunday afternoon, it’s a must-win for both the Spartans and Nittany Lions with both teams atop the Big Ten conference standings.
To conclude PSU’s four-game home-stand, Michigan State and Penn State will square off at Jeffrey Field on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. on B1G+.
EAST LANSING- Fresh off an impressive 1-0 win against Washington to begin Big Ten Conference play, the Michigan State men’s soccer team will look to ride the momentum from the thrilling win into their first Big Ten road matchup of the season against the Penn State Nittany Lions.
In the home win against Washington, a Sports Center featured electrifying bicycle kick save by freshman defender Brandon Munson and a game winning goal by junior midfielder Jonathan Stout, the Spartans improved to 2-3-2 on the season heading into this matchup against the Nittany Lions.
This season, the Spartans have been led by Jonathan Stout. Stout leads the Spartans in goals with two on the season. The standout junior has also collected one assist and five points this season. Senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan has also contributed this season for MSU with one goal and two points.
Other players to keep an eye on this matchup for the Spartans include sophomore forward Richie Ludwig and freshman forward Mohamed Saad, who both have recorded goals this season for MSU.
After a crushing 5-0 loss on Tuesday at the hands of the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Nittany Lions enter this matchup with a 2-5 record overall and a 0-2 record in the Big Ten.
Junior forward Christian Dionne has led the Nittany Lions this season with two goals, two assists, and six points. Other players to watch for Penn State include junior defender Matthew Henderson and sophomore midfielder Caden Grabfelder who are second in scoring for Penn State with two goals each.
The Spartans will look to move to 2-0 in conference play, kickoff from Jeffrey Field is set for 7 p.m. on Friday night.
East Lansing: The Michigan State Spartans head to Columbus, Ohio, on Friday to kick off Big Ten play against the No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes.
The Spartans head to Columbus on a two-game winning streak and a record of 4-2 on the season.
The Spartans look to end its seven-game losing streak against the Buckeyes, with the last two losses coming in overtime.
Heading into Friday’s matchup against the Buckeyes, the offense for the Spartans has been the star of the show, scoring 19 goals so far on the season, which is third in the Big Ten.
The Spartans have a tough task ahead of them by stopping graduate forward Makenna Webster who has six goals, that makes Webster fourth in the Big Ten for goals.
The Spartans also have to worry about sophomore forward Brenna Bough who has four goals of her own. But what makes this Buckeyes team so tough is that senior goalkeeper Abby Danson has only allowed three goals on the season so far and has allowed 0.51 goals per game. That makes Danson third in the Big Ten.
All eyes will be on the specific players on the Big Ten preseason players to watch list. Who are senior midfielders Maddie Lawlor and Ellie Rutherford, who combine for five of the 19 goals. The Spartans will also need sophomore forward Bianca Pizano, who is leading the team in goals with five. The Spartans need sophomore goalkeeper Lyra Gavino to continue to be great in net, in order to beat the Buckeyes. Gavino has allowed 1.76 goals per game.
The Spartans will have their Big Ten home opener on Monday against Michigan.
Friday’s game against the Buckeyes will stream on Big Ten Network and will be live at 4 p.m.
EAST LANSING- Fresh off of a solid performance at home on Tuesday night, Michigan State volleyball joins rival Michigan to embark on a trip down to North Carolina.
The Spartans will face a pair of strong ACC programs with an opportunity to gain a couple of quality non-conference wins early in the season in the B1G-ACC Challenge.
This is the third consecutive season that the Wolverines, Spartans, Blue Devils, and Tar Heels have competed against each other in this round-robin-style series.
The first matchup takes the Spartans into Durham to take on the Duke Blue Devils at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow at Cameron Indoor Arena.
The Blue Devils, who sit at 4-5 on the year, are looking to even their record and shake off their sluggish start to the season. Even though the Blue Devils are off to a less-than-ideal start and MSU is favored to win on paper, they do possess a couple of key players the Spartans should watch out and prepare for.
Star middle blocker Rylie Kadel is 40th nationally in hitting percentage (.400), and All-ACC outside hitter Kerry Keefe leads her team in both kills per set (2.94) and points per set (3.53).
The Spartans are 3-3 against the Blue Devils since both programs squared off for the first time in 1997, so whoever takes the match Friday will have an edge in the all-time series.
Michigan State is hoping to avoid a third straight season that includes a loss to the Blue Devils, losing both in 2023 and 2022.
Michigan State will have an off day before heading down the road to Chapel Hill to take on the Tar Heels of North Carolina on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Tar Heels have gotten off to a very solid start to the season, posting a 6-1 record so far in the 2024 campaign. Their one loss came to a very good South Carolina team that has received votes this season.
UNC ranks high nationally in a plethora of categories, including being 4th in the nation in both assists per set (13.74) and kills per set (14.61), and 5th in opponent hitting percentage (.118).
Not only is North Carolina statistically sound as a team, but they also have some key players Michigan State must plan for if they intend to steal one from the Tar Heels on their home floor.
Mabrey Shaffmaster, an All-ACC outside hitter, ranks 8th in the nation in aces per set, averaging just below one per set. She also leads her team in points per set and kills per set.
Star libero Maddy May averages 4.22 digs a set and leads a tough Tar Heel defense that will pose a tough task for the visiting Spartans.
Michigan State is 6-3 all-time against North Carolina, with the Spartans beating them 3-1 in their most recent matchup that took place last year at the Breslin Center. The teams first matched up in 1988, with the Tar Heels taking that one by a 3-1 score.
MSU got back on track in Tuesday’s 3-1 victory over Purdue-Fort Wayne, with four players recording double-doubles and both Taylah Holdem and Julia Bishop setting career highs in digs, with Holdem notching 16 and Bishop 18.
Michigan State, winners of two straight, hopes to continue their winning ways and give themselves a nice record to work with heading into conference play.
Their first matchup in conference play will be in Ann Arbor against the currently undefeated Wolverines a week from tomorrow Friday, September 27.
Both teams will have a week to practice and prepare for the big rivalry matchup after returning to Mitten from the trip down south.
The Wolverines play North Carolina at 7 p.m. on Friday, and matchup against the Blue Devils on Sunday night at 6:30.
EAST LANSING- Michigan State Football travels to the East Coast for a tough non-conference game against the Boston College Eagles on Saturday night.
This will be an emotional game for the Eagles as it is the Red Bandanna Game honoring Welles Crowther, a man who lost his life on 9/11 rescuing others from the towers.
The Eagles are coming off a tough loss to the No. 7 Missouri Tigers. The Eagles’ offense came out hot on the road with a two-score lead in the first half. The Tigers showed why they are a top-ten team in the second half coming away with the victory.
Despite the loss, the Eagles held their head high after nearly pulling off the upset against an SEC opponent.
Control the run game
Missouri gashed the Eagles on the run last week, rushing for 176 yards on 43 carries. On the other hand, the Eagles were stifled, rushing for only 1.9 yards per carry.
The Spartans don’t have the same personnel as an SEC team, but the trenches seem like a spot where the Spartans can take advantage.
Through three games the dynamic backfield of redshirt junior Nathan Carter and sixth-year Kay’ron Lynch-Adams have rushed for over 400 yards combined and two touchdowns.
Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams celebrates his touchdown in MSU’s 16-10 victory over FAU. (August 30 2024) (Cole Pannell)Spartans head coach Jonathan Smith has said that they expect to split the reps 50/50 between the two backs.
Take care of the football
Spartans’ quarterback Aidan Chiles has had some turnover issues in the first few games of the season. The raw talent is evident for Chiles, however, the situational awareness isn’t always there for the 19-year-old. He currently has the second most interceptions in the Big Ten but is also sixth in passing yards.
Aidan Chiles directs the play calling during MSUs 16-10 victory over FAU (August 30, 2024) (Cole Pannell)In a road game against a team like Boston College, the offense must take care of the ball. The Eagles haven’t forced many turnovers but they also haven’t committed many turnovers, so it is vital for Chiles and the rest of the offense to take care of the ball.
The Eagles were able to shut down Smith’s former Oregon State starting quarterback DJ Uiagalelei in their season opener against Florida State, let’s see how Chiles will do after backing up Uiagalelei last season.
Play disciplined defense
One of the biggest improvements under Smith’s regime is the defense led by coordinator Joe Rossi. Rossi preached having a more aggressive mindset throughout the offseason. However, with their aggressive mindset has come too many penalties.
Through three games the team has committed 11 penalties per game with a majority coming on the defensive side. This leaves the Spartans 128th nationally in total penalties committed and 134th in penalty yards.
The Spartans won’t be able to give an inch to this Eagles team who will match their aggressiveness. Through three games the Eagles haven’t even attempted a field goal, expect head coach Bill O’Brien to go for it on fourth and short scenarios. Meaning every yard will matter when the Eagles enter the Spartans’ end of the field.
The Spartans will play on Saturday in Chestnut Hill, MA, with a chance to get ranked with a win over the Boston College Eagles. Jacob Mauer and Derrick Mitchell will have the call on WDBM Impact 89 FM starting at 8 p.m.
EAST LANSING– Michigan State Women’s Soccer has been ranked fifth in the United Soccer Coaches Poll for three straight weeks. The Spartans will host their first home Big Ten conference game this season against Nebraska in DeMartin Stadium tonight.
Thursday night, the Spartans opened Big Ten play and dominated in their game against the Terrapins. The final score was 5-0.
Sophomore midfielder Bella Najera, junior defender Allie Mairn, graduate midfielder Emily Mathews, sophomore defender Ella Janz, and freshman defender Julia Belli all tapped in a goal for the win.
The Spartans are now ranked No. 1 in the RPI rankings, which was released on Monday.
Nebraska, the Big Ten co-champions from last season, opened their conference play Thursday night with a 0-2 loss against No. 18 ranked Iowa.
Tonight, the Huskers will turn to senior forward Sarah Weber who currently leads the team in points with six goals and two assists.
In the 2023 season, Weber totaled 43 shots on goal while recording 16 goals. Weber was named to the Big Ten Players to Watch list during the preseason.
For the Spartans, they will look to sophomore midfielder Bella Najera and graduate student midfielder Emily Mathews.
Najera is coming off a very strong 2023 season where she recorded 24 points (tied for first on the team), with nine goals and six assists, and was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
MSU freshman forward/midfielder Bella Najera scores her first of two goals on a penalty kick in a win against Ohio in the NCAA tournament on Friday, November 10, 2023 at DeMartin Stadium. (Jack Moreland)Prior to the season, Najera was named to the Big Ten Players to Watch list and has put up impressive numbers so far with four goals and two assists.
Against the Terrapins last week, Najera opened the game and Big Ten play with a goal early into the second minute.
Mathews, a transfer from Purdue, so far has recorded five goals and one assist. Her most notable game was against Queens, where she dominated offensively and totaled three goals for a hat trick and one assist. Mathews also recorded a goal against the Terrapins last week.
MSU comes into Thursday’s contest 6-0-2, while Nebraska is looking to reach .500, with a current record of 3-4. The game will be aired on Big Ten Network as the first touch is set for 6 p.m.
EAST LANSING– After being shut out at home by a surging Western Michigan squad and having their record dropped to 4-3. Michigan State volleyball looks to return to form as they face Eastern Michigan in Ypsilanti.
This is the 29th all-time matchup between the two, with MSU leading the series 21-8. The last matchup in 2022 resulted in a 3-2 victory for the Spartans.
Both teams are entering the match seeking to bounce back, as EMU suffered a hard fought 3-2 loss at the hands of Duquesne, dropping their record on the season to 4-6.
Offensively, the Eagles are looking for a big night from sophomore outside hitter Kaili Doctor, who has recorded 118 kills on the season, averaging 2.81 per set. She can also establish a defensive presence at the net, with 23 blocks assisted along two solo blocks so far.
For the Spartans, the outside hitter trio of junior Akasha Anderson, junior Taylor Preston, and sophomore Taylah Holdem look to continue their offensive dominance.
Anderson leads MSU in kills on the season with 78 and averages 3.25 per set, while Preston and Holdem are tied for second with 44 each.
MSU also brings senior libero Nalani Iosia, who was awarded the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week following her performance over the Kathy Deboer invitational.
She is up to 100 digs on the season, averaging 4.17 per set, and has contributed to the offensive with 30 assists on the year.
EMU also brings some defensive prowess in the form of senior defensive specialist Hannah Blaney. She leads the Eagles in digs at 151 on the year, on a 3.68 per set average. She also ranks third on the roster for assists, with 46 for the campaign.
MSU tries to get back in the win column against EMU on Sept. 16, with game time set for 6 p.m.
EAST LANSING — As the Season fast approaches the rankings are in and many eyes are on the Spartans after a historic 2023 season.
The Spartans being upset by the Hawkeyes in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament did not deter the Spartans.
The back-to-back Big Ten regular season champions have high expectations coming into the 2024 season.
The program made history last season after making it to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA College Cup. For the second year in a row Michigan State is ranked in the preseason polls for the first time in the program’s history.
The Spartans are ranked No. 13 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll, and No. 16 in the Top Drawer Soccer. Graduate Transfer Meg Hughes has been named a 2024 United Soccer Coaches midfielder to watch.
The reigning Big Ten midfielder of the year Justina Gaynor has been named a 2024 United Soccer Coaches Midfielder to watch for the second year in a row.
Justina Gaynor has also been named along with the 2023 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Bella Najera and Regan Dalton have all been named to the 2024 Big Ten Conference players to watch.
Top Drawer Soccer was done just there with Michigan State as Justina Gaynor is No. 9 in the preseason top 100 and Bella Najera at No. 33. Gaynor and Najera are also a part of the Top Drawer Soccer preseason first and third team respectively.
Justina Gaynor was also named to the prestigious MAC Herman trophy watch list. Gaynor just being the third Spartan in program history to be named to the watch list.
On Thursday, the Spartans opened their season against No. 15 ranked Notre Dame and won 2-1. Goals came from Gabby Mueller in the third minute, and Justina Gaynor in the 45th minute assisted by Emerson Sargeant
Michigan State continues its season against Arkansas for its DeMartin Stadium debut on August 22 at 7 p.m.
CHICAGO – At day one of Big Ten Volleyball Media Days, featuring head coach Leah Johnson joined by junior outside hitters Evie Doezema and Taylor Preston for the Spartans, MSU was clear about their focus and intensity going into the 2024 season.
In her opening statement, Johnson spoke on the impressive actions taken by her team during the offseason.
“This summer they’ve been putting in the work … Every day I pass by the gym and there’s a new practice plan on the board,” said Johnson. “As I go into my office and they’re on the court, the amount of work and intensity that they’re investing in one another without anyone else there is phenomenal.”
Along with highlighting the team’s effort and energy around the upcoming season, MSU spoke on their overall goals for the season, where they need to improve to get there, and their plan for navigating a difficult schedule ahead.
A big point for the team that was emphasized throughout had to do with the mindset going into a match all year, no matter the opponent.
“ There’s a cadence to how you do things, and you don’t want any match to be bigger and more important than the next because they all matter,” said Johnson.
“ If your goal is postseason and then to make a run every single match matters. It doesn’t matter what name is on that jersey because we are the only name that matters to us. It’s Michigan State.”
Taylor Preston, a transfer portal addition from Oklahoma, mentioned how this attitude and the culture of the program led her to East Lansing.
“ Just the person she is [Johnson] and the coach she is, I could just tell how much this team meant to her, the goals she had, the competing — like the mindset, everything,” said Preston.
“ It was something that I was so eager to be a part of… I absolutely loved it. I loved every second of being here and being coached under her.”
Preston recorded 354 kills for the Sooners in 2023, resulting in a career high. It’s a hot streak she is looking to keep alive, as she mentioned one of her personal goals is to be, “one of the biggest point scorers on our team and in the Big Ten as a whole.”
As for team goals and strategies as a whole, MSU is determined to cut down on miscues and flip matches in their direction.
“A big emphasis for the spring for us was in point management. When you watch Big Ten volleyball you see very few mistakes,” said Johnson.
“There are no friendly whoops, here’s yours, enjoy. Everybody is sharp. The volleyball is clean. We spent a lot of time in the off-season focused on our point management.”
The Spartans are also continuing to stay creative with their strategies. A pillar in the program that was best exemplified last season by Evie Doezema.
“It wasn’t until I got here that I opened my mindset to being more versatile,” said Doezema. “ switching to play right side and now middle, that is probably the thing I give advice the most about for young volleyball players, is the more versatile you are, the more you can offer a coach and the more you stand out against other players.”
Johnson also spoke on how versatility and the ability to move around on the court is a big sticking point:
“Great people and great athletes allows me the flexibility then to put a lineup together that may not be as prototypical as you might assume,” said Johnson. “And right now that creativity has been an advantage for us.”
Even when major changes arose this offseason for the conference with the addition of Oregon, Washington, UCLA, and USC, Michigan State is maintaining a similar attitude towards the newcomers as do any of their unfamiliar opponents.
