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The State News sports reporters discuss all MSU sports.
Hello, everyone, and welcome back to the Sports Roundtable podcast by the state news. I am joined today by Jaden Hewitt, Deshaun Johnson, and Maddie Warden, our local, hockey expert, of course. Everyone, how you guys doing?
All the guest:Good. How are you? Good.
All the guest:How are you, man?
Brad:Oh, good. I am just just, just excited. Today, for the Sports Roundtable, episode 1 featuring me. Sorry. I had to had to get that had to get that had to get that out there.
Brad:So today, we got some MSU women's basketball previews, men's hockey, and of course, men's basketball. Finishing up the season, the basketball season. Hockey also finishing up the season. Did you guys hear that Michigan State softball's Liv Gray was Big 10 pitcher of
Jayden:the week? I did see something about that. Yeah.
Brad:Isn't that crazy? She so listen to this. She had a 0 ERA, 3 and o record, and over 16 innings. She even had a perfect game, going into the, 5th inning against Yale. So that we just wanna give a shout out to her, because that is very impressive.
DeShawn:Absolutely. Echo is all around. Nice.
Brad:And, and then MSU softball right now, last I checked was 11:10 on the season. I don't know if they've I don't think they've played any games since, though.
DeShawn:Yeah. I mean, no. And the fact that they're back up at 500 right now, I know they had a rough start to the season. So it's not to see them getting back around to things. I haven't been too deep into it, but I can't wait till they start swinging back around here once the weather gets a little bit nicer for sure.
Brad:Yeah. And that's, I mean, today was brutal. So I'm really hoping I too cold too cold. Not anymore jackets. So, but then MSU gymnastics beat New Hampshire.
Brad:They got a quad meet this weekend, and, we are looking forward to that. So shall we get started, everyone?
DeShawn:Let's do it.
Brad:Shall we? So let's start with you, Deshaun. Women's basketball is wrapping up. They beat Wisconsin, 7852. And then, they have the Big 10 tournament coming up, starting this week.
Brad:And Michigan State is a number 4 seed.
DeShawn:Mhmm.
Brad:And they will play, either Nebraska or the, or Northwestern or Purdue depending on how that bracket fixes itself.
DeShawn:Yep. So, yeah. The tournament, technically does start today, but I was in Michigan State not having to play till Friday, which is a little bit, I just talked to a couple of people from the team yesterday. Fairly looking at everybody just talking about how nice it is to be able to have these, like, couple of extra days. The the kind of main thing about tournament time that Philly talked about is just you don't have time normally.
DeShawn:So, you know, the fact that these extra 2 days off is gonna be a really big day for them. Just doing a little bit of a scouting report depending on who they have to play out starting off with Nebraska. Nebraska was the 2nd loss of the season for the Spartans earlier this year. It was their 1st big 10 game and loss of the season. Final score was 80 to 74 and that's kind of been the story for all of their big 10 games against them with the top seed so far against the other, as far as big 10 play goes.
DeShawn:Game against both games against Ohio State, game against Iowa. I mean, all of them would that that are losing within. Some of them 3 points, some of them 5 points. I mean, none of them have been more than 10. So it's just kind of been the story all around, and the thing is now Nebraska, at that time, they were above Michigan State as far as rankings go.
DeShawn:Right now, they're, they're one spot below them and we've kind of been battle tested a lot more since seeing them. It was obviously early in the season. And at the time, the Spartans were putting up some impressive numbers, but, the best way to put it the way I did in some of my articles early in the year is that you don't really get fully tested till you open up big time play. Right. Playing a couple other teams there, so Nebraska was the 1st real test that they had.
DeShawn:And watching that game, Alexis Markowski, Jazz Shields, they were kind of the main, like, game busters that we had for that. I mean, I don't even wanna call them game busters because Julia Arolk, she did a great job playing against Markowski the first time around in the first half. It was just they really started getting broken down in the second half. I just I I think now where we are now, we've been a lot longer battle tested. It's been a long season.
DeShawn:We've had a lot we've only had 5 losses in the big ten since that game. I mean, overall, I like, let me wait to before I say that. Moving on to Northwestern, we faced them, midseason. It was kind of on the backburners, I would say, because, it was in between Ohio State and Minnesota. So, I mean, no disrespect or shade to the Wildcats, which is at the time, Ohio State was obviously gonna be a big game on the radar.
DeShawn:And then following that game with Minnesota, it was a really tough loss at that time. So even if, like, Minnesota wasn't as high on the radar, it was just at the time, like, the the Minnesota loss really kinda stopped the momentum where the Spartans were going. So kinda got put on the back burners, but it was a also a almost a 20 point win. So, I I feel the Spartans would feel a little bit more confident in that matchup. Along the Purdue matchups, swept the, swept the Boilermakers twice this year, obviously.
DeShawn:Neither game was too close. It was a lower scoring matchup the second time around for the Spartans, but I I I I I don't exactly have a reasoning behind that. But besides late push of the season coming off a back to back, within, like, 3 days. So, you know, I mean, this is where I wanted to say this about the Nebraska thing. I think that the Spartans will be much more comfortable either way playing Northwestern or Purdue just about standings and confidence level going into the games.
DeShawn:However, I I I don't wanna say that it would be a wash no matter what because this is big 10. I mean, Fraylech has been so adamant about this all year that no matter who you're playing against, it's gonna be a competitive game. You're gonna have a competitive matchup. Mhmm. And the tournament atmosphere, it changes and it elevates the game so much.
DeShawn:So the Spartans would definitely have to stay on their toes, but I'm sure that they would prefer the matchups with North Northwestern or Purdue. But I still would like to say that just going into these games, like a like a Spartan overview if I had to give it 1, I think that the Spartans would have a better chance over any of these teams right now. Just, I mean, as where we've come so far this season.
Brad:Right. My question for you is, I'm wondering about, like, expectations, for the season. Like like, obviously, Frey looks, you know, in her 1st year. That's that's big. And that's and she had a good resume with Bowling Green.
Brad:Right? So I'm wondering, like, how, like, where the expectations lie? I mean, she's had to have exceeded them, I would imagine.
DeShawn:Oh, yeah. I mean, expectations is has obviously been, like, a huge talk, especially coming into the end of the season here. I mean, Fraylick, I think the first time we really talked about expectations, obviously, at the beginning of the year. I mean, there was really no there were there were no expectations at the beginning of the year. You've got a couple of new faces.
DeShawn:You just you lose 2 key players from your roster. So and then you got a brand new head coach. So I I don't think there was a, a major expectation at that time. But, as you start to get towards mid season, Froelich, I mean, she was she was constantly and confidently talking about the fact that she knew from the beginning that this team was capable of doing everything everything that they're doing right now. So, and I think now, she just got asked the other day.
DeShawn:I mean, you know, 1st year, you immediately get this team into a 4 seed. You gotta, you know, you you gotta get them into the tournament. There's all these things that's happening, but Freylich, a bunch of the captains, Julia, Moe, they all know that, like, I mean, like, they knew that they were supposed to be here. They knew that that this year, I mean, obviously, some of them graduating players. I mean, this is gonna be their last shot to do this and that they just they they have deserved to do this for the last couple of years.
DeShawn:They've just been right there. I mean, right there every time. So this, the the the togetherness that this team has been able to find has been able to surpass any that anybody could have had, and that's the the exactly what Frederick said the other day. Like, her expectations, anybody's expectations, I'm sure, of course, it surpassed them. However, the players feel comfortable and right where they should be.
Madi:So I have a question too. So I guess, like, comparing 1st year and, like, head coaches, obviously, Adam Nightingale for hockey is in his 2nd year. Does he have the same, like, mindset as Vralik does of the whole, like, one game at a time? Like, we take one game at a time, one practice at a time, and we, like, learn from that. We don't look ahead to other games.
Madi:Is that her mindset too?
DeShawn:I think that's, like, a perfect description of where her mindset to be. I mean, like, when when we were asking her about, you know, these matchups and what they're gonna be, you know, she, she continued to say that, obviously, I don't wanna look too far ahead. You know, we have to continue to just take these things 1 by 1. You know, obviously, they have today and tomorrow to see who some of the game play already. Right.
DeShawn:And she just the way her mindset, of course I mean, she does. Like, I mean, a couple of the I mean, multiple postgame interviews. You know, if you're asking her about, you know, 2 games ahead or whatever, she's like, you know, we're gonna focus on the next team. We're gonna learn from this game and go into that one. You know?
DeShawn:And, obviously, you know, some having some marquee matchups like Ohio State and Iowa that, you know, people are gonna ask, of course.
DeShawn:would always focus on whoever was there before them.
DeShawn:like, like, when the Northwestern game was coming up, I said it's a back burner. It was on the back burner just as far as the media and people looking into their season. I I can promise you that at the time, Frederick was dialed in on playing against Northwestern. So she definitely takes every game one point at a time, and then she just wants her team to be pre prepared for any scenario as far as this tournament coming up and being able to play 1 of 3 teams.
Madi:Oh, yeah.
Jayden:Yeah. And I wanna hop in too. I wanted to throw on I think we've thrown out before. Freylik is a a local, you know, product to Oh, yeah. HOKEMIS.
Jayden:And and I think that means a lot to to people around here. Mhmm. MSU women's basketball team has not really been super, super successful into the front of the, university for a while. And then to hop right in your 1st year, coming from Okemos and everything like that. That's I mean, right down the road.
Jayden:That's huge. And I I wanna know, you know, has she talked about that a little bit this year and, you know, what does that mean to her?
DeShawn:Yeah. No. Yeah. It was definitely a big topic, obviously, when, everything was being announced and she was coming over from Bowling Green and, obviously, she was an Okamos native. And she's, damn, she's been there all her life.
DeShawn:I think that, it like, it was obviously a big storyline at the beginning of the year. And and, of course, dialed down a little bit because I think Fraley's not like, Fraley never wanted this season to be about her at all. I mean, you got multiple different people that and she talked about storylines the other day. Julie A. Ron, Mo Joyner both being graduating students.
DeShawn:So, you know, I I I think that it died down a little bit, but, I I mean, obviously, that's the fan base and, obviously, her players as well. They all know. I mean, the the part of why Freddie, I think, does like, is the reason she's here and the reason that she's been able to push this team so far is because there's I mean, there's a genuine feeling for this place over anywhere else that she could be going just because she's been here all her life. Playing against, Central Michigan, you know, she obviously playing against some alumni there. I mean, and and and then against Michigan, she talked about that rivalry and how deep it is and the fact that she was able to sweep Michigan the first time.
DeShawn:It's she said it was a little bit of an ego ego thing trying going back to what you were saying, trying not to think about it too much, obviously. I still had a lot in front of them after that Michigan game. But, you know, I mean, she she was obviously very appreciative of that and talk about how big of a moment that was. So I I think that, you know, she's definitely, like, I mean, I if you just say that she's giving any extra effort because she's here, I mean, that's for sure happening. But, I mean, regardless of the fact, like, I think the, I I think the the fan base and everyone is for sure buying into the fact that they're loving what Fridley is doing.
DeShawn:Not just for the MSU community, but our home community. So
Jayden:Absolutely. And one thing I've noticed too, you know, looking at their schedule, and this has been a, you know, trend all year. High scoring, and I think that and, you know, can you speak to a a little bit what Freelich has been talking about this year, when it comes to the offensive side of the ball? Obviously, we've been playing well defensively Yeah. Played well defensively against Wisconsin.
