Posted on a wall in the MSU men’s basketball team’s players’ lounge back in East Lansing is an acronym. PP-TPW. Players play. Tough players win. Fifteen proud Spartans are heading to St. Louis next weekend because they played 40 minutes with a mentality sturdier than Sparty’s helmet.
Spokane, Wash. — With junior guard Kalin Lucas injured on the bench for the second half of the MSU men’s basketball team’s NCAA Tournament game Sunday, junior guard Durrell Summers picked up the slack for his childhood friend — and then some.
It’s been four seasons since MSU and Kentucky met in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. That game, played in Chicago, saw the Spartans advance to their second straight Sweet 16 with a 67-63 win.
If the MSU women’s basketball team were to stare at Kentucky in the mirror, it would notice its exact opposite.
For much of the season, avoiding turnovers hasn’t been one of the MSU women’s basketball team’s strengths.
Louisville, Ky. — Jasmine Thomas had a lot on her shoulders during Saturday’s NCAA Tournament first-round game against Bowling Green.
MSU men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo said junior guard Kalin Lucas likely tore his Achilles tendon Sunday in the first half of the Spartans’ 85-83 win against Maryland.
Spokane, Wash. — Sophomore guard Korie Lucious hit a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer for the No. 5-seed MSU men’s basketball team, which defeated No. 4 Maryland, 85-83, Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Spokane, Wash. – Tom Izzo’s program isn’t built on winning NCAA Tournament games. It’s built on winning weekends.
Spokane, Wash. — MSU men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo has said he wants his team to be able to run the fast break as much as possible, but the rough-and-tumble play in the Big Ten sometimes prohibits the Spartans. In their NCAA Tournament second-round game Sunday, Maryland head coach Gary Williams and his team will gladly oblige.
Louisville, Ky. — After Bowling Green State drained eight three-point field goals in the first half, the MSU women’s basketball team limited the Falcons to just six attempts leading to Saturday’s 72-62 NCAA first round win.
Louisville, Ky. — The MSU women’s basketball team took control in the second half as their depth and experience proved to be too much for Bowling Green, as MSU pulled away to a 72-62 win Saturday afternoon at Freedom Hall.
Spokane, Wash. – With 6:31 to play, the MSU men’s basketball team was backed up against the wall.
Spokane, Wash. — If there was any doubt the New Mexico State men’s basketball team was unfamiliar with Kalin Lucas, the Aggies have since been enlightened.
Louisville, Ky. — In its Big Ten finale, the MSU women’s basketball team watched a smaller Iowa opponent own the offensive glass and earn extra possessions against the higher-seeded Spartans.
Louisville, Ky. — The first person to text Bowling Green head coach Curt Miller with congratulations on his team’s Mid-American Conference Tournament championship was MSU associate head coach Shane Clipfell.
As of Tuesday, New Mexico State’s Jahmar Young, the Aggies’ leading scorer and second leading assist man said he had never heard of MSU junior guard Kalin Lucas. Maybe Young really never heard of Lucas, but his attitude reflects a confidence the Aggies have going into Friday’s first-round NCAA Tournament matchup in Spokane, Wash.
For two weeks, the MSU women’s basketball team has dealt with the sour taste of its Big Ten Tournament loss to Iowa. Now the Spartans are two wins away from being sweet again, and it all starts Saturday in the team’s first-round NCAA Tournament game against Bowling Green at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Ky.
New Mexico State University student Blake Knoblock grew up in Traverse City, Mich., and has been an MSU basketball fan since he can remember. Knoblock, 21, now is in his junior year and majoring in film and creative writing. This week, The State News caught up with Knoblock, who will be attending Friday’s game and asked him what he expects from Friday’s game.
Here are the basics on the teams the MSU men’s and women’s basketball teams could play in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.