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Miami Herald
31-03-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Auburn takes down Michigan State, pushing all four No. 1 seeds into Final Four
ATLANTA -- Johni Broome collected 25 points and 14 rebounds in Sunday's NCAA Tournament South Region final, helping No. 1 Auburn earn a 70-64 victory over No. 2 Michigan State. Tahaad Pettiford added 10 points off the bench for the Tigers (32-5), who advanced to the program's second Final Four (2019), where they'll face conference foe Florida. Auburn made just 7 of its 25 3-point attempts (28 percent), but held Michigan State to 34.4 percent field goal shooting. Auburn's win completes a No. 1 seed sweep in the Final Four, the first time since 2008 that all four top seeds advanced to the national semifinals. Duke and Houston will join Auburn and Florida next week in San Antonio. The Spartans (30-7) were led by Jaxon Kohler's 17 points and 11 rebounds, followed by Jaden Akins' 15 points and Jase Richardson's 11. After trailing by 15 points in the first half and nine at halftime, Michigan State cut its deficit to 35-30 on Jeremy Fears Jr.'s layup in the opening minutes of the second. The Tigers then pushed the margin back to double figures on Chad Baker-Mazara's 3-pointer and Dylan Cardwell's layup. Frankie Fidler's reverse layup later pulled the Spartans within nine, but Pettiford hit a triple to extend Auburn's advantage to 50-38 with 12:03 left. After contesting Fidler at the rim, Broome's awkward fall forced the All-American to head for the locker room. In Broome's absence, Michigan State sliced its deficit to eight, but Broome later returned and connected on a pivotal 3-pointer to give Auburn a 60-48 edge with 4:40 remaining. Kohler knocked down a trey to pull the Spartans within seven with 1:40 left, but Denver Jones' driving layup and subsequent free throws pushed the margin to 11. Akins made two 3-pointers down the stretch for Michigan State, but it was only window dressing as Auburn earned its program-record 32nd win. Broome asserted his low-post dominance early, scoring Auburn's first six points, before Richardson's three-point play knotted the score at six. Coen Carr's dunk gave the Spartans their first and only lead of the game, but Miles Kelly's back-to-back mid-range jumpers began a 17-0 run for the Tigers -- which included Broome's 3-pointer to extend Auburn's lead to 23-8. Fidler then scored five of Michigan State's 7-0 spurt to pull the Spartans within eight at the 8:41 mark. Kohler's second 3-pointer of the first half later cut Auburn's lead to five, but Pettiford and Broome followed with layups, helping the Tigers take a 33-24 halftime lead. Field Level Media 2023 - All Rights Reserved
USA Today
30-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Are Nick Sanders, Barry Sanders related? What to know about Michigan State walk-on
Are Nick Sanders, Barry Sanders related? What to know about Michigan State walk-on Show Caption Hide Caption Sunday's Elite 8 slate features Michigan St. vs. Auburn, Tennessee vs. Houston Mackenzie Salmon breaks down Sunday's Elite Eight matchups. Sports Seriously When Michigan State basketball takes on Auburn in the Elite Eight of the men's NCAA Tournament South Region on Sunday, sports fans might come across a familiar name of one of the Spartans bench players. But it just won't be the player jerseys they are perhaps accustomed to seeing it on, though. Spartans junior guard Nick Sanders, the son of former NFL legendary running back Barry Sanders and a piano specialist for Tom Izzo, has spent the last three seasons as a walk-on at Michigan State. He's now looking to help Michigan State hang a Final Four banner in East Lansing, Michigan. Nick Sanders and Michigan State are set to tip off against No. 1 Auburn in the Elite Eight of the South Region on Sunday at 5:05 p.m. ET at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. REQUIRED READING: Barry Sanders' son, a Michigan State guard, dazzles Tom Izzo with piano skills A win on Sunday against the Tigers would send the Spartans to their eight Final Four under Izzo, and improve Izzo's record in men's March Madness to 60-25. Here's what you need to know: Is Nick Sanders related to Barry Sanders? Yes, the Michigan State guard is the second-oldest son of the legendary NFL running back. The elder Sanders, of course, played the entirety of his NFL career with the Detroit Lions and is one of the only running backs in NFL history to run for over 1,000 yards in each of his 10 seasons. He finished with 15,269 total rushing yards in his 10 seasons with the Lions. Barry Sanders' NCAA