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The State News sports reporters discuss all MSU sports.
Welcome back to sports roundtable state news sports podcast. I am your one of your co hosts, Jacob Smith, joined by my other co host, Maddie Horne, and guest Luke Joseph. They oh, dear. We're gonna try not to cry. I'm just kidding.
Jacob:We're we're talking about oh, yeah. Maddie might actually she almost cried before the episode. We're talking about some Saturday news with a lot of winter sports coming to an end. Around this time, MSU men's basketball, MSU women's basketball and MSU hockey. Their seasons all just ended.
Jacob:But even though there were some tough losses, which we'll get to, there's still a lot to look forward to in the near future, but just a lot that kinda came down at the same time. But we're gonna start with some MSU basketball because they, least like some other teams on this list exceeded expectations probably. So that was definitely a good thing. But their season just came to an end this past Sunday in a 70 to 64 loss to number one ranked Auburn and number one overall seeded Auburn at that point. What did you guys see?
Jacob:Because this game hurt a lot.
Madi:You know what? The one thing that I can be thankful about for this game is our loss was not as bad as Michigan's. Michigan lost by, like, 16. Yeah. Michigan lost by double digits.
Madi:We only lost by six. Yeah. More than victory. I'll just say that. But, you know, we started the tournament, and every single game we played, we played down in the first half and came back.
Madi:We should have that that wasn't going to work against a team like Auburn. Yeah. Like, Yeah.
Luke:I mean, with all the sad news going around this week, it makes sense that on the day of the podcast, it is raining outside. It was a good season. I definitely didn't have this team going to the Elite Eight. And this team proved me wrong. So I can say that, you know, being proud and being happy as a as a fan of Michigan State basketball.
Luke:But, you know, it just sucks the way that they went out, because it's you know, being down six at the end of the game, it kinda looks like we're competitive. And and we were, but it it that it definitely felt like Auburn was in control that entire game even when Broom went out with the with like his hand or Yeah. Hand injury even then. I mean, when he came back, he he instantly hit a third.
Jacob:You knew that was going into
Madi:it. Yeah.
Jacob:So there was no way it wasn't. Yeah. I mean, like, this game was so disappointing because it was it was like, not in a way that it was just a bad game overall, but Michigan State was so close the entire game. Like, they're pretty much down 10 the entire game multiple times they cut it to five, but like, they never led the entire game. So like Maddie said, like, you're not gonna lie down to Auburn and kind of expect to come back like you did against your first three games in the tournament.
Jacob:But I also think that it's no shortage to say that this is one of, like, the best or if not, like, my favorite Michigan State seasons of all time. Even though it didn't end with a banner Mhmm. This team was unranked to start the season, went to elite eight and went toe to toe with the number one overall team in the country. I mean, get the get the flowers where they do. I think this was such a great season.
Madi:And I mean, we still got to hang a banner. Like, it's not like Yeah. We it's not like this team went unnoticed. We still won the regular season, and that's I don't remember somebody some sports person out there was saying, like, Michigan Michigan won the tournament. We won the entire Big Ten.
Madi:Mhmm. Like, there's a difference between and that's why I'd like, I am constantly saying and I know that a lot of other people agree with me on the fact that winning the Big Ten regular season title title is way more important than winning the Big Ten tournament title.
Jacob:Yes.
Madi:Because sometimes you get lucky. Like, that's what was happening with Notre Dame in the Michigan State Hockey Big Ten tournament. Mhmm. Like, you see these teams go on runs, they get hot because they don't want their seasons to end, so they went in the tournament. You can't do that with the Big Ten regular season title.
Madi:You have to be playing consistently playing your game the entire season, and that's what Michigan State did. So it's not like we our team this team did never went unnoticed. Mhmm. I mean, you take them to the elite eight, like, that's huge. And we could have beaten Auburn if we weren't playing the way that we had the last three games that we'd played.
Madi:But, yeah. You know what? And my motto is, if you wanna beat us, go all the way.
Jacob:Yeah.
Madi:Yeah. The whole thing then.
Luke:Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think Auburn can win the whole thing.
Madi:I think they can too.
Luke:I I in my bracket, I do have Duke winning the whole thing against That's
Madi:how our that's how our group one was too.
Luke:Yeah. I mean, Cooper Flagg is just he's Unreal. He's the best player in college basketball as a freshman. And if if he wins the national championship, wins, you know, best player in college basketball award, I don't think that's been announced yet. I know Juju Watkins was actually just given that award earlier before the show started.
Luke:Poor Juju. Yeah. Poor Juju. But if Cooper Flag wins that and the championship and the MVP of that championship, I think there's a legit argument that he could be one of the greatest Duke players to ever exist.
Jacob:Yeah. I think you're good.
Madi:You kinda have to add in the AAU Sullivan award too, which goes to the most prestigious collegiate or Olympic athlete, and he's one of the nominees for that. Is he really? Yeah. Wow. It's him, there's a girl from Nebraska, Trae Augustine.
Madi:I think there's an Olympic gymnast. I don't know. There's six, I think. There's six finalists. And Yeah.
Madi:Cooper Fellowship.
Luke:I was to win that, then it would probably be one of the greatest college basketball seasons we've ever seen.
Jacob:Mhmm.
Luke:Yeah. You know? Just like and that's also including the fact that he leads Duke in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals, and I believe field goal percentage.
Madi:Yeah. He's unreal. He's unreal. So, yeah. That's gonna be cool to I I mean, you have four number one seeds in the final four.
Madi:When was the last time that happened?
Jacob:Yeah. I I just saw it the other day. Was, like, 02/2008, I believe
Luke:02/2008 or 02/2009.
Jacob:Was Yeah, his second time in history.
Madi:Yeah, really.
