Michigan State Basketball

Tyson Walker drilled a three-pointer with 1.4 seconds remaining as the unranked Michigan State men's basketball team upset No. 4 Purdue 68-65 at East Lansing's Breslin Center on Saturday afternoon.

Tyson Walker just hit the biggest shot of his life. 😱 pic.twitter.com/jlV4C1LR8u

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) February 26, 2022

Purdue tied the game at 65 with 30 seconds left when big man Trevion Williams followed his own miss with a putback.

After a Spartans timeout, Williams was left to guard Walker behind the three-point line. The junior guard then drained a long-range shot for the upset.

Purdue still had a chance for a miracle finish, but a long inbounds pass caromed out of bounds.

There were still four-tenths of a second remaining, though, with some drama to resolve.

Malik Hall's inbounds pass sailed over Walker's head, and as he tried to save it, Walker was called out of bounds. After a lengthy review, the call stood, and Purdue had another chance.

However, Hall deflected the inbounds pass, and the clock hit zero.

Michigan State benefitted from a balanced scoring attack led by Gabe Brown's 13 points. Julius Marble II (12 points), Max Christie (11) and A.J. Hoggard (11) also scored in double figures, while Hoggard pitched in six assists. Walker had eight points off the bench.

Purdue sophomore center Zach Edey scored 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting, and Jaden Ivey added 16 points. Williams had 11 off the bench. The Boilermakers shot 52.1 percent from the field but made just one of nine three-point attempts.

Purdue out-rebounded Michigan State 34-24 but committed 17 turnovers to the Spartans' 10.

MSU led by as many as 11 points after Marble's Iayup with 10:43 left. Purdue chipped away at the lead, though, with some great defense and eight points from Edey.

Ivey went to the free throw line with 52 seconds remaining and a chance to put the Boilermakers up 64-63. He made the first and missed the second, but Edey committed a loose ball foul on the rebound to send Marble to the line for a one-and-one. He hit both free throws for a 65-63 advantage, leading to the game's final moments.

Purdue fell to 24-5 overall and 13-5 in the Big Ten. Michigan State is 19-9 and 10-7.

The Boilermakers will close the regular season at Wisconsin and at home versus Indiana. MSU has road tilts with Michigan and Ohio State before it hosts Maryland.

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo is strongly against the idea of eliminating the postgame handshake line in the wake of Sunday's incident between Michigan's Juwan Howard and Wisconsin coaches Greg Gard and Joe Krabbenhoft. 

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Izzo called the possibility of not having the handshake line "the biggest farce, joke, ridiculous nature of anything I've ever heard of."

The Big Ten Conference announced on Monday that Howard has been fined $40,000 and suspended for the rest of the regular season for shoving Krabbenhoft in the face after the Wolverines' 77-63 loss to Wisconsin. 

Juwan Howard strikes Wisconsin assistant Joe Krabbenhoft after Michigan-Wisconsin game https://t.co/fbv0WKzbT6

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 20, 2022

Izzo attempted to equate the postgame handshake line with teaching players lessons about sportsmanship and values. 

"We've already taught these poor 18-year-olds that when you're told to go to class and you don't like it, you can leave. We've already told these kids that if you're not happy, you can do something else. We've already told these kids that it's hard to hold them accountable," he said.

Howard put his finger in the face of Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard, who appeared to stop Howard from walking past him in the line by grabbing his arm, and grabbed at his shirt before Krabbenhoft intervened. 

During his postgame press conference, Howard explained he took exception to Gard calling a timeout with 15 seconds remaining in the game when the Badgers were up 76-61. 

"I didn’t like the timeout being called, to be totally honest," said Howard. "I thought it was not necessary at that moment, especially being a large lead."

In the aftermath of the skirmish, there were conflicting discussions from members of the media about doing away with the postgame handshake line. 

And I don't want to hear people say "this is why we should get rid of handshake lines." If you can't handle a handshake line, you shouldn't be in college athletics.

— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) February 20, 2022

The time has come to eliminate the line after games of shaking hands . Too many incidents taking places with the action in the @BadgerMBB vs @umichbball being SICKENING . Punches thrown behavior was out of control & UGLY ! The @B1GMBBall Commish must act on what happened .

— Dick Vitale (@DickieV) February 20, 2022

There were multiple opportunities for Juwan Howard to apologize or admit he erred during his postgame press conference. He instead doubled down, calling Greg Gard's timeout "not necessary" and insisting that Gard touching him in the handshake line was what "escalated it."