Jayden:But, you know, going into the NCAA tournament and not in just the big ten tournament, we've been putting up a lot of points on a lot of people. Yeah. And that that's a recipe for success anytime you do that, regardless of what your defense looks like, regardless of what team you're playing against. Is that something that she's kind of talked about as well? You know, just keeping people into the into the game and shooting a lot and everything like that.
DeShawn:Yeah. Definitely. I think that, like, her rotations are the first part that you can see of where she's, like, constantly making moves to try and make sure that the MSU has at least 1 or 2 players out there that have a an onslaught of offensive firepower. But Mhmm. Going back to the beginning of the year, I mean, I don't know how much the guy how much you guys are watching in the beginning, but Didi Hoggan was on fire from the right point line at the start of this year.
DeShawn:But and and and this is where I knew that. Fraylick was I mean, defense has kinda always been had kinda always been a key factor to this team, but she was really able to get this team to get in tune with their offensive and our output because Didi no one has seen this type of shooting out for performance from her before, but, coach Friedrich said that she could immediately see it the moment she started watching Didi play and that they just had to work on it more. So she said throughout the summer, I've been constantly working on shooting, telling DeeDee that if she can work on this part of her game, master her shot creating, that she would be in, I mean, a a 3 level score at this point. And, obviously, it did numbers once the season started. So, like, I, like, I mean, Fraylik, I she's one thing that that, you know, the defensive factor has always been there for them, but, I mean, she has obviously been able to push all these all all of our players to a whole new level.
DeShawn:I think Moe always has talked about being a defensive player and how she's put her pride on that. Yeah. She's still putting out 15 points a game. Mhmm. Julia A Rod, she's I mean, she's always been another defensive player.
DeShawn:I mean, she was still this year. She's 2nd in the, big 10 in blocks, had over 60 plus blocks this year. Mhmm. Yet still, she's averaging 15 points. You got I mean, you got scores from all around.
DeShawn:You're getting 670 bench points. You know what I mean? So I mean, all around from either the starting lineup or whatever rotation she's putting in. I mean, she found a way for the team to continuously get to the basket. So, I mean, it's always been a key factor for this year for her.
DeShawn:And, I mean, I it's gonna continue to be 1, you know. I mean, the defense like you said, you know, we we definitely had some high defensive games. We there's been a multiple time this year. We've held teams to below 70, you know, down to 60 range area. And we've been shocked a couple of times when that happens to us.
DeShawn:So, you know, like, some definitely some outliers on both sides, but it's gonna continuously be worked on the offense and the defensive side of the ball.
Brad:Absolutely. How far, are you thinking that MSU gets in the women's basketball tournament?
DeShawn:So, I mean, looking into the tournament, I think that it's really tough. You got some really good basketball teams. Some that we one that we specifically already seen earlier this year in Creighton. Like, I mean, like, they've been if you look at their program the past couple of years, they I think they had an elite run just within the past 2 years. I mean, they've been on top of the on top of the world as far as women's basketball goes.
DeShawn:You obviously got some bigger teams out there as well, like, Iowa and stuff doing things. You got, like, LSU. So I I I I wanna say that I mean, if I'm being totally honest with you, like, I think that Elite 8 is I don't wanna I don't wanna book anything, but I wanna say that it's a realistic realistic expectation. And I that sounds insane for, like I said, this 1st year team and this and the dynamic that they're playing under. But, I mean, at at at the start of the year, you kinda get, like, your feet wet a little bit.
DeShawn:You see that they're putting up these high then score, like, 89, 90. 3 straight games in a row. They they lose to Creighton, and that's where you kinda figure out. Okay. Wait a minute.
DeShawn:Was it just a hot streak? They continuously go on these streaks. I mean, multiple times, there are 4 or 5 game win streak. They'll lose 4 or 5 game win streak. Lose again.
DeShawn:If they lose, they'll bounce back. I mean, I I like, obviously, when you start getting into these one game eliminations, things become crazy. But I think that the streets that they've been able to go to were reliant are are totally reliable and help them, like, get deeper into this tournament.
Brad:So, I just wanted to add real quick. You guys know how much I love to reference ESPN's bracketology because they know well, they just know more than I do. They do. So, you know, I figure it's I figure it works. Right?
Brad:So just to I just wanna, shoot these out real quick to you. So Michigan State right now projected on ESPN's website as a 7 seed. They would be in the same tournament using these numbers. They would be in the same, the same regional as, Marquette, Texas, Jackson State, you know, obviously 15 seed Jackson State.
DeShawn:Yep.
Brad:Ohio State will be the one seed in Albany.
DeShawn:Mhmm.
Brad:And Alabama's in there. Kansas State's in there. Colorado's in there. I'm just naming. NC State's in there.
Brad:That seems tough. So I'm wondering, like, what you think if in that situation, do you think that's a favorable, setup right now? Or
DeShawn:I I don't know if favorable is the right word. However, I'm sure that the Spartans would feel confident. I mean, you know, I'm not gonna lie to you guys. Like, big ten basketball is definitely one of the more tougher, conferences that they have, you know, coming out of the women's basketball right now. I mean, there's just a lot going on within that conference.
DeShawn:And Michigan State has been able to keep up, you know, obviously, like and that's been a little bit of a topic going into some of these games after the big ten tournament. It's just, you know, when you're playing some of these high some of these more high matchup teams, you know, they've been able to keep up. A lot of them have come I don't say a lot of them, but, I mean, some of them come up as losses obviously, but they've been right there. Mhmm. And Fred, going back to what Fredrick's been talking about just this tournament mode.
DeShawn:I mean, you like I said, you got a lot of graduating players on this team and you also got a lot of players that understand this is gonna be their last year with these graduating players. So I feel like once they're able to lock in into this tournament mode that Frode has been talking about and just getting to this new environment that I I I think that going into I don't wanna say any, but almost any situation would be favorable for them right now.
Jayden:Yeah. I think we've seen this every year going into March with the men's basketball team too is, you know, playing a gauntlet in the big ten Yeah. Does help you in the in in the NCAA tournament. Definitely. And, you know, mentioning that Ohio State's in that side of the bracket.
Jayden:I mean, granted they lost to Ohio State twice this year. But you if you played those teams twice now, and if you were able to make it into a a matchup like that, you feel a little bit more confident having playing them twice. Yeah. I mean, barely lost to Iowa. I think that was what a game winner by Caitlin Clark.
Jayden:You can't really do anything about that. Yeah. I mean, she's unbelievable. These are the type of games that they've played all year. Mhmm.
Jayden:And whether they've come up successful or not is a is a different story. But having playing those games and having that experience going into the NCAA tournament and being in such a tough conference, I think that's gonna really do good for them.
DeShawn:Yeah.
Jayden:I think they're really gonna be able to make a run doing that. And and like I said, the offense is is off the charts. You know? Yeah. Anytime you're scoring 100 of points, 90 points, you know, 80 points, that's a lot in college basketball.
Jayden:So, you know, seeing that, I I I am pretty confident then of being able to make a run.
DeShawn:Definitely. I can agree with you more.
Brad:And so, making a little transition
DeShawn:to men's basketball who is so men's basketball has not finished the
Brad:season yet. I mean, And then is is it Saturday that they play Indiana at Indiana?
Jayden:I wanna say believe so. Yeah.
Brad:So they play, so they do play Northwestern tonight. They're, about a 10 point favorite, 9a half. And then they play or North against Northwestern. They're a they're a 10 point favorite.
Jayden:We're the favorites? Mhmm.
Brad:Yeah. It's a home game.
Madi:So shocked.
Brad:It is a home game for MSU, by the way. I don't
Jayden:I I'm not sounding shocked about the fact that we are favorites.
Brad:I know we're nervous about it.
Jayden:But 10 points is quite a bit.
Brad:Even though Northwestern does have a better record than us.
Jayden:And I'm not even saying that I Northwestern's a good team. I'm surprised that we're 10 and a half point favorite. I I don't that's not saying anything about the game, but I mean, that is that's impressive to be a 10 point favorite. The game doesn't lie very often.
Brad:And then MSU, no. It's Sunday. I'm sorry. Let me correct myself. It is Sunday that they play Indiana at Indiana, 4:30 on CBS.
Brad:So with that said, MSU's got 2 games left. Fans are nervous about this game. Right now, they come into, tonight's game against Northwestern as a 9 seed projected by ESPN. Mhmm. And that's not looking great, considered the considering the, expectations that, MSU fans were sold on.
Brad:So, I am thinking that MSU's got to win 1 or 2 games in the Big 10 tournament. I'm also thinking that somehow, MSU will find themselves in the play in. I don't know why I'm thinking that, but that is where I tend to it seems like MSU's been on a a slow roll down a slope. They've the last win was Michigan. Do we remember that game?
Brad:We do. So We do. Yeah. So that's that's crazy that, that Michigan State's last win was Michigan because that feels forever ago, even though it actually wasn't. But, how are we feeling about, you know, we obviously had the Ohio State loss
DeShawn:Mhmm.
Brad:Since, you know, spring break. We've had the Ohio State loss. And then, of course, that was the loss at, at Purdue. Right? Yes.
Brad:Of course. Which MSU kept up with Purdue, by the way. Yeah. But, yeah. I was actually hoping, like, kinda low key that MSU would start Xavier Booker in that game, even though Mhmm.
Madi:I think a lot of people were. Yeah.
Brad:Well, the the well, I was hearing, and I heard a very, very, very convincing argument by Graham Couch, on his podcast. You know, obviously, Graham Couch, famous writer for the Atlanta City Journal. We love him.
DeShawn:Mhmm.
Brad:But he made a very convincing argument on his podcast saying that MSU, even if Booker like, he's ready to play. We've obviously seen that against Ohio State. Mhmm. Like, we saw that he's ready to play.
DeShawn:Right.
Brad:And he can do things that a lot that no other player on MSU's roster can do just because of his frame. Like, that's it. Like, he's got long arms. He can do a lot more than especially Sissoko can do.
DeShawn:Mhmm.
Brad:So, his argument was that MSU should start Booker against, Purdue just because, you know, even if, like, nobody matches up well against ED, period.
DeShawn:Right. Right.
Brad:But at least you're trying something different. And, you know, MSU might stand a chance. Booker ended up I saw this. I didn't watch the game, so so keep that in mind. But Booker had 12 minutes, on the on the floor and 11 points.
Brad:Mhmm.
Jayden:It okay. So this is gonna start a pretty long conversation, I think, from all of us. But to start on the Purdue game, just because that's more recent, we saw Booker come out as a starter, and then didn't play too much after becoming I mean, he played That
Brad:was Ohio State.
Jayden:No. Against Ohio State. But
Brad:Right. Right. Right. Yeah. And then
Jayden:he comes into this Purdue game Gotcha. On the bench. And I I I see where people did want him to start. I think he could have provided a lot on the floor as a as a 4. But guarding Edie, you know, you throw somebody out there, especially Booker with his frame.
Jayden:I mean, nobody's gonna match up well. Like you said, throwing somebody out there like that, that's gonna get you into foul trouble right away. Edie's gonna draw fouls as is on everybody. You're throwing him out there to get off rhythm as soon as he's into the game. So I think we saw Booker kind of rotate in a little bit, as a 4 man against Edie sometimes, but not very often.
