Saturday, April 27, 2024

Basketball

BASKETBALL

Denzel Valentine shows he's one of the nation's best in MSU victory over Kansas

Ryan Squanda
November 17, 2015

For the longest time in the No. 13 MSU basketball team's 79-73 victory over the No. 4 Kansas Jayhawks Tuesday night, things didn't look good. With 9:34 to play in the game and MSU trailing Kansas, 61-50, the game was slipping away from the Spartans. MSU called a timeout to halt whatever momentum they could. They'd struggled with fouls and turnovers all night long and the Jayhawks had built an 11-point lead off a 10-2 run midway through the second half. But MSU has Denzel Valentine.

BASKETBALL

MSU basketball shows off depth in victory over Florida Atlantic

Ryan Squanda
November 14, 2015

The No. 13 MSU basketball team showed off its depth Friday night in its 82-55 victory over the Florida Atlantic Owls.  Despite having two players out with injury -- sophomore forward Marvin Clark and junior forward Gavin Schilling -- the Spartans still played 13 players Friday night, 10 of which got into the scoring action. Senior forward Matt Costello led the way with 15 points, while senior guard flirted with a triple-double and finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and nine assists.

BASKETBALL

MSU basketball pushes toward ultimate goal: a national championship

Ryan Squanda
November 11, 2015

MSU head basketball coach Tom Izzo doesn’t know what it is. All the 21st-year head coach of the preseason No. 13 ranked Spartans knows is this — he’s feeling great. But if there’s something else the 60-year-old coach is feeling, it’s drive; a drive to do more than just knock on the championship door year-after-year. In the last three years, Izzo’s teams have advanced to a Sweet Sixteen, an Elite Eight and a Final Four. For Izzo, he feels it’s about time that door opens.

BASKETBALL

Izzo on 2016 recruiting class: "This is the No. 1 class for me"

Ryan Squanda
November 11, 2015

The preseason No. 13 ranked MSU basketball team officially welcomed four of the nation's top recruits on National Signing Day Wednesday. Thus far, the 2016 class includes the following -- Nick Ward, Joshua Langford, Cassius Winston and Miles Bridges -- and the national signing day event allowed for MSU head basketball coach Tom Izzo a chance to comment on his loaded class, one which he believes might be his best ever. "This is the number one class for me," Izzo said.

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Izzo and team feel there's much to be worked on after exhibition games

Ryan Squanda
November 9, 2015

The No. 13 MSU men's basketball team defeated the Ferris State Bulldogs, 93-57, to win their second and final exhibition game on the season Monday night. However, despite the comfortable margin of victory and MSU finishing with 29 assists on 35 made shots, head coach Tom Izzo said there were a few things for his team to sort out before for the regular season. And the first thing on Izzo's mind -- defense. "I told you on media day that the one thing with this team, is they've got a lot of shooters," Izzo said at the post game press conference Monday night.