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The State News sports reporters discuss all MSU sports.
(Bella) Hello, and welcome back to the sports roundtable podcast where we talk about all things Michigan State Athletics. I'm your host, Bella Johnson and today I'm joined by Melanie and Alex, if you guys want to go ahead and introduce yourselves real quick.
(Melanie) Hi, my name is Melanie and I'm one half of the Michigan State men's basketball beat writer squad here from the state news.
(Alex) Yeah, I'm Alex Faber. I'm the other half.
(Bella) All right, and we're jumping into March Madness this week. So that's mostly what this episode is going to be about. But before we get into our NCAA men's tournament, just want to take a moment to talk about some breaking news that happened on Monday. Monday MSU athletics and the women's basketball team announced that coach Susie Marchant would be stepping down due to health reasons, just obviously not really what anybody wanted to hear. She has been out for most of the season after an accident on late January. So wishing all the best for her, hoping that this decision gives her some time to focus on her health, and just get better. And while she's out, Dean Lockwood's gonna continue being the interim coach, while they look for a new head coach, so interested in where they're gonna find somebody, but I'm excited to see which direction they're gonna go in. So, moving back over to the NCAA tournament, all of us have brackets that we've brought today. Mine I'm not too happy with I don't think I've figured out this year,
(Alex) I'm pretty confident. Yeah. Yeah. And that's probably a bad thing. It's not a good sign that I'm so confident because in past, those are the brackets that usually go the worst. But I don't know. I'm kind of feeling it with some of these upsets, like I'm going kind of chalky in some of the regions but I don't know, I think I like who do you have taken taking. So I'll give you my final four. So I have Alabama and Kentucky. Kentucky is Kentucky is one of the weirder picks there are 60 this year, but I like what I've seen out of them. And then Texas and Kansas are the other two. I'm really big fan of the big 12 This year, I think, I don't know. There's a lot of really good teams. I think it was the deepest league lot. It was said in big 10 country about the big 10. But still see it but I've Kansas taking it all in.
(Melanie) I disagree with that one. Because last year that took it I don't know, it's so hard for a team to you know, get that title two consecutive years. But otherwise, I like your final four.
(Bella) Let's hear your final four mel
(Melanie) I've got Arizona and Purdue and I have Purdue advancing which I know I know. I don't I don't really, I you know, as much as I don't didn't want to take Purdue just because yeah, let's take an underdog team. I don't know. I just think that they this is the year that they're gonna go. I don't think they're gonna win. I have Gonzaga, taking it all. But really, I have on the other side of Houston, Gonzaga Gonzaga, and then I have Gonzaga over Purdue. Houston, I'm kind of iffy on just because they have Marcus Sasser, one of the starting guards just got injured. So I don't know if he's going to be appearing in the I see actually didn't even know that. Yeah, that's something but I don't know. I still think you can make a run. So
(Bella) yeah, mine. I'm not happy with mine at all, actually. But every time like every scenario that I've done, I just didn't like any of it. So right now, my final four is Virginia, Tennessee. And then Houston, Kansas. And I have Virginia and Houston moving on and Houston winning, which I don't like. But I honestly can't pick another scenario for some reason.
(Alex) Well, it's like in the big 10 This entire year, like you saw it in the tournament, it was so hard to kind of I don't know, by the end, everyone is just kind of the same, right? And it's just kind of good and you kind of see that in the rest. So it's it's really hard especially when you get like I don't know about you guys, but once I got to like the sweet 16 Elite Eight, I just got some weird matchups where it's so yeah, I don't know. They just kind of go with your gut instinct. And my gut is telling me that Purdue and Arizona are both broads. I don't trust either of them
(Bella) I think they're gonna choke pretty early. I Purdue has obviously done really well in the big 10 This season, but they also have the ability to get upset by not so great team
(Alex) and choke like, like Penn State they thought they had that in the book almost choked. It was in Illinois, where they have like a 20 some point lead almost lost in the end Even just Yeah, even even Michigan State back in, like what was that December and Jan, I don't know, I just, it's such when you're so reliant on one player and you play so many days in a row, people are going to be attacking eating, I think he's gonna get he's gonna get body then he he stood up to the pressure in the big 10 tournament. But I think when you're probably going to play Memphis in the second round Duke, or Tennessee barring like some crazy upset and in the sweet 16 I just think produced path is really hard. And I don't like that their guard play is so young, like Fletcher lawyer, and the other guy. They're just kind of the I don't know, I'm nervous about a wall. I guess they're a good team. But
(Melanie) that's a good point. And also, their freshman guards have kind of slowed down a little bit, as we've seen in the big 10 tournament, you know, with those close games.