Jayden:I I think he guarded Edie maybe once or twice during the game. Gotcha.
Jayden:I think that's where he could thrive in that role, and I think that's where we want him to see him as, you know, on the floor as a scorer, hit 11 points in 12 minutes. Like, I mean, he, I think, had, like, a plus 11 plus minus. I mean, he was rated as the best player on the floor. So seeing that, you want to see that more. That being said, we've seen some articles come out lately.
Jayden:We've seen, you know, some talks come out lately that Booker just was not ready physically early in the year.
Brad:We could kind of see that
Jayden:I think the player that you
Brad:saw in December, very, very different from the player that you saw against Ohio State.
Jayden:Absolutely. Like, 2 different I think it's 20 or £30 worth a player. That's that's it. Like, that's what that's what's come out. Yeah.
Madi:He said at a media availability that since he's been at Michigan State, he's gained £20. Mhmm.
Brad:Yeah. And you can tap. That's crazy. And and anybody that's I'm sure if if Thomas was here, he could attest to this. But anybody who's been covering the team this year and has has gone to the practices, I'm sure that you've probably seen in you know, back in December November, you're seeing Booker really struggle through these practices, and now he's competing with the with everyone on the team.
Brad:I think that you're you would you see that right literally in front of your eyes, you're watching this guy go through all of this this transformation.
Jayden:Yeah. And, I mean, the Purdue game, I I'm not even gonna throw that on on Booker would have helped a lot, but we had couple of guards that underperformed in that game. Tyson Walker had 14 points, but that's kind of a a missed. I mean, he he didn't play that well. He he didn't shoot well, and he didn't shoot well against Ohio State.
Jayden:He hasn't shot well lately. And that's kind of been a problem. That's kind of what caused us against Ohio State a little bit down the stretch. He missed a lot of open threes. Love Tyson Walker.
Jayden:That's nothing against him. AJ Hogarth really hasn't stepped up the last few games either. But that's that's been a problem. That's been a problem among a lot of people, that are Michigan State fans. And I think Malik Hall has kind of been, like, the almighty consistent guy as of late.
Jayden:He's played very well lately. And, I mean, he played pretty good against Purdue as well. And we kept in that game, and that was mostly because Hogarth still didn't play well at the end of the game. I think that's kind of, like, the deciding factor. If Hogarth plays well, if Walker plays well, if Malik plays well, You have something there.
Jayden:But the problem is is they don't play well at the same time, and they haven't been consistent all year. And you could sometimes get games where they don't play well as a trio. And that's that's where we've lost a lot of our games. And I think, the rebound advantage was outrageous against Purdue as well. Purdue outrebound us, I think, by 20 or 30.
Jayden:I'd I'd have to look at it again, but it was outrageous. I mean, granted, Eddy's on the floor, but you you can't read the rebound the ball. You can't win a game. I I mean, we lost by 6, and we lost the rebound advantage by that much. That says a lot.
Jayden:We kept in it, but still, that's that's a problem. And I think that's gonna be a problem going down the road. And I think looking down the road, if we do make the tournament, that's a whole other discussion that we'll we'll talk about. But that's where we might be able to win a game or 2 if we make the NCAA tournament. Because you're usually matched up against at that point, if you're a 9 seed, 8 seed, you're probably playing a mid major or a team that has a lot of the same problems as you.
Jayden:And that's where we saw us win games last year is we had a lot of the same problems as the teams we were playing and we were winning games. Alright. I'd like to hear from you guys about what you think about that, but I think that's the start of this discussion. I think we can go much deeper into that. But
DeShawn:Yeah. I mean, so I'll kinda skip over the Purdue game for a second, go back to the Ohio State game because I I was I covered that game, and so I got to kinda witness the first Xavier Booker start. And, obviously, you know, like, I mean, he had a good game, and it took him a second to get come through. But I think that, ultimately, during the game and after the game, he he Mhmm. Right.
DeShawn:But, you know, like, he had a good first performance, his first ever start in d one collegiate basketball. He said he, you know, he hasn't played that many minutes since high school. So, I I I think that it was a great opportunity. However, you know, like, Tom said this after the at the end of the game and I I think it was definitely present during the game, and I think it's the reason why you cannot start him against Purdue. I love Buck.
DeShawn:I think that obviously, like, going to what you were saying, Brad, the, like, the image of this basketball team that we were sold, a big part of it was him and and what we had with fears, and and I think that, obviously, how and, you know, he's been slowly but surely progressively getting better. It's a shame, obviously, what happened with fears. Right. And, you know, that that that that's a whole setback in itself, but, Brooke, you know, like, you you mentioned the practices and what he's been looking like now. That's that that's what that's what Izzo said led up to the start is how he started to look in the practices.
DeShawn:Grant, I wish I wish Thomas was here. I didn't get to see the practices. I only got to see the game. However, he looked very comfortable, but the one part that he continued I don't wanna say he struggled with, but obviously, where he looked a little bit, like he needed some help is on the defensive side. You know, he's obviously like he said, he hasn't played this many minutes since high school.
DeShawn:And in high school, Buck's a big guy. He's a really big guy in high school. You have
Jayden:a big advantage.
DeShawn:You get to big 10 basketball, d one basketball, and there's the guys that are easily his size and thicker than this guy is. You know? So I think that that's where the coaching staff, everybody was a little bit worried, and that's that's why I just I don't see him starting against Purdue. I love what they did with him coming off the bench, and I think that in a matchup, like, where you have someone with a big body like Edie, you kinda use them more as, like we I mean, we've seen this double center lineup all year that has it been atrocious as far as offensive output of Coop and Mahdi. Yeah.
DeShawn:Put one of them out there with Booker. And because obvious or try I I don't know. Like, you have to put them out there obviously in certain situations because the thing about this matchup is that per Edie can't guard Booker just like Booker can't guard Edie. They're 2 completely different players, and Edie's not set to guard someone like him. He's he's much slower than Booker is.
DeShawn:He's nowhere near he's lengthy, but he's not, like, he's not agile with his length like Booker is. So he's not set to guard him. So, obviously, the 11 points in 12 minutes, that's that's a great showing, but I just I don't think it's it's sustainable to continue to try and, like, put book out there to on the get go, especially because he's still getting comfortable and you put him against someone like Edie, you are asking for. You know, like, confidence is a big thing with athletes.
Brad:I was just gonna mention. That's that's probably a big issue.
DeShawn:Confidence is is a big thing with the athletes nowadays. And like I said, look look like he felt good after that game and, you know, heartbreaking loss right there, obviously, with the buzzer beater. But he looked like he felt good. He looked comfortable, but I don't know if you just immediately throw him out there for
Brad:a second. Start thinking people and I and I do agree with you. I think that people, especially, it was a lot of it was reactionary Mhmm. Because they saw so they saw him start against Ohio State Yeah. Have a really good game.
Brad:Because it wasn't even about point totals. I mean, he only had 7 points.
DeShawn:Right.
Brad:But it was more about what he brings to the floor. I mean, Akins, I think. Yeah. It was either Akins or someone after the game. One of his teammates was saying that, because that's all the reporters were talking about, was was why Booker was only on the floor for 17 minutes Mhmm.
Brad:And they didn't play him for the rest of the game. Mhmm. But especially during while MSU had a, like, an offensive woah.
DeShawn:Like, they had a
Brad:they had a lull. Yes. And and they want they wanted to know why you bring one of your biggest, like, offensive like, even even if his his defense lacks, what he brings in offense almost makes up for it depending on who you're playing. And, I think people were upset about that. But, Akins or someone after the game was talking about, how because he has long arms.
Brad:I think it was Akins that dropped the ball. Right? And then, Booker came in and scooped it up, and that prevented a huge rush
DeShawn:Yeah.
Brad:For by Ohio State, and that really kinda saved the play. Mhmm. Whereas, like, Sissoko couldn't have done that.
DeShawn:Yeah. You
Brad:know, like, that was not a play that anybody else can make. And I think that, some other players were actually talking about too how, because of how Booker his frame is
DeShawn:Mhmm.
Brad:He really, allows, I I think it's I can't remember if it was with ball screens or something, but he opens up the court so that his other so that his teammates have more space to play. Mhmm. Right. And so that I mean, that in itself is, in and of itself is a huge advantage Yeah. For, for every I mean, for everyone.
Brad:So I think that, yes, his defense does lack. And I do see your point too with the Purdue thing because, I mean, Edie's just difficult to to defend anyway depending on no matter who you throw out there
DeShawn:Yeah.
Brad:Really. So, but it is I mean, it is tricky. So, I guess I'm just glad that he is where he is, but I I wish that I think that, I saw I was listen when I was listening to to this conversation that Graham was having too, it was it was funny because he he said that Izzo is sort of like, he didn't call him a child, but he almost like sort of, called Izzo, like said, it's almost like a child like psychology
DeShawn:Mhmm.
Brad:With him. Like, if you you have to make him believe that playing Booker is a good idea. So if you don't, like, you know, tell him that he's wrong for not playing Booker or whatever, then he might actually play Booker
Madi:Right.
Brad:Or something. Like, it's sort of a funny, you know, don't coach my team moment, you know, kind of with it. I don't always know personally, obviously, but I just thought that that was, I thought that was funny.
Jayden:Yeah. But I
DeShawn:mean, I mean, I think that Booker eventually, he should be the starter. You know what I mean? Like, I I think that Yeah. Like, it's just it wasn't gonna be as fast as everybody hoped it was gonna be. Obviously, in the beginning of the year hearing about 4 and 5 stars coming to Michigan State.
DeShawn:And Mhmm. Obviously, you know, like, we've always been a basketball school in the last couple of years having gone the best that they could possibly could have gone. Last year was great. So, you know, they, you know, we have we're, like, we're we're coming off of a big high. So everyone's expecting things to go just like that, and it just it it it did not.
DeShawn:However, I think that as we continue to push on with it, Booker Booker fears how I mean, I mean, I think all these guys could be great for the program. It's just it's gonna take some time for sure.
Jayden:Yeah. Yeah. I'd like to interject as well. I painted out the rebound battle like it was, like, crazy difference. I was so hypothetically saying that, by the way.
Brad:I meant to I meant to say that it was actually
Jayden:only a 3 rebound difference.
Brad:It didn't seem like that at first.
Jayden:And that's I I want I was hypothetically saying that I was kind of exaggerating. It wasn't 2030. That's I mean, but it was it was in that kind of short up towards the end of the game. It was a little bit more, big of a discrepancy during the middle of the game.
DeShawn:Mhmm.
Jayden:But still, I think what you said, Booker's gonna come along just fine. I think we kind of rushed him into coming along away sooner than he was going to, and I think Izzo kind of pumped the brakes on that without saying he was pumping the brakes on that. And I think that made everybody mad. It was it made everybody seem like, you know, oh, Izzo is not playing Booker. Izzo doesn't like Booker.
Jayden:I don't think that was ever the problem, and I think that's what we kind of rushed to that reaction with. And that that's fine. But once again, these problems that we've been having, I had none of them fall on Booker. All of them fall on our cards. And I hate I hate to harp on it so much.
Jayden:But AJ Hogarth was 3 or 13 from the field Yeah. At the you know, in the Purdue game. Walker, 5 of 15. He was 1 or 2 from 3, which is, you know, better than he's been shooting lately, but he only shot twice from 3. That's a problem.
