LARRY LAGE
Tennessee guard Tyreke Key (4) drives around Duke forward Dariq Whitehead (0) during the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Transfer portal provided boost for most March Madness teams

By Larry Lage Mar. 22, 2023 05:10 AM EDT
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan State coach Tom Izzo is not a big fan of the

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo reacts during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Ohio State, Saturday, March 4, 2023, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)
March Madness and Michigan State synonymous under Tom Izzo

By Larry Lage Mar. 14, 2023 04:03 PM EDT
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Tom Izzo stepped up to a lectern with a microphone, as he

Michigan State's Matilda Ekh, right, drives against Maryland's Faith Masonius during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)
Spartans pregame ceremony honors 3 killed in campus shooting

By Larry Lage Feb. 18, 2023 06:01 PM EST
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan State women's basketball players wiped away tears

Purdue guard Braden Smith (3) drives to the basket past Michigan forward Tarris Reed Jr. (32) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Ann Arbor, Mich., Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Zach Edey has 19 points, No. 1 Purdue beats Michigan 75-70

By Larry Lage Jan. 26, 2023 11:26 PM EST
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Zach Edey had 15 of his 19 points in the first half and

Michigan State's A.J. Hoggard, center, celebrates a play as Tre Hollomon, left, and Tyson Walker, right, look on during the second half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Rutgers, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023, in East Lansing, Mich. Michigan State won 70-57. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)
Michigan St beats No. 23 Rutgers 70-57 with balanced scoring

By Larry Lage Jan. 19, 2023 09:45 PM EST
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A.J. Hoggard had 16 points and seven assists to help four

Purdue guard Braden Smith (3) makes a layup as Michigan State guard Tre Holloman (5) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, Jan. 16, 2023, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Zach Edey scores 32, No. 3 Purdue beats Michigan State 64-63

By Larry Lage Jan. 16, 2023 05:09 PM EST
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Zach Edey made a go-ahead shot at the front of the rim

Michigan guard Dug McDaniel (0) reacts to a play against Michigan in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Ann Arbor, Mich., Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Gardner, No. 3 Virginia rally for 70-68 win at Michigan

By Larry Lage Nov. 30, 2022 12:07 AM EST
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Tony Bennett's team passed all its tests in the opening month

Villanova coach Kyle Neptune gives instructions against during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Michigan State, Friday, Nov. 18, 2022, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)
Villanova's 1st-year coach Kyle Neptune learning on the job

By Larry Lage Nov. 19, 2022 06:00 AM EST
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Kyle Neptune looks young enough to suit up for a

Eastern Michigan forward Colin Golson Jr. reacts after a play during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Michigan, Friday, Nov. 11, 2022, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Emoni Bates scores career-high 30 in EMU's loss to No. 22 UM

By Larry Lage Nov. 11, 2022 11:45 PM EST
DETROIT (AP) — Emoni Bates showed flashes of his promise, scoring 17 of his career

FILE - North Carolina's Armando Bacot reacts during the second half of the team's game against UCLA in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament March 25, 2022, in Philadelphia. The 6-foot-11, 235-pound Bacot led the team last season in scoring, rebounding, shooting percentage and blocks. He is the preseason pick for ACC player of the year for the league favorite Tar Heels.(AP Photo/Chris Szagola, File)
Michigan State among college hoops teams facing tough tests

By Larry Lage Nov. 08, 2022 06:02 AM EST
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Tom Izzo is proud of the fact that Michigan State has

Michigan State men's head coach Tom Izzo speaks during Big Ten NCAA college basketball Media Days Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Tom Izzo's unranked Michigan State team faces tough tests

By Larry Lage Oct. 19, 2022 04:55 PM EDT
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Tom Izzo insists he has no plans to call it a career

Michigan head basketball coach Juwan Howard instructs his NCAA college team during a practice, Friday, Oct. 14, 2022, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
No. 22 Michigan has 3 Howards: Juwan and sons, Jace and Jett

By Larry Lage Oct. 19, 2022 03:05 PM EDT
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — The 22nd-ranked Michigan basketball team has three Howards

Michigan State head coach Mel Tucker talks to reporters during an NCAA college football news conference at the Big Ten Conference media days at Lucas Oil Stadium, Wednesday, July 27, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Michigan State coach Mel Tucker always on brand to promote

By Larry Lage Aug. 24, 2022 04:51 PM EDT
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Mel Tucker smokes cigars and poses with expensive cars on

FILE - North Carolina forward John Henson (31) vies for a rebound with Michigan State center Adreian Payne (5) and forward Branden Dawson (22) during the first half of the Carrier Classic NCAA college basketball game aboard the USS Carl Vinson, Nov. 11, 2011, in Coronado, Calif. They're going to try to play college basketball on an aircraft carrier again, and Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans will get a return trip to San Diego Bay to face Gonzaga on the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln on Nov. 11. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill,File)
Michigan State gives Tom Izzo new deal worth $6.2M per year

By Larry Lage Aug. 11, 2022 04:07 PM EDT
Michigan State has signed coach Tom Izzo to a new deal valued at $6.2 million per

Michigan's Hunter Dickinson (1) celebrates after his team defeated Tennessee in a college basketball game in the second round of the NCAA tournament, Saturday, March 19, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Michigan on a run at right time in tournament, 'Nova next

By Larry Lage Mar. 22, 2022 06:56 PM EDT
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan went into the NCAA Tournament with a troubling

Indiana forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, right, blocks a shot by Purdue guard Jaden Ivey during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, March 5, 2022, in West Lafayette, Ind. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
NCAA Tournament features dynamic guards, backcourt wizards

By Larry Lage Mar. 16, 2022 04:53 AM EDT
NCAA Tournament teams rise and fall with guard play. Look no further than last year

Police remove a fan from the stands after an altercation stopped play during the second half of the Northeast Conference men's NCAA college basketball championship game between Bryant and Wagner, Tuesday, March 8, 2022, in Smithfield, R.I. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Pressure-packed hoops flaring up tempers on the hardwood

By Larry Lage Mar. 12, 2022 03:07 AM EST
Pressure-packed basketball is back, with buzzer-beating shots all over the place on

FILE - Michigan head coach Juwan Howard reacts to a play as associate head coach Phil Martelli watches from the bench during the first half of the team's Elite Eight game against UCLA in the NCAA men's college basketball tournament March 30, 2021, in Indianapolis. Martelli will fill in for Howard for the rest of the regular season. Howard was suspended five games and fined $40,000 by the Big Ten Conference after hitting a Wisconsin assistant coach in the head during the handshake line after a loss Sunday, Feb. 20. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)
Michigan's Juwan Howard contrite about swipe at Wisconsin

By Larry Lage Mar. 09, 2022 04:15 PM EST
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan coach Juwan Howard looked and sounded contrite

Iowa forward Keegan Murray (15) drives on Michigan forward Moussa Diabate (14) in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Ann Arbor, Mich., Thursday, March 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
No. 24 Iowa beats Michigan 82-71 for 5th straight victory

By Larry Lage Mar. 03, 2022 11:19 PM EST
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Keegan Murray scored 15 of his 23 points in the first half to

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood shouts to his team during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Michigan Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022, in Ann Arbor, Mich. Illinois defeated Michigan 93-85. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Cockburn, Plummer help No. 15 Illinois beat Michigan 93-85

By Larry Lage Feb. 27, 2022 04:45 PM EST
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Kofi Cockburn dominated on the inside, as usual, and his