Thursday 10/31/19 - Spartan Basketball Preview

Michigan State’s Independent Voice

COVER ART BY COURTNEY MCKOWN

Cassius Winston gets once last dance

The dynamic duos of this Spartan team

A look ahead at each program’s season

Why the senior guard decided to stay and how he has prepped for the ‘special year’

“When you bring your personality and the fun and the laughter, everything just goes by smooth”

Read about the headlining matchups of the men’s team and what makes the women’s team stand out

PAGE 10

PAGE 6-7

PAGE 12

T HU R S DAY, O C TO B E R 3 1, 2 019

@THESNEWS

STAT E NE WS .COM

COMMUNITY

Why an eBay auction became an election focus MADDIE MONROE MMONROE@STATENEWS.COM

East Lansing’s goal for 100% renewable energy MADDIE MONROE MMONROE@STATENEWS.COM

The East Lansing Burcham Solar Park on Oct. 22. The solar project has been running for almost a year.

PHOTO BY ANNIE BARKER

T

he City of East Lansing continues progress toward 100% renewable energy, with multiple projects to reduce the city’s carbon footprint.

The East Lansing Commission on the Environment is made up of nine community

members who work in a variety of fields that deal with the environment and sustainability.

Members of the commission work collectively on the climate sustainability plan and make sure it stays up to date. The commission has been working alongside city officials for numerous years to make East Lansing more sustainable with the hope to provide a 100% renewable energy resolution before the end of 2019.

This clean energy plan is a strategic priority of the city council and is one of five ma-

jor focus areas of the city’s climate sustainability plan.

“We’ve had a climate sustainability plan since 2012 and we also have a commission on the environment,” Environmental Services Administrator Catherine DeShambo said. “At this point we are focused very heavily on moving to the 100% clean energy.”

The commission has numerous projects they are actively working on to advance this sustainability plan.

SolSmart, a national designation program recognizing cities that foster the development of solar energy mar-

... which is an organization which helps cities pursue sustainable opportunities in a variety of ways,” DeShambo said. “They are helping us work through all the tasks that are associated with being certified.”

Green Fleet, which encourages the purchase of hybrid and electric vehicles, is another program the commission began five years ago, one of the first steps they made for this policy.

“It allows us to consider clean technologies in purchasing fleet that might be more expensive but are so much better for the environ-

“The city has been in the for forefront when it comes to environmental initiatives and having a climate sustainability plan.”

Catherine DeShambo

Environmental Services Administrator kets is one of the programs the commission features.

Burcham Park’s community solar project has been up and running for almost a year, providing an opportunity for members in the community to purchase solar energy. The hope is that making solar energy more accessible will encourage more members of the community and businesses to use it.

“SolSmart is a Department of Energy initiative that we had the opportunity to join through ICLEI, 2

THE STATE N EWS

THURSDAY, OCTOB E R 31 , 2 01 9

ment,” DeShambo said.

This Green Fleet policy allowed for the purchase of the first hybrid recycling truck in the state, she said.

“The city has been in the forefront when it comes to environmental initiatives and having a climate sustainability plan,” DeShambo said. “Having a commission on the environment has been tremendously helpful because they really work on these issues on a constant basis to really help the city progress.”

Some East Lansing City Council candidates have decried the sale of a city-owned property on eBay — but why?

After being vacant for almost 16 years, the land on Merritt Road will be transformed after a dispensary project was approved in August.

Some prospective bidders were left out of the deal, said candidate Lisa Babcock.

"We will never know what price the city would have received for the property if it had been fairly auctioned, but common sense says a price increase of nearly $7 million shows the city got a raw deal," Babcock said via email.

The incumbent candidates defended the deal.

Mayor Pro Tem Erik Altmann said in August that turning the sale into a political football does a disservice to the taxpayer benefits of the deal.

“All I can say is that I know why I voted to accept the offer and the reason I did that is because the property had been for sale for 17 years,” Mayor Mark Meadows said after a city council debate. “At one point we thought we had it sold in 2004, that fell through.”

It is unclear if the new owner would make a profit from this sale, given the plans for the property include a new hotel, a medical marijuana dispensary and a retail center. This $13 million investment includes removing old buildings and rubble piles that the city left.

The site has been empty since The Department of Public Works & Environmental Services relocated in 2004.

After only a few weeks of owning the property, the new developer Jeff Yatooma, a cannabis industry player, listed it for eight times the price they paid through at least two separate brokers.

Because the site has been vacant since 2004, there haven’t been tax payments in years.

Some city officials call the project a win either way since the property has been tax exempt for so long.

The city has been trying to sell this property for many years, even before the Department of Works left. However, they had been unsuccessful.

The city sold part of the property in 2011 for $350,000 to Spartan Technology LLC. This company has redeveloped that section into a chemical manufacturer called Working Bugs and later constructed a distillery known as Red Cedar Spirits.

In 2016 the city accepted an offer for the remainder of the property for $850,000, howev-

er, the deal fell through after a request for $3 million to help with environmental remediation. The city declined this request.

“In 2011 somebody bought part of the property, 10 acres of the property for the distillery,” Meadows said. “Two years before this sale we had had an offer of $850,000 except that they had this condition about environmental assessment and when that came in it showed $3 million dollars in clean up costs at that location and we were not willing to give that for the property.”

The property began attracting more buyers last year when East Lansing adopted zoning overlays that allows medical marijuana provisioning centers.

The city then offered the property purchase rights on eBay, which concerned many citizens and drew heavy criticism.

"Secrecy is only part of the problem. The other issue is that the city failed to determine the real value of the property, which resulted in putting the land for up for auction for a lowball price," Babcock said via email.

Yatooma won the eBay auction on behalf of Kodiak Landarc with a bid of $1,000,900 and agreed to take responsibility for environmental remediation.

However the property may be sold again. After owning the property for several weeks, Yatooma listed the property at a 700% markup.

The property was originally listed by a national broker, CannaMLS, but is now listed on the broker’s own site. When it was first listed, the property was $12 million but is now listed for $7.99 million.

This price includes the yetto-be-built dispensary, and two other buildings that have not yet been constructed. Plans submitted to the city council show a $13 million investment from developers to build the dispensary, a 9,000 square-foot strip mall and a four story, 107room hotel.

Developers have not yet submitted any changes to the plan or a divide request for the 6.42acre lot since the site plan was approved by the city council in August.

“I thought was a reasonable offer for us to expect even though I don't necessarily like the process that was followed, the way the auction was conducted,” Meadows said. “Not that we had an auction, we had been advised that it was probably a good idea to put it up for auction, without a press release or opportunity for others to be notified of it.”

Vol. 110 | No. 11

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019 ASK US QUESTIONS What questions do you have about your community? What do you want to know about MSU and the city of East Lansing? Submit what you’re curious about — we want to find answers for you. Submit your questions at editorinchief@statenews.com

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Madison O’Connor MANAGING EDITOR Mila Murray COPY CHIEF Alan Hettinger CAMPUS EDITOR Kaitlyn Kelley

SEND US YOUR STORIES Is something happening that you wish other readers knew about? Send us story ideas and news tips, we’d love to hear from you. Email us at feedback@ statenews.com TELL US WHAT YOU THINK Send us a letter to the editor with your name, email and class year or university affiliation. Letters can be dropped off or mailed to The State News at 435 E. Grand River Ave., East Lansing, MI 48823, or submitted online at statenews.com/page/submit-letter

FOR NEWS RIGHT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS FOLLOW US AT:

CITY EDITOR Evan Jones SPORTS EDITOR Paolo Giannandrea PHOTO EDITOR Sylvia Jarrus MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Haley Sinclair

Supply chain management junior Makenna Carpenter from Oakland University chants in front of the Hannah Administration Building on Oct. 27. Carpenter said that every hate crime that has happened on Michigan State’s campus is wrong and “dealing with these types of instances is what Michigan State needs to work on.”