Jayden:You know, you got you can't shoot that low of a percentage as a guard, and I know you're going against ED. I know you're going against big guys in the paint. But that's I mean, they were just not making
Madi:any shots.
Jayden:Yeah. It's not it's not really an excuse. And and and Hogarth's missed some relatively easy layups for for what you see on TV. Obviously, I would never make those layups, but, that's why I'm here and he's there. But still,
Madi:that's that's why we just talk about it.
Jayden:That's why we just talk about it. Yeah. And I and I hate to say things like that because it nothing's easy in sports, especially at that level. But they are really makeable shots that we're not making.
Madi:Right.
Jayden:And that's really been the problem lately. And and looking ahead, I don't know if, we're ready to come off of the Purdue and and Ohio State games yet. But, looking ahead, you know, we have Northwestern is a pretty good team. We've had to deal with Boo Booey for, like, 7 years at this point. So we're gonna have to do that again tonight
DeShawn:Yeah.
Jayden:Unfortunately. Looking ahead to the tournament, big ten tournament is gonna be a really big thing for us. It's gonna be huge. I mean, we we kind of have to win tonight. But
Madi:We don't kinda have to win tonight.
Brad:I I would say that I would say that they I'd say this is this is sort of they need to win because
DeShawn:they need
Madi:feel like this is a make or break moment.
Jayden:It is. It is. And I think, you know, it's a home game.
Brad:That's the issue.
Jayden:That is the issue. And if we beat Indiana and we win 2 games in the Big 10 tournament, I don't think there's any discussion whether we make the tournament. But I think losing I think losing tonight makes it a way harder conversation to have among the committee. It doesn't matter it doesn't matter if we win the next 3 games after this. Like, it's still something that we we can't make it come to a judgment call.
Jayden:Yeah. And and then I don't wanna see us go into a a plan and things like that. Either make the tournament or you don't. I you know, I think the plan is a place where there's some there's some teams that are gonna make the play in that I think
Brad:are UCLA went to the went to the final 4 that made the play in.
Jayden:That's very true. I think they're on a little bit different level than Michigan State. I think they're I think these teams that are gonna make the plan, I there's a lot of conferences that have 20 win teams, 22 win teams that are really on that cusp, and are probably gonna make the plan. Mhmm. Being in that battle is not a safe spot for us.
Jayden:Right. We wanna be able to solidify a spot for ourselves. We have to do that with the next, you know, 2 games in the regular season, and then however we we, you know, we win in the big ten tournament, which I think is very doable for this team. We've seen it happen. We killed Baylor early in the year.
Jayden:We won, what, 3 straight before we lost the last few games. So it's it's it's doable, but, like, for a veteran led team, being this inconsistent is really a problem. And I think I think we're gonna probably see that again in in the coming weeks or so, in the March. And if we make the tournament, that's probably gonna flare up again. I hope I'm wrong.
Jayden:But that's that's gonna be a problem, and I think our veterans need to step up a little bit. And I believe I saw a quote from Willie Call, well, maybe yesterday, 2 days ago, you know, talking about that. Mhmm. Talking about how these veterans need to the veterans, including himself, need to step up a little bit. And that that has been been a problem.
Jayden:You know, it's easier to say it than than do it on the floor. And I don't think that they've been bad at being leaders. I think they just been a little bit too inconsistent for somebody that's been here for 4 or 5 years. Tyson Walker, you know, 2 or 3, but still, he's been in college basketball for a while.
DeShawn:Yeah.
Jayden:And I I I like you know, Deshaun said earlier, I would love to see us start Xavier Booker alongside a big man, alongside a Sasoko, alongside Cooper, something like that. Mhmm. We we wanna see more of those lineups, and I think that's gonna really open us up on offense. Anytime you add shooting out there at the 4th position, it's something that's 6 foot 11.
DeShawn:Yeah.
Jayden:That I mean, it's that's like a unicorn. I mean, not in today's NBA, not today's college game. But regardless, that's somebody that can really help you. I mean, it's it's still a unicorn for
DeShawn:some of
Jayden:the 7 foot to shoot. Yeah. It's it's not it's not something that's super common even in this day and age. So doing that opens us up a lot, and I think we need to do that a little bit more. And Maddie Sissoko starting the game and playing 6 minutes is something that's like it seems counterintuitive.
Jayden:You're starting them in the game, and then he plays 6 minutes.
Brad:Why even bother?
Jayden:Why even bother to do that? Why not roll somebody out there that's gonna play quite a bit, and get into a rhythm rather than throw Maddie out there for 6 minutes and then That just feels pointless. You're rotating guys in and out, and not getting them into a rhythm. And I'm not gonna question Tom Izzo because, anytime you question Tom Izzo
Brad:He's earned the respect to
Jayden:He comes back to bite you and you know what? So it it and that probably will happen in this March, but still, you have to wonder what's going on with some of these rotations.
Madi:Yeah. So here's my, like, burning question right now is if if we make the tournament, are we a one and done? Or do you think that we'll get it together and play like a consistent team?
Brad:Well, if they're able to hold steady, I think that they have a better chance because, then, like, at this point, they'll be like a 9 or 10 well, maybe an 8 or 9.
Jayden:Yeah. It's
Brad:gonna be 8 or 9. Because, well, like I said, if they hold steady. So I'm I'm assuming they win today and assuming they play well against Indiana. Mhmm. Hopefully, win that game because I do think they are a better team than Indiana, but we'll see.
Brad:Mhmm. And then do well, either one team or or or one game or 2 games that they win in the Big 10 tournament. With that said, so if they do that, I think that they have a good chance because, depending on where they land. I mean, it just I think it depends on where they land. Because if if they do end up as, you know, in the play in, then we're talking about, you know, right now the play in for the I'm just looking at 1 bracketology bracket on ESPN.
Brad:Mhmm. And this this simulation has, Florida as a 6th seed playing either New Mexico or Wake Forest. Right? So even if you have MSU make the play in tournament, like, that would be a bad situation because then they're playing Florida who would I mean, that's a tough game. Right?
Brad:Like, off the bat.
Jayden:And it I don't know if you can see that on there. I don't know the records of those teams, but that's something that I alluded to earlier is you're getting into these conversations. I know we played a tough schedule, but you're getting into these conversations with teams that are gonna be over 20 wins by the time that we're we're talking about this.
DeShawn:Right.
Jayden:And, you know, 20 wins in a certain conference is not always better than 17 wins or 18 wins, but you have to you have to add to your resume.
DeShawn:Yeah.
Jayden:And that like, you guys have said, these are must win games because your resume is everything. Mhmm.
DeShawn:You
Jayden:know, going into the tournament with Winzig's a lot better than us winning 18, you know, winning 1 of the next 2. You kind of have to win 2 out of 2 to get a decency. The highest I think we could go is probably a 7.
DeShawn:Yeah.
Jayden:And that's if we win convincingly the next couple of games, and steal a game in the tournament. Now I'm not capping anything. I think, you know, if we make a good run-in the big ten tournament, which realistically may not be a real shot, but if it does happen, I mean, you could go as high as, like, a 6 seed or 5 seater with our quad one, you know, wins that we have on our record. But that
Brad:would be I think it really just it it really a lot of this depends on placement. Right? Like, yeah. I mean, if they like, ESPN has them going as a 9 seed to Nevada. Like, they're playing Nevada.
Brad:And, but that but then, right around the corner in the next round, they would have either Arizona or the 16 seed that Arizona probably won't lose to. So then they would play Arizona. I think that it's a matter of, like, which one seed would you rather have? Like, choose your poison, you know? Right.
Brad:Yeah. Like, you definitely don't wanna play Purdue.
Jayden:That's the position we've got ourselves into, though. You know, by losing these games is we've we've gotten ourselves into a position to where we're now going to have to probably end up playing 1 seed if we if we don't go 1 and done in the tournament, we probably are gonna have to play a 1 seed or a 2 seed.
Brad:And
Jayden:that's not gonna be fun. You don't wanna be in that part of the bracket. And, you know, Michigan State's capable of winning games like that.
DeShawn:We've seen it before,
Jayden:and we've seen it stay close with teams. We've seen us beat teams that are really good. Mhmm.
Brad:And MSU does have a pretty decent neutral row new, neutral sight record this year.
DeShawn:I don't know.
Jayden:Maybe it's the backboards or something. Maybe we should I don't know. But, our we're better than our record says, but we're also
Brad:But also your record is literally what you are. Yeah. It is what you are when it comes
Jayden:to the tournament. Yeah.
DeShawn:You know what I mean?
Jayden:And then that that says a lot, and I think our ins inconsistencies in certain parts of our game said a lot too. So, we could go out there and score 90 points and beat a one seed, but we could also go out there and, you know, throw up 50 points and lose by 30.
DeShawn:It's just really pointers in the second half.
Jayden:Yeah. It's really like I mean, that's the problem is you don't know what you're getting from this team and that it's usually fun if you're not expecting much. But when you're expecting big things, especially out of this type of university, you hate being in this position. It sucks. If we were at the University of Nevada talking about this, we'd probably love to be really inconsistent and never know what we're gonna get in the next game because that could mean we could beat somebody that's number 1 seed.
DeShawn:Right. Right.
Jayden:Unless you can do that, but I you don't feel confident. And that's that's used We're usually used to being confident at Michigan State.
Brad:Yeah. So, now we're gonna switch to some good news, if you guys don't mind. MSU's hockey team is on a heater. Just won the big ten title for the first time since the conference began in 2013. And then, also, its first conference, title since, the 2001 CCHA.
Brad:So big big stuff. 1, against Wisconsin, 5 to 2, and then lost. So they took a split to Wisconsin, but they went 3 in 1 against Wisconsin who has the 2nd best record in the Big 10 this season. So big and big turnaround by Wisconsin, by the way. So anyway, I just want for, for you guys, real quick, just a quick rundown of how the Big 10 Tournament works or how it's how it's set up.
Brad:So MSU, gets a bye week. So there's only 7 Big 10 men's hockey teams. MSU gets a bye. The first round is best of 3. So that's why it's really important that MSU clinched because getting that bye means you don't have to literally beat a team in a best of 3.
Brad:So, Yeah.
Madi:But then we're 1 and done.
Brad:Well, it depends on who you're playing. But so anyway, MSU's won. 2 is Wisconsin. They will play Ohio State in a best of 3 on Big 10 plus. Michigan is, 4 playing 5 Notre Dame, and then 3 Minnesota and Penn State at 6 will play each other, and, MSU will play the week after, and they will play the lowest remaining seed depending on who that is.
Brad:Mhmm. So they will play, you know, could be my guess is it'll be Notre Dame because I can't see a situation in which, or or Michigan. It'll be Notre Dame or Michigan, because I can't see a situation in which, either Ohio State beats Wisconsin Again. At home.
Madi:But still, I mean, they did it already.
Brad:They swept them. Yeah. But wasn't that at Ohio State?
Madi:They still swept them, even if it was at Ohio State. I mean, that's still an impressive thing to do. And what Wisconsin has been at the top of the big ten conference the whole season. Wisconsin goes into a game where they're they have probably been on a 10 game losing streak, and they'd be the number 4 team in the country. That's pretty impressive.
