The Final Four Is Not On The Schedule - A Podcast Discussing Michigan State Basketball.

November 28, 2022: It was announced today (November 28) that ESPN is canceling the Big10/ACC Challenge going forward and this will be its last year. The conference challenge will be replaced by the SEC/ACC challenge next year and we suspect we will see some iteration of the Big10/Big12 challenge as its replacement. Anyway, Michigan State will head into South Bend to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in an interesting matchup.

Notre Dame is 5-1 but has looked shaky and not very dominant despite playing lesser competition. They are led by 4 fifth year starters and an athletic heralded freshman in JJ Starling. Per usual, Notre Dame is a good offense ranking #28 in KenPom with decent shooting and turnover percentage. However, they are an unmitigated disaster on defense ranking #168 in overall defense where the only bright spot is good defensive rebounding.

It appears that the Spartans will be without Jaden Akins again as well as Malik Hall who still has a few weeks left to recover from the stress reaction in his foot. Expect to see MSU try to get out and run and build upon their shooting success against a poor defensive team. We wouldn't expect a lot of offensive rebounding against Notre Dame but perhaps they haven't yet been challenged by a team like MSU. Finally, if Michigan State gets a lead, will they be able to hold it without any late game heroics?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

November 27, 2022: Michigan State faced the University of Portland on their home court in the fifth place game of the PK 85 tournament. It was a tale of three games as Portland dominated the first half with a barrage of 3 pointers (9-19) to take an 8 point lead into halftime (42-34).

But the Spartans came back and on the backs of great shooting, solid defense, and tough rebounding took a commanding 12 point lead with a few minutes to go. But that's where this game unfortunately got very interesting as the 12 point lead was cut to one with 40 seconds left to play. The lead implosion happened on the back of 3 turnovers and multiple 3 pointers from the Pilots in front of their own fans.

Thanks to some great defense by MSU on the last possession they survived the Portland, OR trip down two men with a 2-1 record as they prepare for the ACC/Big10 Challenge in South Bend against Notre Dame.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

November 26, 2022: A depleted Michigan State team beat an even more depleted Oregon team 74-70 to qualify for the fifth place game against a surging WCC Portland team. MSU played a more complete game against the Ducks and looked connected offensively for the first time after losing both Malik Hall and Jaden Akins to injury.

Michigan State played better and looks to continue their semi-surprising run in the non-conference in the PK 85 and then a visit to South Bend in the ACC/Big10 Challenge.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

November 25, 2022: Prior to leaving for Portland, OR for the tipoff of the PK85 against Alabama, Michigan State suffered two huge losses to injuries - Malik Hall, and Jaden Akins. Akins was sidelined after the Villanova game where he sustained a new injury to his previously injured foot that is not deemed serious but will be rested for a few games. Unfortunately, Malik Hall had a non-operative stress reaction injury to his foot in practice on Monday which will keep him out of action for about 3 weeks.

Despite those key losses in personnel, the Spartans battled hard and managed to compete with Alabama in the first half mostly due to the scoring from Tyson Walker. However, the second half saw a few more shots miss for MSU and Alabama got a little hot from 3 allowing them to pull away. Freshman Brandon Miller led the way for the Crimson Tide with 24 points and 9 rebounds.

Bright spots to the game included the extended minutes to freshmen Jaxon Kohler, Tre Hollomam, and Carson Cooper who all showed signs of progression from the start of the season. Pierre Brooks played 33 minutes and showed some signs of great play logging 9 rebounds with 4 offensive but also looked lost on defensive assignments against a team that was prepared to punish defensive lapses.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

November 21, 2022: Michigan State opens up the PK85 holiday tournament in Portland, Oregon on Thanksgiving against the Alabama Crimson Tide. Coached by Nate Oats, Alabama plays a unique type of basketball emphasizing the 3 point shot and layups and dunks. It is predicated on analytics that show it best to shoot 3s and take only high percentage two point shots to maximize your scoring on offense.

