The men's basketball team is in a stage of transition. The team must replace the production of former stars Adreian Payne, Keith Appling, and Gary Harris. Together, the three former MSU players combined to average 44.3 points of the team's 75.5 total average in the 2013-14 season.
Behind a strong performance by junior guard Denzel Valentine, the MSU basketball team cruised to an easy 101-46 victory over St. Cloud State on Friday night, finishing exhibition season with a 2-0 record. Valentine had a triple-double with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in 25 minutes of action. Senior guard Travis Trice led the Spartans with 20 points, and junior center Matt Costello and senior forward Branden Dawson each had double-doubles — 12 and 10 for Costello, and 13 and 10 for Dawson.
The last time he was at Breslin Center, Russell Byrd was wearing green and white and only himself to worry about. On Monday night, days after the birth of his first daughter with former MSU women’s basketball player Klarissa Bell, Byrd returned to Breslin Center for the first time since transferring from MSU to The Master's College in May.
The men’s basketball team opened its exhibition season at home on Monday night, but a player on the opposing team stole the show.
Despite the men’s basketball team entering the season with a lower preseason ranking than normal, head coach Tom Izzo had no shortage of excitement at media day on Tuesday.
It’s not common for a freshman to take up a leadership role, but Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn Jr. risn’t your average freshman.
This season, senior guard Travis Trice and junior forward Denzel Valentine will be relied upon to provide a leadership presence the Spartans, at times, lacked last season.
Men's basketball coach Tom Izzo was optimistic at practice last Friday, citing strong leadership and chemistry as reasons why he believes this season will turn out better than expected.
There were plenty of new faces present at the first official 2014-15 men's basketball practice on Friday ? so many that head coach Tom Izzo acknowledged the lack of recognizable faces could be a reason why analysts are having trouble pegging how good the Spartans will be next season.
In preparation for the 2014 season, Director of Basketball Operations Kevin Pauga has announced MSU basketball will hold its annual "Midnight Madness" event on Friday Oct. 24. No official start time has been announced as of yet, but in 2013 doors opened at 8:30 p.m.
Junior guard/forward Branden Dawson announced his decision to return to MSU for his senior season on Tuesday afternoon, according to a release from the MSU athletics department.
MSU sophomore guard Gary Harris is forgoing his final two seasons and heading to the NBA, according to a release from the MSU athletics department.
It took four years for Keith Appling to realize he doesn’t get a second chance. Now that the MSU men’s basketball season — and his career — is over, it’s too late.
The men's basketball season just ended two days ago, and Spartan fans know what that means — the next season has already begun.
NEW YORK — From the start, this year's team had a "Final Four or bust" mantra to them.
NEW YORK — It's been a good year in Spartan basketball land.
NEW YORK — It’s been said millions of times – this MSU team has never been to a Final Four.
NEW YORK — MSU is one step away from a trip to the Final Four, but they came out flatter than a four-day old soda. However, the Spartans dug their heels in late in the half to snatch the lead from UConn and head into the locker room with a 25-21 lead.
NEW YORK — You don't have to look far for the last time MSU and UConn butted heads on the court.