Jacob:So yes. So to that name was the first time 2025 is now the second time. If you like good basketball, I think it's good because most of the time, having a great upset Cinderella run is the most fantastic thing in sports. There's nothing like it. And a lot of the times we've seen that recently, like, we've had 11 seeds in the final four.
Jacob:We've had, like, some 15 seeds, maybe elite eight like Saint Peter's. But if you really like true toe to toe basketball, winning winning basketball Yeah. You're gonna get some really good games this upcoming weekend. And also in the Elite Eight, we had some really good matchups, which is Oh, yeah. Which was nice that MSU was a part of it.
Jacob:So to even be in that conversation, I think, as one of the elite teams in college basketball to close the season, definitely a great honor. But one point I wanna make is that MSU, like, really had one true weakness all year, and that was shooting the I know in basketball, that's probably not what you want your weakness to be. But MSU seem couldn't really overcome it. And they've started slow before in past seasons, and they've kind of overcome it a little bit. But it was always their knock this year.
Jacob:And it came it came back to bite them in the butt. This this game against Auburn. I mean, I just want to read you off some of these shooting numbers, because these are these are really ugly. They Nakin shots six or 17, which I know, I know doesn't sound like the worst thing in the road, three of 10 from three, but he had three three pointers in the final two and a half minutes of the game. So if you adjust those stats, that's three of 14 before the final two and a minutes and oh seven from three.
Jacob:Trey Homma shot of ten and oh five from three. Jeremy Fierce shot one of four. And Jace Richardson shot four of 13, which also came with Owen two from three so those are all your guards and three of those four guys are like your top scores on this team. So MSU had a 34.4 field goal percentage and shot 30.4% from three which I know also doesn't sound bad, but MSU has said four threes in the final two or two minutes, whatever. Yeah.
Jacob:So, like, knock them all you want that that was MSU's biggest weakness. It really came back and haunted them. And that was really one of the big reasons why they lost. They couldn't finally get over that hump. Auburn didn't shoot great either.
Jacob:Like MSU shot better than Auburn did from three. But Auburn was still very present on the defensive side of the ball, rebounded really well and didn't allow Michigan State to get a lot of second chances. But I think that was definitely one of the main reasons that Michigan State lost this game.
Madi:I feel like that's been a weakness of ours for the past couple seasons now too. Like, I think that I feel like that was a big topic of conversation last year, especially during Michigan State basketball season. Mhmm. So we cannot shoot.
Luke:Yeah. Yeah. Like
Jacob:And we have good shooters.
Madi:Yeah. I mean, have Jace Richardson.
Jacob:Jay Nakins as well. Yeah.
Luke:We brought in Frankie Fiddler because he had the ability to shoot. I mean, at Omaha, I don't know the exact points per game stats, but it's like twenty twenty something. Like, he was, you know, scoring from the three. He could hit a mid range shot. He could drive to the basket.
Luke:He could get to the free throw line. And, you know, that three point shooting, he could hit a three point shot, but he just wasn't that elite shooter that we We hoped. Yeah. That we had hoped.
Jacob:Yeah. And for how high of a volume I think these guys shoot at, it it definitely kind of stinks. But like I said, I feel like past teams have kind of overcome this a little bit as the season goes on. This team really just never could. And there was a sequence in the game.
Jacob:I don't know if you guys remember, but it was 20 to eight Auburn. It's like early in the first half when they started to go on the run or whatever. Michigan State was a little bit rattled trying to answer. I wanna read you these two sequences real quick because this is just peak comedy. Starting at eleven minutes and thirty eight seconds left in sec in the first half, Jayden Nakins missed layup.
Jacob:Jackson Kolehorn offensive rebound. Trey Homann missed jumper, three point jumper. Jayden Nakins offensive rebound. Jayden Nakins missed three point jumper. Trey Hoffman offensive rebound.
Jacob:Jaden Akins missed three point jumper. Auburn then went and had another possession where they didn't score. They came back down the floor.
Luke:I remember that.
Jacob:Jackson Koleh rebound. Trey Hoffman missed three point jumper. Cohen Carr offensive rebound. Cohen Carr missed two point shot. Jackson Koleh offensive rebound.
Jacob:Trey Hommon missed three point jumper. And I think that was the one where it is nothing but bank.
Luke:I think, you know, watching that is like heartbreaking in a way. But having you read that aloud, I think that's heartbreaking in and of itself.
Madi:Yeah. I remember that now vividly because I was like, what is They were hitting the rim every single I don't remember who shot it, it just went, and right back out. What is happening?
Jacob:I know. It felt like one had to just go in at some point. Yeah. Yeah. Nope.
Jacob:That's how the entire game And then, of course, in the final two and a half minutes, like I said, like, four threes went down, three Vermacians, one from Kohler. And I'm like, where is this the entire game? Like, I I know the circumstances were different because I think Michigan State is as bad as their shooting was, think they're also really rattled this game. Because Auburn had such a huge crowd there because the game was played an hour outside of Auburn's campus. So Mhmm.
Jacob:Naturally, you're gonna get a lot of draw there. All their fans are gonna make the drive and travel to Atlanta, watch that game. So I think, like, they were really loud. When they were watching the broadcast, you could definitely tell that it was a crazy environment in there. So I think Michigan State got ratted a little bit because even though Jay Nakins and some guys some experience, this team's still very young.
Madi:Right.
Jacob:And not a lot of deep March Madness experience. So I think that came into play as well.
Luke:Very inexperi like, we've been to the tournament. Like, these guys have been to the tournament every year, but it's just never really gotten all that far to an elite. We went to Sweet sixteen two years ago.
Jacob:Yeah, but
Luke:that was with Tyson Walker and AJ Hogart and Lee Call. Those guys have already left.
Madi:Yeah. They've been around the block a few times and now
Luke:Like Kohler and Cooper were there, but like I don't
Jacob:I don't remember them in Yes.