single-season rushing record at Oklahoma State was nearly broken this past college football season, as Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty came up 28 rushing yards short. Sanders is one of 40 running backs to be bestowed into college football's most prestigious brotherhood, as he won the Heisman Trophy after his historic junior season with the Cowboys in 1988. "Excited for this weekend... Who will be in #Atlanta with #SpartyNation?," Barry Sanders wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday. Nick Sanders stats Nick Sanders, who is in his third season as a walk-on for the Spartans, has once again seen limited playing time this season for the Big Ten regular season champions: 10 games and 15 combined minutes. He saw two minutes of action in Michigan State's first-round win against No. 15 seed Bryant, where he made a layup off the glass with 53 seconds remaining in the game. Here's a breakdown of Nick Sanders' stats at Michigan State: Career: 26 games, 0.4 points and 0.1 rebounds per game while shooting 38.5% from the field 26 games, 0.4 points and 0.1 rebounds per game while shooting 38.5% from the field 2024-25: 10 games, 0.8 points and 0.2 rebounds per game while shooting 57.1% from the field Where did Barry Sanders go to college? Barry Sanders attended Oklahoma State, where he quickly became one of the top running backs in college football history. In three seasons in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Barry Sanders ran for 3,556 rushing yards and 48 rushing touchdowns. He was drafted with the No. 3 overall pick by the Lions in the 1989 NFL draft, where he'd go on to be the Rookie of the Year in the NFL that season. Here's a year-by-year breakdown of Barry Sanders' stats at Oklahoma State: 1986: 74 carries for 325 rushing yards and two touchdowns 74 carries for 325 rushing yards and two touchdowns 1987: 105 carries for 608 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns; four receptions for 58 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown 105 carries for 608 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns; four receptions for 58 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown 1988: 344 carries for 2,628 rushing yards and 37 rushing touchdowns; 19 receptions for 106 receiving yards The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
Miami Herald
29-03-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Auburn in third Elite Eight after taking down Michigan
ATLANTA -- Johni Broome recorded a game-high 22 points and 16 rebounds to lead No. 1 seed Auburn to a 78-65 win over No. 5 seed Michigan in Friday's NCAA Tournament South Region semifinal. Denver Jones and Tahaad Pettiford added 20 points apiece for the Tigers (31-5), who rallied from a nine-point, second-half deficit en route to the program's third Elite Eight, where they will face No. 2 seed Michigan State on Sunday for a spot in the Final Four. Danny Wolf scored 20 points to lead Michigan (27-10), while Vladislav Goldin chipped in 10 points and nine rebounds and Nimari Burnett also had 10 points, paired with seven boards. Trailing 30-29 at halftime, Michigan opened the second half on a 13-6 run, capped with Roddy Gayle Jr.'s three-point play to build a 42-36 edge with 14:36 left. Broome cut Auburn's deficit in half with a three-point play of his own, before Wolf's consecutive layups and Will Tschetter's two free throws extended the Wolverines' lead to 48-39 with 12:26 to play. From there, Pettiford and Denver Jones each buried a 3-pointer, beginning a 12-0 Auburn run to grab a 51-48 lead at the 9:19 mark. Rubin Jones answered with a much-needed layup for Michigan, but Jones continued to find the range, knocking in two more 3-pointers and a layup to push Auburn's cushion to 59-50. The prolonged run was extended to 28-6 after Pettiford's triple and three-point play gave the Tigers a 67-54 edge, igniting the Auburn-heavy State Farm Arena crowd. Chaney Johnson's dunk punctuated Auburn's 31st win - setting a program record. After an early 6-0 spurt gave Auburn a 9-5 edge, Goldin and Tre Donaldson's back-to-back baskets stamped a 10-4 Michigan run to grab a 15-13 lead with just over 11 minutes left. Wolf scored the Wolverines' next seven points, including his dunk for a 22-21 advantage. Michigan's largest lead of the first half came at the 5:22 mark, when Burnett's 3-pointer pushed the margin to 27-23. Broome accounted for the final three points of the opening half, giving Auburn a one-point halftime lead. In a sloppy first 20 minutes, the Tigers turned the ball over 10 times, while Michigan was forced into eight giveaways. --Jack Batten, Field Level Media Field Level Media 2023 - All Rights Reserved
