Good news keeps coming for MSU

Login to view embedded media

I bought four tickets for $25, including fees and paid like $40 for a premium parking pass. My relatives from other countries (El Salvador and Norway) had never been to an NFL (or even an American football game), and they had a blast. The game was surprisingly good and the Jets almost spectacularly blew a huge lead. But I was thinking about it while watching the Minnesota Bowling Green game and reading some posts about how cheap tickets were - it's a super fun way to spend half a day with family and getting out of the house. Oddly, I'm not a huge NFL fan but I take free tickets whenever they are offered and I try to hit a Buffalo Bills home game once every two years in winter, when I think is the best time to watch football. My point is that it's not just these minor bowl games. NFL tickets can be just as cheap for meaningless games. The KC Chiefs Christmas Day game had tons of empty seats that were clearly visible on TV. I guess people just don't like going to games as much anymore. I prefer going to games and if I lived in Michigan I'd probably attend all of MSU's home games. Although, I admit, this season I would've given up a long time ago ...

Was going to look third party but wanted to start with MSU friends. Any remaining game, just looking to go with a few friends

Lions hold the Vikings to 4 and 3. Vikings throw a 25 yd pass down field. Detroit intercepts and the db goes directly down. Lions ball on their own 20. Had he batted it down the lions would have had the ball 25 yards closer to the end zone on their own 45. Just dumb

Big time return for MSU

Login to view embedded media

Login to view embedded media
Hailing from Union, Kentucky, Preston is listed as an outside hitter on the Sooners website and she earned Big 12 Rookie of the Week Honors in Nov. 2022 and Santa Clara Tournament All-Tournament Team honors her freshman season as well.

2023 season highs as a sophomore:

Michigan State redshirt freshman linebacker Quavian Carter has entered the transfer portal, Spartans Illustrated has confirmed.

More here:

Sect 210, Row 11, Seats 103-104. Will accept any fair offer.

If interested, call or text Joe at (313) 671-5953.

The Michigan State men's basketball program hosted 2025 four-star point guard Jerry Easter II for a visit on Thursday, he tells me. He watched the Spartans' dominate Stony Brook, 99-55.

He described the trip as "awesome!"

Easter ranks as the No. 22 prospect nationally in the 2025 class. He also visited Michigan State on Sept. 23.

Login to view embedded media

I am in need of one alumni Izzone ticket. I was unaware the students couldn't get them also for that game and the daughter needs a ticket!
Dan

Michigan State football gained 18 signees to its class of 2024 during the early signing period. Before fully turning the page to the 2025 cycle, Dylan and I offer five thoughts on the 2024 class:

Holy Cross transfer offensive lineman Luke Newman is interested in Michigan State, and is hoping to take an official visit to East Lansing at some point in January. He won't be enrolling in January at his next school, as he will be graduating from Holy Cross in the spring and joining his next program in the summer.

He primarily played and started at left tackle for the Crusaders at the FCS level, but he plans to transition to guard at the FBS level, which he feels is a more natural position for him.

Newman is a Bloomfield Hills, Michigan native and played at Brother Rice when he was in high school. An opportunity to come back to his home state and play for Michigan State, a school he grew up rooting for, is attractive to him. However, he is looking for the best fit for him regardless of location.

"I think it would definitely be awesome to play for the team I cheered for growing up, but it is a situation where I look at the best fit for me regardless of that," Newman told me.

In addition to Michigan State, Newman has in been discussions with Illinois, Purdue, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Wake Forest as well.

Again, this likely won't be a decision made by the early signing period on Dec. 20, but Newman is a name to watch moving forward.

Login to view embedded media

Vs. Bowling Green?

I'm assuming he is not.

This is oniy the second meeting between the Spartans and the Spiders.​

Login to view embedded media
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State women's basketball now begins an arduous stretch of four games away from East Lansing, beginning with the Cherokee Invitational at Harrah's Casino in Cherokee, North Carolina. MSU opens the invitational against Richmond on Wednesday, Dec. 20 at 9:30 p.m. The Spartans will then take on either Coastal Carolina or Chattanooga on Thursday, Dec. 22.

• With a 91-67 win over Central Michigan, the Spartans improved to 8-2 this season. Richmond is also off to a fast start, standing 9-2 this season after a win over Liberty on Dec. 16.

• This week, MSU stands 15th in the current NET rankings, which is third-highest in the Big Ten behind Iowa (7) and Ohio State (14).

• Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick reached a career milestone with a win against CMU. She captured her 200th career win, now holding a 200-78 career record in eight seasons as a head coach at Ashland, Bowling Green and Michigan State.

