Tag Archives: Michigan State University

Kent City Did It Again

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There are few teams that lost as much as the Kent City Eagles did last spring as two all-time Kent City greats, Kenzie Bowers and Jenna Harrison, graduated. The two school and state record holders left the small town of Kent City, Michigan to continue their basketball careers in the collegiate ranks (Bowers at Illinois State and Harrison at Siena Heights).

One could have been forgiven for assuming the Eagles would take a step back in 2022, even as they brought back several key pieces of that historic run. The Eagles had other plans and have battled their way into the state final with an unblemished record for the second straight season after handling Madison Heights Bishop Foley with relative ease. The Eagles got a huge boost from junior guard Lexie Bowers, who was held to just 6 points in the state quarterfinal, but was on fire inside Breslin for the second straight year.

Last year the Eagles faced Grass Lake and Big 10 Indiana commit Lexus Bargesser & Northwood commit Gabi Lutchka. This year the Eagles advance to challenge another giant, Ypsilanti Arbor Prep.

The Gators are loaded with Division 1 talent and led by Texas A&M commit Mya Petticord and Bethune-Cookman commit Karianna Woods.

One could also be forgiven for thinking the Eagles should shift into “just glad to have made it” mode with such a task ahead of them Saturday evening. While Arbor Prep’s aggressive and physical style of play will be on display in the final, it should be expected to see a Kent City team ready to respond and play with a chip on their shoulder as well.

It is not often that the David in the “David and Goliath” metaphor is the defending state runner-up, but it is the place Kent City finds itself and the stigma they’ve been upending all season long on their way to a perfect 26-0 record going into the final matchup of the season with a state championship on the line.

MSU Spartans Standout Backs Out of Chick-fil-a Peach Bowl Game

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Junior Spartan star running back, Kenneth Walker III has announced that he will be entering the NFL Draft and forgoing his final year of collegiate eligibility. He has also announced that he will be withdrawing from participation in the team’s Chick-fil-a Peach Bowl game against Pitt to focus on combine preparation.

The move is a blow to the Spartan offense, which has largely relied on the stellar runner, but the matchup against Pitt is still a favorable one, as their opponent failed to earn a victory against MAC participant Western Michigan earlier in the year. Whether Pitt star quarterback, Kenny Pickett is undecided on participation in the game. In the end, the likely biggest loser in the Peach Bowl will be the viewers with stars holding out in the teams’ final games of the 2021-2022 season.

Going Bowling: All FBS Michigan Football Programs Earn Bowl Bids

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It will be a busy holiday season for each of the Michigan FBS programs. Michigan, Michigan State, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan all qualified and will participate in bowl games.

No. 2 ranked Michigan (12-1) will play on Friday, Dec. 31 against No.2 Georgia (12-1) in the Orange Bowl being played at Miami Gardens. Michigan earned their place in the college football playoff for the first time in program history after back to back statement wins against Ohio State in the season finale and Iowa in the Big 10 title game. The playoff semifinal game is set to air on ESPN at 7:30 p.m.

No. 10 Michigan State (10-2) will face off with No. 12 Pittsburgh (who lost earlier in the season to visiting Western Michigan) in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia. That game will be played Thursday, Dec. 30 at 7pm and will be aired on ESPN.

Western Michigan (7-5) will challenge Nevada at Ford Field in Detroit and have the benefit of the closest thing to a home game that a team can expect in a bowl game. Western Michigan had a disappointing stretch of games during the middle of the season before dominating MAC Champion, Northern Illinois, 42-21. Despite falling off high expectations and big wins early in the season, WMU will look to make one last statement against a solid Nevada program. The game kicks off early in the day on Monday, Dec. 27 at 11 am on ESPN.

Central Michigan (8-4), considered to be one of the top teams in the MAC after losing its only two conference games by a combined 12 points, will be participating in the Barstool Arizona Bowl. While Chippewa fans are excited to participate in the inaugural Barstool Bowl, many are also looking forward to the resurgent performance of Scott Stapp of Creed, reprising his infamous halftime escapades from a Thanksgiving feature in 2001z They will face the vaunted Boise State Broncos at 2 p.m. on New Years Eve and will be broadcast by Barstool Sports.