“They’re just further away. They’re not that different. They all have a unique style of play, just as any school, just like non-conference,” said Johnson.
“When we prepare for non-conference, this is a team we haven’t seen very often or at all, and so you’re preparing for them in a different — through a different lens.”
With the end goal of making the postseason, the Spartans are not only using their mindset of establishing a cadence, hard work from the off season, and strategy to push them there. MSU is also drawing inspiration from a stand out performance against Penn State from last season.
“To come out on top against a ranked team like that as we’re building our program back up, it was surreal,” said Doezema.
“It just showed the amount of effort and work we’ve really put into this team and how much more we can accomplish this year. We’re hoping to do it a million times over again.”
Michigan State will start their campaign off on the road against Northern Colorado on August 30, with gametime set for 8 p.m. E.T.
EAST LANSING- The Michigan State women’s soccer team could not be more prepared for success. Head coach Jeff Hosler and the Spartans are coming off two Big Ten Championships.
The Spartans placed first in the Big Ten in the 2022 season and followed it up in 2023 on October 22, when the No. 14 ranked Spartans defeated Iowa 3-0 to win their second straight Big Ten Championship.
Looking forward to 2024, MSU adds 11 new freshmen to the roster:
#8 Grace Jackson: 5’7 midfielder from Hudson, OH.
#15 Julia Belli: 5’8 defender from Dublin, OH.
#16 Kaleigh McPherson: 5’3 midfielder from Saint Charles, Mo.
#20 Shelby Vaughn: 5’5 forward from Creston, OH.
#24 Cassidy Corcione: 5’4 defender from Howell, N.J.
#25 Samantha Maroni: 5’8 defender from Centennial, Colo.
#27 Gabriella Paonessa: 5’9 midfielder from Rochester Hills, Mich.
#30 Ava Panduren: 5’5 forward from Almont, Mich.
#33 Lexi Grundler: 5’11 goalkeeper from Brentwood, Tenn.
#34 Madelyn Rousseau: 5’4 forward from Windsor, ON.
#11 Adelle Francis (Redshirt freshman): 5’7 forward from Perrysburg, OH.
Leaders running it back for the 2024 season
After a red-hot freshman year, forward/midfielder Bella Najera steps into another opportunity to keep the Spartans on top of the Big Ten.
MSU freshman forward/midfielder Bella Najera scores her first of two goals on a penalty kick in a win against Ohio in the NCAA tournament on Friday, November 10, 2023 at DeMartin Stadium. (Jack Moreland)The incoming sophomore finished her 2023 season tied for first on the team in points with 24. Najera was able to lead the team in goals, finding the back of the net nine times.
Najera was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman team and Big Ten Second Team.
Head coach Hosler will look to Najera once again to lead a young and talented Spartan squad.
Justina Gaynor will also return to Hosler and the Spartans as a graduate student. Gaynor tied Najera with 24 total points in the 2023 season while leading the team in assists with 12.
MSU senior midfielder Justina Gaynor scores a penalty kick against Illinois on Thursday, October 19, 2023 at DeMartin Stadium. (Peyton Skiver)Gaynor earned a flurry of honors including Big Ten Midfielder of the Year, First Team All-Big Ten, United Soccer Coaches First Team All-North Region, CSC First Team Academic All-America, and Academic All-Big Ten.
The graduate student will be another key piece for 2024 as MSU has its eyes set on another Big Ten Championship.
A roster deep enough to three-peat
Stars like Gaynor and Najera will go and get theirs, but a huge reason for the recent success of MSU is because of how talented this team is one through 11.
Returning graduate student Gabby Mueller finished third on the team in points in 2023 with 14, while notching six goals and two assists.
MSU senior midfielder Gabby Mueller makes a pass against Illinois on Thursday, October 19, 2023 at DeMartin Stadium. (Peyton Skiver)Mueller was a huge part of MSU and their tournament run as the midfielder totaled 228 minutes played in the Spartans’ tournament run, while also totaling one goal and seven shots in that time frame.
Incoming junior Emerson Sargeant and incoming senior Jordan Wickes also finished alongside Mueller with 14 total points at the end of the 2023 season.
Sargeant appeared in all 22 games last season for the green and white while finishing with four goals and six assists. The midfielder was able to notch Second-Team All-Big Ten honors.
Wickes finished second on the team in goals with seven while recording her first-ever hat-trick on August 24 against Northern Colorado.
Parked in front of the net for a second year at MSU
Another key returning star for the Spartans is goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks, a graduate student returning for her second year at MSU after being with Wake Forest through the 2019-23 seasons.
Parks started and played in all 22 matches in goal for the Spartans, totaling nine shutouts to rank fifth in single-season shutouts at Michigan State.
She also posted 14 wins, the second-most in a single season in Spartan goalkeeper history, and finished the season with a 0.99 GAA and 0.734 save percentage.
A huge part of the Spartans tournament run as she played 90 minutes in all three NCAA Tournament games, allowing zero goals in wins over Ohio (11/10) and Harvard (11/16) to help the Spartans advance to the program’s first NCAA Third-Round.
Looking ahead to start the 2024 season
Hosler and MSU will start the 2024 season with an exhibition against Depaul on August 10, and begin regular season play in South Bend on August 15 against Notre Dame.
The Spartans will make their home debut at DeMartin Stadium against Arkansas on August 22.
After finishing the 2023 season with a 7-1-2 conference record, MSU will have their first chance to start off hot in conference play against Maryland on September 12 in College Park.
EAST LANSING- Coming off a third-place finish in the Big Ten last season, the Michigan State Spartans look to replicate success with new faces; while also having veterans to lead the way.
Seven incoming freshmen join Spartan head coach Damon Rensing
In the offseason, Rensing and his staff have been preparing for seven new freshmen to join the team.
#3 Jared Smid: 6’0 midfielder from Madison, Ala.
#5 Brandon Munson: 5’10 defenseman from Spring Hill, Fla.
#9 Mohamed Saad: 6’2 forward from Madison Heights, Mich.
#15 Oscar Huerta: Forward from Melvindale, Mich.
#28 Jake Grekowicz: 6’3 goalkeeper from Rochester, Mich.
#13 Myles Foster: (Redshirt freshman) 6’3 defenseman from East Lansing, Mich.
#32 Alec Laible: (Redshirt freshman) 6’3 goalkeeper from Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Stars returning for Rensing
Not only are new faces coming into the Spartan roster, but many returning athletes are looking to build off a 7-2-7 record in 2023, along with an impressive 3-1-4 conference record.
Rising senior from Sligo, Ireland, Sean Kerrigan will look to build off an impressive debut junior year in the green and white.
Sean Keerigan interacts with MSU fans in Michigan State’s matchup vs Dayton.The midfielder led the team in points in 2023, with six goals. Kerrigan also had the most penalty kicks, attempting six while finding the back of the net five times. Kerrigan also played heroics for MSU all season in 2023, with four game-winning goals.
Following Kerrigan is Jonathan Stout. The rising junior finished second on the team in points in 2023 as he was able to notch five-goals with 10 shots on goal.
One of those goals propelled MSU to victory as Stout had the game-winning goal against Army on September 1. In 2023 the Spartan forward earned first-team All-Big Ten honors.
Rising juniors Jake Spadafora and Jeremy Sharp will also be big leaders for Rensing in the 2024 incoming season.
Spadafora had three goals in the 2023 season, while also leading the team with 31 shots. The Northville native earned second-team All-Big Ten honors for his 2023 success.
Sophomore forward Jake Spadafora moves the ball for the Spartans against Oakland at DeMartin Stadium on Tuesday, September 26, 2023. Spadafora was one of two goal scorers in the match for Michigan State in a 2-2 draw. (Peyton Skiver)As for Sharp, he led the Spartans with five assists in the 2023 season, which also placed him fourth in the Big Ten. The junior defenseman was able to find one goal on 10 shots on goal as well.
A steel wall returning in front of the net
A massive part of Rensing’s era and the Spartans success in 2023 was the play of Zac Kelly.
Zac Kelly prepares to defend the net against Dayton.The redshirt junior returns for the 2024 season with hopes of having a replicate year of the 2022 season. Kelly was able to notch five shutouts last season, with 62 saves and a .805 save percentage.
The Holt native finished third in the Big Ten in goals against average (0.94) while also leading the conference in saves per game (3.88).
Looking ahead
Michigan State will open exhibition play on August 12 with an exhibition against Butler, and will begin regular season play against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville on August 22 in Illinois.
Michigan State will see the pitch at DeMartin Stadium for the first time on August 26 when they host Bowling Green.
After a 3-1-4 conference record last year, the Spartans will have their first chance to start with clean record when they open conference play against Washington at DeMartin on September 13.
EAST LANSING- The 124th U.S. Open returns to Pinehurst No. 2 for the first time in a decade. There are plenty of storylines to follow this week in North Carolina for the third major of the season.
Scheffler’s Dominance Continues
The last few months have been a whirlwind for world number one Scottie Scheffler. The 27-year-old Texan was already arguably the best golfer heading into this season. In 2024, Scheffler distanced himself from the pack with a historic stretch that can only be described as “Tiger-esque.”
Scheffler is coming into the U.S. Open hot looking for back-to-back wins after hitting the winning putt to seal Jack Nicklaus’ Tournament, The Memorial.
Both majors have been eventful for Scheffler, in April, he secured his second green jacket winning The Masters by a four-shot margin. Last month, Scheffler was the main topic of conversation with the sports world waking up to news that the Louisville PD had arrested Scheffler before the second round of the PGA Championship.
Scheffler is the clear betting favorite this week at +300 (DraftKings Sportsbook).
The Course
Pinehurst is one of the premier golf resorts in the United States with ten 18-hole golf courses and a nine-hole short course.
Pinehurst No.2 isn’t a conventional U.S. Open test, there is no thick rough, or tight greens to test the best golfers in the game. It is quite the opposite, Pinehurst No. 2 has sandy waste areas and some of the largest greens in pro golf. The slope and speed make the greens at Pinehurst some of the most difficult greens in golf.
The man behind No. 2 is an infamous golf course architect Donald Ross. Ross has designed some of the most famous golf courses. From 1900 to 1948, Ross was accredited with over 400 course designs including four courses on the Pinehurst resort.
This will be the fourth time the U.S. Open has been held at Pinehurst and the first time in a decade. In 2014, only three players were under par for the week. However, German golfer Martin Kaymer won the major by 8 strokes after firing back-to-back rounds of 65 in the first two rounds.
After a low-scoring 2023 U.S. Open, the USGA is expected to set up a firm and fast golf course that could see a winner over par for the first time since Brooks Koepka won the 2017 US Open at Shinnecock.
This won’t be the last time Pinehurst will host the U.S. Open. In 2020, the USGA announced that Pinehurst would be an “anchor site” for the championship, which means the U.S. Open will return to the course in 2024, 2029, 2035, 2041, and 2047.
MSU Ties At Pinehurst
Michigan State golfer, Ashton McCulloch, is in the field this week at the US Open. McCulloch recently competed in his own country’s national championship, missing the cut at the RBC Canadian Open. The Junior qualified for the tournament after shooting 8-under in a two-day qualifier in Ontario, Canada. McCulloch beat out many PGA Tour members, including Kieth Mitchell, Sam Ryder, and Stewart Cink.
McCulloch is the second Spartan in three years to compete in the US Open. Former Spartan golfer James Piot qualified for the 2022 US Open after winning the 2021 US Ametuer at Oak Hill. Piot went on to miss the cut by two strokes at The Country Club in 2022 before defecting to LIV Golf months later.
McCulloch is paired with Willie Mack III and Richard Mansell for the first two rounds. The group tees off Thursday at 8:57 a.m. on the tenth hole.
Scouting Former Champs
Bryson DeChambeau has finished in the top ten in both majors this year and has continued his success with his new 3D-printed irons. This week’s firm fairways helped a bomber like DeChambeau. He will be able to take less club which will make it easier to hold these firm greens like he did at Winged Foot in 2020.
2021 U.S. Open Winner, John Rahm, has withdrawn from the tournament after dealing with a foot injury. Rahm tested his foot this week during practice rounds but ultimately withdrew.
Reigning US Open Champ, Wyndham Clark has not been in great form as of late. The 30-year-old has missed two straight cuts ahead of the U.S. Open.
15-time major winner, Tiger Woods, is in the field this week for the first time in a U.S. Open since 2020. Woods received a special expedition from the USGA to compete in the championship he has won three times. Woods is playing Pinehurst in a competitive tournament for the first time since 2005.
EAST LANSING– The PGA Tour heads north of the border this week to compete in the RBC Canadian Open. Here’s a preview of everything you need to know about the event.
The Course
The RBC Canadian Open is back at Hamilton Golf and Country Club in Hamilton, Ontario. The tournament has been held at four different courses in its last four interations. This is the first time the event has been held at Hamilton since 2019.
During the five-year break, there was a major re-design led by golf course architect Martin Ebert. In 2023, Golf Digest called it the best renovation of the year.
Hamilton Golf and Country Club is a second-shot golf course, meaning high-quality iron play will be a key part of the winning formula this week. Although the redesign lengthened the course, Hamilton G&CC will only play at around 7,000 yards this week, which is on the shorter side for a tour event.
The par 70 course will be an interesting test for the players and should set up for a great week of golf.
“The Rink,” a staple of the Canadian Open, is back. This year, making an appearance on the par 3, 14th hole. The 14th tee will be lined by hockey boards to pay homage to Canada’s most popular sport. This is the sixth year the tournament has done this and it has quickly become one of the most unique additions in golf.
The Field
The Canadian Open falls right before a stretch of three straight signature events on the PGA Tour calendar. For this reason, there are fewer top-tier players in the field this week because this event doesn’t have the stature or purse of the next few events. However, the money is nothing to sneeze at, with a total purse of $9.4 million and first place taking home over $1.6 million.
Over the past few years, Canada has produced a very deep crop of pro talent. Players like Correy Conners, Mackenzie Hughes, Taylor Penderith, Adam Hadwin and 2023 Canadian Open Champion, Nick Taylor have all won on tour and are all candidates for the International team in the 2024 Presidents Cup. Canada-born players haven’t gone back-to-back in the Canadian Open since 1913-1914.
Taylor drilled a miraculous 72-foot eagle putt on the fourth playoff hole to clinch the 2023 RBC Canadian Open, sending the crowd into a frenzy. Taylor, a Winnipeg native, was the first Canadian to win the event in 69 years. The 36-year-old hasn’t been sharp as of late, most recently missing the cut at the PGA championship. However, if there was ever a time for him to turn it around, it would be this week.
Tommy Fleetwood is looking to continue his success in the Canadian Open. Last year, Fleetwood lost in the playoff. The 33-year-old is still searching for his first PGA Tour victory, with great tournament history and a relatively weak field, this could be the week for Fleetwood to finally break through.
Ryder Cup and Zurich Classic teammates Rory McIlory and Shane Lowry have been in incredible form as of late.
After winning the Zurich in April, McIlroy came in first place in a loaded field at the Wells Fargo earlier this month. Lowry is coming off a great week at Valhalla, finishing tied for sixth. Both Europeans have an incredible history in this tournament.
McIlroy has won the event twice, in 2019, the last time the event was held at Hamilton Golf and Country Club and in 2022 at St. George’s with a statement victory to surpass Greg Norman in total wins at the height of the PGA Tour LIV drama.
These two tour veterans are slated as favorites for this week’s tournament.
Hadwin v. Security
Hopefully, Adam Hadwin will have to be on his best behavior this week so he doesn’t get tackled by a security guard.
“I’ve learned my lesson, I’ll be wearing my credential for now on,” Hadwin said.
EAST LANSING- The Michigan State Spartans baseball team closes out their regular season this weekend in a pivotal matchup against their in conference rival the Nebraska Cornhuskers, in a series that will decide Sparty’s postseason fate at McLane Stadium.
Michigan State enters the matchup coming off a 9-8 win against Eastern Michigan in a non conference game, gaining confidence back in Michigan State fashion after dropping two out of three in Minnesota last weekend and losing Sunday’s game in heartbreaking walk-off fashion.
Nebraska enters the weekend hot, having won their last four big ten series, including taking two out of three from Indiana at home last weekend. They’ve only lost one Big Ten series all season long.
Some players to watch for this weekend for MSU include freshman Ryan McKay, who followed up with Big Ten Freshman of the week honors last week, with two home runs in Minneapolis this past weekend, the first two of his collegiate career. McKay added another hit and RBI on Tuesday in the Spartans win over EMU.
Dillon Kark stepped up big time in the mid-week matchup as well, picking up two hits and driving in three runs, in what would prove to be a pivotal one-run victory for MSU. Kark has picked up at least one hit in 13 of his last 16 games, and will need to be a key contributor for the Spartans if they want to pick up the series win.
Some players to watch-out for in Nebraska’s batting order include Junior catcher Josh Caron, who is pacing the Cornhuskers in home runs, RBIs, runs, hits, slugging percentage, and runs scored. Caron has picked up multi-hit games in seven of his last eleven starts, and will look to continue to do damage against Michigan State.
