Tag: Spartan Basketball

Michigan State Basketball rises to No. 16 in AP Top 25 Poll

Michigan State basketball is back in the AP Poll top 25 rankings at the no. 16 spot. Read more information about MSU’s placement here.

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Michigan State basketball ranks no. 16 in the AP Poll Top 25 for the second time this season. Most recently, the Spartans completely dropped out of the top 25 for the first time all season. Now, MSU is right back in the mix where it belongs.

There is only one other Big Ten team in front of the Spartans in the top 25 rankings and that is Maryland. Funny enough, the Spartans just handled the Terpins in an intense Big Ten road game. Note, MSU now ranks ahead of Iowa, Ohio State, Penn State, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan. The Big Ten is all over this most recent top 25 poll.

Michigan State is back in action tomorrow, Tuesday, against Penn State on ESPN. Catch the game live at 7 P.M. Stay with us on SpartansWire for plenty more coverage to come.

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Michigan State Basketball vs. Maryland: 3 Things To Watch

Michigan State Basketball takes on the Maryland Terpins this upcoming Saturday. Here are 3 things to watch in this Big Ten basketball game.

The Spartans face off against the Maryland Terpins for the second time in less than two weeks. Michigan State just toppled Iowa, 78-70 at the Breslin Center. Maryland, on the other hand, just beat lost to Ohio State 79-72.

Here are three things to watch in this game:

1. MSU Playing With Confidence

Maryland bested Michigan State in their last meeting just about two weeks ago. The Spartans swung a lead late in the game but could not hold on. Instead, Maryland Guard Anthony Cowan Jr. went thermonuclear. He went on an 11-0 run against MSU, giving the Terpins a strong victory.

The Spartans did to Iowa what they could not do to Maryland. Now, MSU is playing with some confidence. Especially players like Malik Hall, Rocket Watts, & Aaron Henry. This game against the Terpins will be close, no doubt. Watch for Michigan State’s confidence levels to be at a season-high level.

2. Malik Hall Back In The Starting Lineup

Malik Hall has a lot of growing to do but has shown flashes of excellence so far. He hustles on the boards and on defense, even if the latter results in foul trouble. Hall only tallied up a total of two personal fouls against Iowa though. Remember, Hall got the start against Maryland the last time around. Watch for his return to the starting lineup against Maryland.

3. Xavier Tillman Sr. More Involved On Offense

Xavier Tillman Sr. did so much defensive against Iowa but struggled on offense. Against Iowa, Tillman scored a total of six points on 2/4 from the floor and 2/4 from the free-throw line. This won’t happen in back-to-back games. Instead, MSU will run a bevy of plays for Tillman including Winston pick and rolls. Watch for a stellar offensive performance from Xavier Tillman Sr.

Michigan State plays against Maryland this Saturday at 8 P.M. on ESPN.

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Michigan State Basketball ranks No. 26 in NCAA.com’s Power 36 Rankings

Michigan State Basketball ranks no. 26 in Andy Katz of NCAA.com’s most recent power-36 rankings. Read why MSU ranks in this spot here.

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Michigan State Basketball suffered a heartbreaking loss at the Breslin Center to Maryland. As a result, Andy Katz of NCAA.com ranks MSU no. 26 in his power-36 rankings. Note, the Spartans also ranked no. 26 in last week’s power-36 rankings.

Here is what Andy Katz had to say about the Spartans:

“The Spartans were on the verge of their most important win of the season before Maryland got scorching hot.”

Well, Andy Katz is certainly not lying. Michigan State could have swung this season’s narrative with a comeback victory over the Terpins. Instead, critiques now have even more ammunition and the remaining games look bleak.

The best-case scenario now is for Michigan State to develop some type of offensive groove before the end of this season. Is this possible? Very much so. Is it going to happen? Only time will tell.

The Spartans are back in action against Nebraska this Thursday, Feb. 20 on FS1.

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WATCH: MSU honors 2000 NCAA Championship team during Maryland game

Michigan State honored the 2000 NCAA Championship team during the Maryland game. Watch some clips here including Mateen Cleaves speech.

Michigan State Basketball honored the 2000 NCAA Championship team during halftime of the Maryland game. Mateen Cleaves, Morris Peterson, Mat Ishbia, Al Anagonye, and Adam Ballinger were in attendance. Antonio Smith was also in attendance, although he left the team one year before they were able to win the title. Cleaves spoke to the crowd on behalf of the team to celebrate the occasion.

Check out some clips of this ceremony below and Mateen Cleaves speech:

Always great to see Spartan legends come back to the campus in East Lansing. Mateen Cleaves was very emotional during this ceremony. Who can blame him? This was a special team that will live on forever in the hearts of all MSU basketball fans.