Luke:I don't remember them playing all that much.
Jacob:Mhmm. And then, yeah, like Cohen Card, Jeremy Fierce, Xavier Booker even all came in Mhmm. 2024. So they were part of the round of 32 exit last year. And then now The only one supposed to have been in a while.
Jacob:Yeah.
Luke:Sweet 16 experience was Jaden Akins.
Jacob:Yeah. And so And that was sad because I didn't wanna see him go out the way that he did. I'm glad that he made those shots in the end even though
Madi:it didn't
Jacob:really matter. But I mean, like I said, he was pretty much three of 14 and o seven from three before he made those shots. So like Mhmm. I didn't wanna see him go out like that because he is such a good player. His defense really is one of the most underrated aspects of his game.
Jacob:Oh, absolutely. Played put him this play all year. We knew he could shoot the ball, but sometimes he struggled with just the consistency. But as bad as the shooting was, I think, like we said, we have to be proud of this and how the season ended because there's plenty of momentum going into next but also at the same point, which we'll get to in a little bit, that momentum kind of collapsed a little bit. But the last thing that MSU couldn't do was stop Janae Broom as well.
Jacob:He had 25 points and only missed three shots with 14 rebounds. He had a double double in the first half. So just I know Auburn's age and experience definitely came into play. But MSU, I think, just ran into a bad matchup. And like Auburn just had Yeah.
Jacob:More talent. Yeah. They had more shot makers. Janae Broom was the player of year for a reason. Yes.
Jacob:Yes.
Madi:Well, Well, we kept making the joke that everybody on their roster was 23 years old.
Jacob:Because they haven't
Madi:had bunch of We just have a bunch of babies, and they've got I think their
Luke:starting lineup has an older average age than the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Jacob:Yes. That's
Luke:true. And that's a professional basketball team.
Jacob:It's true. So I know. I mean, respect it, but
Luke:Yeah.
Madi:I have a question. Was it an April Fool's joke that Hunter Dickinson can come back for a seventh
Jacob:year? Yes.
Madi:Okay.
Jacob:Yes. That was a Thank you.
Luke:Yeah. He's not coming back.
Jacob:Thank you.
Luke:Yes. After the season that Kansas had, I don't think they want him back.
Jacob:Yeah. That experiment didn't work out too well.
Madi:I saw something, it was Hunter Dickinson has entered the portal and is eligible for a seventh year. And I was like, there's absolutely no
Jacob:way
Madi:I'm gonna rip my hair out.
Jacob:Yeah. That just doesn't
Madi:work. No.
Jacob:But, yeah, that's actually a funny segue into what we're gonna talk about next with Michigan State basketball because all the news that we're gonna talk about just came out in April fools. So That's wonderful. Not very fitting. Yeah. I It's
Luke:not a very good April fools.
Jacob:Yeah. This this was a very, very sad It was. Yeah. This didn't even feel it. It just felt like April sad.
Jacob:Ness. Like, this was not a good not a good segue to the beginning of the month. But you guys are not familiar with what we're talking about. MSU's roster next year is gonna look a lot different than it just did with this elite run. Three players entered the transfer portal yesterday as the time of recording this.
Jacob:Guard Garrick Norman entered the transfer portal forward. Xavier Booker entered the transfer portal, which we both kind of expected. Drumroll. And then guard Trey Holloman entered the transfer
Madi:portal. This
Jacob:Really came out of left field. This this was something I I know I scratched my head on.
Luke:That was the first one to break too.
Jacob:Yeah. So I I stayed at it last just because of the suspense.
Madi:Yeah. It was
Jacob:I had and then book. Yeah. Really surprising. But what do you guys initially think about that?
Madi:So I had this conversation with one of my friends from Spartan support support before class yesterday, and it was, when you enter the workforce, you're probably going in at the lowest paying job that you have. If you get an offer for a different job that pays more, what are you going to do? You're going to take it. That's probably exactly what Trey Holloman did.
Jacob:It's hard to blame him too.
Luke:Yeah.
Madi:It's extremely hard to blame him. I mean, that's such a tough situation. College basketball is not the same as it used to be. It's all about the money. It's all about where you can go, that you're gonna get paid, that you're gonna get playing time to get paid.
Madi:Yeah.
Luke:It sucks. I think that, you know, it's I don't think anybody here blames, you know, Booker, Norman, or Hallman for entering the portal because, like, they, Norman and Booker especially, they just weren't getting the reps or playing time. And I think they just want to be able to play. Booker has two years left and Norman has three years left because he redshirt his first So I think they just wanna be able to play. You know, I think I I hope that Hallman comes back, but at the same time, you know, I think he wants to be able to to be able to start.
Luke:Like, I know he accepted his role and was a team captain, you know, coming off the bench. But, you know, it being your last year, I don't think anybody would want to come off the bench like your last year.
Jacob:Yeah. I mean, like we kinda said, we don't blame them one bit because while you're playing in college, go make your money. But
Luke:if if I like, when I see people who criticize basketball players for jumping in the portal, that gets me upset. Like, I'm going a little bit off script here.
Jacob:Well, it's a it's a hot take. Like, if
Luke:you guys are, like, judging them, you know, online hiding behind your phone or behind your laptop, you know, criticizing them for jumping in the portal, I could guarantee you 100 out of 100 people who say that like, they're weak or soft for jumping in the portal, they would do the exact same thing if they were in their shoes.
Madi:They have no idea what it's like to be a college athlete.
Luke:Right. Mhmm. It's it's weak and it's a little pathetic.
Madi:I agree.
Luke:Like, it's you know, you have no idea what these players are going through, you know, at home or just in in their head. You know, I think that anybody would take the opportunity to, you know, get the bag that I think that they deserved and that I think everybody does thinks they deserve because college players have never been able to make money until five years ago.
