LARRY LAGE
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo listens to a question at a press conference during the Big Ten conference NCAA college basketball media day Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019, in Rosemont, Ill. (AP Photo/David Banks)
Izzo welcomes expectations for 1 of top Michigan State teams

By Larry Lage Oct. 15, 2019 07:23 PM EDT
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Tom Izzo's 25th team at Michigan State might be one of his

Juwan Howard reacts with tears of joys as he is introduced as Michigan's new men's NCAA college basketball coach by Director of Athletics Warde Manuel, Thursday, May 30, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Mich. The former member of the Fab Five has a five-year contract that will pay him $2 million in his first year. The former Miami Heat assistant coach replaces John Beilein, who left to coach the Cleveland Cavaliers. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Howard sheds tears of joy as takes the reins at Michigan

By Larry Lage May. 30, 2019 12:33 PM EDT
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Juwan Howard wiped tears of joy off his cheeks as he sat with

FILE - In this Nov. 30, 2016, file photo, Miami Heat assistant coach Juwan Howard watches during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets in Denver. A person with knowledge of the situation tells The Associated Press that Howard has agreed to a five-year deal to take over as Michigan men's basketball coach. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday, May 22, 2019, because the announcement had not been made. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
Michigan hires Juwan Howard as basketball coach

By Larry Lage May. 22, 2019 06:02 PM EDT
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Juwan Howard is coming back to Michigan. The

Michigan State's Xavier Tillman, right, takes a shot over Texas Tech's Jarrett Culver during the second half in the semifinals of the Final Four NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 6, 2019, in Minneapolis. (Brett Wilhelm/NCAA Photos via Getty Images via AP, Pool)
Izzo should have much of Michigan State Final 4 team back

By Larry Lage Apr. 07, 2019 04:44 PM EDT
Tom Izzo is expected to have much of his latest Final Four team back next season at

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo holds up the NCAA men's East Regional Championship trophy after defeating Duke in a college basketball game in Washington, Sunday, March 31, 2019. Michigan State won 68-67. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Michigan State's Tom Izzo may have done best job of career

By Larry Lage Apr. 05, 2019 03:09 AM EDT
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Tom Izzo struggled with tears of joy as Michigan State

Michigan State guard Matt McQuaid, left, guard Cassius Winston, forward Aaron Henry, forward Xavier Tillman and forward Kenny Goins walk to an NCAA men's college basketball individual news conferences in Washington, Saturday, March 30, 2019. Michigan State plays Duke in the East Regional final game on Sunday. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Michigan State's Winston has chance to join Magic and Mateen

By Larry Lage Apr. 03, 2019 06:31 PM EDT
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Cassius Winston is already in elite company.

FILE - In this Saturday, March 23, 2019 file photo, Michigan State's Xavier Tillman (23) looks to pass the ball against Minnesota's Daniel Oturu (25) during the second half of a second round men's college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, in Des Moines, Iowa. Michigan State forward Xavier Tillman has been forced to grow up fast on and off the court. The sophomore went from being a role-playing reserve to a key starter when Nck Ward broke his left hand late in the regular season. Tillman became a father as a senior in high school and lives with his 2-year-old daughter and fiancee in a two-bedroom apartment near the school’s basketball arena. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)
Michigan St's Tillman forced to grow up fast on, off court

By Larry Lage Apr. 02, 2019 08:20 PM EDT
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Xavier Tillman has had to grow up fast on and off the

FILE - At left, in a March 16, 2019, file photo, Michigan State's Matt McQuaid (20) reacts after shooting a 3-point basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Wisconsin in the semifinals of the Big Ten Conference tournament, in Chicago. At right, in a Feb. 20, 2019, file photo, Michigan State forward Kenny Goins shoots during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, in East Lansing, Mich. Big Ten champion Michigan State is seeded second in the NCAA Tournament in part because seniors Matt McQuaid and Kenny Goins have gone from being role players to standouts.(AP Photo/File)
Michigan State seniors Goins, McQuaid emerge as standouts

By Larry Lage Mar. 18, 2019 07:57 PM EDT
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Kenny Goins walked on at Michigan State, turning down

Wright State center Loudon Love (11) tries to drive between Northern Kentucky forward Drew McDonald (34) and Northern Kentucky guard Paul Djoko (2) in the first half of an NCAA college men's basketball game in the Horizon League conference tournament championship in Detroit, Tuesday, March 12, 2019. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Northern Kentucky tops Wright State 77-66 to earn NCAA bid

By Larry Lage Mar. 12, 2019 09:16 PM EDT
DETROIT (AP) — Northern Kentucky earned an NCAA Tournament bid for the second time in

