Goran Suton News

Jamie Samuelsen, the sports director for the "Deminski & Doyle" morning show on WCSX-FM , blogs for freep.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the Detroit Free Press nor its writers.

Purdue has made it to the conference opener undefeated and figures to be the favorite to win the championship.

The 2000s were the glory days for MSU's men's basketball program. Michigan State started the decade by winning its first NCAA title since 1979 and returned to the national championship game in 2009.

Around this time last year, Michigan State desperately needed a boost of confidence when it arrived in Houston to play Texas before the Big Ten season.

East Lansing -- Derrick Nix believes his pudgier days were somewhat of a blessing.

Whenever the Texas Longhorns and the Michigan State Spartans get together, you are almost guaranteed a physical, down to the wire slugfest.

Ita TMs only right that the decadea TMs best team is well-represented on the All-Decade team.

By Brendan Bianowicz Staff REPORTER The college basketball season is now in full swing as many of the preseason tournaments are over.

A string of nonconference victories last season helped restore the Big Ten's reputation as an elite conference in men's basketball.

News, analysis, feature stories, random thoughts... if it's about college basketball, either in season or during the summer doldrums, you'll find it in Beyond the Arc.

Jamie Samuelsen, the sports director for the 'Deminski & Doyle' morning show on WCSX-FM , blogs for freep.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the Detroit Free Press nor its writers.

Larry Drew II scored 18 points and dished out six assists as North Carolina held off Michigan State's late rally.

Michigan State's run to last year's national title game was a clear indicator that the Big Ten is back among America's elite conferences.

East Lansing -- Before Michigan State gets its shot Tuesday for redemption against North Carolina, it has to go through Atlantic City.

Draymond Green recently was watching ESPN when the network started showing the greatest college basketball games involving mid-major schools.

In honor of tonight's game between Michigan State and Gonzaga, I wanted to take a look back at the one of the best basketball games I ever witnessed, the 2005 Maui Invitational match-up between the Spartans and Bulldogs.

Star reporters Terry Hutchens and Jeff Rabjohns update the conference and predict how the teams will finish.

For Tom Izzo, this is just about as good as it gets. His Spartans are No. 2 in the country, coming off a title game appearance in Detroit and favored to win the Big Ten.

It was Derrick Nix's 15 minutes of fame. Michigan State hopes to see many more of those.

After reaching the NCAA championship game last April, Michigan State knew it would begin this season with high expectations.