Case Sanderson is another star to watch in the Cornhusker lineup, as he paces the team in batting average, walks, and on base percentage. The Freshman infielder has provided consistency for Nebraska at the top of their lineup all season long, hoping to keep it going against the Spartans.
With the series starting Thursday instead of the usual Friday, Joseph Dzierwa and Nick Powers will make the starts in the second and third game of this series to keep them on their regular schedules. Senior Harrison Cook will get the nod for Jake Boss Jr on Thursday night, in what is likely to be a game where he relies heavily on his bullpen, and usual Sunday starter Nick Ferazzi.
The probables for Nebraska go as follows, the ace, Brett Sears will make the start Thursday, Sophomore Mason McConnaughey on Friday, and the southpaw, Jackson Brockett will take the mound in the series finale on Saturday.
These two teams last met in the Big Ten Tournament last season. A complete-game four-hit shutout in a 4-0 win for the Huskers knocked MSU out. Nebraska made its most recent trip to East Lansing since the 2021 campaign, where the Big Red took two of three games over the Spartans. MSU also lost two out of three in Lincoln back in 2022, making Michigan State just 2-5 (regular season and postseason) against Nebraska in the last three seasons.
With this being the regular season finale for both teams, there are a lot of stakes riding on this weekend in the Big Ten standings, especially for Michigan State. Nebraska is locked into the tournament, currently in 2nd, 14-. MSU is tied at 7th-9th with Maryland and Ohio State, with all three teams sharing a record of 10-11 in Big Ten play. Penn State and Minnesota trail closely at 9-12, with Ohio State playing Rutgers this weekend, and Maryland taking on the Nittany Lions. .
It is unclear whether or not the Spartans control their own destiny this weekend, but one thing is clear. They need to win as many games as possible to secure a top eight record in the standings and advance to the Big Ten tournament for the second consecutive year.
First pitch on Thursday is scheduled for 6:05 P.M., with Friday’s game scheduled for 5 P.M. and Saturday’s game scheduled to start at noon. All games will be played at McLane Stadium in East Lansing, and all start times provided are Eastern standard time.
EAST LANSING- The Michigan State Spartans baseball team opens up yet another pivotal Big Ten matchup this weekend, as they travel to Minneapolis to take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Siebert Field.
MSU comes into the game riding high after winning their third straight Big Ten series at McLane this past weekend against their instate rival Michigan Wolverines. The Spartans were able to take two out of three from UM and secure their first series victory against them since the 2016 season.
Oh what a weekend!!
• Series W over Michigan – 1st since 2016
• 23 runs scored
• 2 extra-inning games
• 1 walk-off #VictoryForMSU
• 7 HR
• Pitchers fired 35 Ks = season-high for 3-game series
• 3rd-straight @B1Gbaseball series win
• Alumni Day & Super Hero Day#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/4PKmrukHWA— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) May 6, 2024
The Spartans were scheduled to close out their home stand on Tuesday against Bowling Green, but the game was canceled due to rain. Michigan State improved to 21-23 with their wins over the weekend and remained in the top eight in the Big Ten.
Minnesota enters the weekend set with a bit more desperation than MSU, having lost five of their last six Big Ten series, including last weekend when they dropped two out of three to Nebraska at home. Despite winning six of their last eleven games, the Golden Gophers could use a series win to continue their bid at the Big Ten Tournament. They enter the series with an overall record of 21-21.
Jack Frank continued his dominant season with the Spartans, earning Big Ten Player of the Week honors for the first time this season. Frank slashed .471 / .550 / .941 for the week, going 8 for 17 with two doubles and two home runs. His highlight of the week was a go-ahead solo Home run to the opposite field in the eighth inning of Saturday’s game, which would give MSU a lead they would not relinquish.
Jack Frank w/ his 2nd HR in as many days with a 410-foot #FrankJack with a 105-mph exit velo off the bat!!
It's also Frank's 3rd 1st-inning HR this season, all coming in last 3 weeks, as part of his team-leading 9th overall HR on the year!!
UM 1
MSU 1
B1st#GoGreen | @JackF_22 pic.twitter.com/tfWxp45NgP— Michigan State Baseball (@MSUBaseball) May 5, 2024
Ryan McKay also had a great week for Michigan State, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors for the second time this season. McKay recorded a hit in all four games last week, extending his hitting streak to twelve games. He went 8 for 20 last week, and recorded five RBIs in the weekend series win against Michigan.
Aaron Mishoulam has been red hot out of the bullpen for MSU as of late, as he pitched five scoreless innings in pivotal moments in the Spartan’s series win over Michigan this past weekend. Mishoulam has held his opponents to one run or less in eleven of his last thirteen appearances, and no runs in four of his last five, and will be a key piece for Jake Boss Jr in going for another conference series win.
As for Minnesota, the Spartan pitching will have their hands full with redshirt junior outfielder, Nick Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald is currently leading the Golden Gophers in OPS, batting average, and on-base percentage, and will be a matchup for Michigan State pitching to keep an eye on all weekend long.
Have a day Fitz#Gophers 7, Huskers 8 pic.twitter.com/65c3RMI5MO
— Minnesota Baseball (@GopherBaseball) May 4, 2024
Another dangerous bat in the UMN lineup is junior Brady Counsell. The Gophers second baseman is currently pacing the team in hits, home runs, walks, and runs, and has been a consistent and solid bat at the top of the Minnesota batting order all year long. The leadoff man will look to continue his stellar season versus the Spartans.
The probable starters for this weekend’s series start with the usual Friday and Saturday guys for MSU, with Joseph Dzierwa making the start on Friday, and Nick Powers getting the ball on Saturday. Michigan State has yet to announce their starter for Sunday afternoon’s game, but Nick Ferazzi has made every Sunday start since March for the Spartans.
Minnesota will counter with junior Will Semb toeing the slab on Friday and the lefty, Connor Wietegrefe getting the start on Saturday. Minnesota also has not yet announced a probable start for Sunday’s game.
As every weekend series has been as of late, this three-game set has very high stakes in the Big Ten standings for both teams. MSU enters the weekend with a .500 record in conference play, sitting at 9-9 and in sole possession of seventh place in the conference, good enough for a spot in the Big Ten Tournament if the season ended today.
Minnesota enters the series at 7-11 in Big Ten play, currently sitting two games behind Michigan State, and tied for tenth in the conference with Penn State. The Golden Gophers desperately need a series win to keep pace with other teams and reach the top eight in the conference with just two conference series for each team in the regular season.
MSU and UMN did not play against each other last season but have matched up six times since the start of the 2021 season. Michigan State is 5-1 in those six games, including a series sweep of the Golden Gophers at McLane Stadium in East Lansing in the 2022 season.
This will be the first matchup between the two schools in Minneapolis since 2021, and it kicks off Friday under the lights with the first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday’s games are scheduled for the afternoon, with Saturday’s first pitch at 2 p.m., and Sunday’s at 1 p.m. All three games will be played at Siebert Field at the University of Minnesota.
East Lansing- To close out another successful season, the Michigan State women’s golf team prepares to compete in the NCAA Regionals for the fifth consecutive time close to home in East Lansing.
The Spartans had a carefree selection show day because of their familiarity with the NCAA Regionals. But this selection means more to the squad because the tournament is being played in Lansing at the Forest Akers Golf Course.
“It’s always exciting when you see your name appear for an NCAA Regional,” MSU head coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll said. “Obviously, it was a bit different since we’re the host, but it’s still a great feeling and a great sense of accomplishment.”
Michigan State was in a selection of 12 teams and was placed at the 5th seed amongst those teams in the Regional.
“The mindset, as it is with every other regional, is getting one of those five spots (to advance to the NCAA Championships),” Slobodnik-Stoll Said. “Without question, they have the talent to win another regional. It’s the exact same six players that we had last year. It’s also comforting being in your own town and on your own golf course.”
Three of Slobodnik-Stoll’s former players are coaching teams in this year’s tournament. Oakland University’s head coach Sarah Burnham, is a 2018 graduate. The Florida Gators head coach Emily (Bastel) Glasser, who graduated in 2002 from MSU, is a member of the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame. The final former player is the Notre Dame head coach Caroline Powers-Ellis, who graduated from Michigan State in 2013.
The women’s golf team participated in the Big Ten Championships, where they shot 7-over par 295 on the last day to become the runner-up to Indiana, the Big Ten Champions.
On the opening day of the championship, the Spartan shot 9 under par 279 on Friday taking an 8-shot lead, and entered the final round on Sunday with a lead of 11 shots, but could not hold on.
Junior Katie Lu led for Michigan State during the tournament, finishing the event 4-under par 212, ending up in 6th place.
Recently, the league’s coaches named Lu to the All-Big Ten Conference First Team in a consensus vote. Katie has been the Catalyst for the Spartans this year, leading the team with a 71.13 scoring average over 32 rounds and 11 total events.
Paula Balanztegui, Leila Raines, Valentini Rossi, Brooke Biermann, and Shannon Kennedy all placed top 40 in the Big Ten Tournament for the Spartans.
To open up the tournament for the Spartans, Balanztegui tees off first with Lu following, Brook Bierman, Leila Reins, Valentina Rossi, and Shannon Kennedy closing it out for Michigan State.
For the second time the Spartans have hosted the NCAA Regional in 5 years, they start playing with Pepperdine and Kentucky on Monday.
The NCAA Regional will be played on May 6-8 at multiple regional sites, with one being held at the Forest Akers golf course in East Lansing.
EAST LANSING- The Michigan State Spartans prepare to take on their instate rival Michigan Wolverines in a pivotal three-game set, with major implications on the Big Ten standings.
MSU enters the series as losers of two straight, including a 4-3 loss at home against Notre Dame this past Tuesday.
The loss came after winning a series two out of three, against OSU last weekend, as the Spartans have won five of their last eight since being swept by Purdue, including four out of six in conference play. MSU comes into the game with a 19-22 record.
Michigan comes into the series playing the best baseball they have all season; having won ten of their last twelve games. The Wolverines swept Long Beach State this past weekend and have five straight overall. UM is 7-8 on the road this season, and sport an overall record of 24-21.
The probable starters in this series are the usual suspects for MSU, with the ace Joseph Dzierwa confirmed to have the start on Friday, as Nick Powers will make the Saturday start, and Nick Ferazzi will round out the weekend on Sunday.
Michigan has only confirmed one probable starter, Kurt Barr who will pitch on Friday. The sophomore has stepped up for the Wolverines all season, leading the team in ERA and Whip among qualified pitchers.
MSU senior Greg Ziegler is coming off a red hot performance, as he provided the only offense for the Spartans in their loss on Tuesday with a three-run home run in the ninth to cut the deficit to one. MSU will look to Ziegler to stay hot offensively for the Spartans to take the series.
Jack Frank will also have to continue his stellar campaign for the Spartans to take the series, as he leads the team in batting average, home runs, OPS, and stolen bases.
Notable stars in Michigan’s lineup include Mack Timbrook, who had a scorching hot April batting an even .500 with a .557 on-base percentage to lead the Wolverines with a .338 season average. He reached base in every game in the month and will look to continue that trend against the Spartans.
Another bat to look out for in the UM lineup is graduate student Stephen Hrustich. Hrustich leads the team in home runs, walks, slugging percentage, and OPS, and has been a force to be reckoned with all season long.
Since the start of 2021, UM has won nine of the last fourteen meetings between these two teams. MSU has won three of the last five matchups including the one at Ray Fisher Stadium earlier this season.
The Spartans took the only game between these two teams this season,16-6 in Ann Arbor. Every MSU starter had a hit, as UM pitching surrendered thirteen walks between the ten pitchers they used.
Michigan State had 2-run innings in the third, fourth, seventh, and eighth, but ran away and poured on seven runs in the ninth. Sam Thompson led the team with 4 RBI on the day. Aaron Mishoulam got the start that day and Noah Matheny got the win. Both MSU pitchers are expected to get some work out of the bullpen this weekend for head coach Jake Boss Jr.
UM currently sits in a tie for third place in the Big Ten standings, with a record of 10-5, tied with Nebraska and Indiana. MSU tied for seventh with Ohio State, 7-8. The Wolverines could put lots of distance between themselves and the Spartans with a series win this weekend, while MSU looks to make up some ground.
All three games are scheduled to be at McLane Stadium in East Lansing, on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The first pitch on Friday is scheduled for 6:05 p.m., with 3:35 p.m. and 2:05 p.m. start times for Saturday and Sunday.
EAST LANSING- The Michigan State Spartans baseball team will look to improve off their series win against Penn State last week, as the Spartans travel down to Columbus Ohio for a pivotal three-game set in the Big Ten standings against the Ohio State Buckeyes on April 26-28.
The Spartans enter this series winners of three out of their last four but were unable to complete the sweep of Penn State last weekend at McLane, after dropping the Sunday game.
As for the Buckeyes, they come in losing three out of four including a loss on the road in the midweek to their instate rival Wright State. Ohio State lost two out of three at U of M last weekend and is looking to bounce back at home against MSU.
The weekend probable pitchers for Michigan State are the usual suspects, with Ohio native and Spartan ace Joseph Dzierwa taking the bump on Friday night.
Reliable lefty Nick Powers will get the nod on Saturday, with Nick Ferazzi likely to get the start in the final game of the series.
Ohio State will be sending Landon Beidelschies to the mound on Friday and Gavin Bruni on Saturday.
The probables for both teams are lefty pitchers in both Friday and Saturday’s games. There is no probable for OSU’s Sunday starter, but freshman Gavin DeVooght has made the last three Sunday starts for the Buckeyes.
The Spartans will look to stay hot offensively, behind their senior leader and Ohio native Jack Frank, after going 8 for 18 last week, with 2 home runs and 6 runs batted in. Frank is leading the Spartans in OPS, RBIs, Home Runs, and stolen bases as well.
Another Spartan who will look to stay hot is fellow senior and outfielder Greg Ziegler, who has been excellent since returning from injury. Ziegler is also sporting an 11-game on-base streak to go with his eight-game hitting streak.
Dillon Kark will also look to build off a strong weekend last weekend, where he upped his hitting streak to 6 games and overtook his teammate Frank for the team lead in batting average.
As for Ohio State, they have plenty of dynamic bats in their lineup, highlighted by Henry Kaczmar who leads the Buckeye in batting average, hits, and runs scored. He is a legitimate threat at the top of their lineup.
Michigan State pitchers will also have their hands full with sophomore infielder Tyler Pettorini, who has recorded a team-high in RBI this season and is tied for the team lead in home runs with Trey Lipsey. Pettorini also leads OSU with 11 multi-hit games this year.
This weekend set holds a ton of weight in the Big Ten standings, with the Spartans entering the weekend at 5-7 in conference play, and the Buckeyes just ahead of them with a 6-6 record.
The two teams currently sit in the seventh and eighth spots in standings respectively, making this weekend a pivotal matchup, and an opportunity for both teams to make a big swing in the conference standings.
Michigan State took two out of three from Ohio State last season at McLane Stadium, and are now looking to pick up a series win against their rivals for the second consecutive season.
The Spartans look to win their first series in Columbus since the 2021 season, attempting to win their regular season series vs the Buckeyes for the third time in four years.
Michigan State is 5-4 vs Ohio State since the start of 2021. The first pitch on Friday evening is scheduled for 6 p.m., with afternoon games to round out the weekend with Saturday at 2 p.m., and Sunday at 1 p.m.
EAST LANSING– Michigan State football capped off their spring practice window with the Spring Showcase at Spartan Stadium on Saturday.
It was the first time the public had been able to watch head coach Jonathan Smith lead the new-look Spartans.
The revamped offense led by Aidan Chiles
When Jonathan Smith inherited the program, there wasn’t a quarterback on scholarship. Quarterback Aidan Chiles followed Smith from Oregon State in the transfer portal. The incoming sophomore was the second-ranked transfer portal QB by 247 Sports.
MSU sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles (2) drops back to pass in the Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, MI. (Jack Moreland)Chiles found senior wide receiver Montorie Foster Jr. early to start the afternoon. On the first play of the scrimmage, the two connected for a 22-yard strike over the middle. In a two-minute drill to finish the first half, Chiles found Foster Jr. again, this time for a 35-yard completion outside the numbers to put the offense in the red zone.
Fifth-year running back Nate Carter looked sharp. On the second play of the scrimmage, Carter took off for a 48-yard rushing touchdown. Later he would catch a wheel route in the end zone for his second touchdown of the game.
for the first time this year…
TOUCHDOWN SPARTANS pic.twitter.com/H6dl6Slk6b
— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) April 20, 2024
The Spartans’ offensive line was a driving force in most of these plays. Coach Smith was pleased with the performance up-front.
“It was probably their best day out of 15 [practices], looking at the offensive line and what we were able to do with protections,” said Smith.
Freshman Wide Receiver Shows Out
Freshman wide receiver Nick Marsh, a four-star recruit from River Rouge, Mich., was a bright spot for the second-string offense. Marsh created separation downfield and had multiple catches that resulted in first downs in the first.