The State News

@statenews

@thesnews

SOCIAL MEDIA & ENGAGEMENT EDITOR Wolfgang Ruth DESIGN Genna Barner Courtney McKown

The State News

CONTACT THE STATE NEWS (517) 295-1680 NEWSROOM/CORRECTIONS (517) 295-5149 feedback@statenews.com GENERAL MANAGER Christopher Richert ADVERTISING M-F, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

COLOPHON The State News design features Acta, a newspaper type system created by DSType Foundry.

The State News is published by the students of Michigan State University on Thursdays during the academic year. News is constantly updated seven days a week at statenews.com.

State News Inc. is a private, nonprofit corporation. Its current 990 tax form is available for review upon request at 435 E. Grand River Ave. during business hours.

One copy of this newspaper is available free of charge to any member of the MSU community.

Additional copies $0.75 at the business office only.

Copyright © 2019 State News Inc., East Lansing, Michigan

of Spartan Athletics F E E DB AC K@ STAT E NE WS .COM

T H U RS DAY, OC TO B E R 3 1 , 2 01 9

STATE N E WS .CO M

3

SPORTS

Jamye Cox takes after her role model on road to history JAYNA BARDAHL JBARDAHL@STATENEWS.COM

Junior libero Jamye Cox (4) celebrates winning a set during the game against Cincinnati on Sept. 6 at Jenison Fieldhouse.

The Spartans defeated the Bearcats, 3-1. PHOTO BY MATT SCHMUCKER

Freshly recruited and entering her freshman year of high school, Jamye Cox — the current junior libero for Michigan State volleyball — watched as former Spartan Kori Moster dove for every ball she saw on the court back in 2014. Moster, who Cox described as her role model, ended her career with 2,218 career digs — good for third all-time in the Big Ten and first all-time for the Spartans.

“She’s a player that I still look up to to this day,” Cox said. “I still, every time I step on the court think, ‘Ok, how can I be as good as she was.’”

Now, this thought may become a reality for Cox. With 1,091 career digs as of Oct. 27, 30 digs stand between the 5-foot-6 junior and a spot in MSU volleyball alltime top 10. Judy Doles, who graduated from MSU in 1988, currently holds down the No.

STAY INFORMED

YOUR NEWS, YOUR VOICE, YOUR WAY

WWW.STATENEWS.COM

4

The State News @thesnews

@thesnews

The State News

@statenews

THE STATE NEWS

THURSDAY, OCTOB E R 31 , 2 01 9

10 spot with 1,121 career digs, but with Cox averaging 3.86 digs per frame, it’s safe to say she is well within reach of Doles' spot.

“It’s obviously a great feeling, but it's not something I constantly think about,” Cox said before explaining that she didn’t even know she was so close to the top 10 until the question was posed to her.

“To me, it's never really about the personal achievements, I mean yeah, I get excited for myself, but it's more about what we are doing as a team and where we’re at.”

On Oct. 18, Cox was recognized for her 1,000th career dig, which she achieved in the team’s match against Maryland in a pregame ceremony.

“It’s funny, I didn’t even know they were doing it so I was standing there and all of a sudden I hear my name on the announcements and I thought ‘Okay this is weird,’” Cox said, laughing as she thought back to the day. “My

“Yeah, I get excited for myself, but it’s more about what we are doing as a team.”

Jamye Cox Junior libero parents knew that they were going to recognize me for it, I had no idea. It was awesome.

I was super thankful and it’s awesome to see that the Spartan family is proud of me.”

Cox has posted double-digit digs in the last eight consecutive Spartan matches and in 18 of the team’s 20 matches so far this season. She hit her season best — 28 digs — on Aug. 30 against Duke, which was one shy of her career best, 29.

Not even realizing the significance of her personal achievements, it is no ques-

tion that Cox is the ultimate team player. Her focus-driven, determined work ethic has quickly granted her leadership status on the team despite only being in the middle of her junior year.

On the court, Cox says she and the team “let everything go” and just “grind” no matter how tired they may be.

“You have three hours, and yeah, it might be the hardest hours of your life, but you gotta get it over with and you gotta come in and realize everyone else in the Big Ten and in the conferences everywhere else, they're all getting better even if they are tired, so we step on this floor and it's battle time,” Cox said.

For the 2019 squad, Cox plays the role her role model once did. She's the player that never avoids the ball, the player that makes the save every chance they have and, potentially, the player that makes Spartan history.

BASKETBALL

EDITORIAL: The ‘Fair Pay to Play Act’ is a good start THE STATE NEWS EDITORIAL BOARD FEEDBACK@STATENEWS.COM

College athletes generate more than $1 billion in revenue, and receiving scholarship money — as well as other perks provided to them by universities — just isn’t enough. Compared to how much revenue they’re generating — money that’s going into other people’s pockets — it isn’t even close to the fair compensation they deserve.

Essentially, universities exploit college athletes and benefit from their unpaid work. It’s as simple as that.

At the end of September, California passed a bill — known as the “Fair Pay to Play Act” — that would allow for college athletes to “profit from their name, image and likeness,” according to the Los Angeles Times.

On Tuesday, the NCAA Board of Governors voted unanimously in agreement with it.

This game-changer of a law lifts just one of the restrictions placed by the NCAA on players making money, and is a good start in addressing the unjust exploitation of college athletes by universities. After all, not all of them will end up making it to the pros where they’ll receive actual paychecks. In men’s basketball, for exam-

ple, only 4.2% of draft-eligible Division 1 players were chosen in the 2018 NBA draft, according to NCAA.org.

“Professional opportunities are extremely limited and the likelihood of a high school or even college athlete becoming a professional athlete is very low,” the report said.

For many college athletes — especially for those who might come from low-income families — that means struggling to get by while dedicating so much time and energy to playing for their university’s team could end up being for nothing.

Also, schools sometimes resort to illegally paying players to ensure their commitment — and if students are able to instead profit off their likeness, they wouldn’t have to rely on this as a source of income.

This law — set to be implemented

by Jan. 2021 — is the first step in bettering this issue, however, there’s still a lot of room for the “Fair Pay to Play Act” to improve. And there are other aspects of this nationwide problem that still need to be addressed.

To start, allowing college athletes to profit off of signing endorsement deals, having their name, image or likeness be used as well as signing various licensing contracts means not every college athlete will see the ben-

efits of the new law.

High-profile players will most definitely be presented with opportunities to make money off of appearing in ads, brand sponsorships and more — but other players who are just as hardworking will still be left working for free.

It’s also important to be aware of the gender pay gap that is bound to happen once the new rule goes into effect. Mirroring the striking pay differences that are prominent in professional sports, female athletes at Michigan State will most likely end up making significantly less money than male athletes. And lawmakers, as well as the NCAA, should factor that inevitable outcome in as they work out the details of the act.