Alabama comes in 4-0 but not pushed by any teams yet this year with their only close contest a ten point win over South Alabama. Can MSU contain Alabama's shot outside the arc? Can they slow down the number one team in the country in offensive rebounding? Also, will 'Bama's horrendous ball security (#316 in turnover %) be their undoing?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

November 19, 2022: The Spartans held on to defeat the Villanova Wildcats 73-71 at the Breslin on a snowy night in East Lansing. After being up 16 with less than 8 minutes to play, Villanova almost came all the way back using key turnovers and opportunistic 3s and free throws to catch up and beat MSU.

Fortunately, Tyson Walker was there in the clutch to prevent Michigan State from losing this game as he hit big shot after big shot to keep just enough separation for the win. Mady Sissoko came back down to earth as he was challenged by Villanova's center, Eric Dixon, who scored 24 points playing differently from the previous two matchups that Mady had earlier.

Overall, a good quality win for State as they prepare to head out west to the PK85 tournament where they will open up against Alabama. We close the show with a brief discussion about the Big Ten and its non-conference performance which might suggest the league is a little better than anyone thought.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

November 16, 2022: Michigan State welcomes in perennial power, Villanova, to the Breslin as part of the Gavitt Games this Friday. The Spartans are coming off an exciting win in double OT against #4 Kentucky while the Wildcats are struggling off to a 2-1 start defeating LaSalle and Delaware St and a loss to a weak Temple team.

Legendary coach Jay Wright retired over the off season and leaves former assistant coach, Ken Neptune a program that has won a couple national championships and 7 of the last 8 Big East conference titles. Unfortunately, Neptune will be without at least one and maybe both of his best players due to injury. Can MSU continue its winning ways and intensity or will they have a letdown after that emotional win in the Champions Classic?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

November 15, 2022: Michigan State traveled to Indianapolis to take on #4 Kentucky (#1 in KenPom) in the Champions Classic as an 8 to 10 point underdog and comes away with a gritty win against Oscar Tshiebwe and a collection of great Wildcat athletes. Led by Joey Hauser's 23 points and 8 rebounds with 4-7 3 point shooting, the Spartans out-toughed Kentucky on the boards 45-38 and forced two overtimes on Malik Hall dunks at the end of regulation.

Mady Sissoko again had a strong showing with 16 points and 8 rebounds and generally held his own against the reigning national player of the year, Tshiebwe. Sissoko actually managed to play the end of regulation and then both overtime sessions with 4 fouls while Tshiebwe fouled out putting the Wildcats immediately on their heels. Sissoko was dominant inside and Kentucky couldn't match his fierce play down the stretch without their all-everything player.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

November 13, 2022: The high profile games keep coming for MSU as they meet #4 Kentucky in the Champions Classic on Tuesday, November 15. Kentucky enters the game ranked #1 in Ken Pom and an 8 point favorite. Kentucky returns last year's national player of the year, Oscar Tshibwe who is coming off a recent knee injury and is listed as questionable for the game.

Can the Spartans carry over the intensity and grit they showed in their game against Gonzaga? Can Mady Sissoko manage to hold his own again inside against another elite big man? Finally, will we see MSU's outside shooting come to life now that they are playing in a more traditional indoor environment.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

November 12, 2022: MSU played its second game on an aircraft carrier against #2 Gonzaga on Veteran's Day and almost pulled off the upset. National player of the year candidate, Drew Timme, led the Zags down the stretch with 22 points and 13 rebounds as just a little more than the Spartans could handle. Despite being up by 12 in the second half, Gonzaga went on a run with improved defense and putting Mady Sissoko and Joey Hauser in foul trouble allowing them to exploit the paint and the boards.

Despite the loss, positive developments for MSU abounded as we saw how Mady Sissoko may actually be an upgrade over what MSU had at the center position last year. He led the team in scoring with 14 in a game where shooting was a challenge due to the weird conditions on the deck of the aircraft carrier.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.