MSU redshirt sophomore lineman Jacob Merritt (69) celebrates with freshman receiver Nick Marsh (15) after Marsh’s touchdown reception during the Spring Showcase on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, MI. (Jack Moreland)On the first play of the second half, Marsh showed his ability to take the top off the defense, getting behind both safeties for a 75-yard touchdown. Marsh had a good chemistry with North Dakota transfer back-up quarterback Tommy Schuster.
Coach Smith was impressed with the young wide receiver.
“I think Nick has really come on the last half of practices. You can tell he’s getting more and more comfortable in the scheme and he’s gifted physically,” said Smith.
Marsh has also grown closer to Chiles, who sees a lot of himself in Marsh.
“I see a lot of myself in Nick, we have different attitudes and everything but he’s young, he’s a baller and he drives a lot off of his talent,” said Chiles. “Coming into the fall we have to work with Nick and get him into the playbook.”
New Rules Implemented
This offseason there have been two major rule changes coming this fall to college football. First, the addition of the in-helmet communications. Now in college football, just like the NFL, quarterbacks can receive playcalls from coaches and no longer have to look over to the sideline for call signals.
“Yeah we’ve been using [Helmet mics] all spring, I thought it was solid,” said Smith. “We only have three of them so a couple of the quarterback guys didn’t have it. But I think that’s a good rule change for college football and being able to communicate that way.”
The new way of play calling has been complicated for Chiles.
“It’s a love/hate relationship there man, I’m used to signals you know, and if you get the signal wrong that’s on you, ” said Chiles. “But sometimes you don’t get the full call but we’re working on it and it’s easier than having the coaches on the field.”
This was also the first look we saw of the two-minute warning at the college level, another rule adapted from the NFL.
Michigan State will be back at Spartan Stadium to kick off the 2024 regular season against FAU on August 31.
EAST LANSING- After a successful season of winning the Big Ten Championship, and regular season Big Ten title, Michigan State gymnastics sends sophomore Nikki Smith and junior Skyla Schulte to Fort Worth, Texas, for the NCAA Gymnastics Championships on Thursday, April 18 at 4:30 p.m. ET in Dickies Arena.
The pair will compete in the first of two sessions on Thursday, with Smith competing on the beam and Schulte on the floor.
Schulte’s season average on the floor routine is 9.913, with her all-around season score average being 39.491.
Schulte won a share of the Big Ten floor title at this year’s conference championships and has posted 11 scores of 9.900 or better on the event this season, including three 9.950s and a 9.975. She scored a 9.925 in the NCAA Gainesville Regional Second Round to advance to Thursday’s championship.
Skyla Shulte during her floor routine during Michigan State’s 197.450-195.475 victory over Penn State on February 4, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)Spartan head coach Mike Rowe will be in attendance to support Schulte and Smith. Both athletes, who always look for perfection, will have a chance to add to their star-studded resumes on Thursday.
“We always strive for perfection, I know each of my athletes want to be perfect each day,” Rowe said ahead of the Spartans NCAA second-round regional last weekend.
Smith is making her first NCAA Championships appearance after scoring a career-high 9.950 on beam in the second round of the NCAA Gainesville Regional.
The routine was her third beam routine of the season and first appearance at the event since the third week of the season.
Smith is the third NCAA individual beam qualifier for the Spartans in the last three years, following Schulte in 2022 and current junior Gabrielle Stephen last season.
Smith has averaged 9.794 on beam so far this season and 39.256 all-around. For the first time since the 1996-97 season, the Spartans have now sent individual qualifiers to the NCAA Championships in three consecutive seasons and two or more individual qualifiers in back-to-back seasons.
Sophomore Nikki Smith scored a perfect 10 on the floor for the Spartans in a victory over Iowa on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024 at Jenison Field House.The NCAA All-Americans will be determined after the second semifinal session on Thursday, scheduled for 9 p.m. ET.
Schulte won All-American honors in 2022 as a freshman for her beam routine, giving her a chance this season to become the first Spartan in MSU history to become a two-time NCAA All-American.
As for Smith, she has a chance to win her first-ever NCAA All-American honor. Last season, Smith won Big Ten Freshman of the Year and first-team All-Big Ten, just missing out on All-American honors.
Both Thursday’s semifinal rounds will be streamed on ESPN2, with individual events being streamed on ESPN+.
EAST LANSING – Coming off a seven-inning mercy loss against Central Michigan on Tuesday, the Michigan State baseball team travels to face off against the Purdue Boilermakers in West Lafayette.
The upcoming matchup will be the first meeting against the two in-conference opponents in West Lafayette since 2019.
The Spartans enter the contest with a 14-16 record and an even 3-3 conference record. The Boilermakers are on the other side of .500 as they boast a 20-13 overall record and a 5-4 conference record.
In their last contest against No. 18 Indiana State in a single-game series, the Boilermakers lost 3-9 and struggled in the eighth and ninth innings, allowing seven Sycamore runs.
Despite the loss, the Boilermakers are aiming to build on their ninth-ever series sweep on the road in the Big Ten, sweeping a Rutgers team that had not been swept in a three-game Big Ten series at home since April 2017.
Purdue has bounced back from a four-game losing streak in Big Ten play with a four-game win streak in the league, moving into the top half of the standings with nine of their final 15 conference games at home.
The Spartans currently sit eighth in the Big Ten standings, as they maintain a 7-5 record at home. This weekend will be a change in scenery for the green and white, as Purdue is 8-6 at home while MSU is 3-2 on the road.
Redshirt freshman catcher/first baseman Luke Gaffney leads Purdue and ranks third in the B1G and 63rd in the NCAA in batting average at .395.
Gaffney also shares the team lead and ranks tied for second in the conference and 50th in the country in RBIs with 39. He’s also ranked second in the conference and 27th in the NCAA in hits (51), in addition to ranking fourth in the league and 34th in the nation in hits per game (1.6).
Gaffney is second on the team in home runs (6), while tied for second on the team in both doubles (10) and triples (2).
The Spartans had a stretch where three of their four official game-winning RBIs were driven in by freshman infielder Ryan McKay, with a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth in the 3-2 Victory for Michigan State over Rutgers on March 31st.
Spartan freshman outfielder Landen Lozier drove in the Spartans’ two winning runs with an official game-winning RBI in the wins over Purdue Fort Wayne on March 19th and at Michigan on March 26th.
Lozier drew a bases-loaded walk for the Spartan’s second run in the 11-1 win over Purdue Fort Wayne and laced an RBI single in the seventh inning for Michigan State’s seventh run at Michigan for the difference-maker in the 16-6 deluge of runs in the win over the Wolverines.
Probable pitching matchups on Friday will be graduate lefty Jordan Morales (Grad, LHP) on the mound for Purdue, and MSU sophomore Joseph Dzierwa on the other side for the Spartans.
Michigan State will be without veteran pitching coach Mark Van Ameyde for an extended amount of time, as he will be away from the team after undergoing a successful kidney transplant on March 20th.
Both teams will continue to strive for momentum getting into the depth of conference and season play. The first pitch is set for 6 p.m. EST on Friday, streaming will be available on Big Ten Plus.
EAST LANSING – Coming off a five-game home stand, the Michigan State softball team prepares to take the road for a three-game series versus Penn State in University Park.
The Spartans sit last in the Big Ten standings, at 1-9 in conference play and 14-23 overall, while the Nittany Lions boast a 7-2 conference record and a 28-8 overall record, assisting for the second-best record in the Big Ten.
MSU is coming off a single game 4-3 victory over Western Michigan on Wednesday, as Madison Taylor took the circle for the Spartans and allowed only three hits.
The Nittany Lions, however, are coming off a 2-1 series victory against Nebraska (23-15, 6-2). The Sunday victory ensured Penn State’s best start to a Big Ten Conference campaign since the 2016 season when they started 8-2 in league play.
Penn State is led by Bridget Nemeth, who is one of the best pitchers in the country as a freshman ranking 18th in ERA and 42nd in strikeouts.
Nemeth is 17-1 with a 1.17 ERA, .90 WHIP, and 114 strikeouts in 113.2 innings. Opponents have batted .191 against her this season.
Mady Volpe leads the team in pitching appearances (27) with a 3.83 ERA in 80.1 innings of work. Opponents have hit .237 against her.
For MSU, graduate student Liv Grey is grouped among the best pitchers in the nation to start the season. Through 111.1 innings Grey has accumulated a 2.39 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP, with batters averaging .220 against her.
So far this season Grey is off to 125 strikeouts, ranking 26th nationally, despite ranking 68th in innings pitched. Grey’s 7.9 strikeouts per game is 49th nationally. Grey was named B1G Pitcher of the Week on March 4, the eighth Spartan all-time to achieve the honor.
Batting for MSU, sophomore outfielder Sydney Doloszycki has started to come into her own. Doloszycki now has the Spartans’ longest individual hitting streak of the season, previously held by Alexis Ross with a seven-game stretch.
Over her last seven games, Doloszycki is hitting a team-high .450 (9-for-20) with three home runs, seven runs scored, five RBI, and five walks. In that stretch, Doloszycki leads Michigan State in batting average (.450), OBP (.560), SLG (.950) and OPS (1.510).
MSU has now hit 38 home runs through 37 games, which marks the most home runs by the program since the 2019 season (44 in 50 games).
In 2024, Michigan State ranks No. 36 nationally in home runs per game (1.03). The Spartans are now tied for No. 7 in program history for single-season home runs.
A battle-tested conference opponent will be in store throughout the weekend, as the Nittany Lions await to host the Spartans.
The first of three matchups on Friday is set for 5 p.m. EST at Nittany Lion Softball Park. All games throughout the weekend will be streamed on B1G Plus.
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.
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.
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.
EAST LANSING – In the early stages of the 2024 season, Michigan State baseball will open up conference play against Maryland on March 22 in a three-game series. Winning three of their last four, the Spartans hope to carry that momentum into Big Ten play.
The early part of the season has seen many highs and lows, but the Spartans are now searching for more consistency across their lineup as the games become more meaningful. The team currently sits at 8-10 overall, and hopes to get off to a fast start in Big Ten play. “It’s a lot of questions and answers right now,” MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr said. “We’re trying a lot of different things but I think offensively we’ve maybe held up better than I expected but still searching for some roles to be filled on the mound.”
The Spartans currently sit at seventh in the Big Ten with a team batting average of .296 on the season. The offensive production has been led by senior outfielder Jack Frank, who leads the team in batting average .333 and an OPS of .952. The senior leader looks to lead by example for the team as they search for consistency.
On the defensive side, the Spartans hold a fifth-place spot in the conference with a 5.24 team ERA.
“The goal is to have things figured out by the Maryland series,” said Boss Jr.
Offensively, the team sits one spot behind the Spartans with a team batting average of .287.
Maryland comes into the matchup at 16-5, with their pitching leading the way. The Terrapins boast a team ERA of 4.31, good for second in the Big Ten, only behind Nebraska.
With many pieces from last year’s roster no longer on the team, new leaders have emerged to help build and improve this year’s team, and the young players look to find their footing as Big Ten play begins.
CHARLOTTE, N.C.- After a double-digit victory vs No. 8 Mississippi State in the round of 64, No. 9 Michigan State will match up with No. 1 North Carolina on Thursday, as tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m. EST.
The Tar Heels have put together one of the most dominant offenses in the country, en route to a 28-7 season record heading into the NCAA tournament.
There are many ways North Carolina can have teams down by double digits before you blink. The Tar Heels rank 19th in offensive efficiency according to KenPom.
A huge part of UNC’s offense is 6-11 240-pound senior, Armando Bacot. The Virginia native averages 10.3 rebounds per game, which is tied for 13th in the nation.
Bacot not only controls the glass, but scores at a superb rate averaging 14.3 points per game on 54.7 % shooting.
“We started at the beginning of practice, always working on our post feeds, and since then it has helped me a lot with my patience and finding my spots on the floor,” Bacot said after UNC’s dominant 90-62 victory in the round of 64 vs Wagner.
Diving into the Tar Heel offense, two major sets stick out when looking at this group as a whole.
UNC likes to run a “4 wide” or “4-1” set, very similar to San Antonio Spurs head coach Greg Poppovich early 2010’s offense. The set starts with the point guard moving to the strong side of the floor, which would then generate a ball reversal to the trail forward.
As the ball is reversed, the rim cutter will dart from one side of the block to the other, looking to establish a post position.
This is where Bacot thrives. Against Wagner, the Tar Heels would run this exact “four wide” set with Bacot on the right block, immediately generating a one-on-one opportunity.
Armando highlight package @iget_buckets35#CarolinaFamily | #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/TPmcvZFzg5
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) March 21, 2024
This is where the Michigan State weak side defense comes in. The Spartans have forced nearly 13 turnovers in their past three matchups. Through that series, MSU forced a game-high 15 turnovers against Purdue in the Big Ten quarterfinals.
A similar defense for the Spartans used against Zach Edey in that matchup will be in store for Bacot.
“We have been working hard on our weakside defense all year,” junior guard Jaden Akins said on Friday. “Us guards have a big responsibility on the weak side to make sure we help our bigs, but also not lose track of the three-point shooters.”
The weak-side defense for MSU starts at the entry pass to the block, as the opposite guard will slowly hedge the double team onto the ball.
HolloMAN WHAT A BLOCK! @jiggyTrawww x @MSU_Basketball pic.twitter.com/L60gMJuhoU
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) March 15, 2024
From there, it all depends on the decision of the forward on the block. The forward, if MSU doesn’t force a trap steal, has the choice to kick it out to the open wing shooter, or step through to his opposite shoulder and attack the rim.
North Carolina’s “4 wide” offense combats this weak side trap tremendously. The Tar Heels’ constant movement and “pass and cut” offense create a lot more stress on Spartan guards when the weak side hedge arrives.
But what if MSU does recover off the hedge and rotates to deny the shooter? The Tar Heels’ second offensive set comes into play.
An athletic, fast-paced Michigan State team has shown that they can match up with anyone this year.
With wins against Baylor, Illinois, and now, Mississippi State, MSU and its guards have shown they can rotate and move with some of the best offenses in the nation.
This Tar Heels offense is different. Head coach Hubert Davis will utilize both Bacot and Harrison Ingram to put teams on their backs.
Ingram, the 6-7 235 pound Texas native is also in the top 50 in the nation in rebounding. The junior averages 8.9 boards per game on 32 minutes each matchup.
Coach Davis will utilize a “high-low” post offense, running a combination of Ingram and Bacot interchanging at the elbow and block.
The offense starts in UNC’s basic “4 wide,” however, between Ingram and Bacot, whoever is not inside the paint on the “4-1” will rotate to the elbow after a ball screen to the ball handler.
This motion generates three shooters across the perimeter, with Bacot and Ingram on the strong side. The set is a constant rotation of the forward on the elbow sending an up screen to the ball handler.
Guards like R.J. Davis and Elliot Cadeau will now have the opportunity to take the screen and drive to the rim, or use the pick and roll to feed the roller. If the roller receives the ball, the “high-low” offense is in prime effect.
: Highlights from today's 92-67 win vs Florida State pic.twitter.com/qljVo8UQsh
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) March 14, 2024
The consequence of the forward receiving the ball in the pick-in roll now generates a two-on-one, as the forward with the ball can either go straight at the rim or dump it off to the assisting forward who was the initial option from the “4-1” set.
Spartan freshman Xavier Booker knows how important communication is when it comes to the “high-low” defense.
“The main thing with that (high-low) is making sure you’re aware of where you are on the court,” Booker said.
Michigan State’s defense has allowed 65.9 points per game this season (1st in Big Ten Conference), as MSU has held its opponents under 75 points in six of the last eight games. When the Spartans allow their opponents to clear that 75-point mark, MSU is 1-6 this season.
A lights-out offense versus a top-10 defense can create a marquee matchup, especially between two teams who have a lot of tournament experience with each other.
The Tar Heels lead the all-time series against MSU 12-4. UNC is also 5-0 against Michigan State in the NCAA Tournament.
The matchup on Saturday will be the second all-time meeting in the round of 32. The previous was 2007 with the exact same seeds as this year, with North Carolina as a one and MSU as a nine. UNC beat MSU winning 81-67.
“We have played against their style of basketball this season, and we are going to be prepared for them,” MSU point guard A.J. Hoggard said.
This year, the Spartans will be looking to flip the script and come away victorious in a hostile environment in Charlotte for a trip to the Sweet 16.
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.
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,...
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...
Jay DeCoster, Manit Patel and Grey Skudlarick gather in the absence of host Michael Markoch to discuss the NFL draft. The crew takes you through everything happening in the first round which starts Thursday, April 27. This episode includes a full, composite mock draft from The Pylon crew themself. Enjoy!
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
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.