(Bella) And I think I'm curious to see because there's obviously been some uproar with big 10 refs and not falling at as much as they should. And that's to be debated. I think it's different if you talk to any witch, or any person. But I'm curious to see how that goes out with refs. Obviously, for the NCAA Tournament, it's going to be a little different. And that honestly can have a big impact one way or another.
(Alex) And that's been talked about a lot, especially with the big 10. super critical of just the falling and stuff and you've even heard coaches talk about that. I think Maryland's head coach just you know, talked a little bit about that. But be interesting to see how big 10 teams fare this year because again, we were saying all year, I was so deep. But did they kill each other in the tournament again, did they play too much? You know, is it roughing? It's gonna be really interesting to see how the big 10 performs
(Melanie) that, you know, I was going to ask you guys how speaking in the big 10 Michigan State How far do you guys have them going in the tournament?
(Bella) My heart wants them to go a lot farther than logically, I think they're gonna go I realistically see them losing to Marquette. Yeah, but in the second round, that's about
(Alex) what I've seen. That's what I have. I will say though, I've seen some MSU fans doing what they did against Ohio State and kind of overlooking USC is a really good squat like that's not like they have some wins. They beat UCLA once they lost UCLA they kept it close skins Arizona, like they're a really good team over there in the in the Pac 12. And I don't know I went with Boogie Ellis. He could just kind of go off and score 30 Like, I don't know, this makes me nervous. Drew Peterson behind him. Yeah, it makes me nervous.
(Melanie) yeah, I took I took Michigan State over USC i i don't know i think that also because of that, you know, short lived conference tournament run I think Michigan State is gonna make it that pass this first round. I think so took a lot of time off. But But yeah, like you said, USC is a good team. They Yeah, they've got big guys like Drew Peterson and it's gonna be tough to come
(Alex) Thank God they don't have a dominating center though. I was getting sick about that. I mean, that's the one the one thing I liked about this matchup is that I mean, their guard their center kind of does what Mati does Maddy so go and he's just kind of like a rim protector. It doesn't have any sort of offense. It's what's been killing us every year. I mean, Ed put up is like career I think against us. Trace Jackson, Davis, all these big forwards and stuff. They usually eat up against us. It's gonna be nice to finally just play a guard reliant team.
(Melanie) Yeah, another thing I haven't really thought about is playing so close to home for USC. That might be a drawback.
(Alex) I mean, because they're four hours behind. Yeah, what's three?
(Bella) It's gonna be like, 930 tip off for them. Like, yeah, right. Am I doing that math? Right?
(Alex) I think so. Yeah. 15 at 1215 18 915 Yeah, that's,
(Bella) I mean, they're joining the big 10 Next year I do it. Do you have any like stick out upsets that you guys picked? Just like across the board?
(Alex) So I was this close to putting Cray in the in the Final Four.
(Bella) I liked that. I like right into the Elite Eight.
(Alex) Did you? I did do I think they're really good. And they still like I don't really trust Alabama, Alabama, when you have changed their name or something? I don't I do not like that team this year. For obvious reasons. I don't think Alabama you haven't going. I am going to the Final Four. Unfortunately. I
(Bella) think they're gonna make it. I don't think they're as good as everybody. I don't think they deserved the one seed. I don't I really
(Alex) like the number one overall number one overall. Yeah. Okay, that you can make a case for that. Yeah, I could see
(Bella) maybe one seed in general, but not number one. Overall, I think there's better teams.
(Alex) Kansas especially has been on a roll and then Houston is like, I mean, I don't trust Houston in terms of tournament setting, but like in terms of resume and the winds they put up and statistics, they've got to be up there.
(Bella) And also if he's gonna go as far as they're playing at home, basically, they're playing Yeah, that's true. And that is dependent on how far They make it but I think that could be a big factor in how though how well they do if they do make it towards the end.