Jacob:Yeah.
Luke:So, you know, it's it's something that they need to take advantage of because it's like, sooner or later, I think the NCAA is going to start regulating it. Hope they do. Hopefully, because I don't like how it is struck, but it's like the NCAA, they designed it this way. Yeah. They said that, okay, you guys can get paid.
Luke:You can't blame us anymore. Mhmm. You know? Yeah. And I I don't blame the players one bit for trying to take advantage of it.
Madi:Yeah. I don't either.
Luke:You know? Go get your money. You deserve to be paid.
Jacob:Yeah. And I agree with you. But I think, like you're saying, the NCAA is also not the most fully functional organization that's out there.
Luke:So I don't they make changes to the portal. I'm sorry to cut you But I hope they make the changes. But at the same time, I don't think either of us expect those changes anytime soon.
Jacob:Yeah, it's hard to really forecast that and give a timeframe of when that's going to come into play. But I think obviously the biggest problems is that NIL can kind of be thrown out anywhere. The whole idea of name and NIL name image and likeness was that players can like make money off of their name. That's kind of what it says in the name. Like jersey sales or video game sales or even endorsements like that all makes sense.
Jacob:I just think the reason that NIL is a little bit kind of all over the place right now is because coaches, and donors and past players are able to donate to their school and essentially just pay for players. Like, it feels like it's the MLB in a way where there's no salary cap and the teams that have the most money are able to throw it out and just do whatever they want. And also, I feel like transferring, we've seen players bounce from probably four or five different schools in their entire career. So I think if you wanna limit this, I'm not saying this is a bad thing because like we said, Trey Hauptman deserves to be paid and these other guys deserve to be compensated for the time that they put in, especially as a college athlete. But I feel there should be rules on how often you can transfer as well.
Jacob:And if you're gonna transfer
Madi:Yeah.
Jacob:You should have to sit out for a period of time or a year because especially if you do it more than once just because Yeah. Like, it's unfair to these programs, these coaches, like the whole idea of college sports about ten years ago was you commit to a school, you grind your tail off, and then you finally get your chance to play and submit your legacy if you're good good at play as a freshman, you are.
Madi:But You have to earn your way. You have to earn your way into that spot. You don't just immediately walk onto the court and say, oh, me. I'm good.
Jacob:Exactly. And I know that that's what recruiting is as well. But that's also I
Luke:mean, that's yeah. I mean, that's that should that's how it should be. But it's like at the
Jacob:same time, there are a bunch of players coming out
Luke:of high school who do get promised by coaches that, hey, if you come here, you're gonna start. You know? And it's like, there is the is thethis is sort ofnot sort of related to that, but it's the UNLVI think it was UNLVthe quarterback, he transferred from like a smaller school. He transferred over to UNOV, played three games as the starting quarterback, and he wasn't paid. He was paid like $5,000 for, as he was promised, 100,000.
Luke:So I think that it also comes down to the coaches and the donors. Like, they kind of promise these young kids more money than I think you and I will make in fifty years or in our lifetime. And it's like they don't get paid. So it's like they kind of feel like they're screwed over.
Madi:Yeah. I'm going to jump ship for a second, too, going back to the like, coaches are promising you a spot. That's why I go into hockey a little bit. That's why I respect Adam Nightingale so much is because every single player that he recruits, he tells them, I'm not gonna give you a spot on the starting lineup. I'm not gonna immediately put you into the game.
Madi:You have to earn that. Yeah. Like, you're not Trajugasin had to earn it. And he's the best American born goaltender at his age in the country. Like, You have to earn those things.
Madi:Patrick Geary didn't start for the first month and a half. He didn't play for the first month and a half and then got an invite to the world juniors and then got drafted in the sixth round the next summer. These guys have to earn these things. I think that goes for every single sport out there. You should not just immediately be promised that you're getting a spot on the starting lineup.
Madi:That's not And
Luke:I think that's what Izzo and think that's what Jonathan Smith are doing with the football and basketball But that's kind of the outlier. I think that most college programs, they're looking at kids. In high school, they're seeing the five stars, the four stars. And it's like, yeah, I think you'll be able to play on our team right away. We think you're that good.
Luke:And they get to campus, they start going to practices. It's like, all right, coach, I've been working my tail off in practice. It's like, am I going to be in the starting lineup? Like you kind of promised me. It's like, no, no, you're an eighth.
Luke:You're an eighth man. You're a freshman. Don't talk to me.
Jacob:Yeah, but it's a good thing because you don't learn to face adversity any other way than kind of be told that you need to work harder a little bit. And I definitely think that's a good thing. Kind of going back to this Trey Homans situation, I just have a feeling that Tom is is not going to buy this if he even wants to return because Tom is his bill. Tom is his bill his entire program on all the principles that we just talked about.
Madi:He hates the transfer portal.
Jacob:That's why he doesn't use it. And he doesn't like to use it.
Madi:Right now
Luke:he's gonna have to use it.
Madi:I was gonna say that's why he's barely dipped into it. I mean, last year we had two guys from the transfer portal, Simone Japawa and Frankie Fiddler. That's it.
Jacob:Yeah. And I think it's a good thing because
Madi:I think it is too.
Jacob:It shows how traditional he is and he doesn't want to have to keep up with the times if he doesn't have to. But also to the same point, I feel like at this point in time,
Madi:you kinda have
Jacob:to kind of has to change his philosophy a little bit. And whether this drives his interest for the game out and like accelerates his retirement away, it might. But Trey Hohman was like such a time as a Michigan State Spartan dog guy. Like, one of our glue guys. He was like, we were talking about him like wanting a spot next year.
Jacob:Like, he was probably slotted to start. Yeah. As a senior, probably a
Luke:captain like this. I mean, he was a captain this year.