• Against CMU, Moira Joiner netted a career-high 27 points, marking the second time in her last four games of netting a career-best 26 points, which came at DePaul (11/30). Joiner's 27 points was her second 20+ point outing of the season and fourth 20-point game of her career. She has scored in double-figures in all 10 contests this season as part of 12-straight games back to 2022-23 season, and in 13 of her last 14 games.

SCOUTING RICHMOND
The Spiders stand 9-2 coming into the Cherokee Invitational. Richmond has a 53 NET ranking heading into the week. Last time out, Richmond scored 35 points in the second quarter, leading to a, 99-73, win against Liberty on Dec. 16. The Spiders also remains perfect at home with a 5-0 mark.

Maggie Doogan leads Spiders in scoring, averaging 18.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. The 18.5 ppg is second-best in the Atlantic 10 this season. Addie Budnik is second on the squad in scoring, averaging 11.1 ppg. Grace Townsend is second in the league in assists with 4.9 apg.

Richmond leads the A-10 in scoring, averaging 77.5 ppg. The Spiders are also first in field goal percentage, shooting 47.8 percent from the field.

Aaron Roussell is in his fifth season at the helm of Richmond, holding a 74-53 record. Overall, he is in his 20th season as a head coach with a 386-175 record.

Login to view embedded media
SERIES HISTORY VS. THE SPIDERS
Michigan State leads the very brief series with Richmond, 1-0. The only other meeting took place at the UCF Thanksgiving Classic on Nov. 27, 2010 with MSU coming out on top 76-52.

LAST TIME VS RICHMOND
Spartan All-American Kalisha Keane scored 26 points and Michigan State (No. 25 AP) used some suffocating second-half defense to beat Richmond 76-52 on Nov. 27, 2010 in the UCF Thanksgiving Classic.

Brittney Thomas added nine points and Courtney Schiffauer had eight for the Spartans, who improved to 4-1 after out-scoring the Spiders 37-21 in the second half.

Brittani Shells led Richmond (4-3) with 16 points. The Spiders played even with the Spartans for the first 16 minutes of the game, but couldn't maintain the pace.

CHEROKEE INVITATIONAL
Following the game against Richmond, Michigan State will take on either Coastal Carolina or Chattanooga. The winners will face each other at 9:30 p.m., while the losers of the first game will meet at 7 p.m.

This would be the first-ever meeting between the Spartans and either UTC or Coastal Carolina.

UTC is 11-1 so far this season, the second-best start to a season in program history. The Mocs have now won its last nine.

Coastal Carolina is 5-6 so far this. The Chants are averaging 66.4 points per game while shooting 38.6 percent from the field and 27.8 percent from three-point range

Login to view embedded media
FRALICK HITS MILESTONE
Michigan State head coach Robyn Fralick reached a career milestone with a win against CMU. She captured her 200th career win, now holding a 200-78 career record in eight seasons as a head coach at Ashland, Bowling Green and Michigan State.

LAST TIME OUT
Michigan State head women's basketball coach Robyn Fralick earned her 200th career win, as the high-flying Spartan offense handled Central Michigan, 91-67, at a festive Breslin Center on Sunday afternoon.

Michigan State welcomed back former Spartan All-American and assistant coach Kristin Haynie, who is in her first season at the helm of the Chippewas. Former Spartan center Jenna Allen is also a member of Haynie's staff.

Playing with only seven available players, Michigan State was able to take jump on the Chips early. The Spartans were led by a career high 27 points from graduate guard Moira Joiner, who topped her career high of 26 points against DePaul on Nov. 30. Sophomore guard Theryn Hallock earned her first career start and made the most of it with her first career double-double. She tied her career high with 17 points and set a new career high 12 assists. Graduate guard/forward Julia Ayrault also had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

BY THE NUMBERS VS. CENTRAL MICHIGAN
• By draining 12-of-31 from 3-point range, the Spartans' 46.6 percent from behind the arc was their second-highest when making 10+ 3-pointers, behind the season-high 73.7 percentage (14-of-19) vs. Detroit Mercy (11/16) ... the 46.6 percent was also the Spartans' best 3-point shooting percentage since 47.1 percentage (8-of-17) vs. Evansville (11/19).

• The Spartans dished out 29 assists on Sunday, their most since 29 vs. Evansville (11/19), their most in the last six games ... the 29 assists was their sixth game this season with 20+ helpers.

• Graduate guard Moira Joiner drained a career-high seven 3-pointers, including five treys in the first half and topping her season-high of four triples (done twice, last at DePaul, 11/30) and matching her previous career-high of five treys (done four previous times, last vs. Maryland, 1/7/23).