PREVIEW: Michigan State baseball heads to Western MichiganMSU baseball sweeps doubleheader against PurdueMichigan State baseball hosts Purdue in B1G season opener
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 (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
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
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
COLUMBUS— Michigan State advances to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the second-straight year. After one of the biggest upsets in college basketball history, where No. 1 seed Purdue was defeated by No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson, the Spartans are the only Big Ten team left in the East Region. For the first time since 2018, two number one seeds failed to advance past the first two rounds, after Kansas was defeated by Arkansas, 72-71.
Michigan State (20-12, 11-8) will play Marquette (29-6, 17-3) in the second round. The Golden Eagles defeated Vermont in the first round, 78-61.
“Seeing it happen the way it’s happened in both the Big Ten tournament and this tournament, I think the sense of urgency ramps up,” said MSU head coach Tom Izzo. “I think sooner or later, players realize he’s not kidding. If you lose, you do go home. You hang up your shoes, and you do not get to play again.”
MSU leads the series history against Marquette, 32-23. The two teams have played each other twice in the NCAA Tournament, most recently in 2007, where MSU defeated the Golden Eagles in the first round, 61-49.
MSU enters the Round of 32 as one of the most battle-tested teams in the country. The strenuous schedule was met with mixed results that included a disappointing loss in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, but accomplished the primary goal: preparing the team for the NCAA Tournament.
“Everything that he does prepares us for March,” said senior forward Malik Hall. “It’s something that we talk about at the very beginning of the year, and in the summertime. The schedule obviously is very hard, and it’s rigorous, but it’s something that trains our minds and bodies in getting ready for situations like this. Going up against someone who’s just as good of a team as us, and maybe even ranked a little better.”
Malik Hall dribbles into the lane during Michigan State’s 72-62 victory over USC in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 17, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)Hall recorded six points and four rebounds in MSU’s victory over USC in the first round.
Marquette is ranked top five in the country in assists, assist to turnover ratio and is also just outside the top ten in field goal percentage. The Big East Tournament champions are also top 10 in steals, averaging 9.4 per game.
“They’re unconventional in their own way, they’re different in their own way and they’re very good,” said Izzo.
The Golden Eagles are led in scoring by sophomore guard Kam Jones, who’s averaging 15.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 35 games this season. Jones averages 1.4 steals per game. In Friday’s game against Vermont, Jones scored 18 straight points in the second half.
Second in scoring is Tyler Kolek, who is averaging 13.1 points per game. After transferring to Marquette in 2021-22, the junior has blossomed into one of college basketball’s best playmakers.
Kolek is second in the nation in assists per game, with 7.6, and has led the Big East in assists per game since transferring. Kolek also leads the team in steals per game with 1.8, and is shooting 47.7% from the field this season, along with 39.8% from the three-point line.
For both Izzo and Marquette head coach Shaka Smart, Sunday’s game is a proud moment for two coaches who share a mutual respect for each other.
“I love his [Smart] passion, I love how hard his kids play,” said Izzo. “I think he’s adjusted a little bit, and yet kept that same pressing fire and passion. He does it the right way. He coaches the kids hard, but he’s a damn good coach.”
Smart mentioned a similar fire he sees in Izzo.
“He lights himself on fire, and he makes sure that fire is so strong, and so bright and so hot that it affects everyone around him, and that’s coach Izzo,” said Smart.
Smart noted Izzo’s program standards as an important reason for his longevity.
Carson Cooper dunks the ball during Michigan State’s 72-62 victory over USC in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 17, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)“You have to have a level of intensity, you have to have a level of passion,” Smart said. “Otherwise you just don’t function or you don’t make it. And that’s why they’ve been to 25 straight tournaments, and why he’s had all the success he’s had.”
After an eventful first round, MSU enters Sunday’s game with a Sweet Sixteen appearance, and its season, on the line.
In order to get there, they’ll have to defeat a team that’s recorded the most wins in school history this season, and is looking to advance past the second round for the first time in a decade.
“We’re not dodging anybody. That’s for sure,” said Izzo.
COLUMBUS, OH – For the 25th year in a row, the Spartans are going dancing.
Michigan State (19-12, 11-8) will take on the University of Southern California (22-10, 14-6) in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in the East Region.
The seventh-seeded Spartans will face off against the 10-seed Trojans in Columbus, OH on Friday, at 12:15 P.M.
The winner of the matchup will play against the winner of the game between No. 2 seed Marquette, and No. 15 seed Vermont.
This year’s appearance sets an all-time record for MSU head coach Tom Izzo, who eclipses former Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski for most consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
“It means the world to me,” said Izzo. “It means I’ve had a lot of good players, a lot of good staff, a lot of good fans. You don’t win games over a period of time because of what you do, you win because there’s a collection of people that are all doing their jobs.”
AJ Hoggard dribbles the ball during Michigan State’s open practice in Columbus on March 16, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)After falling to Ohio State in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament, the Spartans head into the tournament looking to put their end-of-season inconsistencies behind them.
“Even though I didn’t think we handled March last weekend very well, there’s going to be those days, and it’s how you bounce back from them,” said Izzo.
USC makes its third consecutive tournament appearance under head coach Andy Enfield, who took over in 2013. In 2021, the Trojans made their deepest tournament run in 20 years, advancing to the Elite Eight before falling to Gonzaga, 85-66.
The Trojans are in the midst of one of the most successful stretches in school history, having won 22 or more games in four consecutive seasons. USC hasn’t lost more than ten games in the regular season since 2018-19.
USC is led in scoring by senior guard Boogie Ellis. After transferring from Memphis in the 2021-22 season, the San Diego native has had a resurgent season, averaging 18.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 32 games.
“I’ve grown a lot, the player I wanted to be [at Memphis] I really got to become that here at SC,” said Ellis. “But I mean, I definitely made a stride, especially off the court too, becoming a better person, a better man, and just making those next steps that I needed to make.”
The 6-foot-3 guard is shooting 39% from the three-point line and is second in the PAC-12 in scoring this season.
Outside of Ellis, fifth-year senior Drew Peterson and sophomore guard Reese Dixon-Waters are formidable options for USC.
This season, Peterson has emerged as one of the best players in the Pac-12. The 6’9” guard has been a matchup nightmare for opponents throughout the season, torching defenses inside and out, while shooting 44% from the field and 36% from behind the arc.
Peterson leads the Trojans in rebounds and assists per game with 6.2 and 4.4 respectively. Combined with an average of 14 points per game, Peterson is a lethal option for the Trojans. The fifth-year senior was a first-team Pac-12 honoree alongside Ellis.
Dixon-Waters has enjoyed a breakout sophomore season, averaging just under 10 points per game. The Long Beach native was named the Pac-12 sixth person of the year, becoming only the second player in school history to receive the award.
Izzo mentioned he’s watched USC only a few times this season.
“I’ve watched them, but you don’t watch them with the same vigor that you do when you know you’re gonna play them,” said Izzo.
USC held opponents to 39% on field goal attempts, the best field goal percentage defense in the Pac-12, and top ten in college basketball. The Trojans are also eighth in the country in blocks per game, with an average of 5.3.
“They’re a team that’s very good defensively, they’ve held opponents under 40 percent, and they’re a good free-throw shooting team. Those are always two things that fare well in an NCAA Tournament if you can do both of those things well,” Izzo said.
The Michigan State Spartans during their open practice in Columbus on March 16, 2023. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBM (Sarah Smith)The seventh seed holds an 89-58 record over the 10th seed since the NCAA tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985.
After an emotional season filled with triumphs, adversities and tragedy, Michigan State finds itself in familiar territory; staring down the long, unpredictable road to the Final Four with the coach who has been there eight times before.
“It’s been an incredible year with a lot of different things that have happened, but there’s nothing like March,” said Izzo.
In the heat of the Big Ten season, Michigan State finds itself in the “Trenches”Ohio State knocks MSU out of B1G Tournament, becomes first 13-seeded side to advance to semifinalsSpartans bring smiles back to campus with 80-65 win over Indiana
CHICAGO – 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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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 – 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– 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 – 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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EAST LANSING —The Michigan State men’s basketball team starts a two-game road trip with the first matchup against No. 1 Purdue on Sunday, Jan. 29, followed by a stop at Madison Square Garden as the Spartans take on Rutgers Saturday, Feb. 29.
The Spartans come off a narrow 63-61 win over Iowa, getting the sour taste out of their mouths after a difficult loss against Indiana last week. Senior forward Malik Hall returned to the court against the Hawkeyes and provided the Spartans a much-needed boost.
“If I had to pick a number one star it was Malik [Hall]”, head coach Tom Izzo said. “It is more comforting when he’s out there ’cause he knows where to be, he knows what to do. I was surprised he moved as well as he did.”
Hall returned to the lineup against Iowa after missing the Spartans’ last three games due to a foot reinjury against Illinois. Hall came off the bench and scored 11 points, shooting 50% from the field.
Sophomore guard Jaden Akins hit a decisive jumper late in the game to put the Spartans up four with 47 seconds remaining.
The Hawkeyes would fire back with their own two-point shot by Iowa Senior guard Connor McCaffery. Iowa trailed by two points with eight seconds remaining and was stopped in their tracks by the tight Spartan defense to give the Spartans the win over the Hawkeyes 63-61.
Sunday’s game at Mackey Arena on Sunday will be the second meeting between the Spartans and the Boilermakers this season.
“Winning a big game, being 6-4 at the break, I think is a start. We got a tough second half, we’re looking forward to it, including Sunday,” Izzo said.
Purdue comes off a game against Michigan where the Boilermakers earned a 75-70 win over the Wolverines.
Purdue is on a seven-game win streak with junior center Zach Edey and freshman guard Fletcher Loyer leading the charge for the Boilermakers.
Edey and Loyer combined for 36 points against Michigan with Edey also racking up nine rebounds.
The first game between the two teams ended in a Purdue victory in the final seconds of the game. Since then, Purdue moved to No. 1 in the AP college basketball rankings.
The Spartans are going to need another important performance from Walker and other key players like A.J. Hoggard, Joey Hauser and Mady Sissoko if they want to stop Edey who’s averaging 21.4 points and 13 rebounds.
The Boilermakers unveiled their new 1960s throwback uniforms this Friday. They’ll be wearing the uniforms in Sunday’s rematch.
Rick Mount, the three-time All-American for the Boilermakers who went on to play for the Indiana Pacers revealed the uniforms in a short video on the Boilermakers’ Twitter.
We'll let Rick Mount introduce these.
New throwbacks Sunday. pic.twitter.com/Iuu9l9hVUz
— Purdue Men's Basketball (@BoilerBall) January 27, 2023
The Spartans are 14-7 overall this season and 6-4 in the Big Ten. They are currently in fourth place in the Big Ten standings behind Northwestern.
Michigan State looks to make a statement with a win and has set its sights on climbing up the ranks in the Big Ten, while the Boilermakers strive to remain virtually untouched at the top of the standings.
The last time the Spartans defeated an AP top-ranked team was against Duke in the 2019 NCAA tournament. The Spartans have not won a game in West Lafayette since 2014.
However, both teams will need more than fancy new jerseys if they want to win this decisive conference matchup.
Tip-off is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. from West Lafayette, Indiana.
Spartans edge out Hawkeyes in another close contest, 63-61Three takeaways from Michigan State’s 63-61 victory over IowaMalik Hall expected to return against Buffalo
MINNEAPOLIS — After taking four of six points against Penn State, Michigan State has proven that it can hang with the best teams in the Big Ten. However, the Spartans get their biggest test yet. Following a bye week, they take on Minnesota, the No. 2 team in the USCHO poll and one of the premier teams in college hockey.
Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. ET Friday from 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis. Saturday’s rematch will begin at 5 p.m. ET.
The Golden Gophers traveled to East Lansing for a series in early December, and they won two lopsided games, 5-0 and 6-3. That extended Minnesota’s win streak over the Spartans to 11, dating back to the 2019-20 season. Only four current Spartans — including senior Nicolas Müller — were on that team.
“I remember freshman year,” Müller said, “it was a little bit more evened-out talent, I think…Our team has been not really good the last couple of years, but I think this year we have a pretty good group.”
The Golden Gophers are led by one of the most dangerous lines in all of college hockey, featuring Logan Cooley, Matthew Knies and Jimmy Snuggerud. In last weekend’s split with Michigan, the trio combined for three goals and four assists.
On the other end, junior Brock Faber and senior Jackson LaCombe anchor the defense. Faber is a premier shutdown defenseman, the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and the team captain. LaCombe is an excellent playmaker with 25 points in 26 games. Faber, LaCombe and Knies all were nominated for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, given to the best overall player in college hockey.
“Obviously they’re a very good team,” Michigan State captain Miroslav Mucha said. “They’re a top team in the country, so we’ve got to treat it that way…They have a lot of skill on their team. They play with a ton of pace.”
So what will it take for Michigan State to break the losing streak? How does this series impact the playoffs? Here’s the breakdown:
Back on the ice tonight in Minneapolis! We start a two-game set with league-leading No. 2 Minnesota.
Want to watch/listen/follow? Head here: https://t.co/ntijbndsl3 pic.twitter.com/92BuuhQllj
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) January 27, 2023
What does this series mean for the postseason?
For Minnesota: The Gophers have a commanding lead on the Big Ten. Mathematically speaking, they can finish as low as sixth, but let’s be realistic. They have a 10-point lead on the teams in second place. They’re 12-3-1 in the conference. They have NHL prospects up and down the roster. Winning this weekend only increases the odds that Minnesota secures a bye in the first round of the Big Ten tournament.
We’re also at the point in the season where PairWise rankings are starting to matter. In short, PairWise is an advanced metric that combines record, strength of schedule and head-to-head records to rank every team in college hockey. The NCAA gives six automatic bids to the winner of each conference tournament. After that, the 10 remaining spots go to the schools with the highest PairWise rating.
Right now, Minnesota has the No. 1 spot. If the Gophers finish there and win the Big Ten tournament, then they would get the top overall seed, giving them the easiest path back to the Frozen Four.
For Michigan State: On the other hand, Michigan State’s fate is very much in limbo. Realistically, the Spartans can finish anywhere between third and sixth in the Big Ten. If they finish fourth or better, however, then Munn Ice Arena will host postseason hockey for the first time since Big Ten hockey began in 2013-14.
For the first time in a long time, MSU also has reason to pay attention to the PairWise rankings. The Spartans sit at No. 13 right now, putting them on the bubble. If they don’t win the conference tournament, then they will need an at-large bid to make it. Pulling off an upset against the top team would give a big boost to Michigan State’s tournament odds.
What’s one storyline from each team to pay attention to?
For Minnesota: Michigan State coach Adam Nightingale pointed to Minnesota’s defense as a key reason why his team struggled in the first series. However, last weekend against Michigan, the Gophers allowed eight goals over two games, which is tied for the most they’ve allowed this season. While it shouldn’t be much reason to panic — it was Michigan, after all — the Gophers will need to tighten up on defense to be successful.
For Michigan State: Junior defenseman Nash Nienhuis has been out of the lineup since he sustained an injury against Ferris State on Dec. 27. With an extra week’s worth of rest for the team, there’s a chance he could come back this weekend. Nightingale hasn’t given confirmation on Nienhuis’ status, but getting back one of the team’s best two-way players would give a big boost to the defense. He has 13 points this season, which, despite missing five games, is the most by any MSU defenseman.
Who’s one player to watch, beyond the obvious stars?
For Minnesota: Freshman defenseman Ryan Chesley has been an underrated part of the Gophers’ blue line. While he gets overshadowed by Faber and LaCombe, Chesley is a strong two-way player. He’s both a Washington Capitals prospect and represented the United States in the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship. His season numbers don’t jump off the page, but he’s got two assists in his last three games, and he’s starting to find his footing on the ice.
For Michigan State: It’s worth paying attention to junior Erik Middendorf. He was recently moved up to the second line with Müller and Jeremy Davidson, and he’s looked solid in that role. He started the comeback with a goal in the first game against Penn State, and he’s worked his way back onto the power play as well. He’ll be getting more opportunities, so expect Middendorf to make more of an impact on the score sheet.
Impact staff predictions
Stinson: Minnesota sweeps. Michigan State played well against Penn State, but the Gophers are on a different level. The Spartans simply don’t have the personnel to match up with Minnesota. In order to win, MSU will need to play almost entirely mistake-free, and I don’t think that’s realistic.
Jacob Phillips, Hockey Beat Reporter: At best, expect a split. Michigan State looked much better hosting Penn State than they did before the semester began. Couple that with a few Gopher missteps over the last few weeks, and the Spartans could take one win back to East Lansing.
Ryan Radosevich, Hockey Beat Reporter: Both teams split. It will be a hard-fought series but MSU will eke out a win and earn the split they desperately need if they want to host a Big Ten tournament series. When these two teams matched up in December, Minnesota seemed to want it more. They were faster and played a nearly perfect series. That’s exactly what MSU has to do if they want to earn a split.
Three takeaways from weekend series against No. 5 Penn StateMichigan State’s top line continues to impress: ‘We seem to gel together really well’‘He’s been incredible for us’: Cole Krygier overcomes tumultuous start with overtime winner
EAST LANSING — In a recent interview with the Pucks In Deep podcast, Penn State junior defenseman Jimmy Dowd Jr. was asked about the strength of the Big Ten, and he responded with a question of his own.