The “Fair Pay to Play Act” will change college-level sports as we know it, and the NCAA’s decision was a surprising turn. College athletes work hard and deserve to be compensated for it. We support the intentions of the act, however more must be done to reduce the exploitation of college athletes that will continue even after it’s in place.

BY THE NUMBERS #1 7 8

PRESEASON RANKING IN AP POLL PLAYERS ARE FROM OUT OF STATE SOPHOMORES ON THE TEAM

The State News Editorial Board is composed of our editors and staff representatives.

GOOD LUCK SPARTANS!

T H U RS DAY, OC TOB E R 3 1 , 2 01 9

STATE N E WS .CO M

5

BASKETBALL

Forwards look to apply friendship on court this season

BY DEVIN ANDERSON-TORREZ DANDERSONTORREZ@STATENEWS.COM

GABE BROWN, MARCUS BINGHAM SEEK MORE IMPACTFUL ROLE Growing up, they were never on the same team, but after just a year of watching their antics at Michigan State, one could guess they have been together their whole lives. Spartan fans might know them as the fun guys off the court, but opponents still know them as a huge threat on the court.

After a year of playing on the same team and living in the same room, sophomores Marcus Bingham Jr. and Gabe Brown have become like brothers and bring a new spirit to this Spartan basketball team.

“That’s my guy,” Bingham Jr. said.

“I knew Gabe here since AAU, just seeing him. ... We just really clicked.”

Brown said he knew they were going to mesh well as soon as they moved in together. Since then, they have shared their goofiness and desire to win with

each other.

“We always clicked, ever since we first arrived on campus," Brown said.

"As soon as I first met him in the dorm rooms at Brody, we clicked ever since then. I already knew we were going to be the goofiest on the team, funniest and just want to win."

The two share a room with sophomore forward Aaron Henry. The roommates try to keep the rest of the team up, and most of the time they do that by getting some laughter. “(Brown) and Aaron (Henry) are my roommates, so just always joking around,” Bingham Jr. said.

“If we see somebody down, just try to make them laugh, ‘cause I know that’ll make somebody smile.

“Just Gabe being Gabe is going to make anyone laugh.”

The laughter the pair brings shifts the tone when it needs to be shifted.

They said they know they can lighten the mood, but believe it’s important to have a team that relates to them so easily.

“We help lighten the tone at times, but it’s not just us. Everybody pitched in," Brown said. "Everybody's got a great personality, everybody wants to win and when you bring your personality and the fun and just the laughter, everything just goes by smooth."

To say the two click would be an understatement. It seems they each are able to get a rise out of the other. From the duo's bench antics to Brown’s dancing, laughter usually follows each of their actions.

During the first-ever indoor Izzone Campout, Brown demonstrated the “big boy," a dance with a name he coined himself, where he distorts his body and shoulders and moves

“If we see somebody down, just try to make them laugh, ‘cause I know that’ll make somebody smile.

Just Gabe being Gabe is going to make anyone laugh.”

Marcus Bingham Jr. On he and Gabe Brown’s approach

around as awkwardly as possible.

All alone in the center of the court, Brown danced, while in the background, Bingham Jr. laughed so hard he fell to the ground.

All the other players laughed too, as did the entire Izzone in the stands.

But Bingham Jr. was on the ground, rolling and kicking his feet, as Brown continued to dance center stage on the court.

That is just the kind of dynamic the friends have.

The dynamic between the two has brought a new dimension to Spartan basketball. The pair's goal was to keep the fun in basketball, and their goofiness has done so.

“It really just brings our personality to the team," Brown said. "We don’t want to be a team where it’s just keep going, keep going, just down on ourselves. It’s a lot of work. We want to at least have some fun, and basketball’s all about having fun.”

Although the two are known to be the goofiest on the team, they still take things very seriously and think that might be overlooked sometimes.

“Everybody might think Marcus is a funny, goofy person, but he really take things serious," Brown said. "I know he gets yelled at by coach and things like that, but he’s a hard worker and people don’t really get to see that.

“What we did last year, just being goofy and stuff, people didn’t really get to see that. ... But I think they are gonna see that this year.”

Bingham Jr. and Brown's dynamic has already rubbed off on the incoming freshman class. They said they see similarities between themselves and the freshmen Malik Hall and Julius Marble.

“Them always being together, and every time Malik says something, Julius laughs. Every time Julius says something, Malik laughs. The relationship that me and Gabe had coming in, I feel like they had that,” Bingham Jr. said.

The dynamic created by Brown and Bingham Jr. has changed the Spartan team. Their energy and goofiness has rubbed off on the other players and has left the locker room more lighthearted, but on the court this season, they will look to show the other side of their game.

Both put in work this off-season, taking a few weeks off, then hitting the ground running. Head Coach Tom Izzo said Brown spent more time in the gym this offseason than anyone since Shawn Respert. Bingham Jr. added weight and learned to play with it, as he has had one of the best off-seasons as well, according to Izzo.

With a season and a summer to build even more chemistry, the pair is poised to help the team both on and off the court.

Sophomore forward Gabe Brown (44) leaps in excitement after freshman guard Steven Izzo scored his first point as a Spartan. The Spartans defeated the Britons, 85-50 at the Breslin Student Events Center on October 29, 2019. PHOTO BY MATT ZUBIK

6

THE STATE N EWS

THURSDAY, OCTOB E R 31 , 2 01 9

BASKETBALL

Rocket Watts leans on leaders in transition to college hoops

BY DEVIN ANDERSON-TORREZ DANDERSONTORREZ@STATENEWS.COM

Freshman forward Julius Marble (34), freshman guard Steven Izzo (13), freshman guard Rocket Watts (2) and freshman forward Malik Hall (25) during MSU basketball media day on Oct. 15 at the Breslin Center. PHOTO BY SYLVIA JARRUS

BY PAOLO GIANNANDREA PGIANNANDREA@STATENEWS.COM

THE PROSPECT OF MALIK HALL AND JULIUS MARBLE’S RELATIONSHIP Through all the especially close player dynamics in Head Coach Tom Izzo’s tenure — Mateen Cleaves and Antonio Smith, Kalin Lucas and Durrell Summers, Denzel Valentine and Bryn Forbes and the current pairing of Marcus Bingham Jr. and Gabe Brown — Michigan State welcomes in yet another unique relationship: one that will produce “4 years of pure comedy.”

According to freshman Malik Hall’s Instagram, this is what we should expect from his friendship with fellow first-year forward Julius Marble.

Hall, the witful jester, cracked remarks and Marble, the wallflower chiming in the background, discussed their dynamic as two sat next to each other at two corner tables at MSU media day. You could get a sense of how assured they are of their relationship.

And according to Bingham Jr., this claim is something he’s seen in the two so far.

“They're always with each other,” Bingham Jr. said. “Everything Julius says is funny to Malik. Everything Malik says is funny to Julius.”

When asked if he foresees the two becoming a source of antics on the bench like he and Brown provide, Bingham Jr. dismissed the thought. “They ain't got the swag like we do, but they could be like us.”

Marble obviously had his rebuttal to Bingham Jr. when asked how he and Hall compare to their contemporary duo.