That MSU team beat every single team in the 2000 NCAA Tournament by double digits, including the Championship game, where they knocked off Florida 89-76. It was absolute dominance and also the last time a Big Ten team won the National Championship.

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MSU Basketball: Forward Malik Hall returns to starting lineup vs. Maryland

Michigan State Basketball Forward Malik Hall will start over Marcus Bingham Jr. against Maryland. Read more details here.

Michigan State Basketball coach Tom Izzo spoke on his pregame radio show before the game against Maryland. Izzo revealed that freshman Forward Malik Hall will return to the starting lineup. The rest of the Spartan’s starting rotation will stay the same.

Here is your Michigan State Basketball starting lineup vs. Maryland:

  • Guard Cassius Winston
  • Guard Rocket Watts
  • Forward Aaron Henry
  • Forward Malik Hall
  • Forward Xavier Tillman

Marcus Bingham Jr. will come off of the bench for the Spartans.

Tune-in at 6 P.M. on ESPN for this Big Ten Basketball matchup against Maryland! GO GREEN!

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ESPN Bracketology gives MSU Basketball 5-seed in most recent bracket

ESPN’s most recent NCAA Tournament prediction bracket gives Michigan State Basketball a 5-seed. Read more info about MSU’s placement here.

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ESPN’s Joe Lunardi released his most recent bracketology update today and Michigan State Basketball is a 5-seed. The Spartans face off against either Arkansas or Stanford as a 12-seed. MSU was also a 5-seed in last week’s ESPN bracket.

You can check out Lunardi’s entire bracket here.

Interstate rival Michigan is an 8-seed and is also one of nine Big Ten teams in this week’s edition of ESPN’s bracketology. The other Big Ten teams in this bracket are Ohio State University, Penn State, Maryland, Iowa, Wisconsin, Rutgers, Purdue, and Indiana.

The Big Ten continues to dominate NCAA Tournament prediction brackets week in and week out. We’ll keep you posted on future bracketology releases here on SpartansWire.

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Michigan State Basketball faces No. 9 Maryland: Preview/Scouting Report

Michigan State Spartans Basketball takes on the Maryland Terpins at the Breslin Center. Here is a scouting report of the Maryland Terpins.

Michigan State Basketball is back in action this Saturday on Feb. 15 against the Maryland Terpins. The Spartans are currently 17-8 overall and 9-5 in Big Ten Conference games. Maryland, on the other hand, is currently 20-4 overall and 10-3 in Big Ten Conference games.

Here is a scouting report of Maryland:

Placement In The Big Ten

Maryland is a dominant Big Ten team with conference losses only to Penn State, Iowa, and Wisconsin. The Terpins score 71.7 points per game which ranks seventh in the Big Ten. Also, Maryland rebounds the ball extremely well with 39.2 rebounds per game which is fourth in the Big Ten. Most importantly, the Terpins boast two players who are top ten in Big Ten points per game.

Anthony Cowan Jr. & Jalen Smith

Anthony Cowan Jr. and Jalen Smith are an absolutely lethal combination. Cowan ranks fifth in Big Ten points per game and Smith ranks ninth with 16.3 and 15.1 points per game respectively. So Maryland features a stellar offensive duo in Cowan and Smith.

Cowan leads his team in assists and steals with 4.6 assists per game and one steal per game. Jalen Smith also ranks third in Big Ten rebounds per game with 10.2 rebounds per game. Smith also leads Maryland in blocks per game with 2.3 blocks per game. Both players will be a huge part of MSU’s defensive strategy in this Big Ten matchup.

Potential Flaws

Maryland only shoots 42% from the field which ties the Terpins for the worst shooting percentage in the Big Ten with Nebraska. Also, Maryland does not average a high number of assists per game. Instead, the Terpins only average 13.1 assist per game which is second to last in the Big Ten. These are two flaws Michigan State can potentially exploit in this home game.

The Spartans and Terpins face off against one another on ESPN. The game starts at 6 P.M.

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Michigan State Basketball defeats Illinois: 3 Key Takeaways

Michigan State Basketball won a close game against Illinois 70-69. Here are three key takeaways from this Spartan victory.

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Michigan State Basketball won a barn burner last night against Illinois, 70-69. The Spartans enjoyed a victory thanks to key contributions from Xavier Tillman and Rocket Watts. Now, MSU is 17-8 overall and 9-5 in Big Ten Conference games.

Here are three key takeaways from this game:

1. Slow Road Starts, Be Gone!

As you know, Michigan State struggles early on in road games. This did not stand true against Illinois. Instead, the Spartans jumped out to a huge lead in the first ten minutes of this game. They were clicking on all cylinders and this high level of play was truly impressive. Hopefully, this strong performance kick starts MSU’s offense moving forward.

