When Michigan State took the floor Friday afternoon in St. Louis, nobody could have anticipated what would unfold over the next two hours, as the No. 2-seeded MSU Spartans fell to No. 15 seed Middle Tennessee State University in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, 90-81.
Following their 74-60 victory against Belmont University on Friday afternoon in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, No. 4-seeded MSU was defeated by No. 5-seed Mississippi State on Sunday afternoon by a final score of 74-72 in Starkville, Mississippi.
Despite MSU falling in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Middle Tennessee, it was announced Sunday that senior guard Denzel Valentine is one of four finalists for the Naismith Trophy. The Naismith Trophy has been awarded to the best player in college basketball each season since 1969.
There were five seconds left in No. 2 seed MSU’s shocking first round loss to the No. 15 seed Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders in the 2016 NCAA Tournament. And it was then MSU’s three senior stars -- Denzel Valentine, Matt Costello and Bryn Forbes -- checked out of a game and walked off a basketball floor in an MSU jersey for the last time. It was really over. It had actually just happened. Middle Tennessee had knocked off MSU, 90-81, in one of the biggest upsets in NCAA Tournament history. Then, fifteen minutes after the final buzzer sounded, those same three visibly emotional players wiped away tears and walked with their arms around each other to face the media at a post game press conference. This is the way all their careers had come to an end -- 112 victories, a Sweet Sixteen, an Elite Eight, a Final Four and two Big Ten Tournament Championships later, they were done. “I can’t believe what’s going on,” Costello said.
March Madness is underway and now the Spartans are in the full swing of things. The MSU women’s basketball team defeated the Belmont Bruins in the first round of the NCAA tournament in Starkville, Mississippi by a final score of 74-60.
The Blue Raiders stormed out of the gates early, using hot shooting to take a quick 15-2 lead at the 15:29 mark of the first half.
MSU has an illustrious NCAA Tournament history that spans nearly six decades. The Spartans are making their 30th all-time tournament appearance in 2016, with 24 of those coming since 1990.
The No. 2 seed MSU men's basketball team The Blue Raiders stormed out of the gates early, using hot shooting to take a quick 15-2 lead at the 15:29 mark of the first half.
Shortly after the brackets for the 2016 NCAA Tournament were announced, it became evident No. 2 MSU would be headed to St.
MSU hockey (10-23-4) headed to the Big Ten Tournament looking to prolong its season. Facing a familiar foe in Ohio State in the quarterfinals it needed to string together a gutsy performance to have a shot at the NCAA Tournament. But 13:47 into the overtime period, Buckeye Mason Jobst blasted home a rebound effectively ending the Spartans season.
This is what junior guard Eron Harris has been waiting for ever since transferring to MSU after a 2013-14 season which saw him lead West Virginia in scoring.
No. 2 MSU men's basketball is set to play No. 15 Middle Tennessee Friday at 2:45 p.m. Check out our men's basketball reporters' breakdown of the Tournament here.
As of March 14, the MSU baseball team is ranked as the 25th best team in the nation by Baseball America’s top-25 poll. The Spartans are also ranked as No. 23 in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll , ahead of No. 24 Michigan.
In the Duffy Daugherty football building, the Michigan State football staff welcomed in some old faces for MSU Pro Day.
For the past few weeks, it's been MSU's second unit of guys stepping up and giving the Spartans a boost, as was the case in the MSU's Big Ten Tournament championship run.
While much has been made this season of the phenomenal scoring and offensive numbers MSU has consistently put up throughout the season, the team also had tremendous success on the defensive end at times this year.
With the Spartans facing the Belmont Bruins in the first round of the NCAA tournament on March 18, here are a few things to know about the Bruins before they tip off on Friday in Starkville, Mississippi on Mississippi State University’s campus at 11 a.m.
With March upon us and dreams of Izzo hoisting a crystal basketball in Houston, let’s see if MSU students can match the iron man from Iron Mountain’s passion for the green and white.