Madi:I would I can see them putting up a fight against Wisconsin this weekend. I can honestly see them go into 3. I can see them go
DeShawn:into 3. They could.
Brad:They could. I think I think that's the the issue though is that is that it is 3 games. And I think that at the end of the day, a, like I mean, anything can happen. You literally never know. Mhmm.
Brad:But I think that Wisconsin will prevail over a 3 game stretch. If it was one game, I would say that potentially, you know, that's a that's tough. But but still, my guess, if I had to say, would probably be Michigan or Notre Dame. However, if Michigan State does end up playing Ohio State, I think that that is favorable because I still think that Ohio State is they you know, while they're, you know, while they're on a run, I mean, they did beat Michigan at home I mean, Michigan State at home.
Madi:And by a lot.
Brad:Yeah. And, that was not a great game. No. But but I think that MSU could you know, they'll step up to the, to play. It's it is we, I do wanna mention though that it is the first time that MSU will host a, Big 10 tournament game since 2015.
Brad:Right? They played not Michigan that year. It was,
Madi:no idea.
Brad:It was the Big 10 tournament was set up differently that year. Anyway, it's something something like that. Mhmm. Anyway, so, yes. So that's that's the Big 10 tournament.
Brad:Michigan State will host in the Big 10 tournament, and then, they will play the, the, the semifinals. And, then if they are able to get there, they will host the, the
Madi:championship game.
Brad:The big 10 championship game, which could be could be crazy. Could be crazy.
Madi:It's gonna be a good one no matter no matter what. I mean, we've we have not gone 4 and o against any team that we've played this season. We went one 2 in one with Minnesota. We went 3 in one with Penn State. We went 3 in one with Ohio State.
Madi:We went 3 in one with Wisconsin. We went 3 and 1 with Michigan, and I think we went 3 and 2, 1 and 1 with Notre Dame. There's not a team that we have swept for this season. Like, it can go anyway, honestly.
Brad:Yeah. I think that this year, the big ten is very much it's it's it's it's really it's actually more entertaining if, you know, if you ask me. Mhmm. I think that, like in previous years, it was like Minnesota here, Michigan tier 2, and then, like, the rest of the big ten is, like and then there's, like, probably number 7, whoever that is, is just god awful. And last year last year, it was I mean, it was Wisconsin.
Brad:And for a while, it was Michigan State. And, but now you see I mean, Michigan State was technically 5th last year, because of a tie breaker with, in the big ten. And this year, they're number 1. Wisconsin last year was number 7. And now they're number 2.
Brad:Like, just crazy flip flop.
Madi:A lot of turnarounds, especially, obviously, they both came from coaching changes. Like, we've had this is Bettengill's 2nd full year, I forget Wisconsin head coach. I forget what his name is. But he was at Minnesota State.
Brad:Minnesota State. Yeah. I forget his name too.
Madi:For a while.
DeShawn:Like, this
Madi:is his 1st year coaching Wisconsin, and clearly, they've had the bigger turnaround than Adam Nightingale has had. Adam Nightingale did it in 2. Wisconsin did it in 1. But, yeah, I mean, even though Ohio State is number 7 and they're as bad as they've been this season, they still like, they've put up a fight against all the teams that they've played. They've beat Michigan.
Madi:They beat us. They beat Wisconsin, obviously. And Nightingale always says, like, there's not an off night in our conference, obviously. Like, every single team that we play That's
Brad:the one in hockey.
Madi:Oh, yeah. Every single team that we play is going to be a very tough match up. We're all top 25, 30 in the pair wise. So it's not like we're playing a bad team. Like, we still all are very competitive.
Madi:But this year has yeah. You've definitely seen a different atmosphere from all the teams this year. And especially with Michigan making it to the well, Michigan and Minnesota both making it to the frozen 4 last year. And now Michigan was fighting for a home playoff game against Notre Dame this past weekend. Like, they almost had to go on the road.
Brad:Michigan almost didn't make the entire tournament, which is crazy. Yeah. I I wanna ask you real quick. Just specifically, like, what what do you think has been the biggest, like, surprise as far as, like, players? We knew that expectations were high for Michigan State, especially after they went after so many top talent players in the, in In the portal.
Brad:In the portal. That was insane. I mean, Isaac Howard was big. Joe Lawson. That was a a Joey Larson, Reid Webster, Red Savage.
Madi:Reid Webster is a national champion too from an or from an from
Brad:an Umass. Right? And that's and and and that's crazy. And I don't even want and I haven't gotten to Artem Leshenov, who, by the way, is insane. Like, you watch him, and it's just crazy.
Brad:Anybody, like, that didn't get a chance to see him this year, I feel sorry for you.
Madi:There's probably highlight reels out there. Just go look him up. It's Insane.
Brad:He is an NHL ready player. MSU, I don't think, has had a talent. And I I'm not like and this isn't even disrespect to Trey Augustine because he's awesome. It just takes goalies longer to develop. And skaters, it's way, you know, it's way quicker for them.
Brad:Mhmm. You know, Lev Shunov at at 18 is gonna make a bigger impact. But Augustine has also had an insane impact coming in as a new recruit. But Levshanov, what's crazy about him, and I love this story, by the way, is that the only reason well, and and there's there is truth to this. But, the biggest reason why MS MSU even got Levchinov in the first place is because, the CHL banned, Belarusian and Russian players from playing in the, from play from playing in the league.
Brad:And so he chose college instead.
DeShawn:Yeah.
Brad:And here, MSU is to pick that up. And what does that say about Nightingale in the situation that he feels that he can offer him? Like, he can't go to the CHL, but he can go to Michigan State and actually find some, some growth.
Madi:Well, I mean, not only a shout out to Adam Nightingale, but a shout out to Jared DeMichael because I think that he's our recruiter on the team, and he's just done an outstanding job. And he, was a coach at UMass when Reid Webster was there. So obviously, he probably pulled a couple of strings to get him to Michigan State. Obviously, you see guys like Red Savage who was drafted 4th round by the Red Wings. Like, he's a draft pick.
Madi:You see guys like Joey Larson who has had an outstanding year. You get Nico Mueller to come back, and then you get 10 freshmen on the team that are have been outstanding. Like, obviously, there's I wish there was enough room for all of them to be able to be out on the ice and play, but it's competitive because we have so many good players.
Brad:And then as far as surprises go, like, what do you think has been the biggest surprise in terms of, you know, just, just from, you know, the on ice product from 1 year to the next?
Madi:I mean, I think the surprise for me this year was we lost 6 seniors last year because Nico Mueller came back. He was number 7. So we lost 6 seniors. We gained 18 new guys on the team. Some of them transfer
Brad:That's like a whole ice. That's like a whole that's a whole team.
Madi:Some of them I think we have 10 freshmen on the team, and then the other ones are transfer students. But I think that the biggest surprise was just how quickly everybody built chemistry, and how they have, like, developed, how they have to be where they are. And obviously, you don't see a lot of younger teams like that be as good as Michigan State is this season. So I think that's been definitely the biggest surprises. How many new guys we have and how quickly we've made our way to the top.
Brad:Yeah. Absolutely. It's, no. It's it's crazy. And I am, I mean, it's it's insane.
Brad:And and it's a testament to to how quickly, Adam Nightingale has turned the program around. I think what's what's what's nice about the sit I guess the good news is that I heard a I was listening to a podcast, and the question was, do you think that Adam Nightingale like, are you afraid that he'll leave to the NHL? Thank god that that is not a problem in college hockey. Like, that is a rare occurrence. Like, that does not happen often.
Madi:Either way, there's no way he leaves Michigan State.
Brad:Yeah. Well, it is his alman it's his alma mater. And MSU is also, like like, the collegiate job at a, you know, if for a to head coach to to head coach a program. Like, that is a very, very big role, lucrative role, especially for, a Big 10 school. Mhmm.
Brad:And so just in any case, it's it's very rare that that these coaches leave to the NHL. I do think a very real possibility is that Jared DeMichael, you know, several years down the line, may find himself a head coaching job because he deserves 1.
Madi:He's great.
Brad:He is he has built a he built a recruiting empire at UMass who, like you said, you know, went, alleviated to that. He, won the the national championship while Reid Webster was on the team. Mhmm. And, DeMichele just built a recruiting empire there, and now he's at Michigan State kind of setting the foundation for the same exact thing.
Madi:He's great. He'd a 100%, he deserves a head coaching job. Like, I I wish more than anything that he would decide that he wants to stay at Michigan State with the team that Adam Nightingale has built, on their coaching staff, but he deserves everything
DeShawn:Yeah.
Madi:As a hockey coach.
Brad:100%. I know that I do know, and this is a little off topic. I don't think that Jared D'Amico is a, consideration for this job because I don't think he'd be interested in it. But Lindenwood just fired their coach, and I know
Madi:has also only been a d one school for 1 season.
Brad:It's crazy. But what what's crazy is their AD wants Lindenwood. Their AD wants them to be a top twenty hockey school, which would be very interesting. I just think the messaging is interesting. Yeah.
Brad:Because, I don't know that that will happen. But it's it's kind of crazy that that is their end of end goal. I don't think the salary fits the expectation, though, because I did see it and it was a little low. So, not you know, that's just, something to keep in mind if you follow, college hockey. But, yeah.
Brad:It's crazy.
DeShawn:I
Brad:don't know if you guys have paid attention. MSU also, just you specifically, Deshaun and Jayden. I know you're not the biggest hockey fans. But MSU is going to see a post season, like a real post season, like the tournament, for the first time since 2012. Mhmm.
Brad:Which is crazy. And good on MSU. We love that. So, just a quick, you know, I know we did this with the women's bracket, you know, just to see where, you know, MSU might fall. Mhmm.
Brad:So I'm gonna do this kind of the same thing. And just, to give you guys a quick, refresher on how it works, it's like a a net ranking system. It's called the Pairwise. It's a 16 team thing. Every conference gets a representative in the in the tournament, and so it's seeded by computer projections, and they decide where everyone falls in the tournament.
Brad:The top number one seeds go to each regional based on where they are. So the, you know, the closest to home essentially. So North Dakota will play in South Dakota.
DeShawn:Mhmm.
Brad:As you know. And the rest of the bracket will run-in serpentine order, the projection that I have, which, is a little bit, which is always a little bit similar to Mike McMahon who, runs a college hockey newsletter. So we got, Michigan States would be in the same bracket as Michigan, obviously on opposite sides. But they would play Providence as a 5 seed and, well, they would be the 5th seeds technically a 2 seed. But, yeah.
Brad:So it is, very interesting to see that MSU has a postseason for the first time because they're a lock. Like, they're actually going to make it regardless of whether they win the big ten tournament or not.
Madi:Yeah. They're in.
Brad:Right. So it is, yeah. It is it is crazy. Yeah.
DeShawn:I oh, I'm sorry. No. I haven't got to go too much into this, hockey completely this year. However, I've definitely seen at least a couple of games out of each of the series I've played so far. So I kinda got 2 different questions for you, Manny.
DeShawn:First off k.
Madi:Hit me.
DeShawn:Is there like would you say there's any like because it's like I didn't exactly wanna say this in the situation that the woman's team is with their, with the way that their, 3 teams might play out. Mhmm. Is there a favorable matchup that you see for the Spartans? I would say not sweeping anybody, like, completely throughout this year.
Madi:Like, for the tournament of April, the matchup?
