Saturday, April 27, 2024

Basketball

BASKETBALL

Aerial Powers named All-American honorable mention

Zach Libby
April 6, 2015

For the first time in head coach Suzy Merchant's tenure with MSU, the women's basketball team will not play in any postseason tournament, because of a decision to not risk any more injuries.  But the veteran sideline general and former Central Michigan guard received more outstanding news on sophomore forward Aerial Powers on Saturday, who earned another honorable mention All-American honor by another renowned coalition.  It's been four years since the program carried a Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) honorable mention All-America recipient since former standout Kalisha Keane.   Now, following a season filled with record breaking accomplishments, Powers earned WCBA All-American honors to complete her collection of awards.

BASKETBALL

Maurice Ager helps troubled youth with basketball school

Zach Libby
April 6, 2015

Stepping off the hardwood and into the music booth, MSU basketball standout Maurice Ager has gone from leading the Spartans to a Final Four, to being a Grammy nominated recording artist and producer.  Playing in four seasons with four different teams in the NBA, while also earning a spot on the All-Big Ten second team his junior and senior year, the game of basketball is still lodged into the heart of the 31-year-old, despite haven't not played professionally since the end of the 2010-11 season.  Residing in the Greater Los Angeles area, Ager wanted a way to have basketball continue to be a major part of his life, as well as giving back to a new generation of future stars, which resulted in the creation of the Maurice Ager Hoop School, founded over a year ago. “I wanted to figure out a way to give back to the youth with some of the skills and talent that I’ve been able to accomplish in my life,” Ager said.

BASKETBALL

Outmatched

Omari Sankofa II
April 6, 2015

Nobody expected a No. 7 seed to make it to the Final Four. But Saturday night was the end of the championship run for the Spartans, with an 81-61 loss to Duke.

BASKETBALL

Want to get pumped up for the Final Four? Watch this Tom Izzo pre-game speech before the Elite Eight

Zach Libby
April 2, 2015

What better than to get pumped up for MSU's seventh Final Four underneath Tom Izzo than by watching a speech from the head coach himself?  This past Sunday, before the Spartans took the court at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, the 60-year-old provided a resounding prep talk to this players inside the locker room, in preparation for their Elite 8 matchup with the Louisville Cardinals. 

BASKETBALL

Other MSU head coaches react to Izzo's Final Four run

Matthew Argillander
March 31, 2015

Anyone who spends a significant amount of time around the athletic staff at MSU knows they are a tight-knit group, always eager to support one another. With the men’s basketball team making their seventh Final Four appearance under head coach Tom Izzo , a few of the other head coaches at MSU weighed in on the man Izzo is, the basketball team’s success and Izzo’s ability to keep producing quality teams that make long post-season runs.

BASKETBALL

Upperclassmen leading charge during Final Four run

John Neidhart
March 31, 2015

In an age in which some of the top college basketball players look to increase their own playing time and career prospects, the unselfishness within MSU basketball has vaulted the team to the Final Four. Quite a few relationship dynamics exist across the roster but three stand out among the rest.

BASKETBALL

Duke and MSU have a long history

Zach Libby
March 31, 2015

The city of Indianapolis  is no stranger when it comes to intriguing matchups between MSU and Duke, as both programs have squared off twice at the capital of Indiana in two different locations.