Miami Herald
29-03-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Michigan State knocks off Ole Miss to reach its 15th Elite Eight
ATLANTA -- If ever there was a moment for the sometimes-surly Tom Izzo to show a softer side, Friday night was perfect. Michigan State freshman Jase Richardson scored a team-high 20 points to lead the No. 2 Spartans to a 73-70 win over No. 6 Ole Miss in the NCAA Tournament South Region semifinals, and afterward, an emotional Izzo was mobbed by his team. "I love these guys," Izzo said. "It's hard to believe that in two days we're playing for a chance to do one of the all-time great things in any basketball player's life, to play for a Final Four. I'm proud and happy for them. They've earned it. They deserved it. They did it." Coen Carr added 15 points and Jaden Akins scored 13 for the Spartans (30-6), who are headed to the program's 15th Elite Eight, with an opportunity to reach their 11th Final Four and ninth under Izzo. Tre Holloman added 10 points off the bench for Michigan State, which rallied from a 10-point first-half deficit. Sean Pedulla scored 24 points to lead Ole Miss (24-12), and Matthew Murrell added 13. Malik Dia chipped in with 11 points for the Rebels, who were playing in just their second Sweet 16. Akins' hard-earned layup gave Michigan State a 65-63 edge with 1:29 remaining, and the Spartans doubled their lead on Carson Cooper's basket with 40 seconds left. Pedulla hit a floater, but Akins answered with a pair of free throws. Pedulla's putback layup cut the Rebels' deficit to 69-67 with 13.9 seconds left, but Holloman knocked down four straight foul shots to seal the victory. Izzo and company will face either top-overall seed Auburn or Big East rival Michigan for a chance to reach the Final Four. "We don't put up banners for Elite Eights," Izzo said. "We put up banners for championships and Final Fours. The coaches I've got on my staff that have been to the Final Four have talked to the players. ... We've got to play better, but I'm so proud of them." Michigan State hasn't reached college basketball's pinnacle since topping Florida for the national championship in 2000. An impressive freshman on that team was future NBA veteran Jason Richardson -- father of Friday's hero Jace. "We always say we play better when we're having fun, but we know that you've got to come in with a mentality," Jase Richardson said. "We try to have as much fun as possible playing, but we've also got to be locked in because we've got to key into our defensive things, key into our offensive things." The once-overlooked Spartans -- who didn't crack the AP Top 25 until Dec. 9 -- are playing in a regional final for the first time since 2019, when they beat Duke before falling to Texas Tech and current Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard in the Final Four. Beard's Rebels matched the school's third-most wins in a season with 24. That didn't take away the sting of the loss, the coach said. "Every season ends for every team with the feelings we have right now except for one," Beard said. "I've never been hit with this kind of emotion when a season ends, but I'm thankful for these guys. From a coaching standpoint, you don't want to get beat in your last game of the season, and I didn't think we did. I thought today we just ran out of time." After trailing 29-19 in the first half, Michigan State clawed back to knot the score at 33 on Carr's layup to open the second. A basket by Holloman later trimmed the Rebels' lead to 42-39, but Pedulla made a layup that prompted a 6-0 Ole Miss spurt. From there, Carr's layup jump-started a 14-2 Michigan State run. Along the way, Cooper made two free throws with 7:50 left to give the Spartans their first lead. Murrell's corner trey later gave Ole Miss a 58-57 advantage, but Carr's dunk to take back the lead was answered with Pedulla's fourth and final 3-pointer, putting the Rebels ahead 61-59 with 4:04 remaining. Jeremy Fears Jr. then tied the score with a floater in the lane before Richardson's layup returned the lead to the Spartans with 3:04 left, before Ole Miss tied it again on Davon Barnes' free throws. Pedulla's two 3-pointers and Jaylen Murray's trey gave the Rebels an early 18-11 advantage. The Spartans sliced their deficit to 22-19 on Frankie Fidler's three-point play and Carr's hook shot. Murrell answered with five straight points, however, followed by Jaemyn Brakefield's layup, prompting a Michigan State timeout down 29-19 with 3:53 remaining. After a 1-for-7 start, Michigan State connected on four of its final five triples of the opening half -- including consecutive makes by Richardson and Akins - pulling the Spartans to within 33-31 at halftime. "We've got the best coaching staff in the country," Akins said. "They're going to have us ready to play. We're going to do a lot of walkthroughs and get ready for who we have to play. I'm going to tell the guys to go out there and play with no fear, and we're going to have no regrets. We're just going to play as hard as we can." --Jack Batten, Field Level Media Field Level Media 2023 - All Rights Reserved