DeShawn:Is there a preferably is there a preferable matchup, or are they just gonna go into this, like, we're gonna have to play the same way regardless?
Madi:I don't know. I feel like their thing has been plays part in hockey. Mhmm. Like, don't play any other way. No matter what team you're playing, like, you're going in and you have the same mentality every single game, which is like you said about Robin Frey Lakers.
Madi:You want to play the same way that you've been playing every game, make improvements.
Brad:Right. It doesn't matter who the opponent is. Like, things like that.
Madi:It doesn't matter who. Personally, for me, I mean, if we had to, I wish we could play Ohio State.
DeShawn:Right.
Madi:But it would be tough to see Ohio State at Munnigan just because, 1, we lost on night 1.
DeShawn:Mhmm.
Madi:And if they can beat Wisconsin and as a number 2 seed, that would worry me a little bit. So Ohio State would be preferable. But if we're seeing Michigan and Notre Dame, those are our 2, like, we are going to play 1 or the other. Mhmm. It would be nice to probably play Notre Dame.
Madi:I think that would probably be a preferable situation. But seeing Michigan and Michigan State
DeShawn:Yeah.
Madi:In a postgame tournament
DeShawn:Yeah.
Madi:I think that would just be electric at Munn. Like, it would just be out of this world. But I really at this point, I really don't have a preferable matchup. Like, whoever we get, I think that we have a chance of beating. Mhmm.
Madi:But yeah. I
DeShawn:This wasn't even my second question, but, like, how much do you think the fact that, like, these things are coming off a 3 series and you bringing it a 1 and done, how does that affect is it is it because, like, again, this this 2 day buy thing that we're talking about for women's basketball Mhmm. Is anybody looking at that as a disadvantage or is it just a pure advantage of the fact or is anybody worried about being too cool? You know, like, I mean, like, you're off for an extended period of time.
Madi:Yeah. I mean, I think that after, like, having bi weeks is difficult for all teams no matter what because you have to get back in the routine of playing a game. So I think that it has its advantages and it has its disadvantages. Mhmm. Advantage wise, like, we, obviously, we have the time to rest up.
Madi:We have the time to critique the game, and just figure out what we need to do to beat either of those teams. Watch the tape. Like, see what Michigan has a top 3 power play in the country. Mhmm. So that's it's they're dangerous on the power play.
Madi:Like, that's something that we have to look out for and keep penalties to a minimum if we play Michigan. And if we play Notre Dame, like, Notre Dame has a really, really, really good defense.
DeShawn:Mhmm.
Madi:So, I mean, obviously, all teams can score. But, yeah, I I don't know.
Brad:I think I think I think that just alluded
Madi:to that too. Ranting a little bit.
DeShawn:No. But I
Brad:mean, like no. I I
DeShawn:think that's kinda what Fraley was talking about though. Like, I mean, like, regardless of the fact of, like, I mean, you know, like, you obviously, not playing a couple games is hard. But, you know, like, the do you have to also take into consideration that, you know, these teams are coming off whatever how many games Oh, yeah. They're not gonna be in the same condition. They they're not in the best condition that they could be going into these games.
Madi:Right.
Brad:Well, can I ask real quick what, so how does how does the the, like, bracketology factor? How do does, like, if the if you're playing a game and you're consideration for the tournament Mhmm. How, I'm wondering, like, how does the, like, how do they treat the big ten tournament? You know, like, if you get farther, is that good? If you, like, lose, is that bad or is it very neutral?
DeShawn:I would like to oh, I mean, at at least for I was looking for it for, like, a woman's bat woman's basketball, and how they're gonna get looked at as far as getting into the term after the fact. I I think that, I mean, college, almost any college sport is always kind of a skill point thing. So, obviously, your performance and how good you do in some of these, like, in your in conference tournaments are a big part of it. I think that, you know, in basketball's I mean, basketball's kinda the same all the way around. They're gonna have to have some good performances throughout this tournament, obviously, to have a better look as far as getting into the the the the NCAA tournament.
DeShawn:So, like, I
Brad:guess I'm wondering because, like, wouldn't you think that they would favor a team more because and I promise this ties back into hockey.
DeShawn:Mhmm.
Brad:But, but wouldn't you think that they favor a team more because it's a neutral game? Mhmm. And, like, things like that. Like, it kind of alludes to what you would how you would perform in a neutral environment. And so therefore, like, performing better in a neutral site, like, that would that would bump up your your ranking if you are able to make it farther.
Brad:Even if you don't win the damn thing, and and you you get to the finals, like, that's a big deal. Right? Like, that goes a long way.
DeShawn:Yeah. I mean, like, I would like to say, like, if I mean, you to bring you back to, you know, Michigan State, obviously, hosting a a Big 10 hockey game. I feel like, we if you're looking at that as far as, like, how that works in their, in their favor, you know, like, I I mean, obviously, I'm not I'm not, a, the the person that calls the shots as far as these scenarios go. But I think that how you how I would at least look at it, like, for Michigan State or whatever other teams that they if they if you're playing a home site game for, like, something like the big ten tournament per se Mhmm. Most of that most of that's to you earn that obviously, you know, like, you earn that that position to be able to play there.
DeShawn:So, like, I like, I I don't know how much you can judge off of it just because, like, you know, like, that was something that obviously you earned the fact of having, you know. It's not like that just happened or it worked out that way. You know what I'm saying?
Brad:The reason well, the I like I and the reason I bring this up is because, thankfully, in, like this at least it's not going to have too much of a, pull on how Michigan State gets ranked
DeShawn:at
Brad:the end. Right. Like, MSU, might I mean, I don't know where they're gonna fall at the end because there is there are a lot of college tournaments to to finish.
DeShawn:Yeah.
Brad:But, they're treated like normal. Right? So, like, if you, you know, the the if you they're played at home too or, you know, they're played at a home site.
DeShawn:Yeah.
Brad:And so if so Michigan State's not going to be, like, crucified if they just lose one game. You know, if even if they it would be a disappointment for sure. Yeah. But the Big 10, you know, I've always I mean, this is just my personal opinion. I don't know how other people people feel, but I've always actually thought of the Big 10 tournament as sort of a lesser.
Brad:You know, like, I think winning the the regular season is definitely a bigger achievement to me at least because it it's it's almost like, it's not single elimination. It's over the course of a whole season. You did the whole thing for the whole you know, and finishing the job. Yes. That's important.
Brad:But, I mean, we saw a really good Minnesota team lose, I think, the last 2 years to to also a really good Michigan team.
Madi:Michigan is back
Brad:to back.
DeShawn:And so
Brad:and and and Minnesota, I think, was back to back regular season. Mhmm. So you know what I mean? Like, that's the thing. Like, Minnesota just didn't win it in the final the final thing.
Madi:But Michigan beat Minnesota at Mariucci Arena too. So it's big. Yeah.
Brad:That's huge. And and twice in a row.
DeShawn:Mhmm.
Brad:And so They
Madi:beat a Minnesota team with guys like Matthew Nies and Logan Cooley and Brock Faber and Snuggarude and all those guys and
Brad:Right. And so so really anything any, literally, anything can happen. I think that it's it's it's much more of a random not not necessarily random, but it's you know, if Ohio State comes to Munn, I'm not saying that MSU is gonna have a a good time, I guess. Like, Ohio State will still put up a fight. It is single elimination, and they can really do anything.
Brad:Yeah.
DeShawn:We've seen that in the series, and I think that in the series with Ohio State. And I think this is the last thing that I wanted to ask you about because, you know, obviously, we've seen each other at the highest day game and then, obviously, doing that presser. I Yeah. Nightingale talked about or, I mean, I think that the a couple of the questions that were asked where Nightingale goes, you you know, they're having senior night. You know, all these things are different.
DeShawn:All these different things are happening. Mhmm. It it feels as if it's supposed to be the end of the season. And, obviously, that's what happened last year.
Madi:Graham asked that. Graham Couch asked
DeShawn:that question. I mean, coming back coming back full circle to Graham. Obviously, you have, you know, last year, how it plays out, you know, I mean, not making it to where they are right now. Mhmm. And you have to transition in how you how you handle that.
DeShawn:So, like, have have you heard any more about how you're handling not just for sure making the or having a good shot at this big ten tournament? You know, you you clinched the the title, but also the tournament going in after the fact. Like, how are you how are how is the team keeping all that in perspective while also knowing that, you know, they're graduating seniors and they're, you know, they're the season is coming to an end, but it it and how that it feels like that right now. Right. But that's just not true.
DeShawn:They've gotten a lot more hockey wear.
Madi:Yeah. I mean, that's exactly what Graham said was, like, this feels like the end of the season, but it's obviously we're far from over because we have the big ten tournament, and we could make a really, really good run-in the big ten tournament and earn that big ten championship. Obviously, we have an automatic qualification into the NCAA tournament, and that's where it's gonna get tough. Like, I would as much as I want to say, I can see them I've seen, like, interviews and articles of people saying that they're either going to be in the frozen 4 or they're gonna be out in the 1st round. Mhmm.
Madi:Like, it's a toss-up because it's, like, it's a it's a tough conference.
DeShawn:Mhmm.
Madi:Like, either way, you're playing a tough team. So what Brad put down was if so we would play in Missouri, and we'd play Providence.
Brad:And Providence is probably the most likely scenario.
Madi:Yeah. And Providence has been pretty good from what I've seen this year. Right?
Brad:Yeah. I can't remember. I think they I'm pretty sure that they beat Michigan at the start of the year. And Michigan's not They split. Like, Michigan's been very shaky.
Brad:Michigan I think
DeShawn:that they
Madi:win one night and then they lose the 2nd night.
Brad:And that's so and that's the thing. And Michigan's been very inconsistent. So, like, they have the here's the here's the story you gotta know with Michigan. Really good offense, really bad defense. Yeah.
Brad:Like that, basically.
Madi:Their top line defense is Tyler Duke and Seamus Casey, and Seamus Casey is probably gonna win defenseman of the year, in my opinion. He's been
Brad:Well, they've also had I think well, I think they've also had, very spotty goal tending.
Madi:I think
Brad:it's been extremely
Madi:extremely spotty goal tending.
Brad:So that's so that's been the issue. It doesn't help that Portillo didn't have the best stats last season. Mhmm. He has rebounded, by the way, in the AHL fields who are following Portillo. Yeah.
Brad:But, still, it's it's yeah. Michigan's not had the, the best of, the best of seasons, but they, like I mean, you know, they've been they've been shaky. They've been shaky for sure. It's it's it's you never know what you're gonna get with them.
Madi:Yeah. I mean, obviously, we got whooped on night 1 by them, our 1st series, and then we went to Yost and we won the 2nd game.
Brad:Which is crazy. I I don't know if I've ever I mean, that's probably happened before, but I just think it's crazy that, like, no team won at home this season.
DeShawn:Mhmm.
Brad:Except for when Michigan State was technically the home at LCA. Yeah. But it's a neutral site. Right? Exactly.
Madi:Going back hang on. Rephrase your question for me again.
Brad:No. Yeah. No. I mean,
DeShawn:I think you got answers the most part. I was just, like, I was wondering how they're handling, you know, obviously, feeling the season ending.
Madi:Yes. Okay. So, I mean, I don't think that I think that they're in the mentality of our season's not over yet. Like, we still have so much more to go. Providence is very beatable.