“Me and Malik are really close, and it's only going to get stronger as the year goes, but I think ... we definitely have more swag than them, but it's okay,” Marble said assuredly.

In fairness, Hall and Marble’s friendship is one that seemed unlikely not six months ago.

While Hall announced his pledge to MSU late in the process after being heavily pursued by Purdue, Marble — who missed out on prime recruiting time in his junior year with an injured foot — didn’t receive an MSU offer until February.

After striking out on two marquee prospects — ­ forwards Isaiah Stewart and Vernon Carey — MSU turned to Marble late in the calendar.

Marble, of course, committed the day after his official visit — MSU’s senior day victory over Michigan.

Hall hails from Wichita’s Sunrise Christian Academy, joining fellow Buffalo alumnus Lourawls Nairn Jr. at Michigan State, while Marble comes from Jesuit Dallas.

Even to Hall, the friendship seemed unlikely when they first arrived in East Lansing.

“I was really scared. When he was first coming, I thought he was going to be super weird,” Hall said as he smirked at Marble, who placidly shrugged it off, shaking his head with a grin. “I was really hoping he wasn't going to end up weird to the point where I was like, 'Bro, dang…

I'm with this dude.'”

Hall spoke charismatically, while Marble murmured his two cents as he continued to point out that they’re more similar than they are different.

“But then, I don't know how, we just liked the same things,” Hall said. “The same music, the same foods for the most part.

“Drake ... some Trippie Redd ... Frank (Ocean), Juice WRLD, Post Malone ... I ain't gonna lie. That makes it sound kind of soft. Who do we listen to that it's kinda hard?”

Hall continued to showcase his charisma as he posed the rhetorical question, and the two laughed when considering it.

“Gunna, (Young) Thug. We listen to basically what everybody listens to for the most part,” hall said. “DaBaby and (Lil Uzi Vert), those are big. We just tend to be more calm, relaxed and laid-back in our music style than like everybody else.”

Izzo, of course, spoke on the two forwards’ athletic similarity when evaluating their prospective freshman season.

“Malik Hall and Julius Marble are a little bit (like) clones,” Izzo said. “One's a little bit better shooter. That'd be Malik. One's a little tougher ... and that would be Julius.”

While they share many commonalities, Marble recognizes the nuances of their presence in the locker room.

“I'm not a big energy guy as far as

“They’re always with each other. Everything Julius says is funny to Malik. Everything Malik says is funny to Julius,” Marcus Bingham Jr. On Hall and Marble yelling and stuff like that,” Marble said plainly. “But I will be a spark as far as my play, playing harder and stuff like that.”

It’s obvious Hall strives to be the primary vocal leader of the two, speaking at length of their dynamic and what it will contribute to the team. Hall can be seen yelling enthusiastically at practice in inter-squad scrimmages, while Marble rolls out his calm, collected self.

They are the perfect duo, but also the perfect complements, jawing playfully – and sometimes not so playfully – at each other as they contest in the post.

Brown sees this in the pair, and in Marble especially, and discerns that, as far as their play on the court, Marble and Hall are ahead of where he and Bingham stood at this point a year ago.

“They are better than us last year. I can say that because right now, they're physical,” Brown said.

“Julius is a physical big, like really a physical big. I feel like he's ready to play the game of basketball and ready to play at the Big Ten level, and Malik is going to bring energy. He's going to bring passion.

He's going to bring his love for the game, and you need that type of person.”

Just as Brown spoke highly of their dynamic, Hall did the same, considering for the first time a potential rivalry between the pairs, offering a rebuttal of his own to Bingham Jr.’s assessment.

"Honestly, I ain't gonna lie. Before this, I never really thought about it. … But I’m a very competitive person,” Hall said.

“At the end of me and Julius' four years, I feel like we'll have brought better memories than Gabe and Marky,” Hall said.

After spending his senior year of high school at SPIRE Institute, holding down a backcourt with professional basketball player LaMelo Ball, freshman guard Rocket Watts is still making the transition to a new style of basketball.

To Head Coach Tom Izzo, that style is team basketball.

“I think he’s starting to learn what a team is all about,” Izzo said. “He went through a tough situation last year a little bit, and I really think he’s made some great progress.”

Izzo said Watts picked things up better than he thought he would.

“I’m really pleased with Rocket right now,” he said.

“He’s just kind of learning how to get along with everybody. The situation he played in last year was a lot of individuals, and this is a team.”

Watts said the play style at SPIRE was different.

Compared to a place where they were just playing basketball, Watts said he sees structure and form here.

“Really at SPIRE, we was just hoopin’, playing basketball,” Watts said. “We had a great team. Here it’s just way different, because we run plays, it’s a lot more structured … I picked it up and am ready for the season.”

After missing six weeks, as he was getting everything in order to come to East Lansing, Rocket seems to be up to ‘speed,’ according to Izzo. Shooting is one place where Watts is still figuring things out.

“He’s up to speed, cause that’s one thing he has — speed. But he’s not ... shooting the ball clearly as good as he can shoot it,” Izzo said. “He’s had better days lately, but he missed six weeks that other kids had in here, and I’m not disappointed in him, because of all the things I know he can do, shooting is one of them.”

Luckily for Watts, he didn’t have to transition on his own.

“Lot of good guys around me that I can stand on,” Watts said. “Really just when I got here, all the upperclassmen talked to me because I came late.”

But even with help, the transition wasn’t easy. Watts has been able to rely on those upperclassmen, and has impressed both on and off the court so far.

“You know, we knew it would be tough, it’s tough for Rocket,” Izzo said. “He was at a different school last year than he was the year before, he’s kind of been moved around. I’m just really impressed with how he’s dealt with it. I think our players do deserve some credit for it and Cassius is one that has just made it — I think — more comfortable for him, telling him what a play is helping him out there, and I am happy for him.”

The main thing the players wanted to do to help Watts was to provide him with what he needed to make the move and show him what it meant to be a Spartan.

“Be there for him and also let him know what to expect for practices, let him know what to expect for workouts, let him know what to expect for lifts,” junior forward Xavier Tillman said. “For school, let him know we go to tutor sessions, we take school serious here, make sure you take school serious, you go to all your classes … Just showing him the ropes kind of thing, just showing him what Spartans do, really.”

Watts’ seniors have been a big part of his shift, and he said they have already taught him many things — some even better than Izzo could.

“I give Cassius and Josh, Kyle Ahrens and Xavier a lot of credit, they’ve taught him a lot better than I can teach him,” Izzo said.

Coming in as a four star recruit, ranked in the top 50 players in his class, Watts knows basketball.

But playing next to the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year — ­ and fellow Detroit native senior guard Cassius Winston — as well as new graduate manager and

CONTINUES ON PAGE 8

T H U RS DAY, OC TOB E R 3 1 , 2 01 9

STATE N E WS .CO M

7

BASKETBALL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 former captain Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn Jr., Watts has gotten a unique experience to learn from two Michigan State greats.

“It feels really great being beside (Winston), learning stuff from him.

I know it’s his last year so I’m just trying to get everything from him,” Watts said. “When it’s my time and I got to run the team, I can be good at that and have a good season,” Watts said.

He said Nairn is like a big brother to him.

“He always gives me good advice — never gave me bad advice — always telling me to keep shooting when my shot off, telling me the defense and plays and stuff like that,” Watts said. “Because he’s been here and played the game.”