“Can I get a hot take here?” Dowd said. “I think Michigan State’s the best team we’ve played in the Big Ten so far.”
The podcast episode aired Monday, so it’s easy to laugh at Dowd for putting Michigan State, who have now lost seven of its last eight games, ahead of top-ten teams like Minnesota, Michigan or Ohio State.
Naturally, the hosts pressed him on what made Michigan State better than the rest.
“Everything,” Dowd said. “Their forecheck, their discipline defensively, and then just their ability to create on the line rush. At least that weekend, they were on.”
If his answer alone didn’t prove that his interview was dated, Dowd went on to mention an upcoming series with RIT. That series was played Dec. 30-31, meaning that Dowd hadn’t gotten to see MSU since then.
From the time that interview was recorded, the Spartans went on a lengthy road trip, and the results weren’t great. After two losses in the Great Lakes Invitational, they resumed their conference schedule traveling to Ohio State, where they were humbled with 3-1 and 6-0 defeats.
The latter was Michigan State’s most lopsided loss of the season. The things that Dowd highlighted as strengths — forechecking, discipline and breakouts — all became weaknesses the Buckeyes exploited.
Spartans coach Adam Nightingale attributed the performance to his team straying from its identity.
“It was the first time I really felt like we got away from being us,” he said. “And that’s our focus now. We’ve got to go and continue to be us and be the best version of us.”
Nightingale described that “best version” similarly to Dowd, focusing on his team’s high-tempo, aggressive style of play.
“We play fast, we play physical, we play in teams’ faces,” Nightingale said. “When we have the puck, we’re fast and attacking, and when we don’t have it, we’re closing and playing fast.”
Following a five-game road trip, the Spartans hope they can rediscover that identity on home ice. This weekend marks the first game at Munn Ice Arena since Dec. 9, a win over in-state rival Michigan. With another sold-out crowd, the team is hoping for a similar energy level in the rink this weekend.
Current student section line to get into @MSU_Hockey vs. Michigan tonight: pic.twitter.com/ch4ZK3FGCS
— Jacob Stinson (@jacobfstinson) December 9, 2022
“It’s always a little difficult playing on the road,” sophomore forward Jesse Tucker said. “Playing on our home turf here is obviously something that we always want to do. It’s going to be special to come back and get all the Munnsters riled up.”
Michigan State will need all the support it can get with Penn State in town. The Nittany Lions possess the most aggressive offense in the country, averaging the most shots on goal (39.9) and shot attempts (73.3) per game in the NCAA. With that pace of play, opponents cannot afford to get trapped in the defensive zone for long, which the Spartans have taken to heart.
“We know that they like taking a lot of pucks to the net,” freshman defenseman Viktor Hurtig said. “We’ve got…three good goalies, so we’ve just got to help them do their job.”
Michigan State played a series at Penn State in November, where the road team took one of two contests. After a last-minute goal gave the Nittany Lions a 4-3 win, MSU responded with a dominant 7-3 victory the following night. After only scoring 1.4 goals per game since the start of December, the Spartans believe this matchup is just what they need to get back on track.
“We want to sweep again,” Hurtig said. “We played good against them when we were on the road. We could have won both games…I think we’ve got a lot of revenge on our team from the last couple of games we played.”
For Hurtig’s wish to come true, both him and Tucker emphasized the need to play smart team defense. They said that the team had been practicing defensive angling and stick work — things that were issues in Columbus.
“We’ve faced the problem,” Tucker said. “Obviously, we figured it out, and that’s why we’re practicing so hard to get back after figuring things out. Hopefully that kinda gets us out of that slump that we had in the past.”
Despite the recent struggles, the Spartans aren’t worried that it will become a trend.
“I feel like all teams have a dip sometime,” Hurtig said. “I guess ours is right now, which I feel like could be pretty good so we can get back up on a winning streak when we get to the playoffs later this year.”
Players to watch
Karsen Dorwart, F, Michigan State: Dorwart, much like the rest of Michigan State’s offense, has gone quiet, with only three points in his last eight games. For him to return to form, Penn State would be a great team to do it against. Last time in State College, Dorwart posted two goals and two assists, earning him Big Ten’s Second Star of the Week.
Dylan St. Cyr, G, Michigan State: St. Cyr got pulled for junior backup Pierce Charleson for the first time this season at Ohio State. Although he’s been remarkably consistent all year, a three-goal first period landed him a seat on the bench Saturday. Expect him to be eager to bounce back, but he’ll have his work cut out for him against Penn State’s uptempo offense.
Kevin Wall, F, Penn State: Wall leads the charge for Penn State on both sides of the puck. He leads the team in goals (11), points (20), plus/minus rating (+18), and he has blocked the most shots of any PSU forward (21). No matter where he’s at on the ice, count on Wall to make his presence felt.
Impact staff predictions
Stinson: Both teams split. Home ice advantage is critical this weekend with Michigan State coming off a five-game road trip. I think that a full Munn will give the Spartans the jolt they need, but Penn State is too good to drop both games on the road. Expect another high-scoring series.
Jacob Phillips, Hockey Beat Reporter: Both teams split. Penn State has been on a roll the entire season, and don’t expect that to change this weekend. But even with MSU losing their momentum from November, their first series back at home in a month will make a big difference. If they can clean up the mistakes seen against Ohio State, expect a one-goal win late on Saturday to split the series.
Ryan Radosevich, Hockey Beat Reporter: Penn State sweeps. It’s hard to imagine MSU will lose seven in a row, but with how solid PSU has looked over the course of the season paired with MSU’s shaky team defense and lack of goal scoring, the Spartans would need to play a nearly flawless game to pull out some wins. It’s the first time MSU has played on home ice since Dec. 9, and that will help, but will it be enough? I’m not convinced. This series will be a battle in both games for the full 60 minutes.
With Sadlocha’s return possible, No. 14 Spartans focused on moving forward at No. 12 Ohio State“We’re really here to make it a real rivalry”: Spartans make a statement in win over MichiganNo. 12 Michigan State set to host No. 6 Michigan
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
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Throughout the season, Michigan State coach Adam Nightingale has repeatedly praised his team’s camaraderie.
“I think the want to be a team has been really good,” Nightingale said. “That makes it really fun for our coaching staff and the players to want to come to the rink. We’ve got a group of guys that want to be a team.”
Sometimes, however, the strength of that team gets tested by forces both on and off the ice. For example, when the Spartans hosted Ohio State in November, Buckeyes forward Kamil Sadlocha was ejected and given a game misconduct for using a racial slur against MSU’s Jagger Joshua, who is Black. When no further action had been taken by either the Big Ten or OSU, Joshua issued a public statement on Twitter detailing the situation.
Acts of racism do not belong in hockey.. pic.twitter.com/nm9AnIjSgV
— Jagger Joshua (@jaggerjoshua8) November 21, 2022
“The inaction has left me feeling confused and pessimistic about the movement of diversity within hockey culture,” Joshua said in his statement. “The ignorance of racism does not belong in our game, and I feel that I need to make people aware that this incident occurred, because without acknowledgement, the problem gets worse.”
After Joshua’s statement garnered national attention, and both the Big Ten and OSU gave a series of statements, Sadlocha was dismissed from the team and sent home and has not appeared in a game since late November.
This weekend, however, the Spartans head to Columbus for a road series against the Buckeyes, and there’s a chance they could see Sadlocha.
An Ohio State spokesperson confirmed to WDBM this week that Sadlocha is back with the team, although they did not comment whether he would be available to play this weekend.
Nightingale hopes that everyone involved can use the incident as a learning experience, allowing both teams to focus on the game in front of them.
“Everyone makes mistakes,” he said, “and I don’t think it should be the end of anyone, you know, and I have faith in Ohio State and their ability to help people change…It’s about moving on, and so I trust that they’ve gone through a process where they feel he’s ready to be back on the team.”
Nightingale said that Joshua shares a similar feeling and is focused on the two games in front of him.
“Jagger’s whole deal with it wasn’t about any one person or any one team. It was about the principle of how you speak to others, and I don’t think he was looking to go after anyone or anything like that. So I think he’s moved on. He’s done a great job of putting his head down and working and I’m proud of him for that,” said Nightingale.
The concept of moving on was a theme in Nightingale’s press conference Tuesday, both off and on the ice. After two losses in the Great Lakes Invitational, the Spartans finished December with a 1-5-0 record. The Spartans will need to have a short memory heading into the back half of conference play.
That’s not to say the last month was all bad, however. Even in the losses, the Spartans repeatedly put themselves in a position to win. Despite losing 4-2, they outshot Ferris State 47-22 in the GLI opener.
“I really liked us in the Ferris State game,” Nightingale said. “I think if we play that way, we’re going to win a lot of hockey games.”
Then in the consolation game against Michigan Tech, Michigan State held the lead late before a pair of power-play goals — one with 1:13 left in regulation and one in overtime — let the Huskies complete the comeback.
“We gave ourselves a chance to win,” Nightingale said. “I think they’re a really good team, you know, they’re a top 20 team for a reason. Obviously we got in some penalty trouble at the end and weren’t able to kill it off, but it’s about responding.”
The response Nightingale is looking for will depend largely on how well his team can get pucks to the inside and get high-quality shots on Ohio State goalie Jakub Dobeš. A reigning Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year, Dobeš has proven he’s capable of stealing games for his team. He’s started to find a rhythm, too, posting a .931 save percentage and a 2.00 goals against average over his last four starts.
However, the Spartans have proven they can solve the puzzle that is Dobeš. They scored four goals in each of their November wins against the Buckeyes, led by four points from senior Nicolas Müller.
Muller is opportunistic and pounces on the loose puck for his second of the season, pic.twitter.com/6nrZyiwpI7
— Michigan State Hockey (@MSU_Hockey) November 12, 2022
Michigan State will need an equally strong showing on offense to break out of its current slump. The Spartans converted on only 5.1% of their shots on goal in December, well below their 9.0% season average. Here’s the breakdown of the totals in those games:
Despite the cold shooting streak and recent lack of wins, Michigan State is still focused on long-term improvements.
Created by Jacob Stinson“As the season goes, we want to keep building our game out and get better every game,” Nightingale said. “The reality is it’s not always a straight path. Sometimes you take a step back. But I think that builds resolve in our group. You still got to believe in what we’re doing and keep doing things the right way.”
The series between Ohio State and Michigan State will begin on Friday, Jan. 6, at 7 p.m. EST from the Schottenstein Center in Columbus. The rematch will be the following afternoon at 4 p.m.
Players to watch
Cole Krygier, D, Michigan State: Krygier has impressed all season and that continued in the GLI. He has three goals in his last four games — including two against Ferris State — which ties him for the team lead this season with seven. He’s made his mark this year inserting himself into the offense and hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down.
Mason Lohrei, D, Ohio State: Lohrei is a great example of how Ohio State likes to use its defensemen. The Buckeyes don’t place much emphasis on blocking shots — they average the least blocks per game in the conference (9.6). Instead, they like their defensemen to quickly get the puck and push in transition. Lohrei is one of the most consistent examples of this and he has 15 assists on the year to prove it. It will be important for Ohio State to get in transition quickly and not get trapped in the defensive zone, so pay attention to Lohrei, the team’s best puck mover, to make that happen.
Cam Thiesing, F, Ohio State: Thiesing is the polar opposite of Lohrei. He attempts more shots than any of his teammates, and isn’t a strong playmaker but he makes up for it with his scoring. He has nine goals this year despite only two assists. He hasn’t assisted on a goal since Oct. 21, so look for Thiesing to keep throwing pucks on net.
Impact staff predictions
Stinson: Both teams split. Michigan State has been piling on enough shots recently to win most games it plays. I like that matched up against an Ohio State defense that doesn’t block much. However, beating a team four times in a season is extremely difficult, and I think that the Buckeyes come out with at least one win at home.
Jacob Phillips, Hockey Beat Reporter: Most likely, this will be a split. Sadlocha news aside, both teams have a lot to play for. MSU’s performance in the GLI was far from the best we’ve seen in the first half of the season, but they’ve bounced back from worse games before. Look for them to take at least one game in Columbus.
Ryan Radosevich, Hockey Beat Reporter: Split. This is going to be an…interesting series. MSU is coming off a disappointing GLI, but the Buckeyes haven’t played a game since Dec. 17. Look for the Spartans to be hungry to get back into the win column, but since it’s at OSU’s barn I see this ending up as a series split.
“We’re really here to make it a real rivalry”: Spartans make a statement in win over MichiganNo. 12 Michigan State set to host No. 6 MichiganLate rally not enough to overcome Spartans mistakes in loss vs. No. 4 Minnesota
EAST LANSING – The Michigan State men’s basketball team returns to the hardwood as it hosts the University of Buffalo on the night before New Year’s Eve. The Spartans look to extend their win streak to four games against a strong Bulls team on Friday afternoon.
Michigan State leads the all-time series against Buffalo 4-0 and this is the first time the two sides meet since 1938.
Senior forward Malik Hall is expected to return to the court after missing the last six weeks due to a left foot stress fracture. Hall is one of head coach Tom Izzo’s leaders and his absence in the last two months has been difficult without the 6-foot-8 forward on both ends of the floor.
He will look to regain form before the Big Ten schedule starts again in 2023.
GAMEDAY! Last one of 2022 tonight pic.twitter.com/oKKiD4MSQO
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) December 30, 2022
Before his injury, Hall averaged 12 points per game and 5.3 rebounds.
The Buffalo Bulls are 6-6 on the season, with an 0-2 away record while the Spartans have an overall record of 8-4.
The Spartans defeated Penn State, Brown and Oakland in their past three games. Senior forward Joey Hauser led MSU against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies with 16 points and four rebounds.
The Bulls are coming off an unprecedented 129-62 win against SUNY Canton, where seven players recorded double digits in scoring. The leading scorer was freshman guard Devin Ceasar with 25 points.
Sophomore guard Curtis Jones has been a critical player to the Bulls’ success this season, as he leads the team in points per game (14.8), minutes played per game (29.1) and points overall (177), while also having the second highest number of steals (20).
The game against the Bulls is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Dec. 30 at the Breslin Center. Going into the new year, the Spartans will host Nebraska on Jan. 3 and Michigan on Jan. 7.
EAST LANSING — Last season, Michigan and Michigan State, the most-played rivalry in college hockey, faced off six times — four times in the regular season and twice in the Big Ten tournament. All six went to the Wolverines.
The last of those, an 8-0 blowout in Ann Arbor, forced the Spartans to take a long look in the mirror. If Michigan State wanted to be a competitive college hockey program in the near future, it was going to need to make some changes.
So that’s what happened. Michigan State brought in an entirely new coaching staff, headed by Adam Nightingale, to go along with 12 new players on the roster.
The results have been better than expected, to say the least. Michigan State already has more points than it accrued a season ago. The Spartans are 11-6-1, rank No. 12 in the latest USCHO poll and sit at third place in the Big Ten.
That early success has forced the college hockey world to take notice, including the same team that embarrassed the Spartans in early March.
“It’s better for the rivalry,” Michigan forward Jay Keranen said. “We know where they’re at, and…where we’re at. There’s huge points on the line, that makes the rivalry that much better.”
Similar to Michigan State, Michigan also has a new head coach. Brandon Naurato is serving as the interim head coach after Mel Pearson was let go in August.
Both the Wolverines and Spartans are led by a plethora of young talent. Despite the departure of Owen Power, Matty Beniers and Kent Johnson to the National Hockey League, Michigan has retained plenty of pro-level talent. Luke Hughes, who was picked fifth overall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, both anchors the defense and quarterbacks the power play. Fellow first-rounder Mackie Samoskevich is having a career season, already outscoring his goal total from a year ago. A top prospect for 2023, freshman Adam Fantilli has also made an immediate impact as one of the country’s most dangerous scorers.
While Michigan will be without Fantilli – who will be representing Team Canada in the World Junior Ice Hockey Championship – the identity of the Wolverines remains the same.
“(It’s the) same Michigan,” Nightingale said. “They have a lot of talent, a lot of speed and want to play with a lot of skill. (They’re) a really good team.”
For Michigan State, the biggest surprise has been its first line, led by two freshmen: Daniel Russell and Karsen Dorwart. Both are scoring at nearly a point-per-game pace, which leads the team. To complement Russell and Dorwart on the wing, senior Jagger Joshua, who had been known primarily as an enforcer, found his scoring touch, turning in career highs in both goals and points.
The similarities don’t stop there, however. Despite the hot start, both teams suffered rather humbling series the weekend before.
Michigan State suffered its first consecutive losses of the season in a sweep by Minnesota. The Spartans were outscored 11-3 on the weekend, and the first goal for Michigan State didn’t come until the last period of the final game.
Michigan, who sits at fifth place in the Big Ten, split its weekend series with Wisconsin, giving the Badgers their first conference win of the season in a shocking upset.