Jacob:Exactly. So he's probably gonna start next year as one the the the main focal guys on Michigan State's roster, which is why it just doesn't make as much sense. I know money plays into a factor and these guys are as old as we are trying to figure out their entire futures for four years, which Yeah. I totally get how that can really play a factor.
Madi:But Yeah.
Jacob:It's just the Trey Houman one really puzzles me. And yeah, Gerrick Norman, Xavier Booker, like, I know that I get as much. But I that I feel like Booker's and Booker and Norman situation makes a little more sense for the trans supporter. I feel like that's what it's supposed to be utilized for. Like, if you know you're not gonna play, Booker was the number one overall recruit in the country in his class at one point, and he has just hasn't panned out.
Jacob:So sometimes people need a change of scenery.
Madi:Like Mhmm.
Jacob:For his sake, I totally get it. Gary Norman, I totally get it as well.
Luke:But Yeah.
Jacob:It's just the Dre Haumann one was really puzzling to me, and it'll be interesting to see where
Luke:that All three of them, you know, they're not from the state of Michigan. Like, even though Hallman and Booker are like Midwest guys, you know? Yeah. Hallman, I is from Minnesota. Minnesota.
Luke:And then Booker's from Indiana. Norman's, he's from Texas. Texas, yeah. That's like a whole different environment. So, you know, there's a possibility of him going closer to home.
Luke:You know, all three of these guys could, they just might be homesick.
Jacob:Yeah, you got to factor it in. It's definitely a good point.
Luke:It's just a big possibility. Yeah, but we we don't know. Yeah. So and I don't think we're gonna know.
Madi:I don't think so either.
Jacob:Yeah, just have to see how it really develops because the transfer portal is a devious game as we've kind of seen, but
Madi:Oh, the portal. Oh, gosh.
Jacob:Oh, the portal. The portal. Yeah. Oh, my god. It really that's how it feels.
Jacob:It feels like some psychedelic It's
Madi:like a black hole.
Jacob:And you can get sucked into it at any point in time and you don't know it. But for the sake of time like I was going to talk about like next year's roster just because it has a lot of turnover but I want to move into other segments just because the sake of time but last point on this MSU is projected returners in twenty twenty five twenty twenty six is looking a lot different. So now based on who's graduating and the transfers right now, we only have eight guys projected to come back, which would be Jeremy Fierce Cohen car Jackson, color Carson, Cooper, Jesse McCullough, Nick Sanders and Kurt Tang, I actually just read off seven. So my bad,
Madi:Nick Sanders.
Jacob:Nick Sanders might have to get playing time at this point. And then two incoming recruits being four star Kim Ward and four star Jordan Scott. So this team's gonna look a lot different this year. So like we're saying, is that doesn't like the portal, but he needs to he needs to do use it because you can't roll in this twenty twenty five twenty twenty six.
Luke:No, you
Jacob:nine guys. We know you hate it.
Luke:You gotta get over it. Okay. It's it's here. It's it's now it's not going away. I don't think it's going away anytime soon.
Luke:Get over it. Just, you know, you don't have to build your entire team out of the portal. I think, you know, you can do that. But it I think the portal is good to to get, like, a win now type of player, you know, deny deny broom out of Auburn. He he wasn't a guy out of Auburn his whole career.
Luke:He came out of the portal and look at him now. So
Jacob:yeah, Thomas has found poor guys in the past. I mean, Joey Hauser, Tyson Walker.
Madi:Yeah.
Jacob:I mean, Frankie Fiddler's someone's bought they all came in portal.
Madi:So just gotta find his hidden gem.
Jacob:Yeah. And he'll do it. But it. Just get some shooting.
Madi:He'll cook.
Jacob:Just some shooting is all I want.
Madi:Nick Sanders, we'll be fine.
Luke:We just need some scores.
Jacob:Yeah. His five eight personality on the court is
Madi:gonna Stop.
Jacob:Light it up from three.
Madi:Leave him alone.
Jacob:I'm sorry. I know Nick Sanders is one of them.
Luke:Who's one of People love Nick Sanders or Steven Izzo. Steven Izzo.
Jacob:Steven Izzo. Always have
Madi:to Steven Izzo.
Luke:I wanna see that one
Madi:v one. I'm president of
Jacob:the Bay Club. Cook Steven is on. Probably. Probably would. Actually has, like,
Madi:some Athletic ability.
Jacob:That and some pretty pretty decent high school basketball experience compared to Steven is on. So
Madi:Sorry, Steven. Love you.
Jacob:Love them both. But, yeah, we're gonna move on to MSC hockey now. Maddie, I am sorry to advance because she was like we mentioned last week, she was covering the tournament.
Luke:To put more salt on this depressing
Jacob:Yeah. I know. I mean, the longer we talk about this, the more the more likely I'm gonna cry.
Madi:I mean, this is this
Jacob:is bad. But
Madi:I'm gonna go home and cry under my pillow for
Jacob:a while. So if you missed it, MSU hockey lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament, which is safe to say that is below expectations as they came in as the number two overall seed in the tournament. Mhmm. They lost to Red Hot Cornell four to three. Cornell scored is it right?
Jacob:They scored with ten seconds left in the game.
Madi:It's scored with ten seconds
Jacob:on a power play in regulation. So they just ten more seconds and they would have always gotten overtime. But Maddie, I know you were there watching this game. And I know just like we're talking about basketball, the roster's gonna be looking a little bit different this year. So kind of take me through what you saw.
Luke:Give her the floor.
Jacob:Yeah. This is like like I said in the notes, let Mehdi Cook. This is
Madi:So that was I do wanna go back to that game for a second. That was only Matt Basgold's fourth penalty of the year. He has been so clean this whole year. Like, obviously, it wasn't I don't think it was his fault. I think that the trip was exaggerated by the Cornell player, and the ref was like, oh.