JUST CAN'T BEAT JOINER
Against CMU, graduate guard Moira Joiner netted a career-high 27 points, marking the second time in her last four games of netting a career-best 26 points, which came at DePaul (11/30). With her strong performance, she earned a spot on the Big Ten Honor Roll. Joiner's 27 points was her second 20+ point outing of the season and fourth 20-point game of her career. She has scored in double-figures in all 10 contests this season as part of 12-straight games back to 2022-23 season, and in 13 of her last 14 games.

Login to view embedded media
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.

Merry Christmas to you all. I appreciate the management and staff for providing this forum and their work for our enjoyment. I appreciate the posters for their enthusiasm and passion for Spartan sports. I may not always appreciate all the opinions expressed, but I wish you all a safe and happy holiday season and hope you are truly blessed by the meaning ans spirit of Christmas. God bless.

Interested in 2 tickets for Indiana State on 12/30
text please if any available 248-977-2277

Thank you and Merry Christmas

I posted this on TOS but thought my favorite posters around might be interested.

Hope to start reading Tom's latest book, The Right Thing to Do, over the holidays and I decided to share my favorite sports books about the Green and White in case someone out there wants to do some reading over the holidays. Feel free to add your favorrites as well.

Raye of Light (4.4) by Tom Shanahan
Absolutely the best book I have read on MSU football.

The Biggest Game of Them All, Notre Dame, Michigan State, and the Fall of 1966 (4.8) by Mike Celizic
Great book about THE GAME between 2 of the best teams in college football history.

When March Went Mad (4.5) by Seth Davis
The story of the events leading up to the greatest game in college basketball history featuring Magic and Bird. Some hilarious stuff on Jud , especially my favorite Jud story of them all, at an airport of all places. (you'll need to read the book to find out.

Jud, A Magical Journey (4.6) by Jud , Kelser, and others
Another really good read (I can't wait for a biography or auto to come out on Izzo and/or Dantonio.

There are lots of good books out there that I read on MSU football and hoops.
Any suggestions from you guys.

Oops, just edited this to include
Arrogance and Scheming in the Big Ten (4.2) by David Young
This is a must read by anyone who is a Spartan. Can be a little tedious but if you hate UM you will hate them even more after reading. AND if you hate Notre Dame you might change your mind a tad after reading this book.

MSU Football posted a short video of the new Tom Izzo Football Building.

Login to view embedded media

FSU has announced that they are moving forward with a lawsuit against the ACC to get out of the media grant of rights contract which runs through 2036. FSU claims it would cost them $572 million to get out of the deal currently. If they can find a way out, several other ACC schools are expected to follow.

Based on what I have been reading over the past several months, FSU would most likely be Big Ten bound in a couple years if they can get out. I follow a guy on X that has some inside contacts, and has been following college realignment. He claims that the B1G has vetted and approved FSU and UNC and that these schools have also been approved by Fox and the tv partners as far as the extra money that would be added to the tv deal.

It was surreal interviewing Barry Sanders tonight, I'm not going to lie. But I resisted the urge to take a selfie with him (would not be proper nor prudent). Here's my story from tonight:

It was naturally a very upbeat press conference following the utter dismemberment of Stony Brook last night. Izzo seemed genuinely concerned about Stony Brook and he seemed equally happy that his team took it to them from the jump. He thought that it showed A LOT of maturity.

Obviously, a lot of freshmen and walk-ons saw the court last night. There was a lot of buzz and talk about Nick Sanders' first points (as detailed in David's article) but Izzo talked a LOT about Xavier Booker as well. Booker is what inspired the following quote:

"I think too many people look at the end goal instead of the journey to get there, and the journey to get there is hard."

Because I am an UBER NERD, I am also reminded by the following quote:

"All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king."

If anyone can identify the source of the quote, you get 1,000 Dr. Green and White bonus points and the admiration of your peers.

Izzo also had a fun reference to "Professor Gadget" which I kindly edited to say "(Inspector) Gadget" (Woohoo)

It was not all positive, however. The rebounding is still not where it needs to be, and MSU's next opponent, Indiana State, might just be on par which some of the mid-level Big Ten teams. That could get interesting if MSU is still digesting that Christmas ham.

Check out my full article here:

This time of year means Harbaugh's future at Michigan is in question. With this in mind, I wonder if CJCS and staff made any inroads with in-state guys like Jacob Oden, Jeremiah Beasley and Brady Prieskorn if Harbaugh were to jump to the NFL. Something interesting to consider

Huge!

Login to view embedded media

Multiple recruits have told me they just spoke to Harlon Barnett, and he told them he will be staying with the Michigan State program under the new regime. What his exact role will be is unclear right now.

Update: Barnett will not be retained.