Madi:I think that Denver can probably be a beatable team if they beat Michigan. And, obviously, we've seen Michigan before. Michigan is a beatable team. Yeah. But I think that at this point, we know that there's the season's not over yet.
Madi:Like, we have a lot of hockey to go. Yeah. I I
Brad:Yeah. That I mean, I was gonna I was just gonna say that I would like, if I was Michigan State, I would want to play either North Dakota or Denver in my like, that would be the one seat that I would wanna play in
Madi:my No. That scares me though.
Brad:They they do, but at least it's like I I always say at least it's not Boston College. Boston's also really good.
Madi:For you?
Brad:Yeah. Boston's really good. It's that's the thing. It's like, you never know what you're gonna get. And hockey is not a sport like basketball where, like, people always talk about, like, oh, I wanna expand the the hockey tournament.
Brad:I am, like, vehemently against that. Mhmm. Because, hockey is just not a sport where randomness happens
DeShawn:Mhmm.
Brad:As much. Like, the the better team is probably going to win eventually. Like, it's, you know, like, you saw last year, like, it was Quinnipiac and Minnesota in the final. Mhmm. Like, that was just like, I could have seen that coming, you know, like, it was very I mean, yeah, you'd hope that, like, more randomness would happen.
Madi:I mean, I was gonna say you could have seen Quinnipiac coming, but I think that for a lot of Michigan fans, they thought that
Brad:Michigan fans probably thought they were gonna win. Yeah. I think that
Madi:Which, I mean, I thought going into that game, watching that game, I honestly thought that that was gonna be a tough matchup for both teams, and then Quinnipiac kinda blew him out of the water.
Brad:Yeah. Well, in there and the thing is is is hockey I think the problem with hockey is that the best teams usually have good like Minnesota, a lot of their best players are always freshmen because they leave by their junior year for the NHL teams.
Madi:Yeah. I mean, Matthew Nies was a sophomore and he left after last year. I think Brock Faber was a senior, but he's still
Brad:But but even then, I mean, but how well, one of them was with the, it was as it was Cooley, I think people were questioning whether or not he was gonna go to, Arizona or not.
Madi:He was undecided because him and Jimmy Snuggarude were gonna leave together, and then Cooley ended up leaving and Jimmy stayed.
Brad:Right. Right. Right. But that's the thing, like but but the reason couldn't beak was so good is because while they didn't have any star players and Michigan State kind of is the same way
DeShawn:They are
Brad:the same. Sense of, like, they do have veterans who can play. And, yes, they do have a lot of new players, but a lot of those new players are like, a lot of them are seniors or grad transfers, and things like that. But Quinnipiac, the reason that their team was so well built is because they and they're not the flashiest school when it comes to NHL picks. Yeah.
Brad:But they had a lot of seniors and a lot of veterans who play. Team. Yeah. And and that is and, I mean, at that point in college hockey, a lot of veterans are, like, 24 years old. And, I mean, that is, like, huge for your team with the the the, you know, experience advantage.
Madi:Yeah. So,
Brad:yeah. It's, it's gonna be interesting. I'm sure we'll, you know, we'll we'll keep updated and, hopefully that, you know, it's it's good news for MSU. We are a hockey school.
DeShawn:We are. Of course.
Brad:Right? Hockey school. Hockey school.
Madi:Hockey. And we called that from October.
Brad:I did. Real quick, can you, Jaden, you have been the resident baseball expert, of course. I wanted to, ask you, a little bit about the season and how, how it's going for MSU baseball, who the star players are, and sort of what's the vibe going down at McLean Stadium.
DeShawn:Yeah.
Brad:Absolutely. Right now, there's no vibe because it is March. March 15th. So they aren't playing yet. But what's, what's going down in, MSU Baseball?
Brad:Yeah.
Jayden:Well, thank you for calling me a baseball expert, by the way. I appreciate that. That's what you are. Well, so 47 right now is where they're at, which is obviously not a good start to any season, for anybody. Coming to this year, the expectations for the players were obviously high.
Jayden:I've, you know, I've talked to the guys. I've talked to a couple of the veterans. You know, there's a lot of newcomers on this team. And we're they're kind of, you know, anchored by these veterans on the team. People like Dylan Carr, Jack Frank, I spoke to both of them.
Jayden:They were very excited about the season. But they're also, you know, very excited to kind of show what they can do and and go to the next level. And and and in being that veteran led, you would expect a little bit better performance, throughout the year, but that's I mean, it's still a long season to go. They finished 33 and 22 last year, which is a really big outlier for Michigan State Baseball, typically.
Brad:They're really streaky. Aren't they?
Jayden:Very streaky. Jake Boss has done a great job with the program. Coach Boss is an awesome guy. For a big 10 baseball school, it's really hard to do much consistently anyway.
Brad:Well, it's not an attractive location.
DeShawn:It's not
Jayden:it's not. And, you know, I talked to some of the guys about that, and they were telling me, you know, we're used to this weather. Jake Boss recruits a lot of Midwest guys. He, you know, he has guys that are used to this weather, and they they, you know, they've gone out and said they're used to this weather. But, at the end of the day, and and this is gonna a little bit off track, but you go to southern schools, you know, you go to Texas, you go to the SCC in general, you know, you go to those teams, they are built to win Mhmm.
Jayden:Because these guys are coming from places where they've played all year long, You know? And you guys you go to, I I I I'm a Miami guy. You go to Miami, they're not a great program right now, but you've got a lot of MLB guys down there because you have guys that want to come over from other countries. You have guys that come from, academies that come from other countries and things like that in the south where they can play all year round. So Michigan State and any big ten team comes at a disadvantage right away.
Jayden:I mean So
Brad:is there a situation and maybe this is dumb. I I feel like the answer is no. But could MSU theoretically, somehow, get attached to and I know NAL isn't the biggest thing in baseball. You know, it's it's kind of getting started in hockey, and it's I think it's gonna affect every sport.
Jayden:I think it is already, but it's not to an extent.
Brad:But I'm wondering, like, is there a is there a way that MSU, even if they gain an NIL advantage or something, they start going after players from sort of those those hotter areas. And, like, big 10 baseball almost even if the all the big 10 schools do that, could they end up getting a, some sort of, like, way back into sort of this relevancy?
Jayden:I think that's probably way down the road.
DeShawn:Okay.
Jayden:I think you would need a big, big NIL advantage because, you know, you have a lot of these guys. 1, with baseball, you have a lot a lot of guys that are passing up on a lot of money anyway, and and going to these schools to make themselves more money. So if, you know, if they're offering $500,000 in NAL or $1,000,000 in NAL, sure. But that's where that comes into play. I don't think there's probably $1,000,000 to go around for the entire big ten in NAL right now.
Brad:So Does MSU ever get guys that are from these areas? Is it like a once a year sort of thing or ever?
Jayden:They I mean, we have guys from, you know, the West Coast. We have guys from the South, but it it's very few and far between. And they're usually guys that and I'm not gonna say picked over because they're all great baseball players, but they are not the guys that are gonna be going to, they're
Brad:they're not the Spencer Torgerson. Yeah.
Jayden:They're not going to Arizona State. They're not going to Florida. They're not going to teams like that. And and even then, you don't even see a lot of guys stay on the West Coast. I mean, UCLA is a great school for pitchers, but, yeah, we we haven't heard a lot about UCLA lately or USC.
Jayden:I mean, a lot of those schools on the West Coast except for, you know, Oregon State and things like that, they aren't, like, that great in in baseball. So it's it's a weird sport, when it comes to college, mostly because there's so much talent coming out of high school and coming out of international areas. That's how it's supposed.
Brad:Shame though, because, like, I kinda I mean, I don't hate when high school guys get drafted to MLB teams and go away. But I find if I'm an MLB team, I think it's so much more appealing to get a guy out of college because half of his development is already done. Yeah. And that's You don't gotta do shit with him.
Jayden:That's been a thing lately. That's been a real thing lately. I mean, a lot of college bats have been you know, Wyatt Langford for the Texas Rangers, I mentioned him earlier. He's gonna make the team this year, with the Rangers, and he's a, a college guy. And he's been in the minor leagues for all of maybe, like, 3 months in total, which is unreal.
Jayden:That's an it's unheard of. I mean, people don't do that very often. And, you know, there was a guy from Florida Atlantic that went he played a month in the minor leagues, and he's on the Angels now. I mean, that's crazy. And baseball is one of those sports too where there's so many people picked, and there's so much talent everywhere that you may have one guy from a school like Florida Atlantic that's really good, and they don't have anybody else.
Jayden:And and that's that's one of the problems with baseball is talent is so spread thin unless you're going to Vanderbilt, unless you're going to, you know, places.
Brad:There's a lot of have nots.
Jayden:Yeah. But very, it's the thing with the thing with baseball, and I think the thing with the big ten and it never being what it I wish it would be is is one, the weather, even though you play half of your games in
DeShawn:in the
Jayden:south, like they are right now, Florida, Charlotte or Charleston Yeah.
Brad:Because he can't play here because you're worried it's gonna snow.
Jayden:Yeah. And when you come back and it's not too many places. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I I think I don't think there's a lot of scenarios where you're gonna see the big ten really competitive in baseball.
Jayden:You know, we saw Michigan's magical run. Not that long
Brad:ago. Like and that would and I always put put it to people. I heard one commentator say, this would be like Iowa making this college football, like, playoff.
Jayden:Yeah. And they had MLB talent too. And you see big 10 guys that that are MLB talents. I mean, we Michigan State had 4 of them last year. They had an undrafted free agent.
Jayden:They had 3 guys picked in the draft. Mitch Jeb was a 2nd rounder. Ron Vadaberg was a 3rd rounder. I mean, that's one unheard of in Michigan State history aside from, like, Mark Pryor being, you know, as good as he was when he played here. You don't see that a lot, and I think that's it's it's gonna come from the recruiting aspect.
Jayden:I think there's not even a lot of NAL to go around in college sports to begin with or could not college sports, college baseball, sorry, to begin with. I think, you know, a lot of these guys are prioritizing their developments. They go to places like Vanderbilt. They go to places like Oregon State where there's just that pedigree. And pedigree means, I mean, pedigree means everything in sports.
Jayden:Pedigree in baseball means everything. I mean, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, all these schools, they have guys have been sitting
DeShawn:on the bench for 2 years that come
Jayden:up as their junior in their junior year, and then they go pro after that junior year. Like, it it's just they sit there and wait, and that's this is one of the sports where you see a lot of guys sit there and wait. The transfer portal has gotten a little bit more active in baseball. We use that this year. Nick Williams, who just won big 10 player of the week, actually, not that long ago.
Jayden:He is a transfer. You know, he's been one of our our key guys for this year. Ryan McKay, he's a freshman. You go on freshman in the week of the Big 10. He's a good guy as well that we have.
Jayden:So I think there are good players on this team. I think everybody's a little bit young, right now, especially the pitching staff. We don't have a lot of pitching there. We lost Wyatt Rush, our number one, you know, closer and and things like that. We really replaced him with Tommy Zifanski, but he's had a kind of a rough start so far already too.
Jayden:I Ryan Power or Nick Powers. Sorry. Nick Powers is one of the guys that's been really crucial this year in the rotation. That's been a bright spot because we have a 565 team in RA. So
Madi:Is hang on. Sorry. Is Nick Power a graduate student this year then, or is he a senior?
