Tom Izzo reacts to Michigan State losing to UNC in NCAA Tournament Tom Izzo says MSU didn’t give up, but ‘got beat by a really good team’ in UNC at NCAA Tournament Michigan State basketball led by as much as 12 points halfway through the first half against 1 seeded North Carolina on Saturday, as …
1. What looked like Christmas for MSU fans — Xavier Booker’s first start — somehow turned into a baffling and costly defeat EAST LANSING – For most of the season, I’ve understood — and largely agreed with — Tom Izzo and Co. slow-playing the use of Xavier Booker. He wasn’t ready. That was clear as …
EAST LANSING — Missed layups. Mishandled passes. Another missed opportunity for Michigan State basketball. Iowa entered Breslin Center on Tuesday night as the aggressor, jumping out to a 16-point lead early in the second half and withstanding the Spartans’ repeated attempts to recover to hand MSU a 78-71 loss. MSU (17-10, 9-7 Big Ten) went …
1. It’s not just that MSU lost. It’s that Iowa looked like the better team. EAST LANSING – If it happens on Peacock, does the NCAA tournament selection committee see it? Michigan State’s 78-71 home loss to Iowa on Tuesday night wasn’t the sort of defeat that, alone, will put MSU anywhere near the bubble …
In a season with little left for Michigan basketball to accomplish, there was one thing remaining to play for. Stealing its rival’s soul. On Saturday night, in front of a crowd that chanted “Go Green, Go White” every bit as frequently as it did “Go Blue,” the last-place Wolverines, who were without senior forward Terrance …
EAST LANSING — Malik Hall felt it slipping away again. The Michigan State basketball forward missed a front-end free throw Saturday with 3:18 to play against Illinois, a reminder of his struggles at the foul line four days earlier in Minneapolis. Seconds later, Hall collided with A.J. Hoggard going for a defensive rebound and the …
1. Win over Illinois a reminder of what this MSU team can be EAST LANSING – Saturday’s 88-80 win over Illinois demonstrated something we already knew about Michigan State’s basketball team — that on a given day, they’re capable of playing with just about anyone in the sport. Capable of beating just about anyone. Still, …
EAST LANSING — Michigan State basketball turned a dogfight into a track meet in a hurry. Already flexing their defense in a battle with Maryland, the Spartans found themselves trailing by a point with a little more than seven minutes to play. That’s when Malik Hall took over and MSU took control en route to …
The Spartans mauled Michigan in the second half for an 81-62 victory on Tuesday night in East Lansing to give Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo yet another milestone: 700 wins. He’s one of 38 men’s basketball coaches with 700 wins at the Division I level. (He’s the second to reach the plateau this season, …
1. That second-half run might have saved MSU’s season EAST LANSING — For a while on Tuesday night, it looked like Michigan State might be saying hello to the NCAA tournament bubble and Tom Izzo to the worst 69th birthday he could imagine. MSU will play bigger games than this in the coming months — …