Eastern Michigan (7-5) will face Liberty on Saturday, Dec. 18, in the LendingTree Bowl. That game is set to kick off at 5:45 p.m. on ESPN.

Potter’s House Claims Victory over Alliance League Foe Black River: Advances to State Championship

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Wednesday night played out much like the rest of the postseason for the Potter’s House Pumas (Wyoming). The senior-laden squad has rode suffocating defense and constant offensive pressure through each round and against a gauntlet of some of the state’s top teams in division 4.

The pumas contest against Black River (Holland) was no exception as the two squared off at Pat Patterson Stadium in Kentwood, MI to decide which would be traveling to Novi this Saturday in hopes of earning a state championship.

Things seemed firmly in control for the pumas from the outset and the #6 ranked team was able to maintain ball control in the Black River zone most of the game. As a low scoring affair, soccer can swing for an underdog on a single play and Black River was not without opportunities of their own.

The River Rats were able to sneak the ball deep into puma territory, past an excellent back line, before being stifled on each shot by Potter’s House standout goalie, Seth Hoeksema.

Hoeksema and the puma defenders posted their second shutout of the postseason and in as many weeks.

While the Potter’s House defense took care of their end, it was time for the attackers to handle things on the other.

Puma senior and Michigan State commit, Jonathan Stout, made several incredible runs, often weaving in and out of wave after wave of Black River a laser-focused defense, but came up short on each attempt. A series of deflected or mishandled passes, Black River tackles and missed shots left things tied at 0-0.

That is until Stout pushed things into a higher gear.

Like a chef, sweetening the seasoning of a fine dish, Stout had trialed his big move several times in the first half. As the teams entered the final stretch in the first forty minutes, Stout once again sliced and diced his way through the defense and took a quality strike from centerfield, burned it past the River Rat goalie and buried the ball in the back of the net. Pumas 1 – River Rats 0.

That is how things would stand the rest of the night and the Pumas advance to yet another round of new territory, this time in the state championship game.

Potter’s House will face Clarkston Everest Collegiate this Saturday at 3pm at Novi High School for a chance to bring home the pumas first state championship in any sport.

Kent City Returns with State Finalist Trophy in Tow

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There is an old adage in basketball: end on a make. The quip relates to players’ seeming necessity to not end a shooting session or practice until they can end on a made basket. The final score did not reflect the outcome the Eagles had hoped it would as Grass Lake held on for the narrow 52-50 win at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, MI, but Kent City did what all competitors hope to do: end on a make. Despite the outcome being different than hoped, the Eagles capped off their season in a fitting way, making the final bucket of the 2021 Division 3 season.

As things kicked off on Friday afternoon, Grass Lake was clearly the beneficiary of fresh legs after their semifinal game on Wednesday was cancelled by forfeit and the Warriors came out firing on all cylinders. Kent City managed to hold Grass Lake All State performers, Lexus Bargesser and Abrie Cabana under wraps in the first half. That focus led to a wild shooting day for Grass Lake’s Gabi Lutchka. Lutchka played lights out in the first half with 14 points, including four three point buckets, before the Eagles held her scoreless in the second half. While the Eagles were able to spread the scoring around in the first half and benefitted from two stellar three point buckets by Taryn Preston, the Eagles shot a solid, but sustainable percentage from the field. That shooting kept them in the game, but the Eagles fell behind by double digits and looked to be out of it multiple times, only to rally back each and every time.

Bargesser took over the scoring duties in the second half for Grass Lake, most coming on fast break layups, and finished the day with an impressive stat line of 16 points, 10 rebounds, 5 steals and 1 block. The Warriors finish the season 20-1 and Division 3 champion.

The Eagles were led by senior guards Jenna Harrison and Kenzie Bowers who finished with 16 and 13, respectively. The Eagles finish their season 21-1 and brought home the school’s first ever girls basketball state finalist trophy. In the end, the Eagles battled back every time it appeared they were out of it and fell just two points short with the season ending 52-50 loss. This won’t be the last time these seniors see the hardwood as Kenzie Bowers heads to Illinois State and Jenna Harrison will continue her basketball career at Sienna Heights next year. The 2021 senior class will be a tough hole to fill, but if this post-season has showed one thing, it is that the Eagles have a bright future ahead of them with several returners ready to take over as program leaders.