USA Today
28-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
March Madness: Ole Miss vs. Michigan State odds, picks and predictions
The No. 6 seed Ole Miss Rebels (24-11) face the No. 2 seed Michigan State Spartans (29-6) in the NCAA Tournament South Region Friday for a chance at an Elite Eight berth. Tip from State Farm Arena in Atlanta is set for 7:09 p.m. ET (CBS). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's lines around the Ole Miss vs. Michigan State odds, and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions. The Rebels opened their NCAA Tournament play with a 71-64 win over the No. 11 seed North Carolina Tar Heels, closing as a 1.5-point underdog. They then took down the No. 3 seed Iowa State Cyclones 91-78 on March 23, covering as a 5-point underdog. Ole Miss has covered in 3 straight games, all as an underdog. It is 18-16-1 against the spread (ATS) on the season. The Rebels are strong on both sides of the court, sitting 23rd in offensive and 21st in Kenpom's defensive rating. The Spartans have only played double-digit seeds so far, taking down the No. 15 seed Bryant Bulldogs 87-62 on March 21 and then the No. 10 seed New Mexico Lobos 71-63 two days later, respectively covering as a 17-point and 6.5-point favorite. Michigan State has covered 10 of its last 11 games and is 24-10-1 ATS. The Spartans strength is on the defensive end of the court, ranking fourth in defensive rating. – Rankings: USA TODAY Sports Men's Basketball Coaches Poll Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+ Ole Miss vs. Michigan State odds Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 2:36 p.m. ET. Moneyline (ML) : Ole Miss +145 (bet $100 to win $145) | Michigan State -175 (bet $175 to win $100) : Ole Miss +145 (bet $100 to win $145) | Michigan State -175 (bet $175 to win $100) Against the spread (ATS) : Ole Miss +3.5 (-110) | Michigan State -3.5 (-110) : Ole Miss +3.5 (-110) | Michigan State -3.5 (-110) Over/Under (O/U): 144.5 (O: -110 | U: -110) Ole Miss vs. Michigan State picks and predictions Prediction Michigan State 75, Ole Miss 68 PASS. The Spartans (-175) are just a little too expensive to consider here while the Rebels (+145) aren't worth a play either as they aren't predicted to pull off the Sweet 16 upset. BET MICHIGAN STATE -3.5 (-110). As a favorite, the Spartans have been on a roll. They have gone 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games as a favorite and 19-9 ATS on the season in that position. Michigan State has a similar offense and a far better defense which should help propel it to cover as well. The Rebels are playing well too, but they lost 4 of their last 6 games to close out the regular season, including a 10-point home loss to the Mississippi State Bulldogs. They have gone just 4-6 ATS in their last 10 games. Ole Miss also drew an Iowa State side without its second-best scoring option, so it'll have a much more difficult challenge Friday evening. Take the red-hot Spartans and back MICHIGAN STATE -3.5 (-110). BET UNDER 144.5 (-110). The stakes are high, and the defense should be intense. The Rebels have allowed 64 or fewer points in 2 of their last 3 games, including giving up just 62 points in the SEC Tournament to the Auburn Tigers, the NCAA Tournament's top overall seed. Michigan State, which is 11-24 O/U on the season, has allowed just 64 or fewer points in 4 of its last 5 contests. It ranks 171st in adjusted tempo as well, so the Tom Izzo-led team doesn't push the pace often. Considering those trends, back UNDER 144.5 (-110). Play our free daily Pick'em Challenge and win! Play now! For more sports betting picks and tips, check out and BetFTW. Follow @nathanbeighle_ on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook. College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group: Alabama / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Duke / Florida / Florida State / Georgia / Iowa / Kentucky / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / UCLA / USC / Washington / Wisconsin / College Sports Wire / High School / Recruiting