— Jeff Eisenberg (@JeffEisenberg) February 20, 2022

Howard has had issues with opposing coaches before. He was ejected in the second half of a 2019 Big Ten tournament game against Maryland for getting into a verbal altercation with Mark Turgeon.

A member of Michigan's famed 1991-92 Fab Five team, Howard was named head basketball coach at his alma mater in May 2019. He led the Wolverines to a regular-season Big Ten title and an appearance in the Elite Eight in the 2020-21 season. 

Michigan (14-11, 8-7 in the Big Ten) has five games remaining in the regular season. The Big Ten tournament will begin March 9 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. 

The Wolverines and Spartans are scheduled to play at the Breslin Center on March 1. Michigan State beat Michigan 83-67 in Ann Arbor on Jan. 29.    

Michigan announced Saturday's Big Ten men's basketball game against No. 10 Michigan State has been postponed because of COVID-19 issues within its program.

The Wolverines fell below the roster minimum to play following Friday night's testing. The schools will work with the Big Ten to reschedule the rivalry game for later in the 2021-22 season.

Michigan's clash with the 10th-ranked Spartans is one of several crucial upcoming games for a squad that's been hovering around .500 for most of the campaign.

The Wolverines opened the year 2-0 but have posted a mere 5-6 mark since to fall to 7-6 overall, including 1-2 in conference play. It's left them on the fringe of the NCAA tournament picture and they'll need a couple marquee wins down the stretch to reach the Big Dance.

U-M won't have a shortage of opportunities thanks to the strength of the Big Ten. It has seven games against currently ranked opponents left on its schedule—two apiece against Michigan State, Ohio State and Purdue along with a road game against Wisconsin.

Michigan head coach Juwan Howard was asked about the difficult schedule on the horizon on Friday. He replied:

One game at a time has always been our approach. Playing at home has always been, you've got to protect your home court.

You have your home fans that are gonna be there supporting you. Your family, your friends, alumni group, student body—the Maize Rage. Play inspiring basketball because your fans are going to get behind you and support your effort.

It's good to know that this game and the next games coming up are very competitive games. But that’s the Big Ten, and the Big Ten is a very competitive conference.

Meanwhile, Michigan State is already a virtual lock for the NCAA tournament with a 13-2 record, including a 4-0 start to conference play. The Spartans can improve their seeding over the next few months, with an outside shot at landing on the No. 1 line.

A road win over Michigan would have helped bolster those chances, but that always intriguing matchup will now have to wait a little longer.

The Spartans' next scheduled game comes Wednesday when they welcome Minnesota to the Breslin Center.

Michigan is slated to host the No. 3 Boilermakers on Tuesday at the Crisler Center if enough players clear the COVID-19 protocols over the next three days.

No. 6 Baylor pulled away from Michigan State in the second half to capture the 2021 Battle 4 Atlantis men's championship with a 75-58 win at Imperial Arena in the Bahamas.

The Bears carried a slim two-point advantage into halftime following a back-and-forth opening 20 minutes that saw neither team lead by more than six. They used an 8-0 run early in the second half to increase their lead to 13 and then cruised to the finish line to remain undefeated (7-0).

It's the second Battle 4 Atlantis title for Baylor, which won the event in 2016. The Spartans dropped to 5-2, with the other loss coming against then-No. 3 Kansas in their season opener.

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Notable Stats

G James Akinjo (BAY): 15 points, 5 assists, 3 steals

G Adam Flagler (BAY): 11 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds

G Matthew Mayer (BAY): 8 points, 7 rebounds

F Gabe Brown (MSU): 13 points, 5 rebounds

G Jaden Akins (MSU): 12 points

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Baylor Bench Continues to Provide Major Boost

Baylor has one of the deepest rosters in the nation, and that was on full display throughout its run to the Battle 4 Atlantis championship.

LJ Cryer, the Bears' leading scorer, tallied 15 points off the bench in Wednesday's win over Arizona State, and Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua recorded 13 points and eight rebounds in Thursday's triumph over VCU in the semifinals.

Tchamwa Tchatchoua, Cryer and Jeremy Sochan all played pivotal roles in Friday's victory. The reserve trio combined for more than a third of BU's scoring (26 of 75 points) while knocking down 10 of their 18 shots (55.6 percent).

Having an offensive game-changer like Cryer as a sixth man is one thing, but featuring three different players who can provide high-end contributions off the bench gives the Bears depth that will be hard for opponents to match all season long.