(Melanie) What do you guys think about other big 10 teams? And where how they're gonna fare in the tournament,
(Bella) um, I took Penn State over a&m.
(Alex) That's gonna be one of the sneaky best first round game.
(Bella) That'll be a good game. I'm excited to watch it. I do just think just solely based off of the way that Penn State came out in the big 10 tournament. I do think they have the ability to take down Texas a&m, but I have them losing in that second round. So I don't have them going that far.
(Melanie) So do I. Yeah, I have them. Yeah. Beating Texas a&m And then losing to Texas.
(Alex) Indiana is one that kind of interests me because I've seen a lot of people say can stay can be an upset team because they shoot the ball the three well, and they defend well, but it's a max goal not to concern but that second round matchup, I don't like Miami and Drake is a 12 C like I really, really don't like Miami. I think Indiana can make a sneaky little run and then they would play Houston in the sweet 16. I think Indiana is a sneaky big 10 team that could make a little run this year.
(Bella) I think they could I think the path that they have to get there could be laid out very easily for them to get pretty far.
(Alex) It's one of those cases where it's not necessarily a matter of like Indiana being world beaters, but it's just kind of the bracket falls I could see Yeah,
(Bella) I have them right now going to the Sweet 16 Losing the Houston
(Alex) that's what I have.
(Bella) But I did have I did another bracket that I don't was more of like a just a fun one that I made. And I had can't stay up or upsetting them. Because I just feel like if I'm going to pick one like major upset in the first round, I was leaning towards that one. I don't think I picked another big one like that.
(Alex) I have I have the winner of Arizona State in Nevada tonight. Whoever whatever he gets that I have them making a run to the Sweet 16 as well.
(Bella) Oh really? I have them? I do not remember
(Alex) TCU I don't know, the 11 versus the six and interesting stat over the past like five years. The elevens and sixes when roughly the same. Right. So that's that always interests me is like those are not that's not really that far of those are pretty similar seated team. So I don't know that that is a tough one because TCU is a good team. But I just feel like if it's Arizona state they did pretty well in the in the in the tournament and they competed in top PAC 12. I don't know, I liked them
(Melanie) and the east in that 611 seed matchup I took I took Providence over Kentucky. I think they can make a little run. I don't know, I just don't think that Kentucky has had that year that fans thought they were going to have and I think it showed early on in the season, you know, when we match up against them. And it's just kind of carried out through I just I don't think they're as capable as everything we're doing so.
(Alex) And with Providence to Providence is a team that I think can upset almost anyone because they shoot the three so well. Like that's just the type of team that if they get hired at the right time, they could just make a Cinderella run like that. That team makes me nervous, especially since I have Kentucky going so far. I just really liked how they've been playing of late and and I think if you have a guy like Oh, who's their star up ship way? Yeah, I think if he matches up against guy like Purdue and the Elite Eight or some of the other bigs he's going to face, he might have the takeover ability to kind of just force them into into a winning situation.
(Bella) Right? Yeah. My I know you're talking about the who was Arizona State playing tonight. Nevada. I saw the acronym I just could not figure out what's going on. Never. I was like, I don't know. Whatever. Anyways, I picked them over TCU solely because of Arizona State.
(Alex) Yeah, that's that was my thought to
(Melanie) see. That's uh, so I was thinking but then if Nevada? I don't think the Nevada is going to win against TCU. I think Arizona State I think yeah, but I don't think I don't think Nevada Can I might
(Alex) do a little switch up here because I think you're right if like like if tonight comes in Nevada, Arizona State lays an egg in Nevada wins. I might have to switch some things around because I'm not super confident in them.
(Bella) Yeah, no. Arizona State I think can do it. I do not think Nevada could
(Alex) one that another upset. I'm not bold enough to do it because it's Duke but a lot of people are pretty high on Oral Roberts, too. I mean, I almost did it. Yeah. There's a lot of people and wasn't Oral Roberts the one who upset Ohio State a few years back like they I'm pretty sure thanks. So I think yeah, because oral they they they have a history. I just feel like they can do it. I don't know. Again, it's Duke. Unfortunately Duke is good. very hot right now and I'm just not going to count them out. But still, that's that's one if I was bolder I would take
(Bella) I mean, I have I picked Duke winning. And I think no matter if it was Duke or Oral Roberts I picked I have them losing to Tennessee anyway. So I wasn't too hung up on that pick.
