Tuesday, June 2, 2026

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Sports | Basketball

BASKETBALL

WEB ONLY: Men's basketball battles for win over Nike Elite

From tip-off Thursday night things were certainly different for the Spartan men's basketball team.Showing the defensive intensity it lacked in its first exhibition, MSU battled its way to a 56-55 decision over the Nike Elite team at Breslin Center."We just went after them before they went after us," sophomore guard Alan Anderson said.

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WEB ONLY: Spartans take out Nike Elite

Thanks to a slippery floor and sophomore guard Tim Bograkos' hand, the Spartans survived a possible embarrassment Thursday night, winning 56-55 over Nike Elite.After sophomore guard Alan Anderson missed a free throw that would have given MSU a two point cushion, Nike Elite had the ball for the last shot left.

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3 prospects make it official

MSU men's basketball head coach Tom Izzo said on National Signing Day on Wednesday that even though he and his assistant coaches only had three open slots for scholarships, the Spartans' 2003-04 recruiting class has been a "treat recruiting season." "There is no question this is one of the best recruiting classes we've had," Izzo said.

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Izzo: Hit unfair to current U-M team

Spartan basketball head coach Tom Izzo said he’s saddened University of Michigan head coach Tommy Amaker and the current 2002-03 U-M basketball squad will be punished. U-M penalized its basketball program Thursday because of a scandal involving former booster Ed Martin. “I’ve always been a believer that the coaches and the players should take the hit, not the school,” Izzo said.

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Freshman out 4-6 weeks with fracture

Freshman guard Maurice Ager suffered a stress fracture in his right foot Wednesday night and will be out for four to six weeks. Ager won’t be needing surgery, but will wear a boot for the next couple of weeks. “I’m getting tired of stress fractures,” MSU head coach Tom Izzo said.

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Magic brings familiar friends to Breslin for another showdown

After weeks filled with intense practice the men’s basketball team finally will suit up for its first exhibition game today at Breslin Center. The Magic Johnson All-Stars, are a full professional squad from Australia, that also brings to the table three players who have won a National Championship at MSU - Earvin “Magic” Johnson (1979), David Thomas and Mike Chappelle (1999). Little is known about the rest of the team due in part to its orientation overseas, and as a result the Spartans will take the court sans a specific game plan. “You have no scouting report or anything, you really don’t know much about them,” senior forward Adam Ballinger said.

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Spartans showcase talent in Green and White games

Though this year’s incoming men’s basketball recruits have a difficult road ahead, the sophomore class has made the path a little smoother. Last year’s trio of Chris Hill, Alan Anderson and Kelvin Torbert exploded in their first full-length game this season, scoring 17, 11 and 10 points respectively to lead the Green team to a 78-52 win in the Green-White scrimmage Saturday at Breslin Center. “I really thought we got some good things out of it,” head coach Tom Izzo said.

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Taylor cut by Wolves

After jetting from MSU following his sophomore season to taste the NBA’s glory, Marcus Taylor was released by the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday. Taylor was selected by the Timberwolves with the 52nd overall pick in the draft.

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Spartans ready for action

After two weeks of practicing, the MSU men’s basketball team will have a chance to perform in a game situation Saturday at Breslin Center in the team’s Green and White game. It’s the first Green and White game in two years.

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Green and White set to tip off Saturday

The men’s basketball team will be kicking off its season this Saturday at 4 p.m. with the Green-White Game. The game will provide the last chance for fans to sign the “Elite Banner” before it’s raised to the Breslin Center rafters.

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Healthy Spartans work better

Last season, the MSU men’s basketball team lacked enough healthy bodies for intense practices. The Spartans had just eight scholarship athletes on the roster and various injuries - including redshirt junior forward Adam Wolfe’s season-ending injury - forcing walk-ons and others to play minutes they had not earned. Head coach Tom Izzo said practices were played “safe.” This fall, the first three days of practices have been more to Izzo’s liking.

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Spartans open up in style

A jam-packed Breslin Center helped both the men’s and women’s basketball teams usher in the start of the 2002-03 season Friday night.Master of ceremonies Terry “Boom Boom” Braverman got the Midnight Mania crowd riled up, followed by the Spartan Marching Band leading the crowd in the school fight song.San Francisco 49ers head coach Steve Mariucci sent a message to his buddy - men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo - via video screen.“Tonight is the first step to another championship run, Izzo,” he said.

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Team expects return to elite status

The media got its first look at the 2002-03 MSU men’s basketball team Tuesday afternoon and the Spartans have high expectations for the upcoming season.The Spartans, which are coming off a 19-11 season and a first-round loss in the NCAA Tournament, are looking to bring their game back to a higher level.“We took a look at last year and the last three years to see where we need to go and how we’re going to get back to elite status,” Spartan basketball head coach Tom Izzo.“Looking back at last year, we didn’t have any expectations, we just wanted to survive.

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Students camp out for Izzone membership

Armed with sleeping bags, tents and pillows, about 350 MSU students gave up hours of their weekend in an effort to become members of the Izzone.The Student Alumni Foundation sponsored a campout for tickets in the largest student-operated spirit section in college basketball - the 953-member Izzone.“We got here at 6 a.m.,” English senior Andrea Sprague said.

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MIDDAY UPDATE: Magic to enter NBA Hall of Fame on Friday

Earvin “Magic” Johnson, the star who led MSU to a NCAA Championship in 1979, is about to live through another Magic moment.On Friday, his old coaches, teammates, friends and family will gather in Springfield, Mass., to hear Larry Bird, his greatest rival and friend, induct Johnson into the NBA Hall of Fame.The 6-foot-9 point guard revolutionized basketball and was the tallest point guard to ever play in the NBA.