Eagles Fly High on way to State Championship

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The Kent City Eagles (21-0) received their first real test of the post-season against undefeated Calumet High School, but answered the call to hand the Copper Kings their first loss of the season in the state semi-final game. Calumet ends their season with a record of 20-1.

While much of the Kent City plaudits are doled out to the senior pair of Jenna Harrison and Kenzie Bowers, and deservedly so, the Eagles were driven largely by underclassman in the early going.

The game opened up for the Eagles with freshman Maddie Geers leading the way on the scoreboard, breaking loose inside the Copper King defense and finding her way to the bucket on several trips down the court. Things began to slow on the offensive end for Kent City and shots were uncharacteristically off the mark in the unfamiliar confines of the Breslin Center arena. They were off the mark, that is, until another underclassman, sophomore guard Lexie Bowers, came alive and dropped repeated triples that pulled the Eagles from several possessions behind to a small lead part way through the second quarter. Though Lexie Bowers didn’t post anymore points after that blitz, the run was crucial to getting Kent City back into things when they needed it most.

That flurry put Kent City in the driver’s seat most of the rest of the afternoon. Calumet made several runs throughout the game and even took the lead again on a few occasions, but those early runs enabled other Eagles to find their shooting touch and join the scoring fun.

The bigger court neutered the Kent City press to some degree and the arena setting cooled early shooting, but the Eagles pushed on until things started to click up and down the roster. Despite a slow shooting start, Jenna Harrison rallied back in the second half to lead all Eagles scorers with 15 and was followed by Maddie Geers (14), Kenzie Bowers (13), Lexie Bowers (10) and Emmalyn Geers (7). In the end, the Eagles held on for the 59-53 semi-final victory.

Once again, Kent City showed that they win games as a team and has players capable of stepping up to score when others start cold. The team first mentality is behind so much of the Eagles’ success this season and they will need to conjure every ounce of it when they face the vaunted Warriors of Grass Lake High School who notably beat Detroit Renaissance; a team that will be participating in the Division 1 State Final this week.

Despite the long odds and underdog status, Kent City seems prepped to slug it out with anyone.

Fifth Annual Big Ten Women’s Basketball Preview Tips Off Wednesday

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ROSEMONT, Ill. – With the 2020-21 women’s college basketball season rapidly approaching, the Big Ten Conference will hold its annual Women’s Basketball Preview this Wednesday-Friday, Nov. 11-13.

Now in its fifth year, the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Preview continues to reimagine the traditional preseason media day event, expanding it into several days of coverage dedicated entirely to all 14 Big Ten women’s basketball programs. What’s more, the complete Big Ten Women’s Basketball Preview content package is available online and on demand, whether on the Preview Central web site or through the Big Ten’s social media channels.


This year’s Big Ten Women’s Basketball Preview is expected to feature the most robust collection of content in the event’s five-year history, focusing on all 14 Big Ten women’s basketball programs, from interviews and highlights to feature stories, creative digital and social media offerings and unique behind-the-scenes access as the 2020-21 women’s basketball season gets started later this month.

Big Ten Men’s Basketball 2020-21 Preseason Honors Announced

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ROSEMONT, Ill. — Iowa senior center Luka Garza has been chosen as the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year heading into the 2020-21 men’s basketball season, as voted on by a panel of conference media members. Garza was selected as the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2019-20 after leading the Hawkeyes to a 20-11 overall record with an 11-9 finish in Big Ten play. He is the second consecutive student-athlete to earn Player of the Year and then be selected as the Preseason Player of the Year the following season. Former Michigan State Spartan Cassius Winston received the preseason accolade in 2019-20 after claiming postseason honors following the 2018-19 season. 

The media also selected a 10-member Preseason All-Big Ten Team with eight conference programs represented.

Garza, along with Illinois junior guard Ayo Dosunmu, were unanimous selections to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team. Illinois sophomore center Kofi Cockburn, Indiana sophomore forward Trayce Jackson-Davis, Iowa junior guard/forward Joe Wieskamp, Michigan State junior forward Aaron Henry, Minnesota junior guard Marcus Carr, Purdue junior forward Trevion Williams, Rutgers senior guard Geo Baker and Wisconsin senior forward Nate Reuvers also earned preseason accolades.