(Alex) Okay. Not going to bust your bracket either way now, it'll be What do you guys think about Marquette? Because I mean, we're gonna be I mean, if MSU wins on Friday, we're gonna be talking a lot about Marquette. And there's the Joey Houser thing. I don't know if they're legit or not.
(Bella) know, I, I don't know. Like, I genuinely have no idea. I would love for a Marquette game where Joey has like, an absolute night and it's like hitting every shot.
(Alex) We see cocky, Joey rapier. Yeah, haven't had. Oh, yeah, I
(Bella) see that. Peaky Blinders at it. Oh, that was funny
(Melanie) I think Michigan State is capable of coming out of that matchup against Marquette and advancing I just, I don't know, it's just the USC now. I question that. But I don't know. I I don't know a ton about Marquette. I don't know.
(Bella) I don't either. And I know I said a season. I know I said earlier, I saw them. I saw Michigan State losing to Marquette I on my bracket. I do actually have them beating Marquette and then losing to Kansas State.
(Alex) Okay, well, Marquette is a team. If I let me look up there. Yeah, they relied a lot on their great offensive team, but they have some of those laws where they kind of just stop out like if MSU defense can go back to where it was in January and force some of those laws and pay play with like, slow the game down making an ugly game. I think MSU could win an ugly game against Marquette.
(Bella) I think they could as well. And it really does depend on the way that they're playing. Yeah, I honestly both defensively and offensively because they've had games recently where we're either both of them are just so off, or one of them or the other. And then you see them like losing these close games when they can't get it to match up.
(Alex) I think that the two most important players are going to be AJ AJ Hoegaarden and Tyson Walker. I mean, because Tyson Walker only took I think, seven shots. He's a guy that needs 13 shots a night. He's a guy who needs to he's a volume shooter. Get him hot, whatever it takes. I don't care if he starts the game one in seven. Shooting, just keep going. And then AJ. I mean, he like I don't want to pile on the guy because I really liked him. He I think he's one of the more important pieces. He was terrible against Ohio State. He was really bad. And then there was that clip. You know, I think probably too much was made out of it that went on Twitter. Tom and him talking.
(Bella) That's just the classic mark, March tweet, just some already.
(Alex) Yeah, it's just it's it's a video like, they're guys who hold each other to high standards. But anyways, like if Aj is dealing and he's distributing well, and he is efficient with his shots and gets like five, six assists, like MSU is a hard team to stop when Aj is distributing and Tyson is hitting shots. And of course, hops are too. Yeah,
(Melanie) thank you. Yeah, I make a good point with with AJ. But then also, something that I've seen, you know, is always been saying and just from, you know, some some stuff I've been reading as Malik is, you know, he's really relying on Malik and expecting him to, you know, take charge and be that to a player that he's proved he can be but in the past, like, in the tournament, and in the last few games in the regular season, he just has not been on his A game and he's really struggling out there.
(Alex) I think they lean on him probably defensively. I think that's what that's what they need to do. Because I mean, he notched I think three points against Ohio State and like, I think was one for seven, or went over six from the field. That's what it was. He had a rough game, but he can still play factor in defensively
(Bella) I think he has like, it might be like a mental block or something. I think if you start hitting shots and like, seeing like he could do it, it'll get better. Because I remember last year, I think I think the same thing was happening to Gabe brown re went like middle of the middle of conference play, like could not sink anything. And then I think I think it was in the Michigan game. He had like, a big dunk or something. Yeah. And then he started playing like better and better after that point. And I don't there's a lot that mentally that can affect the way that they're playing.
(Alex) I think you hit the nail on the head with Malik especially to me because against that Ohio, Ohio State. He was having a bad game. It was clear to everyone that Rena is having a bad game then he aeroball is a three. Like you don't airball a three because your technique is wrong. That's You're overthinking things. So I don't see that from him.