In addition, the size of Tchamwa Tchatchoua (6'8", 245 pounds) and Sochan (6'9", 230) gives head coach Scott Drew the ability to mix and match his lineups. It helps alleviate concerns that teams with multiple talented bigs can give Baylor trouble.

While it's early in the campaign, the depth is a major reason Baylor is in position to defend its March Madness title.

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MSU's Stock on the Rise Despite Loss

Michigan State didn't generate much attention coming into the season. It was ranked outside the Top 25 and couldn't keep pace with the Jayhawks in a 13-point loss in the opener.

The Spartans have played well since that loss, though. They won their next three games by an average of 29.7 points and then scored hard-fought victories over Loyola of Chicago and No. 22 UConn to punch their ticket to the Battle 4 Atlantis final.

They went shot-for-shot with Baylor in the first half and appeared to have a chance for the upset before the Bears caught fire early in the second half. They still made a strong showing in the Bahamas.

Brown, Marcus Bingham Jr. and Malik Hall represent a matchup advantage over most teams on the interior. How far the Spartans go this season will depend on how much shooting they generate around those post players.

MSU entered the day shooting 32.7 percent from beyond the arc, and it made only four of 15 three-point attempts against the Bears. A few more makes and it's a competitive game down to the wire.

Michigan State has work to do if it wants to contend with the nation's elite by season's end, but it looks like a Top 20 team with upside.

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What's Next?

Michigan State returns home to the Breslin Center to host Louisville on Wednesday as part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

Baylor is off until Dec. 4 when it welcomes Arkansas-Pine Bluff to the Ferrell Center.

No. 3 Kansas kicked off its 2021-22 season with an 87-74 win over Michigan State in the Champions Classic on Tuesday.

Ochai Agbaji led the way for the Jayhawks with a career-high 29 points in the neutral-court game at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Christian Braun finds Ochai Agbaji for the Jayhawk alley-oop 💥 pic.twitter.com/NHu0Yn1xuB

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) November 10, 2021

The game was close in the early going until a late Kansas spurt gave the team a 39-32 lead at halftime. The Big 12 squad took control of the game in the second half while finding a lot of success on fast breaks.

Michigan State was within three points with about 16 minutes remaining in the second half, but the margin quickly ballooned to 15 thanks to a 21-9 run.

The Spartans couldn't keep up despite four players reaching double digits, led by 17 points from A.J. Hoggard.

Kansas has won five of the last six years in the Champions Classic.

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Notable Performances

Ochai Agbaji, G, KAN: 29 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals

Remy Martin, G, KAN: 15 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists

A.J. Hoggard, G, MSU: 17 points, 4 assists

Max Christie, G, MSU: 9 points, 3 rebounds

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Ochai Agbaji Shines in Deep Kansas Lineup

After making incremental improvements over the past three years, Ochai Agbaji has seemingly taken his game to a new level in the season-opener.

The guard generated much of the offense for Kansas while exhibiting excellence in a number of areas:

This sequence by the Jayhawks 🔥 pic.twitter.com/7OjnMWkBWq

— ESPN (@espn) November 10, 2021

Really impressed with Ochai Agbaji and the improvement in his ability to put the ball on the floor. Has made a couple of big-time plays tonight exploding to the basket.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) November 10, 2021

Kansas’ best offense: Give the ball to Ochai Agbaji and let him work.

— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) November 10, 2021

This is the best Ochai Agbaji's handle has ever looked.

— Jesse Newell (@jessenewell) November 10, 2021

Agbaji has really developed into a smooth, efficient, confident player. Has really shined tonight. Jayhawks starting to pull away.

— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) November 10, 2021

The efficiency was especially impressive as the guard finished 9-of-17 on the floor and 8-of-8 from the free-throw line. 

Agbaji withdrew from the NBA draft last July, and it looks like he has made the right decision through the first game.

Of course, this is a deep roster with a lot of experience entering the year.

David McCormack, Mitch Lightfoot, Remy Martin, Jalen Coleman-Lands and Agbaji are all seniors in the rotation and will be relied upon heavily this season.

McCormack showcased his skill set on the defensive end with two blocks:

MEET ME AT THE RIM 😤 pic.twitter.com/75Dtj3GoEn

— ESPN (@espn) November 10, 2021

Martin also scored 15 points, all in the second half, to give the team another backcourt scorer.

Head coach Bill Self played 11 players with nine getting onto the scoresheet.

Kansas' depth is something. Look up and it's like, where did THAT dude come from?