Jacob:Yeah.
Madi:So it's it's it's so tough. We had a great first and second period, and then the third period, Cornell. I don't know what Mike Schaefer said in the locker room, but he said something to get those guys going, and they just pummeled us during the third period. And one of the I think it was Sullivan Mac. Yeah.
Madi:It was Sullivan Mac who scored the overtime game winning goal, and I was in postgame. And he was talking, and he was like, I I don't know. Like, I've been told not to shoot those pucks that are like, I don't remember where he was. So he was like, I usually don't. I tapped it in, and it goes in.
Jacob:Like, of course. Yeah.
Madi:So yeah. Of of course, the one time. They have the fourth worst penalty kill in the NCAA, or power play in the NCAA.
Jacob:And they score it ten seconds Of course. Of course. No. This really reminds me of the this reminds me of the Detroit Lions loss in the playoffs this year. Don't.
Jacob:I know, like, if I bring that up, like, this is, like, literally gonna get
Madi:a help. No. I am adding
Luke:vinegar to that salt and fizz. No.
Jacob:I completely thing, though. Like, y'all team finally got over the hump. They had a really great year last year.
Madi:An injury. Expectations were higher.
Jacob:Yes. Expectations were higher this year. Yes. Lost the first round. It really reminds me that, but go ahead.
Madi:Last year, they were this close to making it into the Frozen four. Lions were this close to making it to the Super Bowl. Yeah. This year, they lose in the first game after getting the number one seed in
Jacob:Their perspective.
Madi:The NFC. Yeah. Michigan State loses, getting the number two seed overall in Toledo, number one seed in the region, playing Cornell, the number 15 overall seed.
Jacob:This is March, unfortunately.
Madi:This is March. This is March. But that was that was so tough. And we knew coming out of that that there were players that were thinking about entering the portal, about declaring for the NHL. There were gonna be teams that are hunted or guys that are hunted.
Madi:So Carson Dorwood's the first one to go. He gets signed by Philadelphia as a unrestricted free agent or an undrafted free agent. That's a huge loss for Michigan State. That's huge. He's our best center.
Madi:He's one of our best centers.
Luke:He got sent to to Philly? Yes. Oh, I can see him play when I go home. You're
Madi:welcome. Thank you. You took our guy.
Jacob:Yeah. You're welcome. But screw it up.
Madi:So the guys that signed to the NHL so far, Carson signed with Philly. He makes his debut on Saturday.
Jacob:Good turn now.
Madi:Joey Larson signed with the New York Islanders. His contract starts 2526. David Guciardi signed with the Washington Capitals where he was drafted in 2022. He'll finish the rest of the year with the Hershey Bears, their AHL affiliate, and then we'll go to what is it called? Not summer camp.
Jacob:Oh, like
Madi:Like, camp. They'll go to training camp, and we'll figure out if he makes the roster. So, obviously, Tanner Kelly is gone. He's a senior. Red Savage has gone senior.
Madi:Nick Andrews has gone senior. So that's already six guys. Austin Orvez has been kind of a scratch. He's kinda gone back and forth between him and Vlad Lukashevich the whole year of scratching defensemen. He enters the portal.
Madi:Well, then the news breaks that Luca DePasco enters the portal, and we're all like, what just happened? Like, why are you entering the portal? Because in my mind, Trey Augustine was gone. Yeah. Like, Augustine was gonna go sign.
Jacob:Yeah. That's right.
Madi:Yeah. Which I didn't think he should because he just did not have a good third period. And Steve Eiserman and Chris Draper were at the game. I saw them in the press box, so they know that he did not have a good third period. I said first period.
Madi:I meant third period. He did not play well in the third period. So Luca announces that he's entering the portal. That drops at, like, 10PM. The next morning, I wake up, and it says, April Fool's Day.
Madi:Of course. April Fool's Day. Trey Augustine is set to return, told the Detroit Red Wings. So that's huge
Jacob:Yeah.
Madi:That he's coming back for his junior year.
Jacob:Probably gonna be the biggest dude of the all season for sure. Yeah. Yeah.
Madi:Charlie Strammel is not leaving for Minnesota. Patrick Geary and Maxime Sturbach are coming back. There are so many guys that are coming back. I know that it was I heard kind of through the grapevine that teams were interested in Tomi Ministo, but I'm not sure how that's panning out now. I think it was Winnipeg that was a little interested in him.
Madi:But, yeah, that was it was so tough to see them go out the way that they did. But knowing that they and Adam Nightingale will dip into the portal a little bit, but he's got the same mindset as Tom Izzo.
Luke:Like,
Madi:we use He doesn't like it. He's not a I don't know if he's not a fan or what it is. Like, I haven't asked him about that, actually. But he'll just kinda dip in and grab what he wants, grab what we need, and get out.
Luke:I guess the question I was gonna ask you is what's kind of the biggest need that Adam Knight and Gale need to address,
Madi:if there is? I think that our defense is kind I think that's kinda what hurt us besides Trey just not having a great game. Our defense was kinda wishy washy sometimes, but we have such a young blue line. Our starting line our starting defensive pair are sophomores. We have a junior paired with a freshman.
Madi:Our extra defenseman is a freshman. And then there was two guys, David Gutierrez and Nick Andrews. David Gutierrez was a senior. Nick Andrews was a grad transfer. Super, super, super young defenseman.
Madi:So I think that maybe adding some experience, there would be nice. And this is what I want. So Tirnan Shouty's brother plays for State. He's a defenseman for Ferris State.
Luke:Okay.
Madi:He will be a senior this year. Travis entered the transfer portal. Travis, please come home. Please come home. Travis is Your brother misses you.
