With conference tournaments, NCAA selections and championship aspirations ahead, March promises to be a defining month for Spartan athletics.

Men’s basketball: Spartans beat Michigan 79-62

The team took on its rivals, the University of Michigan, one last time for the season at the Breslin Center on Sunday, sending the Wolverines back to Ann Arbor with a 79-62 loss.

"I think Sunday was a special day at Breslin Center, you had Spartan faithful inside the building ready to erupt," executive senior associate AD and communications Matt Larson said.

Junior guard Tre Holloman was a key player, scoring 20 points with help from freshman guard Jase Richardson (18) and senior guard Jaden Akins (11).

Normally strong in the second half, the Spartans came out swinging this time, taking a 50-28 lead in the first half. That early lead propelled them to success.

The team hopes to hit its peak at the right time as tournaments and high-stakes games approach.

Next, the team will head to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis at noon on Friday, March 14, for the Big Ten Tournament, where it will take on Oregon. MSU is currently the No. 1 seed in the tournament, giving them a double-bye.

"Once you get into the NCAA tournament, there are no second chances, there’s no best of five or best of seven series to determine who the best team is," Larson said. "You have to be on top of your game every single day or night that you take the court."

Gymnastics: MSU takes runner-up at quad meet

The gymnastics team headed to Alabama on Sunday for the Elevate the Stage Quad Meet, where they competed against Alabama, North Carolina and California. MSU finished as the runner-up with a score of 197.150, just shy of California’s 197.200.

"This team is certainly battle-tested, so it will come down to performing on that individual day, but I think one of the strengths of this program, is that they’ve been able to rise to the challenge," Larson said.

The team moves to 13-3 overall, ranked No. 8 nationally, and third in the conference.

The regular season will close on Sunday, March 16, on Senior Day, when they take on Bowling Green at Jenison Fieldhouse at 2 p.m.

Women’s tennis: Bruno earns 100th win

After a loss to Iowa on Friday, women’s tennis head coach Kim Bruno earned her 100th win as a Spartan, upsetting Nebraska 4-2 on the road Sunday.

"The team had a long winning streak in the non conference," Larson said. "Sometimes when you have one of those, and then experience a loss, it’s hard to regain that momentum, but I think for them to bounce back against No. 44 Nebraska shows a lot about them as competitors."

In doubles, the Spartans scored first, but Nebraska ensured a third match was needed by winning the second round.

Despite Nebraska’s persistence, the Spartans walked away from the doubles matches successful after securing the third and final match, 6-3.

MSU walked into singles play with the lead, but Nebraska was quick to respond and even the score. Yet, their efforts weren’t enough and redshirt sophomore Oriana Parkins-Godwin took home the final point needed for the Spartans’ victory in her singles match.

The Spartans return to East Lansing for a weekend of Big Ten matchups, facing Penn State on Saturday, March 15, at noon, followed by Ohio State on Sunday, March 16, also at noon.

Wrestling: Spartans secure NCAA spots

The wrestling team competed in the Big Ten Championships, where two Spartans secured spots in the upcoming NCAA Championships.

Redshirt freshman Caleb Weiand (125 lbs) posted a 2-2 record, highlighted by an upset victory over Iowa’s Joey Cruz. Redshirt freshman Max Vanadia (285 lbs) also went 2-2, earning a dominant 17-6 major decision over Northwestern’s Dirk Morley and advancing past Rutgers’ Yaraslau Slavikouski.

Other Spartans delivered strong performances, including redshirt sophomore Andy Hampton (133 lbs), redshirt sophomore Ceasar Garza (174 lbs) and redshirt junior Luke Daly (184 lbs), each securing key wins.

The team now awaits NCAA selections, with Weiand and Vanadia preparing for national competition.

Baseball: MSU wins three at Invitational

The baseball team took to Greenville, SC for the First Pitch Invitational at Fluor Field where it won every game except its final matchup against UAB as head coach Jake Boss earned his 450^th win this past weekend.

On Friday, the team defeated Cornell 3-2 and later used that momentum to beat UAB 5-2 in the second game.

On Saturday, the team defeated Winthrop 7-0. After a successful weekend, the Spartans had one game left: a rematch against UAB.

The rematch didn’t go as planned, with little success early on. A five-run sixth inning tied the game and gave the team some hope, but they ultimately fell 12-7.

The team will return to East Lansing for their matchup against Michigan on Wednesday, March 12, with the first pitch set for 4:05 p.m.

Softball: Spartans win three straight

The Spartans played four games this past weekend in Oxford, Ohio, at the Miami RedHawks Softball Tournament. After falling 8-0 to the Redhawks in game one, the team bounced back to win the final three.

Following the loss on the first day, the team won both games on the second day. They first defeated Northern Kentucky 6-0, then took on Miami and won 9-7 after a seven-run fifth inning.

MSU fell behind early against Miami but turned the game around with a seven-run fifth inning, securing a 9-7 win in their second matchup.

With momentum from the two wins on Saturday, the team faced Northern Kentucky for a second time and had a dominant offensive performance, winning 10-1.

The team will face Big Ten competition in Oklahoma City next weekend, March 13-16, when they match up against Minnesota and Northwestern for two games each.

Men’s tennis: MSU sweeps Washington and Oregon.

After about a month on the road, the Spartans returned to the MSU Indoor Tennis Center this past weekend for Big Ten action against Washington and Oregon, winning both matches.

In their first match against Washington, the Spartans had a strong start, securing the doubles points right away. The Huskies won the first singles match to tie the score 1-1, but MSU fought hard and walked away with a 5-2 win.

Following their success against Washington, the team took on Oregon and won 4-2, improving to 2-0 in Big Ten conference play.

Similar to their first match, they secured the doubles point after two matches and carried that momentum into singles play to take the win.

After a few conference wins, the team is now fourth in the Big Ten and ranked No. 47 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) rankings.

The team will look to continue its win streak at home against Arizona on Wednesday, March 12 at 5 p.m.

Women’s basketball: Spartans fall to Iowa

Michigan State fell to Iowa, 74-61 in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday in Indianapolis.

Despite a hard-fought back-and-forth battle, junior forward Grace VanSlooten had a double-double and graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault led with 17 points, the Spartans couldn’t hold a lead and Iowa pulled ahead to take on Ohio State in the quarterfinals.

After the loss, MSU is 21-9, ranked 24th nationally, and will now await NCAA Tournament Selection on Sunday, March 16, at 8 p.m.

Strong finishes from winter sports and high-level performances from spring sports mean MSU athletics is poised for an exciting few months, Larson said.

"It’s a special time of year," Larson said. "March is a special month for Michigan State Athletics."

With March bringing high stakes across all sports, Michigan State athletics is primed for a thrilling month. From tournament runs to championship aspirations, the Spartans are set to make their mark. Fans can look forward to an exciting, defining stretch as MSU teams battle for titles.