(Melanie) That's not something that the way usually performs so yeah, I think it'd be interesting to see his role in the tournament and then also to see Jaden Aikens is role. Yeah. I mean, he, he can get out there and he can get really hot. But usually we'll see that once other players are already you know starting to get into that rhythm like Tyson like AJ like usually Malik. But
(Alex) and he ended the season. I don't have it up with me. But he definitely notched double digits, three straight games. And he looked really good at points. I mean, against Iowa. I know that was a freaky game, but he had his career high 20 Some points and then followed up with like a 17 point form. So he he could be the kind of player who were sitting here right now and like thinking, oh, you know, he could be contributed, and he could just take over and march and he could like show that he is that next guy for MSU? Like he is a sneaky player. He's probably the best athlete on the team. I would say. I would agree. In terms of raw, like raw athlete.
(Bella) Yeah, I would say so. I want to hop back to you had Gonzaga in your final
(Melanie) I took him Zaga and win it to win every Thursday. Um, I know. And I I tend to make these choices in March Madness. And then usually like, my winning team will get knocked out pretty early. So I don't want to jinx it. But I don't know, I think Gonzaga I have them over at Grand Canyon and then beating TCU. And then I have UCLA going up against UCLA in the sweet 16. And I is this this week? Yes. We 16. I don't know I think that they can knock off UCLA. And then I think the rest of their path isn't?
(Alex) Where do you have them? Do you have Kansas to the Elite Eight and they be Kansas? Where do you have Kansas one? Because I think Kansas would see I have the Gonzaga
(Bella) Going to elite a and losing to Kansas. Okay.
(Melanie) I have Kansas, losing this is an upset I have them losing to UConn.
(Alex) Okay. But that I can, but I think you can make that. Like, if that's the case, I think in soccer could be UConn to dance like that, that I'm more like understanding of I guess
(Melanie) that's I guess if Kansas, I just Kansas wins and it's going to be more difficult, but I still think Gonzaga could knock off Kansas. I think they're good ski team. Yeah. And I think one of their starters is injured. Now as of as of lately. I thought I read some for Kansas, I think so. I feel like everybody's injured.
(Alex) I have an issue. I remember past tournaments, probably too much sometimes, like, Gonzaga has screwed me over and screwed over my brackets so many times. I'm just sick of them. And it's the same thing with Purdue. I'm spied picking against them. Same with Arizona, I'm spied picking against those guys just because they've screwed up my bracket so many times. So I think you're right that Gonzaga is a good team. They've got the experience to do it. Like, I won't deny that they're good squad. I just their history scares me. Their history scares me.
(Melanie) Yeah. I don't know. I I go back and I make these picks. And then I'm like, I switch it and I switch it back and I I don't know. It's, I mean, we see it in the big 10 and we see it now in March Madness. It's any team can beat any team. Yeah. So I don't know,
(Bella) I had, I have another bracket that I'm gonna pull up that has way more upsets because I just knew that like just a chaos bracket. I mean, it's, it's called delusional behavior. And I made it with someone else. So it's really
(Alex) Oh, is this the one where Michigan State makes it to the final four?
(Bella) This is the Wonder Michigan State. Clearly, I'm not too hung up about how many points I'm gonna get. But I have Florida Atlantic beating Memphis. Okay. I have Louisiana beating Tennessee. I'm only looking at the first round because it's really the only ones that are gonna change regardless. I took like you said Arizona state and then I had Arizona State beating Gonzaga.
(Alex) I like that. That's I have that my actual bracket. Honestly, it's not Gonzaga haters out imaginable that could happen drinkin the hater aide with them. I hate them
(Bella) I also took so the Iowa State Mississippi State pit so Mississippi State and Pitt are gonna play. I have Pitt winning that game. I don't know enough about Mississippi State to pick them had already
(Alex) won that. So there they did. Yep. Yep. They just did. Yep. Last night, right. Yes. This one's a printed out bracket. So I don't have Yeah, I think it's cool. Pitt is better than Mississippi State. I mean, I think that's that's fair. Yeah. Another I again, I just don't like Miami a lot. I didn't like the ACC this year that much. And I think they could be one that gets upset. I really liked this. This upset region here in the Midwest with Houston as the one seed. That's when we could just see some crazy upsets. I mean, look at Iowa as an eight seed. Yeah, we've seen Iowa gone offensive tears if that 60 year old, like Eastern European guy they have who's so? Yeah, oh, my God, if he just goes on a heater, I was a team that could just make a silly little run to the elite. Just do something annoying to bust all our bread.