Garza and Dosunmu earned first-team media All-Big Ten honors in 2019-20. Carr, Cockburn, Jackson-Davis, Reuvers and Wieskamp were third-team media selections while Baker and Williams collected honorable mention plaudits last year. Cockburn and Jackson-Davis were also All-Freshman Team honorees.

2020-21 PRESEASON BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Luka Garza, Senior Center, Iowa

2020-21 PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN TEAM

Kofi Cockburn, Sophomore Center, Illinois

Ayo Dosunmu, Junior Guard, ILLINOIS (Unanimous)

Trayce Jackson-Davis, Sophomore Forward, Indiana

Luka Garza, Senior Center, Iowa (Unanimous)

Joe Wieskamp, Junior Guard/Forward, Iowa

Aaron Henry, Junior Forward, Michigan State

Marcus Carr, Junior Guard, Minnesota

Trevion Williams, Junior Forward, Purdue

Geo Baker, Senior Guard, Rutgers

Nate Reuvers, Senior Forward, Wisconsin

Big Ten Hockey Preseason Honors & Poll

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Big Ten Hockey Preseason Honors

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Minnesota was tabbed the favorite in the 2020-21 Big Ten hockey preseason coaches’ poll, the conference announced on Monday. The coaches also selected Preseason All-Big Ten teams, highlighted by a pair of 2019-20 individual award winners.

Michigan was selected second in the preseason poll, with Notre Dame and Ohio State tying for third, Wisconsin taking fifth, Michigan State placing sixth and defending Big Ten Champion Penn State rounding out the poll in seventh.

The Preseason All-Big Ten teams are comprised of six players on each team: three forwards, two defensemen and one goaltender. All seven schools were represented on the Preseason All-Big Ten teams, led by Michigan and Minnesota with four honorees each. Thirteen standouts who earned All-Big Ten accolades last season are featured on the preseason teams, including 2020 Big Ten Goaltender of the Year Strauss Mann from Michigan and Wisconsin’s Cole Caufield, the 2020 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Scoring Champion.  

The list also includes eight students who were Academic All-Big Ten honorees last season in Michigan’s Mann, Michigan State’s Dennis Cesana, Minnesota’s Sammy Walker, Notre Dame’s Matt Hellickson and Spencer Stastney, Ohio State’s Quinn Preston and Gustaf Westlund, and Penn State’s Alex Limoges.

2020-21 Preseason All-Big Ten Hockey Team
(Michigan & Michigan State Nominees)

FIRST TEAM            

Cameron York, D, MICH

Dennis Cesana, D, MSU

Strauss Mann, G, MICH

SECOND TEAM

Johnny Beecher, F, MICH

Mitch Lewandowski, F, MSU

HONORABLE MENTION

Owen Power, D, MICH

2020-21 BIG TEN PRESEASON POLL

Michigan comes into the season ranked at #2 in the Big 10 and Michigan State is ranked 7th.

Michigan State Walloped by Iowa

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Just one week ago, the Michigan State Spartans celebrated a dominant upset over in-state rival Michigan Wolverines. The effort netted the Spartans a Freshman Player of the Week Award and ignited hopes that things were heading in the right direction behind the arm of junior quarterback, Rocky Lombardi.

Week 3 buried those hopes under a mountain of points laid on the Spartans by the Iowa Hawkeyes who made quick work of the visiting squad and pummeled their way to a 49-7 drubbing.

While Lombardi looked excellent in week 2, he struggled in all facets on Saturday afternoon in Iowa. He completed just 46% of his passes and hurled 3 interceptions. Sophomore wide receiver, Jalen Nailor, provided a small bright spot with 4 catches and 119 yards receiving. The outing solidifies the evidence that MSU’s young receiving corp is worth watching.

Iowa dominated on the ground and enforced their will with 4 rushing touchdowns.

Things are likely going to be tough next week as the Spartans challenge an undefeated Indiana team that handled Michigan this afternoon.

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