Michigan State hasn’t wanted to spend much time during the last month revisiting its painful last three years in the NCAA Tournament — the Middle Tennessee State shocker, a second-round loss to Kansas, a heartbreaking second-round loss to Syracuse. But Michigan State’s two seniors, Kenny Goins and Matt McQuaid, have known for the last two weeks that they’re playing to avoid being in some select and ignominious groups of Spartans players.
Source: mlive.com
Kenny Goins hit the shot. He’ll never pay for a beer in East Lansing again. On another team, in another season, that’s the play to celebrate. That alone is the column. Former walk-on, absent any offensive confidence for the first three years of his college career, buries a 3-point dagger over college basketball’s biggest and most imposing star this century and, in doing so, buries Duke and sends his own team to the Final Four. Phew. That’s some good material.
Source: Lansing State Journal
“I was ready to take the shot,” Goins said. “That’s what you dream of.” The shot arched over Williamson’s outstretched hand and touched nothing but net. Goins let out a roar, the bench erupted. The Spartans had one more stop to make, but the shot had just broken Duke’s back.
Source: Detroit News
How do you handle adversity? How do you face struggles and disappointment? What do you do when nothing is falling? Kenny Goins, a Michigan State senior, went with humor. “We missed some good shots,” Goins said. “I missed a (crap)-ton, sorry for my language.”
Source: Detroit Free Press
Kenny Goins and Jack Hoiberg go to lunch and reflect on Kenny’s career, Men’s Golf Travels to South Carolina, and Men’s Basketball takes on Michigan on senior night with a shot at winning the Big Ten Title.
There’s the rivalry, a second showdown against No. 7 Michigan in a two-week window for in-state supremacy. There’s the game, a chance to capture a second straight Big Ten regular-season championship — and doing so against the hated Wolverines. And then there’s senior day, the final time Kenny Goins and Matt McQuaid will play in the green and white at Breslin Center.
Source: Detroit Free Press
Couch: 3 quick takes on Michigan State basketball’s interesting win over Nebraska Lansing State Journal
1. Izzo turns to freshmen in late-season maneuver – some of it might stick
2. Goins is a big part of MSU’s ceiling this month
3. McQuaid’s ability to create his own shot has changed his game
Michigan State’s overcomes injuries, odd lineups to hammer Nebraska Detroit Free Press
It wasn’t senior night, but injury-depleted No. 9 Michigan State got plenty from its two elder statesmen Tuesday. Kenny Goins and Matt McQuaid both set career highs, combining for 46 points, as the Spartans overcame injuries and an off night from Cassius Winston en route to a 91-76 victory over Nebraska at Breslin Center.
Hot shooting Kenny Goins, Matt McQuaid lead Michigan State to rout of Nebraska mlive.com
Senior night isn’t for another four days at Breslin Center, but Michigan State’s two-player senior class got the festivities going early. Kenny Goins and Matt McQuaid both had career offensive games as Michigan State routed Nebraska, 91-76, on Wednesday night at Breslin Center.
Spartan seniors lead MSU to victory over Nebraska Spartan Tailgate
As No. 9 Michigan State began its final homestand of the regular season it leaned on its two seniors and a rising freshman to carry it over Nebraska Saturday night at the Breslin Center. The Spartans defeated the Cornhuskers 91-76 on a night where Kenny Goins, Matt McQuaid, and freshman Aaron Henry produced career-high scoring performances.
Goins, McQuaid lead No. 9 Michigan State in 91-76 romp over Nebraska Detroit News
Kenny Goins’ time at Michigan State is running out. The same goes for Matt McQuaid. The Spartans seniors showed a sense of urgency on Tuesday night reserved for players that have no intention of going out quietly in the final week of the regular season. Each scored a career-best with Goins netting 24 and McQuaid going for 22 as No. 9 Michigan State rolled over Nebraska, 91-76, at the Breslin Center.