2. Rocket Watts Cleared For Takeoff

Rocket Watts went absolutely bananas last night against Illinois. He scored a career-high 21 points on 9/14 shooting from the floor and 2/4 from three-point land. Most importantly, Watts his shots in critical moments during this game. He hit one floater right over a defender in the second half. Now, Watts looks incredibly confident in his on-court abilities. Let’s see what he does throughout the rest of this season!

3. Still Room For Growth

Michigan State did shake their early-game struggles but there is still plenty of room for growth. After all, Illinois climbed right back into this game during the second half. MSU must be more consistent on the defensive end of the floor, especially on the perimeter. Also, Michigan State must shoot get to the free-throw line more often. Illinois took 11 more free-throws than the Spartans.

The Spartans are back in action this Saturday on Feb. 15 against Maryland. The game starts at 6 P.M. and broadcasts live on ESPN. Follow along on SpartansWire for plenty of coverage to come.

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3 Things to Watch: Michigan State Basketball takes on Illinois

Michigan State Basketball plays against Illinois at the State Farm Center in a Big Ten matchup. Here are three things to watch in this game.

Big Ten Conference basketball continues on as Michigan State takes on Illinois at the State Farm Center. The Spartans are currently 16-8 overall this year and 8-5 in Big Ten Conference play after a loss to Michigan. Illinois, on the other hand, is 16-7 overall and 8-4 in Big Ten Conference play.

Here are three things to watch in this game:

1. Ayo Dosunmu & Kofi Cockburn

Illinois boasts a lethal Guard/Center duo in Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn. Dosunmu scores 15.8 points per game which ranks him sixth in Big Ten points per game. Cockburn averages 13.8 points per game which ranks him 14th in Big Ten points per game. Both players score in bunches and contribute greatly to Illinois’ offense.

All in all, Illinois is currently fifth in Big Ten points per game as a team, averaging 73.8 points per game. Kofi Cockburn also grabs nine rebounds per game which ranks him sixth in the Big Ten in rebounds per game. Watch for an offensive battle between MSU and the fighting Illini.

2. Rebounding Battle

MSU and Illinois are two of the top three best rebounding teams in the Big Ten. The Spartans are first in rebounds per game and total rebounds with 41.4 and 995 respectively. Illinois is currently third in rebounds per game and total rebounds with 40.3 and 928 respectively. This game will be an absolute battle near the rim for each and every board. Xavier Tillman, Marcus Bingham Jr., & Malik Hall have serious work to do on the glass against the Fighting Illini.

3.  Illinois Turnovers

Michigan State and Illinois are also two of the top five Big Ten teams in turnovers per game. Illinois is fourth in the Big Ten with 12.78 in TOPG (turnovers per game). The Spartans rank fifth in TOPG with 12.54. MSU can potentially capitalize on this high turnover rate with easy transition buckets.

Michigan State and Illinois square off this Tuesday at 9 P.M. This game broadcasts live on ESPN. Stay locked on SpartansWire for more coverage to come.

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3 Key Takeaways: Michigan State Basketball loses to Michigan at Crisler Center

Michigan State Basketball suffered a loss at the hands of Michigan yesterday at the Crisler Center. Here are 3 key takeaways from this game.

Michigan State lost yesterday to Michigan at the Crisler Center, 77-68. The Spartans suffered from yet another slow start in a ruckus, away crowd atmosphere. As a result, MSU moves to 16-8 overall and 8-5 in Big Ten Conference play.

Here are three key takeaways from this game.

1. Slow Starts Haunt MSU

Michigan State scored no more than five points in the first ten minutes of this game. Yes, this is a real statistic. The Spartans can no longer start games in such a slow manner. Especially when playing a rivalry game in an intense away game situation. MSU needs to make changes and needs a big scoring spark early on in games.

2. Sophomore Slump

Right now, Michigan State’s sophomores are in a brutal slump. In particular, Gabe Brown and Aaron Henry are struggling mightily against Big Ten opponents. Brown and Henry combined for 11 total points. Brown went 0/5 from the floor for a total of zero points whereas Henry scored 11 points on 3/8 shooting from the floor. There is still time left in the season but both players must contribute higher point totals.

3. Let’s Not Panic Just Yet

As I mentioned earlier this week, the Big Ten boasts some serious depth. Not to mention that Michigan hit its stride at the right time, adding Isaiah Livers back to their lineup against MSU. Livers contributed a smooth 14 points on 5/10 shooting in his return against the Spartans. Let’s not panic just yet, Michigan State still has time to figure things out.

The Spartans face off against Illinois next on Feb. 11, this upcoming Tuesday. The game takes place at 9 P.M and broadcasts live on ESPN.

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