Winston said he sees a lot of potential in Watts, and for someone who is so eager to get better, it has been easy to help Watts out when he needs it.

“He’s real open, he wants to get better, so it’s easy. Easy to tell him, easy to talk to him, easy to just help him out,” Winston said. “And you know every time he’s listening, ready to try to fix what he did wrong.”

Even in his short time here, the team has already seen changes and improvements in Watts’ game and attitude. Perhaps most importantly, Watts hasn’t been as down on himself when he makes mistakes.

Instead, he looks for, and accepts, criticism.

“A big thing that he has grown on is being emotionally stable. Early on in the summer, when he got here, it was harder to talk to him, because if he would make a mistake he would already be down on himself before anyone came and corrected him, so you really couldn’t get through to him,” Tillman said. “Now he’s always upbeat, so he knows now when somebody is coaching him he’s ready to listen and ready to learn.”

Less than a week out from kicking off the season against Kentucky, Izzo said he believes Watts will play a big role this year, and with his potential, can do a lot to help the team.

“He’s passing the ball way more than we thought and way better than we thought,” Izzo said. “I’ve been really impressed ... he could be one of our best on-ball defenders, he’s quick as a cat and he’s strong and he’s tough.”

Freshman guard Rocket Watts (2) talks to senior guard Cassius Winston (5) after a timeout.The Spartans defeated the Britons, 85-50, at the Breslin Student Events Center on Oct. 29. PHOTO BY MATT ZUBIK

GOOD LUCK SPARTANS WITH THE 2019–2020 BASKETBALL SEASON!

Stay in the loop with our Men’s & Women’s Basketball teams on twitter @thesnews_sports 8

THE STATE N E WS

THURSDAY, OCTOB E R 31 , 2 01 9

BASKETBALL

WHY JACK HOIBERG CHOSE MSU OVER HIS FATHER’S TEAM

BY JUSTIN FROMMER JFROMMER@STATENEWS.COM

Guard Jack Hoiberg (10) dribbles the ball during the NCAA tournament against Minnesota on March 23.

STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO

There isn't much at Michigan State guaranteed for redshirt sophomore Jack Hoiberg. Starting, or even finding playing time in general, are just some examples.

Well, that's the life of a walk-on.

But when given the chance to leave East Lansing to go play for his father, Jack Hoiberg decided against family.

Or did he?

“We talked about it. He kind of just left it up to me. He was like, ‘You can come if you want, but I know you love it there,'" Jack Hoiberg said during the men’s basketball team’s annual media day at the Breslin Center Oct. 15.

"I do love it here. I love the family atmosphere, everything that Michigan State is about. I feel like I've been growing here every year and I've built something, and I didn’t just want to leave that and just see where my opportunity goes from here.”

So even though Jack Hoiberg decided to not play for his father, in his eyes, he is still playing for family — only an extended version of it.

His father, Fred Hoiberg, was an

up-and-coming, bright coaching mind after five successful seasons at his alma mater, Iowa State. The Cyclones played in four NCAA Tournaments, advancing as far as the Sweet 16 in 2013. Following the 2015-16 season, Fred Hoiberg took the head coaching job with the Chicago Bulls, where he played four years during his NBA career.

But after 24 games into his fourth season, he was fired last December.

In late March, Fred Hoiberg was announced as the new head man at Nebraska.

“It's a great opportunity for him," Jack Hoiberg said of his father. "I wasn’t sure if he was going to try to get another shot in the NBA or go back to college or take a year off.

Honestly, it was a little quicker than I thought of him taking a job. But, I'm really excited for him. I think it's a great opportunity.”

Jack wasn't excited enough to immediately jump ship from the Spartan basketball program. Head Coach Tom Izzo gave him the option, but the 5-foot-11, 175-pound guard turned the opportunity down.

"He has respect from all of the guys," Izzo said. "You look at Jack

and say, ‘This kid has really gotten better each year.’ Had a chance to go with his dad and wanted to stay here. I'm hoping it's because of me, I’m thinking it could be his girlfriend, I don’t know which one.

Either way, I’m excited to have him back because he is somebody that everybody on this team likes.”

Though Izzo might think some outside factors played into him sticking around, Jack Hoiberg jokingly ensured it was the "family thing" at MSU that led to his stay.

He appeared in 14 games last season, and he averaged 0.7 points and 0.2 assists per game while also being named a co-recipient of the Tim Bograkos Walk-On Award. Izzo said he has been one of MSU’s "best defensive point guards and has improved his shooting."

That sounds like major progress from a player who had to sit out an entire season two years ago.

After all of that growth, Jack Hoiberg wasn't ready to start from the bottom again at Nebraska.

“I feel like I was never kind of in the middle," he said. "I was always here in Michigan State, like this is what I was going to do unless something drastic changed. Ob-

viously, my dad’s coaching at Nebraska, but I've built on something over the past couple of years, and I didn’t really just want to leave it. I love it here at Michigan State, and I want to see where things go here.”

The Spartans travel to Lincoln on Feb. 20 for the teams’ only meeting this season. Jack Hoiberg says he doesn't know exactly how he will feel when that day comes.

He's never been in a situation like this before.

"There's going to be a lot of emotions going through my head that day," Jack Hoiberg said. "This will be a first for me. Seeing him on the other sideline is definitely going to be weird. I'm sure it's going to be weird for him, too. I guess we’ll just have to see when it comes.”

If Jack Hoiberg manages to get on the Pinnacle Bank Arena court that night, that generally will bode well for MSU. Which leads into the most important question: Will he "chirp" Fred Hoiberg from across the sideline?

“Depends on the score. Depends on the score, depends on how things are going," Jack Hoiberg laughed. "We’ll have to see on that one.”

Loved College?

Take on the role of college adviser!

MSU Graduates from May 2018 to May 2020 can apply for a full-time postition for 2020-2021

APPLICATION OPENS DEC. 6

OV. 8

DIA N E M L A I C O S JOIN US celOebNrate with the

to ucation (COE)!

Council for Opportunity in Ed

FOR THE 3rd ANNUAL

First-Generation Celebration Day To honor those who are in first in their family to attend college

Come join our advising team! @msucaccorps

@msu_caccorps

@msucac

Visit collegeadvisingcorps.msu.edu for more information T H U RS DAY, OC TOB E R 3 1 , 2 01 9

STATE N E WS .CO M

9

BASKETBALL

RELIGIOUS DIRECTORY Stay up to date at: www.statenews.com/religious

All Saints Episcopal Church 800 Abbot Rd. (517) 351-7160 Sun. Worship: 8am, 10am, & 5pm Sunday School: 10am www.allsaints-el.org Ascension Lutheran Church 2780 Haslett Road East Lansing (517) 337-9703 Sunday worship: 10:00am Sunday Bible study: 8:45am Thursday Bible study: 2:00pm www.ascensioneastlansing.org Crossway Multinational Church 4828 Hagadorn Rd. (Across from Fee Hall) (517) 917-0498 Sun: 10:00am crosswaymchurch.org Greater Lansing Church of Christ 310 N. Hagadorn Rd. (Meet @ University Christian Church) (517) 898-3600 Sun: 8:45am Worship, 10am Bible Class Wed: 1pm, Small group bible study www.greaterlansing coc.org Hillel Jewish Student Center 360 Charles St. (517) 332-1916 Shabbat – Services@ 6pm / dinner @ 7, September–April www.msuhillel.org instagram: @msuhillel