Both teams will want to put the previous week behind them. And there’s no better distraction than a rivalry game, with each team getting to play on home ice.
“Outside of the rivalry for us, these are still two huge games in the Big Ten,” Michigan assistant coach Rob Rassey said. “These are conference games for us, and we haven’t had a great start to the conference…They’re two huge games, and we’re making sure our guys know that.”
“Obviously this is a big weekend for us,” Nightingale said. “We want to keep growing as a team.”
Friday’s game will take place at Munn Ice Arena, whereas Saturday’s contest will be at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor. The puck will drop for both games at 6:30 p.m. EST.
Players to watch
Luke Hughes, D, Michigan: If you’ve heard Hughes’ name before, it’s likely for one of two reasons. Either you’re familiar with his brothers, NHL stars Jack and Quinn, or you watched him dominate Michigan State a season ago. Like his brothers, Luke is an elite skater and playmaker. That skillset makes him one of the main engines for the Michigan offense, especially breaking out of the defensive zone or running a power play. Last season, he scored 13 points in six games against the Spartans, so expect him to be a big part of the Wolverine offense again.
Rutger McGroarty, F, Michigan: Rivalry games are almost a guarantee to become scrappy. That’s where big, physical power forwards like McGroarty come in. A first-round pick of the Winnipeg Jets, McGroarty has put up big numbers thanks to his combination of power and finesse. He’s strong with both a powerful shot and good stickhandling. He’s Michigan’s third leading scorer and has seven points in his last four games.
Jeremy Davidson, F, Michigan State: After struggling early on, Davidson has started to find his groove for the Spartans. He has seven points in the last five games, including two scores in the second game against Minnesota. He’s been making smart decisions around the net and positioning himself well to put back rebounds, which should set him up for success against a Michigan team that’s had lackluster goaltending from starter Erik Portillo to this point.
Impact staff predictions
Stinson: Both teams split. I don’t believe that Michigan State would drop four games in a row, and Michigan is too talented for me to think a Spartan sweep is realistic. While the Spartans will need a much stronger effort than what they showed against Minnesota, I think the sold-out crowd at Munn will help them do that Friday.
Jacob Phillips, Hockey Beat Reporter: Expect a hard-fought series ending in a split. Home ice advantage will never mean more than in this series, and both teams will need support to take advantage of crowd support. These are good teams, and I don’t see either coming out on top in both.
Ryan Radosevich, Hockey Beat Reporter: It’s a home-and-home rivalry series and I’m expecting a split. Michigan State will pull out a gutsy win at home and break the six-game losing streak to the Wolverines. Michigan, despite some ups and downs early this season, are a very talented team that should take care of the Spartans on home ice.
Late rally not enough to overcome Spartans mistakes in loss vs. No. 4 MinnesotaNo. 4 Minnesota scores five in win over No. 13 Michigan StatePreview and predictions for No. 13 MSU hockey’s series versus No. 4 Minnesota
The NCAA Volleyball Tournament began last week. The 41st installment of the event has, so far, been a success as we saw teams take the floor across eight different arenas and play 48 matches total.
This weekend, the third round kicks off, headlined by some intriguing matchups. Before we look at those matchups, we’ll take a look back at the first two rounds and decide the winners and losers outside of the box scores.
Winner: Chalk In the world of bracket making and sports betting, the phenomenon of “picking chalk” refers to picking the team favored to win that game. It’s considered a low-risk, low-reward gamble and usually only works in sports with a lack of parity between the top teams and the mid-to-low-tier teams.
Well, there wasn’t a whole lot of parity in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament this year, with 42 of the 48 matches being won by the favorites, including all of the Round of 32 matchups. If you filled out a bracket this year and only picked the favorites, your bracket would be 87.5% correct. In comparison, the odds of getting the first 32 matches right in an NCAA basketball bracket is about 1 in 4.2 billion (per Bar Down).
This competitive balance problem is something the NCAA might want to look into if they want this tournament to become as popular as March Madness. Another way for this tournament to gain popularity is for people to actually be able to watch the games, which brings us to our first loser.
Loser: Anyone Who Doesn’t Have ESPN+
Last weekend, while following along to one of four first-round match-ups that went into a fifth set, I encountered a problem. I didn’t have ESPN+. I had two options at this point: cave in and buy an ESPN+ monthly pass–one that I’ll probably forget I bought and end up paying $10/month for eternity–to watch three days’ worth of volleyball or miss the game and the entire first two rounds. Yes, you read that correctly, the entire first two rounds.
With all first and second-round games being exiled to ESPN+, visibility for the sport remains too low, and forces us to miss great games such as Auburn vs. Houston or Baylor vs. Rice, which both went to five sets. It also forces us to miss star-studded matchups like USC vs. OSU, which featured Big Ten Setter of the Year, Mac Podraza and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Kylie Murr, as well as Pac-12 All-Conference selections Skylar Fields and Mia Tuaniga.
Long story short, Disney wins again, and I got to watch Purdue pull out a five-set thriller against Tennessee. There is a silver lining, however, as starting on Thursday, all of the third-round matchups will be on ESPNU or ESPN2. You can see a schedule for them, here.
Winner: The Big Ten Last week, when outlining some of the storylines surrounding this year’s tournament. I spent a lot of time discussing the Big Ten. I also thought to myself, do I have a Big Ten bias? If so, is it earned? Was the Big Ten really the best conference in the country, or was it the only conference I really had viewing access to? The correct answer is that it’s probably a little bit of both.
While the Big Ten came in with six teams, tied for second-most with the Pac-12, I still thought it was a little weird that teams like LSU from the SEC got a nod by the committee despite its last ranked win coming in September.
Compare that with Big Ten teams such as Illinois or Northwestern, each had a ranked win in October and hung with the upper echelon of Big Ten teams all year long, and you wonder how they would have fared. Regardless of tournament selection snubbing, the Big Ten powered through the first two rounds, with Purdue being the only team to get eliminated in the Round of 32 by No. 1 seed Louisville, and having the most teams left in the tournament with five. No other conference in the country has more than two.
Unfortunately, the tournament will be losing at least two Big Ten teams as the round of 16 moves to the round of eight. Minnesota and Ohio St. are set to play each other at Noon ET, Thursday on ESPN2, and Wisconsin is squaring up against Penn St. at 6:00 p.m. ET, Thursday, on ESPNU.
The other Big Ten team, Nebraska faces Oregon at 11 a.m. ET, Thursday, also on ESPNU. Is this a conspiracy to ensure conference parity in the tournament, or just unlucky? We’ll never know.
Loser (sorta): Every Other Conference While nobody expects everybody from their conference to survive and advance at the most important tournament of the year, you would expect a little more out of the Power Five than we have gotten so far this year.
The SEC came into this year’s tournament with the highest number of teams at seven. However, it enters the third round with just Florida and Kentucky still fighting for a chance at the crown. The SEC, though, can’t be too concerned with how its teams are performing. The conference is 8-5 overall through the first two rounds and was 6-1 in the first round. It did, however, run into some bad luck, with Georgia and LSU both bowing out to No. 1 seeds.
Similarly, the Big 12 entered the tournament with five teams and cruised through the first round, with TCU and Kansas even pulling upsets over Washington and Miami, respectively. It wasn’t until the Round of 32, that those teams and Iowa St. lost.
Now left with two teams, the Big 12 will look for either Texas or Baylor to capture the crown. Texas came close in 2020, finishing as runner-up to that year’s champion, Kentucky. The Longhorns look to capture their first crown since 2016, while Baylor will look to capture its program’s first national volleyball championship in school history.
Texas will play Marquette, who beat Georgia Tech with ease, at 2:30 p.m. ET, Thursday on ESPN2 and Baylor will be in for a dog fight against Louisville at 1:30 p.m. ET, Thursday on ESPNU.
Michigan State baseball now knows its schedule for the 2023 season. The Spartans will play a 56-game slate, with the season starting February 17, 2023.
The complete 56-game schedule is below with road games in BOLD and neutral-site games in ITALICS:
Feb. 17 – 20 (Games 1-4) Grand Canyon University
Feb. 24 Game 5 USC Upstate
Feb. 25 Game 6 Gardner-Webb
Feb. 26 Game 7 Presbyterian
Mar. 3 Game 8 College of Charleston
Mar. 4 Game 9 Charleston Southern
Mar. 5 Game 10 College of Charleston
Mar. 6 Game 11 Air Force
Mar. 8 Game 12 Wofford
Mar. 10 Game 13 Western Carolina
Mar. 11 Game 14 Kansas
Mar. 11 Game 15 Western Carolina
Mar. 12 Game 16 Kansas
Mar. 17-19 (Games 17-19) Indiana State
Mar. 22 (Game 20) Western Michigan
Mar. 24-26 (Game 21-23) Purdue
Mar. 29 (Game 24) Western Michigan
Mar. 31-Apr. 2 (Games 25-27) Rutgers
Apr. 4 (Game 28) Lansing Lugnuts
Apr. 5 (Game 29) Bowling Green
Apr. 7-9 (Games 30-32) Ohio State
Apr. 11 (Game 33) Notre Dame
Apr. 12 (Game 34) Oakland
Apr. 14-16 (Games 35-37) Western Illinois
Apr. 19 (Game 38) Purdue Fort Wayne
Apr. 21-23 (Games 39-41) Michigan
Apr. 25 (Game 42) Notre Dame
Apr. 28-30 (Game 43-45) Northwestern
May 5-7 (Game 46-48) Illinois
May 10 (Game 49) Eastern Michigan
May 12-14 (Game 50-52) Iowa
May 16 (Game 53) Central Michigan
May 18-20 (Game 54-56) Indiana
The Big Ten Tournament will be played May 24-28 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Neb., the same location as the College World Series.
Highlights of the schedule include the Spartans’ first-ever matchup with Grand Canyon, initiated by a trip out to Phoenix to play the Antelopes at GCU Stadium. The Spartans also take on a 12-game road stand out in the Carolinas playing nine different teams over 15 days. Notable teams the Spartans play on the road trip include Air Force, Kansas, and Wofford.
The Spartans’ first home game comes in Game 21 of 56 with the Purdue Boilermakers coming into town to play at McLane Stadium on March 24. A game with the Lansing Lugnuts awaits as well midseason with the Spartans taking a trip to Jackson Field in Lansing on April 4.
Michigan State also only plays Michigan in one series. The Spartans host the Wolverines April 21-23 at McLane Stadium.
EAST LANSING – Ranked No. 13 nationally and second place in the Big Ten standings are the Michigan State Spartans.
Who’s first in the Big Ten? The Minnesota Golden Gophers. Both of them will clash this Friday and Saturday for the top spot in the conference.
MSU (11-4-1) is coming off a red-hot November, winning seven out of its last eight matchups. The only loss coming on the road against No. 6 Penn State. Last month, MSU averaged 4.625 goals per game. The best in the nation for the time period.
Meanwhile, No. 4 ranked Minnesota (11-5-0) has won seven of their past nine contests and is coming off a split against the Arizona State Sun Devils.
Dylan St. Cyr, starting goalie and graduate transfer for the Spartans, is putting up great numbers in his first season for the green and white. He’s currently sitting at a 2.13 goals allowed average and a 0.934 save percentage which is fourth best in the nation. However, the Spartans face their hardest offensive test of the season as they face a Golden Gopher team that scores 3.90 goals per game, third best in the nation.
Jimmy Snuggerud, a freshman forward for the Golden Gophers and first-round draft pick of the St. Louis Blues, is leading the charge with 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 16 games played. He’s been an offensive dynamo for Minnesota in his young career. Look for him to put some points up this weekend.
Coming off a hat trick last weekend against Miami (OH) and 10 points (6 goals, 4 assists) in his past six games, MSU freshman Karsen Dorwart is somebody to keep an eye out for. His 17 points on the season is second on the team, just one point behind his freshman linemate Daniel Russell.
Minnesota dominates the all-time series 129-50-16 and have won the past nine matchups, but MSU has only lost two out of nine games on home ice this season.
Impact Staff Predictions Ryan Radosevich: Series split. MSU will break its losing streak against the Gophers. Minnesota is a very talented team especially with freshman Logan Cooley and Snuggerud putting up big numbers early on. Both teams’ play styles match each other well, and I do not see a world where one team wins both games. Should be a great series.
Jacob Stinson: Series split. Minnesota is a young team with really talented freshmen in Cooley and Snuggerud, but they’re 4-3-0 on the road. Meanwhile, MSU has won its last six in a row at home. While Minnesota is a more talented team, the Spartans play great team hockey, making this an exciting matchup.
Jacob Phillips: Series split. Both teams have performed well up to this point, and neither has proven themselves undeniably better. If Minnesota and MSU both play its best, each can take a game away from this weekend.
Puck drop is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Friday and 6 p.m. on Saturday. Both games will take place at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing.
EAST LANSING, MI – The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets will face Michigan State at 8:00 P.M at the Breslin Center on Thursday night to kick off the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Michigan State returns to East Lansing after its trip to Oregon for the Phil Knight Invitational last weekend. In Portland, MSU lost to both No. 5 Iowa State, 80-49, and No. 18 Oregon, 86-78.
For the Yellow Jackets, they competed in the Gulf Coast Showcase last weekend, where they played three games against South Florida, Air Force and Belmont. Georgia Tech went 2-1 on the weekend, capped off by a nail-biting win over Belmont, 58-52.
Michigan State has a 6-2 record, with an undefeated record at home in five games this season. During last week’s game against Oregon on Nov. 27, senior guard Kamaria McDaniel exploded for 28 points and gained four rebounds and seven assists. Although the Spartans lost, she carried the team throughout the entire game and played 37 of the possible 40 minutes. McDaniel was quintessential in MSU’s comeback from being down as much as 17 points in the first half. Sophomore forward Isaline Alexander also played well as she tallied 15 points during the contest.
Isaline Alexander shoots the ball around a defender during Michigan State’s victory over Delaware State on November 7, 2022. Photo Credit: Sarah Smith/WDBMGeorgia Tech has a record of 5-2 overall with losses to Georgia and South Florida. Senior guard Cameron Swartz is averaging 12.7 points per game this season as well as 4.7 rebounds. Close behind is senior guard, Bianca Jackson, averaging 12.6 points per game and shooting an impressive 40% from the floor. Jackson is coming off a big weekend at the Gulf Coast Showcase where she scored 12 points against Air Force and exploded for 24 in the win over Belmont.
This is only the third meeting ever between MSU and Georgia Tech. All previous meetings have also come in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. In 2008, Georgia Tech won by a score of 70-57, but in 2014, the Spartans exacted revenge and won 79-73.
This will be the final ACC/Big Ten Challenge due to the Big Ten’s new television contract that begins in 2023. The deal agrees that ESPN will not be broadcasting any Big Ten games, so if there were to be an ACC/Big Ten challenge, the challenge series would have to be split between both ESPN and Fox, where the home games from each conference would be covered by their television contract.
McDaniel’s 28 points not enough as Michigan State ends PKI tournament 0-2No. 5 Iowa State ends Spartans’ undefeated streakMSU women’s hoops rolls past Florida A&M 109-44
PORTLAND, Ore. – After an 81-70 loss to No. 18 Alabama in the first game of the Phil Knight Invitational, the Michigan State men’s basketball team returns to the hardwood to face Oregon at the Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum.
“We ran out of gas and it hurt our offense,” head coach Tom Izzo said after Thursday’s loss. “We have to get some guys [to play] better.”
The Spartans (3-2) were handicapped on the floor without senior forward Malik Hall (foot injury) and Jaden Akins (ankle injury) on Thursday night, but Izzo included some rotational players on the court.
update: Our next game in the PKI will be against Oregon, tonight at 12 AM ET on ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/vJHcPXsANu
— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) November 25, 2022
Freshmen Tre Holloman, Jaxon Kohler and Carson Cooper combined for 29 minutes on the floor.
“We don’t have enough bodies right now, and those freshmen played a lot of minutes,” Izzo said. “In all honesty, Jaxon [Kohler] played pretty well, Carson [Cooper] struggled with some things, but I didn’t think I’d be playing those guys for 20 minutes.”
Kohler scored six points and had seven rebounds against the Crimson Tide.
The Spartans struggled to defend Alabama’s freshman sensation Brandon Miller, who ended the night with a game-high 24 points and nine rebounds.
Oregon comes into Friday night’s contest with a 2-3 record. They lost the first PKI game against No. 20 Connecticut 59-83.
The 7-foot Ducks center Kel’el Ware scored 18 points and recorded nine rebounds against UConn.
Throughout the 2022-2023 season, senior center N’Faly Dante is averaging 14.8 points and 7.4 rebounds for the Ducks. Dante is from Bamako, Mali, and was the No. 1 recruit out of Kansas in 2020 playing for Sunrise Christian Academy.
The Ducks’ losses before UConn were against No. 3 Houston on Nov. 20 and UC Irvine on Nov. 11.
