Having trouble with your bracket? The State News is on the job. Men’s basketball reporters Alex Altman and Cash Kruth dissect this year’s field of 65.
The highs, lows and inconsistencies of the MSU men’s basketball team’s regular season are in the past. All that matters now is that the Spartans (22-6) are officially in one-and-done territory, learning Sunday evening they earned the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional, drawing No. 15 seed Robert Morris in the first round on Friday at the Metrodome in Minneapolis.
As the MSU women’s basketball team waits to hear its NCAA Tournament fate tonight, it has a lot to look forward to in what could be an exciting postseason.
With the Big Ten Tournament done and the NCAA Tournament on the horizon, men’s basketball reporter Cash Kruth examines four questions surrounding the Spartans as they look to rebound from a disappointing conference tournament with a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
The MSU women’s basketball team failed to capitalize on an opportunity to seal the deal on an NCAA Tournament spot and, instead, put itself back on the bubble with a loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals last weekend.
After his team’s season-ending victory against Purdue, MSU senior guard Travis Walton made a bold guarantee during the Senior Day celebration. “We’re gonna raise another banner up in here,” said Walton, moments before the team hoisted its 2008-09 regular season championship banner into the rafters.
Indianapolis — For the second straight game, the MSU men’s basketball team was beat at its own game. This time, however, the Spartans couldn’t get away from a subpar performance, falling to Ohio State 82-70 at Conseco Fieldhouse
Indianapolis — The talk of a potential No. 1 seed can stop. The questions of how far the MSU men’s basketball team is capable of going in the NCAA Tournament — and how far it actually will — can start once again. The No. 7 Spartans struggled offensively, defensively and every which way, losing 82-70 to Ohio State on Saturday in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Indianapolis — Senior guard Travis Walton said Minnesota probably had all of three sentences on freshman forward Draymond Green in its scouting report. Same with senior forward Marquise Gray, who had barely played the last eight games.
Indianapolis — Maybe it’s the pressure, maybe it’s the bright lights. Whatever the reason, Chris Allen sure likes playing in the postseason. The sophomore guard picked up where he left off in Houston during last year’s Sweet 16, swishing 3-pointers, hitting shots in traffic, and making plays for the MSU men’s basketball team, which dispatched Minnesota 64-56 Friday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse.
MSU sophomore guard Kalin Lucas has been crowned Big Ten Player of the Year, the conference announced Monday night. Lucas was a consensus pick for the award.
If you had told MSU men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo at the beginning of the season that the Spartans would win the Big Ten by four games, he’d have called you crazy. If you had told him that after doing that, the team still wouldn’t have met his expectations, he’d probably think you were insane.
It’s been an entire decade since its last conference championship, but the MSU men’s basketball team hasn’t forgotten how to party. The Spartans threw a party for the ages after their 62-51 season-ending victory over Purdue, combining an extravagant Senior Day celebration with a decorated banner-raising ceremony. After the final horn sounded, the public address announcer requested that fans stay seated for the post-game celebration.
Last week, I had the privilege of covering the MSU men’s basketball team during its trips to Indiana and Illinois. It just so happened that both schools were celebrating their senior nights before the games, and I got the chance to witness each of them.
First came the poor shooting, the fouls and the all-around ugliness. Next came the win, a 62-51 victory for the No. 8 MSU men’s basketball team over No. 19 Purdue Sunday at Breslin Center. Then came the party.
Indianapolis — In the ever-important rubber match, the MSU women’s basketball team fell short in the most important of the three games.
Indianapolis — Allyssa DeHaan doesn’t keep track of her statistics, but doesn’t shy from them when they’re mentioned.
The four seniors on the MSU men’s basketball team will be honored before Sunday’s regular season finale against Purdue for their contributions to the program. Three of them caught up with The State News to share their fondest memories from on and off the court.
Goran Suton had no idea what to expect when he first came to MSU in the summer of 2004. Although the now-senior center on the MSU men’s basketball team had attended Lansing Everett during the previous four years, the native of Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina admitted he is still learning his way around the American lifestyle, let alone the college life.
Fresh off its Big Ten Championship-clinching win against Indiana on Tuesday, the MSU men’s basketball team will finish up its regular season at noon on Sunday against Purdue at Breslin Center.