The Islamic Society of Greater Lansing 920 S. Harrison Rd. (517) 351-4309 Friday Services: 12:15-12:45pm & 1:45-2:15pm For prayer times visit www.lansingislam.com/ Martin Luther Chapel Lutheran Student Center 444 Abbot Rd. (517) 332-0778 Sun: 10:30am & 7pm Wed: 7pm Mini-bus pick-up on campus (Fall/Spring) www.martinluther chapel.org The People’s Church Multi-denominational 200 W Grand River Ave. (517)332-6074 Sun. Service: 10:30am with free lunch for students following worship ThePeoplesChurch.com Riverview Church- MSU Venue MSU Union Ballroom, 2nd Floor 49 Abbot Rd. (517) 694-3400 Sun. Worship: 11:30am-ish www.rivchurch.com St. Paul Lutheran Church (ELCA) Worship with us on Sundays at 10am 3383 E. Lake Lansing Rd 517-351-8541 www.stpaul-el.org officemanagerstpaul el@gmail.com

St. John Catholic Church and Student Center 327 M.A.C Ave. (517) 337-9778 Sun: 8am, 10am, Noon, 5pm, 7pm M,W: 5:30pm T & Th: 8:45pm F: 12:15pm www.stjohnmsu.org University Christian Church 310 N. Hagadorn Rd (517) 332-5193 Sun. Bible Study: 10am Sun. Worship: 11:15am www.universitychristianwired.com University Lutheran Church (ULC) “We’re open in every way” 1120 S. Harrison Rd (517) 351-7030 Sun. Worship: 8:30am & 10:45am Fridays@Five: Dinner, discussion & fun 5pm Mon. Bible Study: 6:30pm @Wells Hall Quad www.ulcel.org Facebook: ULC and Campus Ministry University United Methodist Church 1120 S. Harrison Rd (517) 351-7030 Main Service: Sun: 11am in the Sanctuary Additional Services: NEW contemporary service Sundays at 9am with band titled ‘REACH’ TGiT (Thank God its Thursday): Thur: 8pm in the Chapel of Apostles universitychurchhome.org office@eluumc.org WELS Lutheran Campus Ministry 704 Abbot Rd. (517) 580-3744 Sat: 6:30pm msu.edu/~welsluth

Religious Organizations:

Don’t be left out of the Religious Directory!

Call (517)295-1680 to speak with an Account Executive today

COLUMN: Takeaways from Langford’s injury After a foot injury to guard Joshua Langford, players stepped into larger roles at scrimmage

BY DEVIN ANDERSON-TORREZ DANDERSONTORREZ@ STATENEWS.COM

In an emotional press conference on Oct. 22, Head Coach Tom Izzo announced senior guard Josh Langford had injured his foot — the same foot he had surgery on earlier in the year.

The loss hurt the Spartans both on and off the court, as Langford was a starter and a huge asset in scoring. He was also a spiritual and emotional leader.

His injury raises the question of who will step up in his place, and who will fill in behind them.

Some of those questions were answered at Michigan State Midnight Madness Oct. 25, where the players faced off in a scrimmage.

With Langford down and the season opener against No. 2 Kentucky closing in on Nov. 5, Izzo needs players to step up — and step up soon. In what might be the last glimpse of this Spartan team before the regular season begins, there were a few key players who stood out.

FRESHMEN STEP UP

In a scrimmage that answered many questions about MSU's roster, one thing was certain — freshman guard Rocket Watts is good.

Known as a shooter throughout high school, Watts displayed his range throughout the contest, but also surprised with his passing skills. It seemed he was almost always able to find the open man. Combining his speed, shot and the passing ability he has shown as of late, Watts is poised for a large role in Langford’s absence.

It’s not just Watts. The entire freshman class aren’t playing like freshmen. Forwards Julius Marble and Malik Hall both look prepared to take on college-level basketball.

The players have used their size to their advantage. Despite not touching seven feet like some prolific rebounders, both freshmen have made the most of their height.

Each of the freshmen are Kenny Goins-esque, in the way they play. Taking the underdog mentality to heart, and fighting for each board and rebound.

Marble had some impressive points from the paint during the scrimmage, while Hall was able to move the ball well and let the game come to him. Both are useful and uncommon traits from freshmen. The pair have a good relationship, and could

10

Joshua Langford watches his teammates on the court during a game against Michigan on March 9 at the Breslin Center.

STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO

provide some good chemistry from the second team.

With the freshmen looking strong, that's a good sign for MSU's depth, especially in a rotation that could fluctuate game to game.

BINGHAM JR. STANDS OUT

The standout of the scrimmage didn’t come from the freshmen, nor did it come from upperclassmen. To say sophomore forward Marcus Bingham Jr. has improved from last year would be an understatement. When in the scrimmage, he commanded the floor and demanded constant attention from each defender on the court.

Bingham Jr. used his length to pull in rebounds and take over in the paint. On top of that, he was able to get up some good looking shots from three.

Earlier in the year, Izzo said he hadn’t seen much separation from the younger players. The toolset Bingham Jr. showed in the scrimmage might have been the separation Izzo needed to trust him to assume that role.

TILLMAN NEEDS TO BE THE SWISS ARMY KNIFE

With Langford down and Ahrens questionable, MSU needs to make up points, assists and rebounds. Junior forward Xavier Tillman is going to have to pick up the pieces.

Last year, Tillman saw an increase in his role as senior forward Nick Ward went down.

When he was called upon, he showed up. From running the pick and roll to perfection against the University of Michigan in the Big Ten Championship to putting up 19 against No. 1 seeded Duke in the Elite Eight, Tillman did it all.

He is going to have to have his

T H E STAT E NE WS

number called on again. With Ward and Goins down, Tillman will be the guy in the paint.

For the Spartans' success, they will need to see what they saw out of Tillman at the end of that season and even more.

Tillman showed he was up for the job during the scrimmage Friday night.

WINSTON WILL BE THE KEY

The Big Ten preseason Player of the Year will have to live up to expectations.

During the scrimmage, senior guard Cassius Winston showed he can still do it all. He went coast to coast, through Rocket Watts, to finish with a fancy reverse layup just minutes into the scrimmage.

Winston also passed the ball with ease, finding Marble in the paint for quick scores and Bingham Jr. around the perimeter for high percentage shots.

The one thing Winston will have to be careful with is turnovers.

All eyes will be on him, as he is the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year. There will be extra pressure, and Winston will have to make sure he isn’t forcing anything too much.

Limiting turnovers will be key to Spartan success, especially against a tough early schedule that will be sure to take advantage of any MSU slip-ups.

REPLACING LANGFORD

Overall, the Spartans can’t replace Langford. His scoring, floor presence and leadership makes him what Izzo calls “a generational kind of guy." But what the scrimmage showed is that the green and white has a plethora of players who can help fill in the gap.

T H U R S DAY, O C TO B E R 3 1 , 2 01 9

BASKETBALL

Cassius Winston embraces senior year Why the guard decided to stay and how he has prepped for the ‘special year’

BY DEVIN ANDERSON-TORREZ DANDERSONTORREZ@STATENEWS.COM

After the first day of practice, senior guard Cassius Winston is circled by reporters. The cameras are on as he gets thrown question after question, yet he seems grounded.