Tip-off against the Oregon Ducks is scheduled for midnight EST from the Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Ore. It will air on ESPN2 and Impact 88.9 FM with broadcasters Brendan Schabath and Zach Slowik.
FINAL: Michigan State 70, Alabama 81No. 12 Michigan State opens Phil Knight Invitational against No. 18 AlabamaMarkoch: MSU needs to rely on its defense for continued success
PORTLAND, Ore. — The No. 12 Michigan State men’s basketball team opens the Phil Knight Invitational against No. 18 Alabama on Thursday, Nov. 24. This will be the first of three guaranteed games for the Spartans in Portland, Ore.
The Thanksgiving Day matchup between Michigan State and Alabama will be the third all-time meeting between the programs. The last time the two met was at the Pearl Harbor Classic on Dec. 23, 1998.
Current MSU assistant coach Thomas Kelley played in that game for the Spartans.
“It will give us a good indication of where we are or where we need to get better at,” head coach Tom Izzo said. “I’m looking forward to it.”
The Spartans are one of six teams to play at least four AP-ranked opponents in the month of November, since the 2009-10 season. They are also the only team in the country to play two top-four teams in No. 2 Gonzaga and No. 4 Kentucky.
MSU senior forward Malik Hall was ruled out for the PKI tournament with a foot injury on Wednesday and sophomore Jaden Akins is unlikely to play as he recovers from an ankle injury.
“Whether he’ll [Akins] play in the first or second game, I don’t know but we need him with his athletic ability to guard these three-point shooters,” Izzo said.
On the other side, Alabama has two players who are unlikely to appear against the Spartans. St. Bonaventure graduate transfer Dom Welch is listed as questionable with a lower-body injury and Darius Miles missed the last two games with a foot injury.
Huge news for MSU. Both Spartans & Tide are dealing with injuries heading into this matchup.
MSU now w/ out Hall and likely Akins.
Bama w/ out Dom Welch, Darius Miles (maybe), not to mention Jahvon Quinerly has only played 21 min this season since tearing his ACL last year. https://t.co/LsUWnZBEvm
— Brendan Schabath (@Bschabath3) November 24, 2022
Welch transferred from St. Bonaventure and made the NIT All-Tournament team last season. He made 257 three-pointers and shot 34.7% from beyond the arc during his four years at St. Bonaventure.
“It’s going to take a lot from my staff and a lot from my players,” Izzo said. “What an exciting time for us because we’ve put ourselves in a position where we feel we can play with a lot of people, but yet understand that we have work, we have things that we haven’t done as well.”
MSU comes off two wins against No. 15 Kentucky at the Champions Classic and Villanova on Nov. 18 in East Lansing, Mich. The Spartans sit at 3-1 overall on the season.
Guard Tyson Walker recorded 22 points and five assists in the 73-71 win over Villanova. Walker and guard AJ Hoggard will look to have most of the workload for Thursday night’s game.
Without Hall, the Spartans will be handicapped on both ends of the floor. They will have to guard Alabama’s five-star recruit Brandon Miller, who was a 2021 McDonald’s All-American.
The 6-foot-9 forward from Cane Ridge high school in Tenessee most recently recorded 28 points and eight rebounds against Jacksonville State on Nov. 18.
“He [Miller] is long, athletic, and can shoot threes,” Izzo said. “Some people compare him to a Kevin Durant.”
Miller leads Alabama in scoring with 20.3 points per game.
Izzo is 1-0 against the Crimson Tide in the all-time series.
The first game of the PKI tournament for MSU tips off at 10:30 p.m. EST and will air live on ESPN as well as Impact 89 FM’s Brendan Schabath and Zach Slowik will broadcast the game from the Moda Center.
Markoch: MSU needs to rely on its defense for continued successSpartans squeak by Villanova to close out Izzo’s ‘most memorable week’Hauser, Hall inspire MSU to double overtime win against No. 4 Kentucky
EAST LANSING — The fourth-seeded Michigan State women’s soccer team faces off against No. 17 TCU in the second round of the NCAA tournament. After a dramatic 3-2 win against Milwaukee in the first round, the Spartans prepare for another knockout game against the Horned Frogs on Friday, Nov. 18.
This will be the first time MSU faces TCU since the program started in 1986.
“They’re [TCU] a national brand,” Hosler said. “They’re very similar to us. In fact, if you go through analytics, they’re the team most like us in possession and style of play.”
The Spartans were left stunned when Milwaukee’s Kayla Rollins scored in the 89th minute to send the game to overtime.
Graduate forward Camryn Evans sent MSU to the second round of the national tournament after her late game-winner in overtime solidified the win against Milwaukee.
“It’s very difficult for a team to concede in that type of dramatic fashion and be able to come back out and be on the front foot,” Hosler said. “I think it shows the resiliency they play with.”
It was the Spartans’ first-ever home win in the National Tournament.
TCU (13-4-5) has faced five ranked opponents in the regular season. They came out on top against Santa Clara and Texas A&M but were held to a draw against Harvard and Texas.
TCU defeated UTSA in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Two goals in the last eight minutes of the game saw the Horned Frogs through to the second round.
Sophomore forward Camryn Lancaster sealed the 3-1 victory over TCU in the 83rd minute.
The Horned Frogs finished in second place in the Big 12 standings and had a similar record to the Spartans.
However, Friday’s game against MSU raises a different challenge for TCU.
The second round will be played at the University of Notre Dame and temperatures are expected to reach 27 degrees with snow showers earlier in the day. With the wind chill, it will be a frosty afternoon in South Bend, Indiana.
“It’ll feel like seven degrees..yes seven… so that’s perfect for us,” Hosler said. “We’ll be training outside all week and getting ready.”
Michigan State will not just have to continue to adjust to tough conditions but will also have to adjust to TCU forward Messiah Bright’s play style. Bright earned a call-up to the US U23 Women’s Youth National Team in June.
She is a clinical striker that usually needs less than two touches to find a clear shot opportunity. She has scored 49 goals in five seasons at TCU.
In 2021, Bright was named a United Soccer Coaches First-Team All-American and was the Big 12 tournament Most Outstanding Player.
“Coach Bell has done an excellent job of bringing a talented team together, and I think they boast a lot of impressive individual athletes who we will have to manage to find success,” Hosler said.
Bright and MSU forward Lauren DeBeau have both notched 11 goals and earned All-Conference First-Team honors, respectively.
“She’s [DeBeau] got a bit of that old-school toughness in her,” Hosler said. “She hasn’t been physically at 100 percent for over two months now but you wouldn’t know it with the impact she makes on the pitch.”
DeBeau is this year’s Big Ten Forward of the Year after leading MSU to its first-ever conference championship in just her second year in East Lansing.
“The thing I admire most is when it’s hard when it’s a tough moment she’s the one who wants the ball to make those plays,” Hosler said.
She transferred to MSU in 2021 from Central Michigan University. DeBeau has scored 13 goals and tallied six assists since then.
“We’re the newcomer to this party on Friday,” Hosler said. “We’re just looking to go, have that same mentality. Win or lose, we play hard and let our work and performance do the rest.”
Friday’s second-round matchup against No. 17 TCU is scheduled for 3 p.m. from South Bend, Indiana, and will stream on ESPN+.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Before each season begins, the Big Ten conducts a coaches’ poll. In addition to picking the preseason All-Big Ten teams, each team’s coach predicts how the conference will play out. At the bottom of the list this season: Penn State and Michigan State.
Coming #B1GHockey
Minnesota was tabbed the favorite in the 2022-23 Big Ten hockey preseason coaches’ poll. https://t.co/bxMCUFPI8y pic.twitter.com/L3zdyMKsKt
— Big Ten Hockey (@B1GHockey) September 21, 2022
Fast forward to now, and those two teams will play each other this weekend for the top spot in the Big Ten.
While the poll looks bad now, the rankings made sense at the time.
Penn State was one of the worst defensive teams in the country last year. Despite that, the Nittany Lions didn’t make any significant defensive upgrades in the transfer portal. The team was trusting junior Liam Souliere, who posted a .904 save percentage the year before, as the lead goalie.
For as bad as Penn State’s defense was, Michigan State’s offense might have been worse. The Spartans lost 15 of 16 to end last season, due in large part to a lack of offense and being unable to maintain possession of the puck.
Both teams have turned those narratives on their heads. Penn State is out to a 10-2-0 start behind coach Guy Gadowsky’s fast-paced, aggressive offense. His team paces the NCAA in shot attempts with 890, despite every other team in the top four playing more games.
“They’re a shot-volume, put-you-on-your-heels team,” Michigan State coach Adam Nightingale said. “It can create a lot of chaos when you throw it in their home rink. That’ll be really huge for us is how we manage those moments, because they will push, and they’re good in transition.”
While the Nittany Lions’ early schedule wasn’t much of a test — their first four opponents have a combined record of 11-35-1 — they’ve started to prove themselves in November. Splits against Michigan and Minnesota, both ranked No. 1 at the time, have vaulted Penn State into sixth place in the latest USCHO poll.
“Obviously they’re a confident team now,” Nightingale said. “They’ve knocked off a couple of really good teams. I’m super excited because I think this is when you find out what your group’s about.”
Michigan State has been playing like an entirely different team from a year ago. Nightingale’s system has given the Spartan offense a new life. Michigan State has scored 18 goals over its past four games, including eight in a sweep of No. 10 Ohio State.
Those four wins have led to an 8-3-1 record and a No. 17 ranking. That marks the first time Michigan State has been ranked since early February 2020, not that Nightingale is concerned.
“It’s nice to be ranked, but it doesn’t really mean anything,” he said. “I want our team’s focus always to be ‘just get better today.’ We’ve got to earn a lot of respect back in college hockey, and I think our guys have started to do that. We still have a ways to go, but we don’t look too much into the polls.”
Players to watchNicolas Müller, F, Michigan State: There’s been a few Spartans returning from last year who have had breakout seasons under Nightingale. Müller is certainly one of them. His two-goal, two-assist series against Ohio State earned him Big Ten First Star of the Week honors. His career-best 10 points are tied for the second most on the team this season. Normally a playmaker, Müller has shown he has the ability to score when called upon. Look for him to build on that this weekend.
Liam Souliere, G, Penn State: If there was a “Most Improved” award in college hockey, Souliere would have to be near the top of the list. His improvement year after year has been remarkable. After a lackluster 2021-22, he’s anchored Penn State to one of the best starts in the country. Souliere’s performance will be key to Penn State’s success this weekend. We’ve already seen how Gadowsky’s system works when the goaltending isn’t playing well, and the results aren’t good.
Liam Souliere’s stat lines in each of his three seasons at Penn State./ Credit: Jacob StinsonConnor McMenamin, F, Penn State: When McMenamin is scoring, Penn State is rolling. He’s had multiple three-point games, including three assists in his team’s upset win over Minnesota. He has seven points in the last five games. His line with fellow seniors Connor MacEachern and Ashton Calder has accounted for 14 goals and 28 points as the top line this year. Penn State will need a similar effort from McMenamin and company this weekend.
Impact staff predictionsStinson: Both teams split. Both Michigan State and Penn State have been outplaying expectations all season, which is what makes this matchup so intriguing. Penn State has split with every Big Ten team not named Wisconsin, and I think the same holds true this weekend. The key for Michigan State is slowing the game down and not letting Penn State control the pace of play. I feel like the Spartans will be successful doing so one night, but not both.
Jacob Phillips, Hockey Beat Reporter: Both teams split. I think MSU takes game two. Penn State has been doing really well this year and has a significant home-ice advantage. MSU had trouble on the road against Notre Dame, but the Spartans have held themselves well against other conference opponents. Expect at least one close-scoring game where MSU can come out on top by a goal.
Ryan Radosevich, Hockey Beat Reporter: Both teams split. These two teams’ play styles are very similar to each other, and both have produced early-season success, so it’s hard to think one will have the edge over the other. This series falls on goaltending for me; whoever has the more solid goaltender over the weekend might be able to take two games. It should be a great series to watch.
The Spartans’ first contest against Penn State will come Friday at Pegula Ice Arena at 7 p.m. EST. The puck will drop for game two the following night at 7:30 p.m. EST.
EAST LANSING – Michigan State is coming off an impressive series sweep against Wisconsin. The 6-3-1 Spartans wrap up their four-game homestand as they welcome in No. 10/11 ranked 7-2-1 Ohio State for a Thursday-Friday series. OSU is currently tied for second in Big Ten standings at nine points while MSU has eight points in...
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...
Zach, Liam, Zac, and Cam talk about the 8 suspensions, preview the Illinois game and Liam brags of having the first 5-0 week in the pick’em.
EAST LANSING – Michigan State returns to Munn Ice Arena this weekend to host the Wisconsin Badgers Friday and Saturday. Last weekend’s series against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish proved rough for the Spartans. Not only was it their first full-road series of the season, but it was also their first conference matchup. Game one...
EAST LANSING– Michigan State volleyball is preparing to play its rival Michigan on the road. The Spartans are 1-9 in Big Ten play and are seeking to end their eight-match losing streak. Michigan has lost three straight matches as the second half of conference play is underway. The Wolverines are 4-6 in conference play. MSU...
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...
East Lansing – The Michigan State men’s soccer team will play its final game of the 2022 Big Ten season on Sunday, Oct. 30 against Northwestern. It will be the first game of a doubleheader at DeMartin Stadium as the women’s side play their first Big Ten tournament game shortly after. Sunday’s match will be...
Michigan State has dominated the third period all season. The Spartans have proven to be capable of mounting a comeback, outshooting their opponents 88-39 in the third. However, they probably hope they won’t have to do it as often. Last weekend marked the first time that Michigan State scored the opening goal in a game....
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...
In this week’s episode Ryan Radosevich, Jacob Stinson and Jacob Phillips talk about the first sweep in the Nightingale era as MSU took care of business 3-1 and 8-4 against Long Island University. They also previewed the start of Big Ten action as MSU heads to South Bend to take on No. 12 Notre Dame.
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...
EAST LANSING – The Michigan State volleyball team is going on the road to face No. 5 Wisconsin. The Badgers are currently in the midst of a seven-game win streak against MSU. The Spartans are 1-7 in Big Ten play, while Wisconsin is 7-1. The Badgers have played the 12th toughest schedule according to the...
EAST LANSING — While Michigan State had its homecoming last weekend, former Spartans forward Adam Goodsir will get his own Friday. Goodsir, an Okemos native, transferred to Long Island University in May after four seasons with Michigan State. As a result, he has taken a larger role within the Sharks’ offense, posting a goal and...
EAST LANSING – The Michigan State field hockey team prepares to host the No. 3 Northwestern Wildcats on Friday. The Spartans (6-6) are 0-5 in conference play and are looking for their first Big Ten win of the season. This matchup will be the 65th all-time meeting between the two, with the Wildcats leading the...
EAST LANSING — The Michigan State cross country team is traveling to Madison, Wisconsin this Friday for the biggest test of the season thus far, the Nuttycombe Invitational. An elite national-level meet, the Nuttycombe Invite consistently plays host to the best runners in the country, and this year’s field is no different. Described as the...
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. ...
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...
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State Field Hockey is attempting to stop its slide after two consecutive losses by a combined score of 2-11. The Spartans come into this game with a 4-4 record overall, and a 1-3 record against ranked opponents with the sole win coming in their first game of the season against...
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...
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...
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...
EAST LANSING — The Michigan State men’s soccer team is preparing for a crucial weekend. The Spartans travel to Bowling Green State University on Friday and then will immediately return home for a Monday night game against Chicago State University. MSU (1-3) looks to get back to .500 after losing its last three games. “We...
EAST LANSING — After suffering its first defeat of the season against No. 11 Arkansas, the Michigan State women’s soccer team returns to East Lansing to face Oakland University on Thursday and then No. 19 Colorado on Sunday, Sept. 11. The Spartans (4-1-1) visited the Razorbacks last Sunday and were on the short end of...
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State opened its season under much different circumstances than it did a season ago. The No. 15 ranked Spartans welcomed the Western Michigan Broncos with tangible energy and expectation surrounding the team. 73,000 fans crowded into Spartan Stadium to watch MSU defeat Western 35-13 on Friday night. After an 11-win...
EAST LANSING — The Michigan State cross country team is set to open its 2022 season at the 37th Annual Jeff Drenth Memorial Invitational in Shepherd, Michigan on Friday, Sep. 2. The meet is named after former Chippewa cross country All-American Jeff Drenth, who passed away in 1986 at the age of 24. He was...
EAST LANSING – The Michigan State men’s soccer team opens its season at home against Amry West Point on Friday, Aug. 26. The Spartans’ last exhibition game was a hard-fought friendly against No.7 Pittsburgh that finished 1-0 in favor of the Panthers, and head coach Damon Rensing says his team is ready for Friday’s opener....
EAST LANSING – The Michigan State women’s soccer team returns to DeMartin Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 25 to host Central Michigan University after a series of road games at Bowling Green and Cincinnati last week. The Spartans earned a 2-0 win over BGSU to open the season but had a goalless stalemate at Gettler Stadium...