(Bella) I think they could. But I don't think they're going to string together enough solid games to go. They're just so inconsistent. Yeah. And that's fine. I feel that way about most of the Midwest region. I don't find any particularly strong team that, I think is just going to be able to go the whole way. Everybody's like, Okay, well, I think they could have a few good games, but like not, not a lot.
(Alex) Well, and what makes me nervous about I'm in Texas. So I have coming out of there. Again, Midwest, the Midwest region is the region I have the hardest time like getting hold of Texas lost their head coach, like they're coaching with an assistant right now. Like Chris Beard got fired. And of course, he got hired, you know, gotta love sports. Sometimes the guy who strangled his wife now is allegedly, is now coaching at Ole Miss. So I love sports washing. But anyways, Texas is a team that could just fall apart without you know, their big head coach and Chris Beard may not be the best of humans, but he was a heck of a heck of a basketball coach. And that's a squad that could just fall apart to
(Bella) I think I have Texas going to play Houston in elite eight, only because I took Penn State over Texas a&m, and I happen to hate losing the Texas. I think Texas a&m could be Texas.
(Melanie) I see. I didn't even take I took Penn State. I did too. And then But then I took Xavier over Texas. Okay, so, but I do agree with this. It's so iffy in the Midwest,
(Alex) I'm telling you Penn State that Penn State and I make her on those two. I'm kind of annoyed that got put together because I would love a Cinderella run from either of these state. We were there at the big 10 tournament. You watch. I mean, Jaylen pickets a heck of a player. I think he has the Penn State record for assists now. I mean, that's one of the best players in the country.
(Melanie) They almost came back and that Yeah, and that final game. I mean, if he that final like three seconds, you know, they would have done something differently. You'll notice but yeah,
(Bella) I wish a&m And Penn State were not together. Because I'll say it. I would love to see Julius marble go on a run with a&m because they would,
(Alex) wasn't he? Isn't he Mississippi State? No. Texas a&m. Yeah, I gotta root for the Aggies. Yeah, I usually root for big 10 teams, but I didn't know that. Okay, I love Julius marble then I always thought it was you don't utilize here.
(Bella) Since you were at games. You weren't watching on TV, but they would have like multiple times and a&m game would be on right before a game and like he'd be having the game of his life every time I swear.
(Alex) I mean, he just had a really good game in the in the SEC tournament. Yeah, that makes me so sad. I'm gonna say an upset I don't like two real quick people. The most popular bet right now is Charleston over San Diego State. San Diego State has a really good defense and a lot of really good players. I don't know why
(Melanie) like I took San Diego State I don't I don't see that. I would
(Alex) I would push back against that one people are saying pick that one the betters are loving it. Don't do it. Because the games like that, at least in the past. It's always they fall in love with one upset never happened. So the Aztecs
(Bella) I'm not a better so I don't really look at those ads much. But I again, that's another one of those games where it really doesn't matter who I pick because I have Virginia beating whoever would have gone around.
(Melanie) Right? Yeah, that's why it's see I always struggle with my bracket because these upsets you know, if I don't pick the upset in the first round, and then it will screw up my entire bracket. And then I like get down to the end. It's like not none of my final four teams are even in anymore. It's like there's just no point in me winning or going far at all.
(Alex) No, it's why you do what I do. And you make 25 brackets. What is every one of them is okay. And then you can show people and be like yeah, guys, this is what I do.
(Melanie) I make multiple brackets but they're all the same bracket. Like I put them in different pools, but they're all the same.
(Alex) Who do you guys have winning it all in the women's bracket? Real quick.
(Bella) I have South Carolina.
(Alex) That's probably just gonna happen.
(Melanie) I haven't done mine yet. Okay,
(Bella) I've got South Carolina Louisiana playing or LSU playing in that last game, South Carolina taking all right. Well, thank you guys so much for joining me. I really appreciate it. This has been Another sports roundtable podcast you can get it wherever you find your podcasts