A reporter asks Winston about the banner recently hung up in the practice gym from last season’s Final Four run. For the first time, Winston seems nostalgic.

“I know, that’s crazy, ain’t it? Just to have that piece, that’s legendary up there,” Winston said.

But even looking back at the past for a second might’ve been too long for Winston, as he immediately brought himself back to the present and the goals at hand.

"Try to get another one, you know, take it a step further," he said.

One last dance.

The idea still hasn’t sunk in for the senior, but the decision to stay stems from one idea that has stuck with him: unfinished business.

Many expected Winston to leave following a season where he helped lead his team on a Final Four run, averaging 18.8 points per game next to his 7.5 assist average. The season garnered Winston the title of Big Ten Player of the Year and a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award.

Despite the NBA caliber talent showing last season, Winston decided he could put his NBA dream on pause for one more year. Now, going into this year as the unanimous 2019-20 preseason Big Ten Player of the Year, unfinished busi-

G E O R G E

Then junior guard Cassius Winston (5) slaps hands with then junior forward Nick Ward (44) during MSU’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four open practice on April 5. STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO

ness still looms over Winston’s head.

“I feel like we have a chance to do some special things — individually and as a team — and not a lot of people get that opportunity, so I came back to take advantage of it,” Winston said.

Winston said he wants to get better. To prepare to last at the next level, he believes there's more he can accomplish here.

“I feel like I could get a lot better, to help me prepare for the next level,” Winston said. “I feel like there are some things I had to add to my game, strength-wise and things like that. Things that could help me not just make it, but last.”

F R A N K L I N

|

A U T H O R

After seeing the court for an average of 33.5 minutes per game last season, he was tired. To get his mind and body right for the season to come, Winston actually took more time off basketball than he ever has before.

“Three weeks, a month maybe. Just to put everything away and once I got back to it, I hit it full-go,” Winston said.

Following his decision to stay, Winston is al-

Classified Your campus marketplace! statenews.com/classifieds TO PLACE AN AD …

PRAISE FOR “SO YOU THINK YOU WANT TO RUN FOR CONGRESS”

ready a favorite for Player of the Year, but the concept still hasn’t hit him. Always being one to do whatever he can to help his team, Winston hasn’t shifted his focus from that, despite the noise.

“It’s hard to think of because it wasn’t in the plan, really," Winston said. "It’s kind of out there, it’s an out there idea, so it still probably hasn’t hit me yet. I’m just trying to get better, trying to do what I can to help my team win, and everything else will fall into place."

Embracing the noise around him, Winston said he knows the biggest thing is to stay grounded.

He plans on taking the same mentality that got him last year's awards into a season where he is favorited to get more.

“Remain humble. Every situation you're in, every award you get. It’s a blessing," Winston said.

"It’s an honor and you can’t take it for granted, you got to remain humble, you got to remember what got you those awards and try to keep the same mindset.”

Now a senior, Winston gets his last dance with the Spartans — his last first practice, first game and everything that may follow. He knows what’s on the line this year, but won’t let that stop him from taking it all in.

“Every day is coming closer to the end," he said.

"I enjoyed it though, enjoyed the process. I enjoy being here and enjoy our chances to have a real special year.”

DEADLINES

BY TELEPHONE (517) 295-1680 IN PERSON 435 E. Grand River Ave.

BY E-MAIL advertising@statenews.com ONLINE www.statenews.com/classifieds OFFICE HOURS 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon.-Fri.

LINER ADS 2 p.m., 1 business day prior to publication (includes cancellations) CLASSIFIED DISPLAY 3 p.m., 3 class days prior to publication

NOTE TO READERS The State News screens ads for misleading or false claims but cannot guarantee any ad or claim. Please use caution when answering ads, especially when sending money.

“... George Franklin’s account of his

Employment

Houses/Rent

Houses/Rent

unlikely run for Congress nails it –

YARD WORKER. 8-12 hours/wk.

Flexible schedule, $12 per hour, Okemos area. 517-349-3736.

2020 AUG houses available. Lic 2-6 people. www.gutowrentals. com or call 517-749-4767.

Apts. For Rent

2020 Houses. Licensed for 4 & 8. Great locations & rates. Call 517.202.0920 or visit msuhouses. com.

Make the best location on campus home for the 20/21 school year. Renovated 2, 3 & 4 bedroom apts across from Berkey.

Visit 500Albert.com, or call 517.974.4419.

the call to service, the emotional roller coaster, impact on family, and the nitty-gritty trials and tribulations of a high-stakes campaign. George methodically walks us through what it’s like to be the “man in the arena.”

– Mark Schauer, Former Representative for Michigan’s 7th District

Order from GeorgeFranklinAuthor.com or Amazon.com

For More Information, to Sign Up for Updates, and Schedule Events Visit:

GeorgeFranklinAuthor.com

1st block of Durand; remodeled 2 bed, 2 bth. Water incl. Great parking. W/D, D/W. hrirentals.com.

517-351-0765.

Across from Hub; nearly half the price! 911 E. Grand River.

2 bed, 1 bth, balcony, w/d, d/w & parking. hrirentals.com. 517-3510765.

Great locations & rent rates on 1 to 4 bdrm apartments. FREE HI-SPEED INTERNET & LAUNDRY. Rent from CRMC this year and have your choice of prime locations next year. 517337-7577 or crmc1.com.

NEWLY RENOVATED apartments-Grand River+MAC. Free heat+water! Email mmarcinko@ landmarkcres.com to receive detailed information.

NEWLY RENOVATED apartments-Grand River+MAC. Free heat+water! Email mmarcinko@ landmarkcres.com to receive detailed information.

4 & 5 Bdrm. Across from campus. $475/person. www.gutowrentals. com or call 517-749-4767.

AUG 2020-2021 HOUSES. Lic. 3,4,5,6,7,8. Excellent Locations.

Top Conditions.

Extensive Updates. Call or Text: 517-4903082.

Great rent rates & locations starting at $450.00. 2 to 10 bdrm houses. FREE HI-SPEED INTERNET. Rent from CRMC this year and have your choice of prime locations next year. 517337-7577 or crmc1.com.

HOUSE FOR RENT. 4 Bed 2 Bath 551 Cornell Ave. W/d, dishwasher, a/c units, & covered Porch. $2400 Aug 2020. Call Mark at 517-2149116.

Houses & Apartments for ‘20-21.

Lic. 1-6. Great locations & prices remaining. hrirentals.com. 517351-0765.

T H U RS DAY, OC TOB E R 3 1 , 2 01 9

Newly built town home, across from Peanut Barrel. 7 bed, 3 bth, large bsmt. w/d, d/w, covered porch, a/c, great parking. 517351-0765. hrirentals.com.

