Michigan State Women’s Basketball Hosts Miami (OH) Sunday
Michigan State women’s basketball will finally return to the friendly confines of the Breslin Center to take on Miami (Ohio) on Sunday, Dec. 3 at 2 p.m. The Spartans rebounded after their first loss of the season with a 102-64 win over DePaul on the road and currently stand 6-1. Miami is 1-3 this season after a win against Xavier on Nov. 27. Jack Stager and Derrick Mitchell will be on the call for Big Ten Plus.
Tyson Walker improving after illness with Big Ten play next
Tyson Walker despises missing games. Even though he’s only missed three of them in five years of playing college basketball. The third came Nov. 19, when the senior guard sat on the bench and watched Michigan State basketball thump Alcorn State. But the lingering after-effects of the illness he battled admittedly affected Walker in subsequent games against No. 2 Arizona and Georgia Southern.
Source: Lansing State Journal
Jonathan Smith Has Long History of Program Building and Sustaining Success
If you follow along the trail of Jonathan Smith’s playing and coaching career, a pattern emerges. Initial hurdles are in place that look daunting, but eventually they are overcome by a strong work ethic and perseverance, and ultimately, a path to success emerges. It’s not the quickest way. Not the easiest way. But the way itself is the guiding principle that leads to sustainability and developing a program.
Source: Michigan State University Athletics
Track and Field Primed to Open Indoor Season in Boston Saturday
Four student-athletes will represent MSU Track and Field in the indoor-commencing Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener hosted by Boston University on Saturday, Dec. 2, on what is regarded the fastest indoor track in the world. Grad CarLee Stimpfel and sophomore Riley Hough will be competing in the 5,000-meter race while junior Noah Sage races the 400-meter sprint and grad Lauren Freeland will be the women’s team’s lone representative, competing in the mile.
Source: Michigan State University Athletics
How Mark Dantonio helped Michigan State hire Jonathan Smith
While Alan Haller was keeping a tight lid on the biggest coaching search of his career, he reached out to a confidant for help. Michigan State’s athletic director asked Mark Dantonio, the winningest football coach in program history, to work back channels. Dantonio reached out to a pair of accomplished coaches he has known for a long time to get their feedback on Jonathan Smith, who worked for both.
Source: MLive.com
Schedule provides path for Spartans to get hot in December
It’s safe to say it’s been a rough go for Michigan State basketball. But things are setting up for what could be a very big December. The schedule shapes up where Michigan State should be favored in potentially all of their next seven games, giving the Spartans a pathway to get hot before hitting the thick of conference play.
Source: Spartans Wire
Joiner’s Career Best Guides High-Scoring MSU Women Past DePaul, 102-64
Behind a career-high 26 points from graduate guard Moira Joiner as part of five players in double-figures, the Michigan State women’s basketball team breezed past DePaul, 102-64, Thursday night at Wintrust Arena.
Volleyball Earns Big Ten Postseason Honors
The resurgent Michigan State volleyball program earned three Big Ten postseason honors. Postseason honors are voted on by the league’s head coaches and were announced by the conference on Thursday afternoon. Fifth-year middle blocker Amani McArthur garnered second-team honors, and freshman outside hitter Taylah Holdem was named to the second team and the All-Freshman squad. Junior setter Julia Bishop was MSU’s sportsmanship honoree.
Source: Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State Baseball Announces Complete 2024 Schedule
Michigan State baseball announced its complete 2024 schedule Thursday. Head coach Jake Boss Jr. and the Spartans will play 32 non-conference games, opening on Friday, Feb. 16, and includes 24 Big Ten Conference games, starting in mid-March.
Source: Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State’s playing group set to shrink as Big Ten play looms
The next time we see this Michigan State team, it will look a little different. The Spartans have a week off between their Tuesday night win over Georgia Southern and their Big Ten opener against Wisconsin on Tuesday, Dec. 5. In that time; Tom Izzo said he plans on trimming his team’s playing group down from the group of 10 that have been playing in most games. And in discussing who might be cut out of that group, Izzo is focused on the team’s freshmen.
Source: MLlive.com
Mission for Tom Izzo: Fix A.J. Hoggard
Tom Izzo looked forlorn and paused for a second, pursing his lips and looking down toward the podium. The question was about how A.J. Hoggard responded to coming off the bench for the first time in nearly a year.Izzo’s response continued his quest for his senior point guard — and a few other veterans for Michigan State basketball — to play closer to his expectations of them.
Source: Detroit Free Press
MSU vs. Arizona was most watched regular season CBB game in 15 years
The game apparently was a big draw on television, as 5.18 million viewers tuned in for the match-up, the most watched regular season college basketball game in the last 15 years.
Source: Spartans Wire
Nine Spartans Earn All-Big Ten Recognition
Nine Spartans have earned recognition from the Big Ten Conference for the 2023 season, led by redshirt freshman punter Ryan Eckley, who was named to the second team by both the coaches and media. Defensive tackle Simeon Barrow (coaches and media), linebacker Aaron Brule (media), running back Nathan Carter (coaches and media), offensive guard J.D. Duplain (coaches and media), linebacker Cal Haladay (coaches and media), placekicker Jonathan Kim (coaches and media), safety Jaden Mangham (coaches and media) and center Nick Samac (coaches and media) garnered honorable mention recognition.
Source: Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Hit the Road to Face DePaul Thursday
Michigan State women’s basketball will hit the road for its first true road game, traveling to DePaul on Thursday, Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. ET. The Spartans suffered their first loss of the season in the final game of the Cancun Challenge and currently stand 5-1 this season. DePaul defeated Loyola on Sunday and hold a 4-3 record. Alex Del Barrio and Isis Young will be on the call for CBS Sports Network.
Source: Michigan State University Athletics
Five in Double Figures as No. 25 Michigan State Uses Big First Half to Beat Georgia Southern, 86-55
Michigan State put five players in double figures and opened up a 27-point lead at halftime en route to an 86-55 win over Georgia Southern on Tuesday night at the Breslin Center. Jaden Akins scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds to lead the Spartans, while Tyson Walker added 13 points and three rebounds.
Source: Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State releases details of football coach Jonathan Smith’s compensation
Smith joins MSU on a seven-year contract that runs through Jan. 31, 2031, and has $6 million in base pay each year. His additional, supplemental pay starts at $1,250,000 and increases by $100,000 each year, topping out at $1,850,000. Smith’s agreement also includes annual performance bonuses.
Source: Lansing State Journal
How Alan Haller landed Jonathan Smith amid a high-stakes search
At home football games, Alan Haller has settled into a routine. The Michigan State athletic director watches the first quarter from on the field, then walks through the Spartan Stadium bleachers up to the press box for the rest of the game. On his walk up, he’s come to recognize the same faces in the stands week after week. And as the Spartans floundered this fall toward a second straight below .500 season, those faces became more and more joyless.
Source: MLive.com
Takeaways from Jonathan Smith’s Introductory Press Conference
The plane has landed. The contract is signed. The intros are (mostly) done. Michigan State has a new football coach, and his name is Jonathan Smith. Today at Breslin Center, Smith gave his introductory press conference in front of a packed crowd of media and MSU dignitaries, ushering in a new era of Spartan football.
Source: The Only Colors
Michigan State sees last remaining scholarship QB opt for transfer portal
Michigan State is coming off a rough season and preparing to head into the Jonathan Smith era in East Lansing. One area that might need immediate attention is the quarterback room. Before Tuesday, it was reported that QBs Sam Leavitt and Katin Houser planned to hit the transfer portal. Now, another member of the QB room is expected to hit the portal.
Source: Saturday Tradition