Michigan State Feel Self-Assured as Penn State Arrive

In the thick section of its Big Ten schedule, Michigan State faces the challenge with a strong belief and a strong desire.

The Spartans kicked off the season as the No. 4 team in the Associated Press Top 25 poll but dropped out of the rankings after a 3-3 start. They are now aiming to maintain their winning streak by hosting Penn State in East Lansing, Mich., on Thursday.

After experiencing a couple of defeats in early December, the Spartans (8-5 overall, 0-2 Big Ten) are now playing catchup. Forward Malik Hall expressed their strong determination, stating, “Our objective is to win the Big Ten. Although it may seem unlikely at this point, it remains our goal. We discussed this at the beginning of the season, and we are prepared to give our best in the upcoming games.”

Michigan State faced losses against Wisconsin at home and Nebraska on the road, but they subsequently secured victories against previously undefeated Baylor, Oakland, Stony Brook, and Indiana State. Their recent 87-75 win against Indiana State ended the Sycamores’ 10-game winning streak.

Reflecting on their performance, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo remarked, “Are we truly battle tested? It’s uncertain. However, we’ve encountered various styles of play. Baylor presented one type of game, while Wisconsin brought a different challenge. I believe we are adequately prepared to handle a variety of playing styles.”

The Nittany Lions (7-6, 1-1) recently achieved non-conference victories against Le Moyne and Rider. In their Big Ten games, they suffered an overtime loss at Maryland but secured a home win against Ohio State. Leading the scoring for the Nittany Lions is guard Kanye Clary, with an average of 18.2 points per game, and he delivered a career-high 29 points against Rider. Meanwhile, the Spartans are led by guard Tyson Walker, who averages 20.0 points per game.

Commenting on Walker’s abilities, Nittany Lions coach Mike Rhoades emphasized, “Walker possesses the ability to score prolifically and in diverse ways. He excels in isolated situations and can execute three-pointers off the dribble, in addition to his strong inside game. He steps up and makes significant plays for them.”

Michigan State has a formidable 25-2 record against Penn State in East Lansing, establishing their dominance in the all-time series at 43-10.

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Seattle and Grand Canyon will be leaving the Western Athletic Conference and moving to the West Coast Conference starting July 2025.
The nine current members of the conference are private universities with a religious affiliation. Seattle is a Jesuit institution, while Grand Canyon, situated in Phoenix, is a Christian college.
Grand Canyon’s basketball achievements were a significant factor in attracting WCC commissioner Stu Jackson. The team has participated in the last two NCAA Tournaments and three of the previous four under the leadership of coach Bryce Drew.
As the 12th-seeded Antelopes defeated fifth-seeded Saint Mary’s before losing to Alabama in the tournament this season.
Saint Mary’s is currently a member of the West Coast Conference.
The WCC, while also integrating Oregon State and Washington State this autumn (excluding football), will expand from 11 to 13 members by the 2025-26 season.
The future beyond 2026 looks uncertain, with Oregon State and Washington State appearing unlikely to continue with the WCC.
The former Pac-12 schools are under a two-year contract, expiring on June 30, 2026. Sources from CBS Sports suggest that the odds of the two Pacific Northwest institutions staying are slim, with a move to the Mountain West or a new conference formation being more probable.
Following the departures of Sam Houston and New Mexico State last year, Seattle and Grand Canyon’s exit from the WAC will reduce the conference’s membership to just eight by July 2025.
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College Sports News
Ex-Cal State Fullerton G Max Jones Commits to Kansas State
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Former guard of Cal State Fullerton Max Jones has made a decision to join Kansas State for his upcoming collegiate season, according to reports.
Notable alternatives that Jones purportedly pondered were New Mexico, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Florida Atlantic, and Loyola Chicago.
During the previous season with the Titans, Jones maintained an average of 15.3 points and 3.0 rebounds across 24 games, in which he started 21. He secured the second-highest scoring position within the team, alongside being the second in 3-pointers with 42 baskets and 41 steals.
In the season prior, Jones held an average of 12.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in 32 games, amassing 34 three-pointers and 30 steals.
Before making his way to Cal State Fullerton post the 2021-22 season, Jones spent two years at Division II Tampa, where he managed to achieve an average of 21.9 points across 21 games during his sophomore year with the Spartans.
In the recent offseason, Kansas State acquired Dug McDaniel, a former player from Michigan recognized as one of the premier point guards available in this year’s transfer portal.
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College Sports News
Stanford Names Basketball Court in Honor of Tara VanDerveer
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Tara VanDerveer’s legacy at Stanford will now be visibly acknowledged, with the school revealing on Thursday that the basketball arena’s floor will bear the name of the esteemed Hall of Fame coach.
At the age of 70, VanDerveer stepped down following her 38th season at the helm of the Cardinal.
She steered Stanford to 14 Final Fours and secured three national championships (1990, 1992, 2021). VanDerveer embarked on her coaching journey at Idaho (1978-80) and later coached at Ohio State (1980-85).
In January, she surpassed Mike Krzyzewski to clinch the title of the most successful college basketball coach in history, across both men’s and women’s teams. VanDerveer concluded with a remarkable 1,216-271 record, boasting a 1,064-220 tally with the Cardinal.
Alongside the unveiling of the Tara VanDerveer Court at Maples Pavilion this November, Stanford also established an endowed position in women’s basketball for an assistant coach in VanDerveer’s honor.
VanDerveer said in a statement, “This endowment will go a long way to strengthening the future of Stanford women’s basketball. I have many wonderful memories of leading the women’s basketball program at Maples Pavilion.”
“It’s an honor, and a little surreal, to know that my name will be linked to both in these ways, and I look forward to celebrating with all our fans this fall.”
Last month, Stanford appointed Kate Paye, one of VanDerveer’s longtime assistant coaches who played for the Cardinal from 1991-95 and began coaching under VanDerveer in 2007, as the new head coach.
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