SWEET HOUSING DEAL AVAIL NOW-2 SPACIOUS 4 BDRM/2 Bath homes - $400-$450 pp. 6 BDRM House/2 Bath home AVAIL Jan 2020 $450 pp. ALL with d/w + w/d. sec. deposit + utilities 517599-5731

GO GREEN GO WHITE

STATE N E WS .CO M

11

BASKETBALL

SPARTAN BASKETBALL PREVIEWS

BY ELIJAH MCKOWN EMCKOWN@STATENEWS.COM

STATE NEWS FILE PHOTO

PHOTOS BY MATT ZUBIK

WOMEN’S TEAM BUILDS OFF POWERFUL CHEMISTRY

MEN’S TEAM RANKED NUMBER ONE IN THE COUNTRY

Last year, the Michigan State women’s basketball team made the NCAA tournament after missing it in the year prior. As a No. 9 seed, the Spartans took down instate rival Central Michigan in an emotional game that saw now senior Shay Colley hit a game winning layup with just over seven seconds remaining.

However, in their next game, Notre Dame and its five future WNBA draft picks dismantled the Spartans in the second round.

The Spartans return this season with high expectations as they bring back more than 71% of their scoring from last year and a highly experienced group of seniors. We’re going to break down some of the biggest factors of why this women’s basketball team has the potential to be special this season.

niors are guard Nia Hollie and forward Victoria “Coco” Gaines. Hollie was a fourstar recruit coming out of high school and will be counted on to play important minutes for the Spartans this season.

Gaines is a force down low providing great post defense and good rebounding which MSU will need after the departure of Jenna Allen.

On Oct 21, the men’s basketball team was named preseason No. 1 in the AP poll for the first time in Michigan State’s history.

Coach Tom Izzo is no stranger to scheduling some of the toughest opponents in college hoops, but this year, he has some massive matchups that will prove if the Spartans are legitimate contenders to cut down the nets in Atlanta. Let’s take a look at some of these marquee matchups.

COACH MERCHANT

SENIOR EXPERIENCE

CHEMISTRY

The annual Champions Classic will be a reversal of the Spartans' 2013 Champions Classic, where former Spartan Keith Appling led the No. 2 Spartans with 22 points to a victory over former Wildcat Julius Randle and No. 1 Kentucky. It won’t take long to see what the team is made of as they take on coach John Calipari’s Wildcats. Kentucky brings in another heralded recruiting class this year featuring small forward Khalil Whitney and shooting guard Tyrese Maxey.

The Spartans have a group of seniors who are hungry to go out with a bang this season. It starts with East Lansing native Taryn McCutcheon. The guard is a sniper from outside as she made close to 39% of her three pointers last year, and according to McCutcheon, she has put a lot of time in the gym this offseason.

“Switching positions from the one to the two, I think that it really made me see that I had a lot of area to improve in. ... So, in the offseason I focused a lot on finishing and being more aggressive,” McCutcheon said.

Standing at 5-foot-5 tall, McCutcheon just has that “it” factor that every team needs to have to make a special run.

Next is guard Shay Colley, who also plays for the Canadian women’s national basketball team. Colley was heavily recruited out of high school before she chose South Carolina. She transferred to Pittsburgh after playing 11 games for the Gamecocks before eventually finding her way to Head Coach Suzy Merchant’s Spartans. Colley can fill up the stat sheet, as she showed during their matchup with Wright State a year ago when she scored 21 points, had eight rebounds and nine assists, paving the way to a Spartan victory.

Last, but certainly not least of the se-

In her thirteenth year, Merchant has led the Spartans to third or better finishes in eight of the last twelve seasons. She led her squad to a 16-1 record at home last season and is the quickest to 100 wins at MSU in women’s basketball history. Merchant is on her way to making the women’s team a perennial NCAA tournament bid.

It became evident during this year’s midnight madness that this team has a special bond. As time expired, sophomore forward Kayla Belles hit a three-quarter court shot to top off the night. After hitting it, the team swarmed Belles and praised her for the shot.

“That was insane. I could not believe that that went in,” McCutcheon said.

To build chemistry, Merchant brought in Navy Seals, took the team to the play Hamilton and even had a sleepover at her house.

“It’s different than any other year,” sophomore guard Claire Hendrickson said. “We just click on and off the court.

We just get each other.”

Merchant believes that the chemistry of this team can take them to the next level.

“When you have a locker room that completes itself, I think it transcends on the court and it’s going to take us to new heights,” Merchant said. “I love our chemistry.”

While this team may not have the WNBA talent it had in Aerial Powers a couple seasons ago, this team has the seniors and a collective will to be great.

Add in a highly respected head coach and you’ve got yourself a team that should make a lot of noise this year.

1. NO. 2 KENTUCKY AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NEW YORK CITY

2. @ NO. 12 SETON HALL

This matchup will feature arguably the best two players in college basketball with senior guard Cassius Winston and Seton Hall’s Myles Powell. The junior guard averaged 23.1 points per game last season for the Pirates. This will be a true test to see who will completely replace injured senior guard Joshua Langford on the defensive end of the floor.

3. MAUI INVITATIONAL AT HAWAII

The Spartans will start off the Maui Invitational by facing the Virginia Tech squad who are starting the season with new coach Mike Young. However, the main storyline of this tournament is the potential matchup between MSU and Kansas. If the Spartans and Jayhawks win out to the championship game, it would create another challenging matchup for the men’s basketball team.

4. HOME VS. NO. 4 DUKE

8. @ WISCONSIN

5. HOME VS. ILLINOIS

9. HOME VS. NO. 7 MARYLAND

This might be the biggest non-conference game in the Breslin Center’s history. A year removed from former Spartan Kenny Goins’ shot heard around the world, the Spartans will face an incredibly different team from a year ago. Duke will be led by freshman center Vernon Carey — who picked Duke over MSU — and returning sophomore guard Tre Jones.

This game might not jump out on paper, but the Fighting Illini — led by projected first round draft pick Ayo Dosunmu — are a dark horse Big Ten champion candidate. The Spartans have had trouble in the past against Illinois, namely last season when the Spartans had a turnover barrage that allowed Illinois to steal a win at home.

6. HOME VS. MICHIGAN

The University of Michigan has a new head man in former Fab Five member Juwan Howard. The Wolverines will be led by senior guard Zavier Simpson and senior center Jon Teske. Tensions might already be brewing as coach Howard said that he wasn’t one bit worried about “that team up North.”

7. @ NO. 23 PURDUE

While this Wisconsin team might not have former Badger Ethan Happ, they return one of the best backcourts on the Big Ten. D’Mitrik Trice, brother of former Spartan Travis Trice, leads the backcourt with freshman guards Brad Davidson and Kobe King. They didn’t receive a vote in the preseason AP poll, but the Badgers are always tough to play in the Kohl Center.

This game could determine the winner of the Big Ten this season.

Being the scheduled lone matchup between the two for the year, the Spartans have the advantage playing at home. However, the Terrapins are loaded with returning big man Jalen Smith and point guard Anthony Cowan Jr. They look to compete with MSU as top dogs in the Big Ten.

10. HOME VS. OHIO STATE

Ohio State brought in an extremely talented recruiting class that might blossom by the time this game comes around. The Spartans certainly will have the experience edge, but the Buckeyes will look to avenge three tough losses they had against the Spartans last year.

Former Spartan guard Lourawls “Tum Tum” Nairn Jr. once described playing the Boilermakers at Mackey Arena as “going to war.”

The Boilermakers have lost leading scorer Carsen Edwards to the NBA, but still have guys in Nojel Eastern and Matt Haarms who can give the Spartans trouble in such a hostile environment.

T H U RS DAY, OC TOB E R 3 1 , 2 01 9

STATE N E WS .CO M

12