FILE - In this Feb. 20, 2019, file photo, Michigan State forward Nick Ward tosses a basketball before the second half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Rutgers, in East Lansing, Mich. No. 6 Michigan State expects forward Nick Ward to play in the Big Ten Tournament. Coach Tom Izzo says he isn’t sure how much the 6-foot-9 junior will be able to play nearly a month after having surgery on his left hand. The top-seeded Spartans will face the winner of the Ohio State-Indiana game Friday in the conference quarterfinals. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)
No. 6 Michigan St expects Ward to play in Big Ten Tournament

By Larry Lage Mar. 11, 2019 01:17 PM EDT
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Nick Ward is expected to play for No. 6 Michigan State at

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, left, meets with Michigan coach John Beilein before an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, March 9, 2019, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)
No. 9 Michigan St beats No. 7 Michigan 75-63 for B10 title

By Larry Lage Mar. 09, 2019 10:36 PM EST
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Cassius Winston struggled to make shots for more than a

FILE - In this Feb. 24, 2019, file photo, Michigan guard Zavier Simpson (3) is defended by Michigan State guard Cassius Winston (5) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, in Ann Arbor, Mich. No. 9 Michigan State hosts No. 7 Michigan in their Big Ten regular season finale with at least a share of the conference title at stake. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)
No. 7 Michigan plays at No. 9 Michigan State for B10 title

By Larry Lage Mar. 08, 2019 07:40 PM EST
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan State's Breslin Center has hosted a slew of

Nebraska guard James Palmer Jr., center, loses control of the ball after running into Michigan State forwards Gabe Brown, left, and Xavier Tillman, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, March 5, 2019, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Goins scores 24 as No. 9 Michigan State tops Nebraska 91-76

By Larry Lage Mar. 05, 2019 09:39 PM EST
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Kenny Goins and Matt McQuaid have been role players for

Detroit Mercy guard Antoine Davis is congratulated by a fan after breaking Steph Curry's NCAA record for 3-point baskets by a freshman, during the second half of Detroit's NCAA college basketball game against IUPUI, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Detroit Mercy's Davis breaks Curry's freshman 3-point record

By Larry Lage Mar. 01, 2019 03:35 AM EST
DETROIT (AP) — Antoine Davis dribbled slowly past midcourt, went toward the right

Detroit Mercy guard Antoine Davis is congratulated by a fan after breaking Steph Curry's NCAA record for 3-point baskets by a freshman, during the second half of Detroit's NCAA college basketball game against IUPUI, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Davis breaks Curry's mark in Detroit's 87-85 win over IUPUI

By Larry Lage Feb. 28, 2019 10:14 PM EST
DETROIT (AP) — Antoine Davis broke Stephen Curry's freshman 3-point record early in

FILE - In this Jan. 17, 2019, file photo, Michigan State's Cassius Winston (5) shoots against Nebraska's James Palmer Jr. and Isaac Copeland Jr. (14) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Lincoln, Neb. Winston has developed into a player of the year candidate, leading No. 6 Michigan State as it contends for a Big Ten title and perhaps top seeding in the NCAA tournament while two of its top players are injured. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)
Michigan State's Winston has become player of year candidate

By Larry Lage Feb. 28, 2019 03:11 AM EST
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Cassius Winston is a reflection of his parents and

Members of the 1989 Michigan basketball team and their coach Steve Fisher, far right, pose for a photo at the half of an NCAA college basketball game between Michigan and Michigan State at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Mich., Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Ding)
Steve Fisher gets warm welcome at Michigan with 1989 team

By Larry Lage Feb. 24, 2019 06:10 PM EST
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Steve Fisher was given a warm welcome back at Michigan on

Michigan head basketball coach John Beilein sits in his office in Ann Arbor, Mich., Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019. Beilein and Michigan State's Tom Izzo are friendly rivals, whose highly ranked NCAA college basketball teams will play for the first time this season on Sunday at Crisler Arena. As much as Beilein and Izzo genuinely like and respect each other, the highly competitive coaches want to win. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Friendly rivals: Michigan State's Izzo, Michigan's Beilein

By Larry Lage Feb. 22, 2019 02:49 AM EST
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan coach John Beilein, shaking off the effects of

Michigan State forwards Nick Ward. right, and Xavier Tillman talk during the first half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Rutgers, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Winston scores 28, No. 10 Michigan State beats Rutgers 71-60

By Larry Lage Feb. 20, 2019 09:02 PM EST
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Xavier Tillman got off to a shaky start, filling in for

Michigan State's Nick Ward watches basketball practice in East Lansing, Mich., Monday, Feb. 18, 2019. Ward had surgery on his broken left hand and is expected to be out of for at least a few weeks from NCAA college basketball action. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
No. 10 Michigan State expects to be without Ward for weeks

By Larry Lage Feb. 18, 2019 01:37 PM EST
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan State forward Nick Ward had surgery on his broken