Madi:Your brother wants you to come home. Please come back. Please come to Michigan State. That would honestly he's a great defenseman too. Like, he's put up great numbers.
Madi:He's had a great season. He was a captain. Like, he brings leadership. Come home, please. So that would be awesome.
Madi:But yeah. So same thing with basketball. Roster's definitely gonna look a little different next year, especially with the guys who we didn't expect to be signing, their NHL contract so early, which props to them. I'm so happy for both Carson and Joey for having the opportunity to leave and go sign, but it's just so tough to replace a guy, especially Carson who's been here. Him and Nightingale got here at the same time.
Madi:So he's worked with Nightingale through rebuilding this program and has won both big 10 titles and championships. And so he's he's really, really tough to see go. Obviously, Matt Basgold will be back. Like, there's there's other guys that are in the same grade as him that will come back, but he's a really, really, really, really tough loss.
Jacob:Yeah. But, I mean, hockey in a sense is definitely different than basketball. Oh, So I would say it's arguably like basketball arguably easy to rebuild just because of how many players play. But hockey, there's so many rotations and so many different amount of time on the ice. These guys are only playing a few minutes at a time anyway.
Jacob:So, I feel like you have a lot more room to experiment with who you bring in. Nightingale doesn't use the portal as much, like we said, but I think he has the opportunity to bring in a few guys that can definitely contribute on the first or second line and really just kind of maintain the production they had this year because they don't need to completely revamp.
Madi:No. Absolutely.
Jacob:Obviously, the offense was there the entire season this year. And even if they lose some guys, is Isaac Howard still coming back? Is
Madi:We have absolutely zero idea what's happening with
Jacob:Isaac Howard. With that, but, I mean, they've had guys like him that can produce. So I think
Madi:Oh, yeah.
Jacob:They kinda just dip your toe in the the port a little bit.
Madi:Yeah. So the rumor the rumor going around town right now, it hasn't been confirmed by Michigan State or by the player himself, but Caden Lindstrom went fourth overall to the Columbus Blue Jackets last year. He's, like, six four, well over two hundred. He's a big boy. Apparently, he's coming to Michigan State.
Madi:He played a couple years in the WHL, was out this past season because of spinal surgery. He had something with a disc in his spine. I don't know. I'm a journalism student. I'm not sure what's going on.
Luke:We're not medical.
Madi:No. I'm not premed. I'm sports journalism. So he would be huge, especially if we lost Isaac Howard. But with Isaac Howard right now, I've been reading stuff about that.
Madi:The problem that Tampa is having with signing Ike is they don't have enough cap space, and Ike does not wanna go to Syracuse. He deserved he deserves to go to the NHL. He's had a great season. He's can play both ways. He's figured out that he can play both ways, and Adam Nightingale has taught him to do so.
Madi:Like, he's been playing on the penalty kill. He's been playing on the power play. Like, Ike has defensive ability now that he didn't he did not have a lick of defense last year. So Tampa is trying to, like, figure out and negotiate because if they can sign him now and get him in, he can be with them for a playoff run. Mhmm.
Madi:They don't know how they're gonna do that, though, which I have a problem with that because why is Dylan Duke like, I'm not even saying this because he went to Michigan, but why is Dylan Duke on your roster and you can't send him back to Syracuse so that Isaac Howard can sign?
Jacob:Yeah.
Madi:What's the problem here, folks? What is the problem here?
Jacob:Well, it's a problem. So there's a chance that we can get Isaac Howard back to MSU.
Madi:See, that would be wonderful.
Jacob:Then it's not a problem. But I think the fact that they look into next year, I think the fact that Trey Augustine coming is coming back is like, like I said, probably the most important season like news of the offseason because I believe that goalie and hockey is the most important position.
Madi:Yeah, absolutely. 100%.
Jacob:They've had so many shots coming out of the entire game that they gotta monitor and keep them their team in the game. So I think him coming back is really good because, obviously, he's like, didn't know if you would expect it because the Red Wings are probably in need of the goalie market. I know they got Sebastian Kosa right now in Grand Rapids. That's come up a few times. But Yeah.
Jacob:I can't remember if that's, like, their other young if there's one word, young guy.
Madi:He's the young guy that they have. But in Grand Rapids right now, they have him and Jack Campbell. So they've been a great duo back there. Yeah. And then in Detroit, they have Talbot, Mrazek, and Lyon.
Madi:Yeah. So we honestly, I love Trey, and I would love to see him in the winged wheel. Please do not sign. We don't need another goalie. You're gonna make me crash out about the Red Wings again.
Jacob:Yes. Exactly. And we don't we don't wanna dive into them because, oh my goodness, it'd be all another topic.
Madi:Open a rabbit hole.
Jacob:Yeah. But I think, like, obviously, the need for the Red Wings with a goalie isn't, like, their top priority right now.
Madi:Right.
Jacob:So they obviously have plenty of the problems they gotta fix. So I think that Trey Ossen coming back is the right move for him, but also for MSU, it really helps. And I know that Luca DiPagasco is, like, entering the transfer portal or whatever. But, I mean, they got Melvin Straw coming in freshman recruit. So it's not like that is completely thinned down in that room there.
Jacob:Right. I know Strahl's gonna be freshman, but
Madi:Luka deserves to go start. Strahl is a drafted goalie. He's drafted by Columbus. So he's got skill, obviously, for when Trae Augustine leaves probably after next year. Jay Gottenger did the same thing.
Madi:He's with the stars now, but he played three years at BU before going pro. So goalies take so much more time to develop than a forward or defenseman do. But Luca DePasco deserves to start. Yeah. If he went to any other school in the Big Ten, he'd be the starter on their team.