— Dana O'Neil (@DanaONeilWriter) November 10, 2021

This Kansas team showing its depth without Jalen Wilson. Bill Self not afraid to go with his freshmen tonight, and Zach Clemence and Bobby Pettiford giving KU quality minutes.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) November 10, 2021

Adding Jalen Wilson, who was suspended for the first three games because of a DUI arrest, Kansas will have a lot of options this season.

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Turnovers Derail Michigan State in Loss

Backcourt play was a major issue for Michigan State last season with Joshua Langford and Rocket Watts struggling with consistency.

Hoggard showed there could be major improvements in this area.

The sophomore scored 17 off the bench and impressed with his aggressiveness:

Tom Izzo and @MSU_Basketball think they have their PG in @ajhoggard3.

He sure looked good on this transition And-1. pic.twitter.com/t04dUY5LZ5

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 10, 2021

A.J. Hoggard has been fantastic for Michigan State. 8 points 3 assists.

— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) November 10, 2021

That's the stuff Izzo bragged up about Hoggard. Looked quick in transition and aggressive through contact to the hole for the and-1.

— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) November 10, 2021

Hoggard averaged just 2.5 points per game last year but looks like an impact player to start 2021-22.

Max Christie could be another weapon in the backcourt as a 5-star recruit with high expectations. He showcased some upside Tuesday on his way to nine points.

Remember the name, B1G fans: @Max12Christie. ✍️

The heralded @MSU_Basketball freshman just hit his first career bucket. pic.twitter.com/mFwVy19QO7

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 10, 2021

Max Christie's shot is so smooth, man. He's gonna be a good one.

— Colton Pouncy (@colton_pouncy) November 10, 2021

The play was still extremely sloppy overall, even for the first game of the year.

Michigan State finished with 16 turnovers, many of them leading to easy plays on the other end for Kansas:

Honestly, so many of Michigan State’s turnovers are just unacceptable lazy passes. They’re making it easy on Kansas, and Kansas is taking advantage.

— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) November 10, 2021

Michigan State turnover percentage: 28.3. Seemingly all of them live-ball.

— John Gasaway (@JohnGasaway) November 10, 2021

The team also got limited production from Tyson Walker (two points), who transferred in after averaging 18.8 points per game at Northeastern last year.

There is enough talent to improve as the season progresses, but the level of play was nowhere near good enough to match up with the No. 3 team in the country.

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What's Next?

Both teams will now prepare for their home opener Friday. Michigan State will host Western Michigan, while Kansas will take on Tarleton.

Michigan State football and men's basketball players will receive a year-round, $500 monthly stipend as part of a name, image and likeness deal with United Wholesale Mortgage, which is run by former MSU walk-on basketball player Mat Ishbia.

Tyler J. Davis of the Detroit Free Press reported Wednesday the agreement covers all 133 players on the football and men's basketball rosters. It follows a $32 million donation from Ishbia to the school's athletic department in February.

"The Spartan family sticks together, and that's what makes MSU athletics so special," Ishbia said. "Each player contributes to the team in a positive way and we're excited to help support them, while also helping educate consumers about the benefits of independent mortgage brokers."

It's one of the largest agreements since a Supreme Court ruling in June that said the NCAA couldn't limit "education-related benefits" because of antitrust law, which opened the door for student-athletes to sign NIL deals.

Ishbia was part of the Spartans' championship squad during the 1999-2000 season, and his company has hired former MSU players Mateen Cleaves, Charlie Bell and Adam Wolfe. Cleaves discussed how much a monthly stipend could have improved his life as a student-athlete, per Davis.

"I was a star athlete and having access to resources like this would have made a huge difference in my career in a very positive way," he said. "What UWM is doing for these Spartan athletes is unprecedented, and aligns closely with what Coach Izzo and MSU taught us, which is to always take care of our family."

The announcement didn't state when the payments to the athletes will begin.

Michigan State's football team opened its season Friday with a 38-21 win over Northwestern. The men's basketball squad will tip off the 2021-22 campaign Nov. 9 against Kansas in the Champions Classic.

Former Michigan State basketball player Keith Appling pleaded not guilty to a first-degree murder charge during an arraignment hearing Thursday, but he was ordered to remain in jail.

The Associated Press reported Friday that defense attorney Andrew Abood requested bond for Appling, who's accused of killing Clyde Edmonds during a May 22 dispute in Detroit, but that motion was denied by the magistrate.