Seniors show out for win over Nebraska The Only Colors
After Michigan State’s 91-76 point win against Nebraska, one might call Tuesday night’s game, the Kenny Goins show. Or maybe the Matt McQuaid show. Or even both, since the two seniors each had career-highs and kept the crowd on their feet the whole game. “It’s just March you know, the intensity [has] risen, the stakes are higher… it’s time to step up for everybody,” said McQuaid.
Goins, McQuaid Lead No. 9 Michigan State Past Nebraska, 91-76 MSU Official
Redshirt senior Kenny Goins scored a career-high 24 points and hit a career-best six 3-pointers and senior guard Matt McQuaid had a career-high 22 points as No. 9 Michigan State used a big first half to beat Nebraska, 91-76, at the Breslin Center Tuesday night.
Matt McQuaid sat out practice Thursday, a victim of a slightly sprained right ankle. Another day, another injury to another Michigan State player. But McQuaid is not just any MSU player. He, Cassius Winston and Kenny Goins have become the Spartans’ iron men in the past two months. And coach Tom Izzo needs them to continue that heading into the homestretch toward a potential Big Ten regular-season title and the postseason.
Source: Detroit Free Press
Kenny Goins isn’t ashamed to call himself a mama’s boy. Every game, the Spartans’ senior forward typically looks into the stands to find his mother, Laura. After games, he greets her with a kiss on the cheek outside the locker room before he greets all the other well-wishers.
Source: mlive.com
Tom Izzo has downplayed his talent all season. Even this week, during his weekly news conference at the Breslin Center, he said his Michigan State Spartans have a small margin for error. This is partly because of injuries; two of his three most skilled players — Joshua Langford and Nick Ward — are out. Yet even before he lost them, Izzo softened his team’s expectations … at least publicly.
Source: Detroit Free Press
Special Guest Hosts: Cassius Winston, Kenny Goins, and Thomas Kithier.
Aaron Henry missed a 3-pointer, then heeded Tom Izzo’s suggestion: Look for your midrange shot. Michigan State’s freshman grabbed a defensive rebound, then again looked for his jumper. This one, from the free-throw line, hit nothing but net. It was a key basket in the Spartans’ 67-59 victory at Wisconsin on Tuesday, and it was a hopeful sign for No. 11 MSU’s offense that is working to replace the perimeter scoring lost with Joshua Langford’s season-ending foot surgery.
Source: Detroit Free Press
Fifth-year senior scores 12, including a clutch 3-pointer with 36 seconds left seals crucial road victory for Spartans over Badgers.
Source: Detroit News
Michigan State’s 79-74 loss to Illinois is as rough of a loss as the program has had in a while. There really aren’t many positive takeaways. However, if we work hard and try to find a silver lining, Kenny Goins sure is one. He’s playing great basketball and doing all he can to keep the ship afloat.
Source: Spartans Wire
I won’t even lie, I was like the most of us. Kenny Goins would hit the floor for an average of 14 minutes last year, and I would wonder why. Two years ago he would start just under half of MSU’s games, and while the roster limitations were the cause for that, it would still irk me.
Source: The Only Colors
Kenny Goins has quietly put together as consistent a six-game stretch as he’d had in his career, averaging 8.2 points and 10.7 rebounds since the calendar turned over. He’s been a stabilizing force during MSU’s stay at the top of the Big Ten standings while the Spartans have navigated injuries to Joshua Langford and Kyle Ahrens.
Source: Spartan Tailgate
Michigan State’s basketball team is about to attempt to take down one of the longstanding truths of college hoops — that role players don’t travel. Meaning, the Matt McQuaid, Kyle Ahrens, and Kenny Goins types tend to have their big games at home and shrink in hostile buildings.
Source: Lansing State Journal
To understand the value of Kenny Willekes and Kenny Goins to Michigan State’s football and basketball programs, try to imagine a world where they didn’t exist. Last year’s bounce-back, 10-win football season? Gone. This year’s bowl game? Vanished. The Spartans’ 21-year NCAA tournament streak? That ended at 19.
Source: Lansing State Journal