Madi:Like, he would start over, Soulier at Minnesota. Like, he would start over Scarfoni. He'd start over Turnis. Luca has been absolutely outstanding. Like, it's a shock that he didn't get drafted, but he just flew under the radar, and we managed to get him.
Madi:Mhmm. He went seven and o this season, had, like, a 1.92 goals allowed average. I don't know. Something crazy like that. Like, a point nine three nine, say, percentage.
Madi:Luka went crazy this year, especially when Trey was gone. Like, he was actually playing in big 10 games. He shut out Northern. He beat Western when they were ranked, like, number four or five at the time. He was in goal for the, Wisconsin game at Wrigley.
Madi:Like, he's played in huge games. Mhmm. So Luca has the potential to go start literally any other college.
Jacob:Yeah. Go be great.
Madi:And he deserves to.
Jacob:Go be great.
Madi:Yeah. Go be great, Luca. Go spread your wings and fly now.
Jacob:I've chosen one. But no. I know. I mean, like, the the whole thing with the trans supporter, like, we've talked about basketball for a while. Like, it it sucks that guys are gonna leave and even, like, just graduating seniors.
Jacob:But I think the reason that programs are so good and they're, like, Michigan State's trending towards becoming an elite hockey program, I just think, like, it it's good to have some adversity. It's good to have some roster turnover because it it proves that coaches as good as Nightingale is can reload and kind of, go back and compete again because we just a lot of the teams that are in the frozen four right now have been consistent hockey programs like Boston College, whatever. They've been good for all along.
Madi:BU Denver. The only two in there that have been consistently kinda in the Frozen four mix are BU and Denver. Mhmm. Penn State?
Jacob:Yeah.
Madi:Penn State's never made a Frozen four. Western has never made a Frozen four.
Jacob:Yeah.
Madi:So we get a little different mix of things because BC's not in there. Thank you. Can't handle another BC Frozen four.
Jacob:Yeah.
Madi:Who wasn't in there last Minnesota's not in there. Michigan's not in there. Like, you finally get a different mix of teams, it's wonderful.
Jacob:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But if the G State wants to sustain sustain that success, they also Yeah. Gotta fight through some of these challenges in the off season a little bit because that's the toughest part of any season.
Jacob:Yeah. Believe it's the off season rather than any game you'll play in the regular season so or the postseason.
Madi:Oh, yeah.
Jacob:I mean, it it'll be interesting to see how it all kinda pans out, but I think they're still in a great spot.
Madi:Yeah. They're they're gonna be just fine.
Jacob:Yeah.
Madi:They'll be back.
Jacob:Yeah. Definitely. And if we're comparing this to Lions like we did a few minutes ago, the Lions are still gonna be good next year. MSU Yaki is still gonna be good next year. It's just like they had an underwhelming exit.
Jacob:It happens in sports, as sad as it is. Sports suck. Sports are so sad. If there's any takeaway, that should be the title is
Madi:that's That's the worst thing about sports is sports will break your heart.
Luke:Yeah. I don't wanna dampen your guys' spirits, but I don't know if the Lions are gonna be back with the Eagles being so good as they are.
Jacob:Josh, Luke. I'm sorry. Goodbye. Yeah. Okay.
Jacob:I didn't say the Lions gonna be Super Bowl champions. I just said they will be in they will be back in Kentucky because we know the Eagles are, like, really, really good. But
Luke:Yeah. We we're Super Bowl champions.
Jacob:So man, anything else?
Madi:My dad talking about Michigan football winning the national championship for fourteen years.
Jacob:Oh my goodness. Yeah. We we will save that.
Madi:Compared you to.
Jacob:Yeah. We will save that talk for a while from now. I don't wanna talk about the Eagles any more than I have to. Please know. Yeah.
Jacob:Oh, yeah. But it'll it'll be fine. MSU, more of the story, they'll be back. But I think for the sake of time, we're we're gonna touch on women's basketball, but I think we're gonna do that. I'm gonna save that for another episode or definitely next episode just for the sake of time here.
Jacob:But no shade to them or anything.
Madi:Because we can touch on gymnastics next week.
Jacob:Yes, there is.
Madi:Because gymnastics is also in the NCAA tournament in Allen Park, Pennsylvania.
Jacob:But, so it's a little exciting preview then. Nice, perfect segue into promoting our next episode.
Madi:Yeah. I'll make sure to pitch that.
Jacob:Yeah. There you go. There you go. Because I definitely didn't do that. It's me.
Jacob:Oh, man. But, no, it's it's been fun discussing. It's sad that the topics are, the the futures of MSU hockey and men's basketball, but it's bright. Trust me. They are brighter days ahead.
Jacob:We're elite programs for a reason.
Luke:So Next week's episode is gonna be a lot brighter.
Jacob:Yes. I I I like the sound of that. I I don't know if I can handle it.
Luke:I think it's projected to be a sunny day.
Jacob:Yeah. According to Oh, god. Think they're looking at weather for next Wednesday's pot.
Luke:I think. I it a lot can happen in seven days, but I hope so. That's how
Jacob:you know we're back. We just You know what?
Madi:Have to talk about women's basketball getting destroyed by NC State. At least it's bright out.
Jacob:Yeah. Yeah. You know what? It it makes it so much better if it's sunny as well. Though we are in a
Luke:Screw the men's basketball team. Screw hockey. Next week is gonna be all about, you know, the gymnastics and women's basketball. It's gonna be a sunny day. We're gonna be really happy.
Madi:Yes. We're gonna try. Not
Luke:dour and sad like we were today.
Jacob:Oh my god. I am ever more excited for podcast episode now. Yeah, that'll that'll do it here today. Thank you guys for doing as always, and thank you, Maddie and Luke, for, joining me alongside the sports work table, not round table. But, yes, we'll see you guys next week to talk positive MSU sports.
Jacob:Sounds good. Bye. Bye.