Jayden:Nick Powers, I would have to check to make sure.
Madi:To a high school, like, 10 minutes north of me.
Jayden:Okay. So
Madi:I can always brag about that. I'm like, Nick Powers went to Flushing.
Jayden:He is having a really good year this year, and I think he's gonna be one of the bright spots of the team. I think this is gonna be kind of a rough season going down the stretch. And I I I this is maybe too early to say that, because we did beat a team like Georgia, who is 11 and 1, and they beat Georgia Tech who's notably, they got some really good guys. So crazy. It's it's it's crazy to see, but we also just lost 112 to 4.
Brad:Baseball is also one of those things where it's like, you get a good pitcher on the mound and, like, it's lights out. Or Or you get a pitcher that's having a rough day.
Jayden:College baseball is far different than professional baseball. And the fact that you have a good team like Vanderbilt has, like, 3 top of the line pitchers, and then their bullpen, maybe 1 guy or 2 guys. Mhmm. Rest of our pitchers are not that like, I mean, they're not that great until they develop.
Brad:But also and and a big part of developing a pitcher is consistency. Right? I mean, it's one guy might go out and be lights out 1 night, and then the next night, he just is
Jayden:And that's where you guys are developing that in college too. So college is a weird thing because if you have 3, you know, frontline starters, then you're probably gonna go a really long way. And, you know, offense is not something that's, like, few and far between the college baseball. Like Yeah. You see a lot of offense.
Jayden:Michigan State scored 19 runs and 13 runs in back to back games. Right. And then gave up 11 runs and 12 runs in back to back games. They just lost Illinois, which is not a good start to, you know, that wasn't I don't think that's technically a big ten game for us yet, because it's down south, but I it gives us an idea of what we can look like this
Brad:year. Yeah. Yeah. Alright. I know.
Brad:I know. I saw that because they're they're playing Minnesota.
Jayden:Well, and to start the year, we beat Meramec 10 to 3. And that was, you know, like, oh, yeah. Yeah. We scored a lot of runs, and then we went down and lost to Seton Hall, Lehigh, and then Ball State 3 games in a row, which is that's rough. And then lost to Indiana State Marshall.
Jayden:I mean, we lost 5 games in a row. That's rough. And we're not playing, like, super big good schools. Like, I mean, these teams are not gonna make it to Omaha more than likely. Not saying that we are going to, but that's
Brad:that's But it's still like it's it's
Jayden:sort of a measuring stick. Right? Yeah.
DeShawn:It's
Jayden:it's really a measuring stick to where you might be in the year, and that's not to say that they won't get better. But I think the pitching right now is just a little bit too young. I think the team in general is a little bit too young, and and coach Boss talked about that. They lost a lot of power last year. They've had to replace that with, you know, slapping the ball around, button the ball, stealing.
Jayden:And Jack Frank's been really good about that. I'd mentioned him earlier. Awesome guy. He steals bases. He gets on base.
Jayden:You know, that's kind of what they're gonna have to do this year. And I think they're gonna have to, like, grind their way through the big ten. Everybody I talked to on the team, they all think that they can do that. I think they're, you know, they're very confident in their ability, and they're very they're feisty. I mean, they're feisty team, and I think that's gonna go a long way with them.
Jayden:Even if they don't win 20 games this year, which is pretty unsuccessful season to begin with, but 20 games might be their their measuring stick this year. Mhmm. Even if they don't make it to that point, I think there's a lot to look forward to because we got some good guys that came in. Noah Bright, he came from Lansing Community College. He's, been one of their main catchers this year.
Jayden:He's a junior. He still got a year to go. He's from from a JUCO. So, you know, you have guys that are still pretty young, and I think gonna, you know, provide some outputs pretty soon. But, as of right now, no.
Jayden:The season's not looking that great. And, you know, for MSU baseball fans, the Tigers might be the way to go in the in the next month or so. I mean
Brad:Do any of you guys know when, the last time that I'm asking this because I I want a trivia. Do any of you guys know the last time that a big ten school won the national championship in baseball?
Jayden:Well, Michigan made it pretty close.
Brad:They made it close. They they lost to Vanderbilt in the final. Do you guys know who it is? Anybody have a guess?
Jayden:I wanna say, it would probably have to be one of the schools like Ohio State that actually did
Brad:not open long time. What year?
Jayden:It'd have to be like 1975 or something
Brad:like that. 1966. Wow. The last time that a big 10 baseball team won.
Madi:Oh my gosh.
Brad:Ohio State in 1966. Yeah. It was not the last time. Yeah. That was that was kinda
DeShawn:scary. Yeah. Yeah. That was okay crazy. That was that
Brad:was a little bit scary there. You know?
DeShawn:Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Jayden:When you look at the big 10 in baseball, Ohio State and Michigan lately have kind of, you know, ruled all. Let me look at the big 10 bat or baseball rankings last year, because there's really not a there's really not a lot of, like, I guess, there's a lot of talent in college baseball.
DeShawn:There's a
Jayden:lot of talent in big ten baseball, but Maryland was the one seed last year. And did anybody hear anything about Maryland last year in baseball?
Brad:Nope. Not at all.
Jayden:That's what I mean.
DeShawn:That's what I mean. That's kind
Jayden:of where the big ten sits at in baseball, and that's really understandable.
Brad:The is the isn't the good news for MSU then is that there are also playing these teams that are like them?
Jayden:It is the good it is good news, and it's gonna it's a really competitive league. You know, Michigan State last year, last year, Michigan State was an 8 seed in the big 10 baseball tournament, and we went 33 and 22 because we were 12 and 12 in the big 10. Mhmm. That says anything about what that team looked like last year, which was very good in comparison to most MSU teams, and then what they looked like in the big 10. Mhmm.
Jayden:That gives you an idea of where we stand at in the big 10. And that that is even bigger measuring stick to where we stand at in the entire country. Right. And this is not to take anything away from those players, but, I mean, it's just baseball is a very except for the MLB, except for, you know, leagues like that. Baseball is a very southern centralized place.
DeShawn:Yeah. That's why travel baseball is so big here. I mean, you know, I I I played baseball for a long time. And and what besides literally, you know, you're you're paying money to go play baseball in
Brad:other states because you're in Florida, Michigan.
Jayden:A lot of equipment and you're paying for you to go out of state and play. And you're and playing in the summer.
DeShawn:Yeah.
Jayden:These teams would really benefit from playing in the summer, and I think that might help. But that the the season's not gonna move for the big ten.
DeShawn:Right. So
Jayden:that's that's the problem. If they played in the summer, one, it would it would coincide with with the MLB, which is a problem that would ruin the draft for them. Mhmm. And 2, that one, I mean, that these guys the MLB scouts can't really go watch them as much as they'd like to.
DeShawn:Right.
Jayden:Because there's always those in every league, there's always a little bit of time where there's one league is not playing while the other team or league is playing. And and and there's not like in the NBA, you know, during March Madness, there's not, like, crucial important games going on or there's sometimes not games going on because of that reason. Sometimes those teams are in their arenas. That's a way for a scout to go see them. But during baseball season, they play every day.
Jayden:So there's really not, like, a break for these teams to go, like, go play in the summer and then, like, oh, I can I can throw a scout here? So Right. It'll never happen. If it did happen, that would be the only way that big 10 baseball would be relevant. But Got
Brad:it. That's crazy. Because, I mean, I I understand that baseball is a, the very popular sport. I mean, we you know, the Tigers and and everything and stuff like that. So, yeah.
Brad:It's crazy. But I guess the good news is the tickets are not that expensive and people can go enjoy a hot dog. You can actually
Jayden:That's true. Students can get in free to McLean State. Right.
DeShawn:Yeah. They do
Jayden:that to me. So
Brad:go grab
Jayden:a hot dog and then come find me at the games.
DeShawn:I will tell you that the hot dogs are the best thing or I mean, I the chicken tenders for some reason over at McLean might be better than the ones that are the breads. So just check that out as well. Yeah. Yeah. That's something
Jayden:with the chicken tenders.
DeShawn:I covered baseball for a lot of baseball last year, dude. And I'm telling you that chicken tenders outside are better than the ones inside.
Jayden:I'm I'm telling you as well, watch it, sit down and watch the baseball game is like the best thing you can
DeShawn:do in life. Yeah. It's actually
Madi:pretty nice
DeShawn:to have
Madi:you With a hot dog and
Brad:a box of popcorn. Hot dog and a box
Jayden:of popcorn and a and a over there. And a
DeShawn:0
Jayden:sugar Coke. Yeah. Mhmm. I've gotta go to the 0 sugars, you know. But yeah.
Jayden:Come watch some games this year regardless. We're gonna score runs. That's the thing. And if you think baseball is boring, college baseball is probably the sport for you to watch. Yeah.
Jayden:Baseball. A metal bat.
Madi:Yep.
Jayden:Granted they're kinda dumbed down since bb core became a thing, but still way more powerful than it would that.
DeShawn:Mhmm.
Jayden:And 2, they're gonna score a lot of runs, and they're gonna make a lot of errors. That's what college baseball is.
Brad:That's all that's all we it's it's like, you know, little league on steroids.
Jayden:Right? Literally little league on steroids, which is I that's the best advertisement I think I've
Brad:ever heard for college baseball.
Jayden:Unless you're going to Vanderbilt, then you're watching an MLB team.
Brad:Yeah. Then you're actually there's there's no in between. That's all.
Jayden:Then you're going to watch, like, everybody that plays in MLB. But Cool.
Brad:Well, you guys got you guys wanna, I know you're probably about to well, I got the score pulled up.
DeShawn:What do you got? I was gonna say, yeah, just a couple quick basketball updates here
Brad:as we go.
DeShawn:First of all, Xavier Booker got his second start. So, you know, that's honestly a big topic we're talking about.
Brad:Oh, book.
DeShawn:Scores went away. What was that? 17 to 9 before I looked away? Well, is that was that the score before I looked away? Yeah.
DeShawn:So, you know, that's where we are right now. About 8 minutes left to go. We'll see how that turns out. And currently, Northwestern is beating Purdue by 4 points in halftime of the first round of this big ten tournament for the woman's side
Jayden:of things.
Brad:Oh, wow. Wow.
DeShawn:We'll see how that plays out, but Northwestern currently up 4 points. So, you know
Jayden:Beautiful Michigan State. It's doubling sells a whole lot.
Madi:Starting 5 tonight.
DeShawn:Starting 5 for MSU is AJ, Tyson, Jaden, Malik, and Zave. So, you know, just, we'll we'll kinda see how that I mean, I don't know. Senior night, that that might be a big decision to talk about.
Jayden:Shout out to the seniors. That's that's the last thing
DeShawn:I need.
Madi:Shout out to the seniors.
DeShawn:No. Yeah. I promise you guys, I love everybody on this desk and everyone that decided to listen to us, but I'm leaving to go watch the game in the next 5 years. So Yeah.
Jayden:Good idea. Good idea. I I ranted about baseball even though I wanted to watch the basketball game.
DeShawn:Oh, no. No. I think that everything we said deserved well deserved. And now it's time to
Brad:now now I gotta go. Thank you everyone for listening to the Sports Roundtable podcast brought to you by the state news. Follow us on, Twitter at the snooze, and we will see you guys again in the next one. Bye.
DeShawn:Bye.