Appling, 29, allegedly confronted Edmonds, 66, about a handgun, and Edwards was later found with multiple gunshot wounds on his front lawn May 22. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital, per Oralandar Brand-Williams of the Detroit News.

Police said Edmonds' wife is the first cousin of Appling's mother.

Natalie Brooks Bannister, Appling's girlfriend, allegedly drove the getaway car and later failed to "tell police the truth" about what happened, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office. She's been charged with accessory after the fact and lying to a peace officer. She's also pleaded not guilty.

Both Appling and Bannister have been ordered to have no contact with each other.

Appling, who also faces charges of felon in possession of a firearm and two counts of felony firearm, is due back in court June 22 for a probable cause conference and June 29 for preliminary examination, per Brand-Williams.

The Detroit native was a standout guard at Pershing High School in his hometown before becoming a four-year starter at Michigan State. He went undrafted in 2014 but spent time playing professionally in the NBA and the G League along with stops in Mexico, Italy and the Dominican Republic.

Derick Hutchinson of Click On Detroit noted Appling was previously sentenced to one year in jail in 2017 for carrying a concealed weapon and resisting arrest, and he was sentenced to 18 months' probation in 2018 after officers found heroin in his vehicle.

Appling has also been charged with an assault May 2 in Jackson County, Michigan. Further details about that case haven't been publicly released.

Former Orlando Magic and Michigan State basketball player Keith Appling was charged with first-degree murder, two counts of felony firearm and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.

According to Cara Ball of WXYZ Detroit, the charges stem from the May 22 shooting death of 66-year-old Clyde Edmonds, who was related to Appling through marriage.

Appling's girlfriend, Natalie Banister, was charged with one count of accessory after the fact and one count of lying to a peace officer for allegedly driving the getaway car.

In 2017, the Associated Press (h/t ESPN) reported Appling was sentenced to one year in jail for resisting police and carrying a concealed weapon. In 2020, Darcie Moran of the Detroit Free Press reported he was arrested and charged with delivery or manufacture of less than 50 grams of a controlled substance and driving without a license.

The 2020 charge came after police said they found heroin in his car during a traffic stop that happened because he was driving erratically.

Appling played five games for the Magic during the 2015-16 season.

He is best known for his collegiate career, having played four seasons for the Spartans from 2010-11 through 2013-14.

Former Michigan State basketball player Keith Appling was arrested Monday in connection to a fatal shooting that occurred Saturday in Detroit, according to Miriam Marini of the Detroit Free Press.

The 29-year-old was arrested in Chelsea, Michigan, more than 50 miles from Detroit, and police said a firearm was recovered at the time of the arrest.

Appling had initially been named a suspect by the Detroit Police Department, who allege the former basketball player had a verbal altercation with a 66-year-old man that became physical. The police allege Appling fired multiple gunshots before fleeing the scene.

The man who was shot was pronounced dead at the scene.

Appling is best known for his time at Michigan State from 2010-14, where he averaged 10.6 points across 142 games. The Spartans won two Big Ten tournament titles with three trips to the Sweet 16 during his four-year career.

The point guard spent some time professionally in the G League and played five NBA games for the Orlando Magic in 2015-16. His career featured some international competition as well, most recently in Italy in 2019.

Legal trouble had been an issue for Appling in the past, however, including a one-year jail sentence in 2017 for carrying a concealed weapon and resisting police, per ESPN.com. He was also given 18 months probation in 2020 for drug-related charges.

Former Michigan State and Orlando Magic basketball player Keith Appling is a suspect in the shooting death of a 66-year-old man.

Detroit Police released a statement that said the victim and suspect "had a verbal altercation, which turned physical" Saturday in Detroit, per Brett Kast of WXYZ Detroit. The suspect then fired multiple gunshots and killed the older man before fleeing the scene.

Police identified the suspect as Appling and said he was "armed and dangerous."

Appling has had a number of run-ins with the law.

In February 2020, Darcie Moran of the Detroit Free Press reported he was arrested and charged with delivery or manufacture of less than 50 grams of a controlled substance and driving without a license after police said they found heroin in his car when they pulled him over for driving erratically.

The Associated Press (h/t ESPN) reported in August 2017 that he was sentenced to one year in jail for carrying a concealed weapon and resisting police.

Appling is best known for his time at Michigan State. He played for the Spartans for four seasons from 2010-11 through 2013-14 and helped lead them to the NCAA men's tournament four times and the 2014 Elite Eight.

While he went undrafted, he played in the NBA G League and appeared in five games for the Orlando Magic during the 2015-16 campaign.