Michigan State Basketball

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.

The 2022 recruiting class for the Michigan State men's basketball team reportedly took a major hit Friday. 

According to basketball reporter Joe Tipton, Emoni Bates will decommit from the Spartans and reopen his recruitment. Bates is a 5-star prospect and the No. 1 overall player in his class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. 

This is not the first notable loss for Tom Izzo's 2022 recruiting class, as big man Enoch Boakye, who is a 4-star prospect on 247Sports' composite rankings, decommitted in February. Boakye then reclassified to the 2021 class and joined the Arizona State Sun Devils.

As for Bates, Tipton reported he is "open to both college and pro options."

Travis Branham of 247Sports noted "it will come as little surprise if Bates follows the footsteps of other elite prospects such as Jalen Green and goes the professional route."

The small forward checks in at 6'8" and 200 pounds, and 247Sports' Brandon Jenkins listed Paul George as an NBA player comparison.

Like George, Bates has the versatility to defend multiple positions, shoot from the outside, attack off the bounce and set up teammates when opposing defenses collapse on him. He can simply shoot over smaller defenders and blow past bigger ones, and that skill set should easily transition to the NBA.

Even if he was at Michigan State for just one season, he is someone who could guide the Spartans to the Final Four and a Big Ten championship.

Instead, he may look to explore his professional options before eventually reaching the NBA.

Michigan State guard Rocket Watts indicated he had also received death threats in his response to a post by Ohio State star E.J. Liddell that showed examples of hateful abuse he had received on social media:

https://twitter.com/RocketWatts/status/1373317398921625605

The threatening messages Liddell received came after the No. 2-seeded Buckeyes suffered an upset loss to No. 15 Oral Roberts in Round 1 of the 2021 NCAA tournament.

According to Myron Medcalf of ESPN, Ohio State has contacted the police regarding the messages.

Watts offered support for the fellow Big Ten player while acknowledging he also received hateful messages online.

Like Ohio State, Michigan State also lost its first game of March Madness. The Spartans suffered an 86-80 overtime loss to UCLA in Thursday's First Four game, marking the first time the program failed to reach the Round of 64 since 1997.

It was a relatively poor game from Watts, who finished 4-of-12 from the field and 1-of-6 from three-point range.

The sophomore had been a key part of Michigan State's late-season surge to even get an at-large bid, scoring 21 in an upset win over rival Michigan on March 7. He averaged 7.7 points and 2.7 assists per game in 2020-21 and would be a key part of the roster next season if he returns to school.

Move along, nothing to see here.

That is what former Michigan State player and current Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green said about the exchange between Spartans head coach Tom Izzo and forward Gabe Brown at the end of the first half of Thursday's game against UCLA:

Typical Michigan State exchange... move on RELAX!

— Draymond Green (@Money23Green) March 19, 2021

That’s what winning looks like!

— Draymond Green (@Money23Green) March 19, 2021

Although the Spartans finished the half with an 11-point lead, Izzo was not happy with their defense after they allowed a basket on the final possession before the buzzer. He and Brown exchanged words, with Izzo even grabbing his player's arm to get his attention:

Tom Izzo and Gabe Brown get into it 👀 https://t.co/kWncCN2Pkx

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 19, 2021

If anyone would know about Izzo's famous intensity, it is Green.

He was a Big Ten Player of the Year and consensus All-American during his time at Michigan State while playing for Izzo and clearly didn't have a problem with his former coach's tactics during the heated NCAA tournament game.

Their second top-five opponent in three days proved to be no problem for Michigan State as the Spartans defeated No. 4 Ohio State, 71-67, on Thursday night. 

2 top 5 teams in three days ✅✅ pic.twitter.com/J9eKTIUZjp

— Michigan State Men's Basketball (@MSU_Basketball) February 26, 2021

This is the 1st time that @MSU_Basketball has beaten #AP Top 5 #B1G teams in 2 straight games played in program history. They are the 1st D-1 unit to beat 2 league Top-5 foes in 2 straight overall outings since @UCLAMBB in 2016-17. @MSUnews @michiganstateu @B1GMBBall @bigten

— BTNStatsGuys (@BTNStatsGuys) February 26, 2021

The win, which brought the Spartans up to 13-9 on the season amid a three-game winning streak, came after the team upended No. 5 Illinois, 81-72 on Tuesday.

March must be near.... it’s a SPARTY PARTY baby!!!!

— Draymond Green (@Money23Green) February 26, 2021

Aaron Henry paced Michigan State with 18 points, while Gabe Brown was the only other Spartan to record double digits with 11 points. EJ Liddell tacked on 18 for Ohio State, which drops to 18-6. 

Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann was assessed a pair of technical fouls and was thrown out with seconds left to play as the Spartans closed in on the win, and the Buckeyes earned their second loss of the week. 

They were coming off of a 92-87 loss to No. 3 Michigan on Sunday.

Michigan State took the lead with 2:32 left to play on a free throw from Malik Hall, their first lead since the first seven minutes of the game, when they held a 15-13 advantage.

The Spartans used a 13-6 run in the final five minutes to seal the game. 

Both teams were called for 21 fouls, but Michigan State shot 76 percent from the line, scoring 19 points off of free throws compared to 17 from Ohio State for a slight edge. They also shot 48 percent from the field, proving slightly more consistent than the 44.2 percent from OSU. 

Ohio State will need to use its final two games of the season to ensure a higher seed heading into March, but they'll need to step it up. To close out the season, the Buckeyes will face No. 9 Iowa and end the year with No. 5 Illinois, both of whom they've defeated already this year.

Talked to @jppalmCBS earlier today. Said he'd have MSU in his bracket if they beat OSU.

Next two vs. Maryland/Indiana are still key. But clear path to the tourney for MSU now

— Kyle Austin (@kylebaustin) February 26, 2021

As for the Spartans, they'll have the opportunity to improve their March Madness stock with a pair of games against Maryland and Indiana before closing the season with two games against Michigan.

They've been buried in a tough Big Ten conference during the regular season, but Thursday's game was a major win in their quest to compete next month. 

Michigan State's frustrating route through the 2020-21 season has reached its defining stage. Depending on the Spartans' results in the next two weeks, they'll either be preparing for the NCAA tournament or watching from home.

The next six games include four Top Five clashes, both Illinois and Ohio State once and rival Michigan twice. There's no definite number of wins required, but anything worse than a 3-3 record may leave Tom Izzo's team on the wrong side of the March Madness bubble.

It's an irregular position for the blue-blood program, which has undergone a dramatic perception change in just 60 days.

Early on, the Spartans seemed destined for the NCAA tournament. History established that belief, considering MSU would've made its 23rd straight trip to March Madness last year. Despite losing Cassius Winston and Xavier Tillman, the team returned nearly everyone else in 2020-21, added Marquette transfer Joey Hauser and won six straight games to begin the season.

While the path to 6-0 had aesthetic flaws, MSU kept winning and climbed as high as No. 4 in the AP Top 25. And, hey, because of the pandemic-affected offseason, the retooled rotation needed a little time to develop as a unit, right?

Even after an unsightly three-game skid to Northwestern, Wisconsin and Minnesota, the Spartans relieved some nerves. They edged Nebraska and destroyed No. 15 Rutgers to reach 8-3.

But then the losses started piling up.

It started with a 17-point second-half collapse at home to Purdue. Following an extended pause due to coronavirus health and safety protocols, the Spartans returned with a horrendous 67-37 result at Rutgers and fell to Top 15 teams Ohio State and Iowa.

While victories over Nebraska and Penn State provided a chance to breathe, neither win accomplished much for MSU's overall outlook. Any positive feelings from those wins disappeared in the 88-58 loss to Iowa—the worst home loss of Izzo's 26-year tenure—and another letdown to Purdue.

That meandering path brings us to today, where the Spartans are 11-9 thanks to a weekend upset of Indiana.

Following the win, per Matt Charboneau of the Detroit News, Izzo labeled the next six games a "wicked stretch." Along with the featured games with Illinois, Ohio State and Michigan, the Spartans also travel to Maryland and host Indiana.

Had they lost to Indiana, we probably wouldn't be having this conversation. Instead, MSU is facing two diverging paths: Indiana was a nice victory in a bad season, or it kick-started a surge.

In his latest NCAA tournament forecast, B/R's Kerry Miller lists Michigan State as the fourth team out. BracketMatrix shows the Spartans included in zero of the 100 projections tracked.

Michigan State's 2-8 record against Quadrant 1 competition is the reason for this predicament. However, the resume is surviving because of 3-1 and 6-0 marks against Quadrant 2 teams and Quadrant 3/4 opponents, respectively. Now, the Spartans only have potential quality wins remaining.

Recent history says MSU could struggle and disappear from the bubble conversation anyway. Nobody should be surprised if the Spartans lose all four games to Illinois, Ohio State and Michigan. Slow starts, mediocre three-point shooting, turnovers and shaky defense have plagued them, and a victory over bubble-dwelling Indiana still showed everything but mediocre shooting.

"One game isn't going to make it all better," Izzo rightly told reporters after the Indiana win.

Yet the potential for something better is apparent, too. Given that beating Indiana put MSU back on the radar, imagine what upsetting a Top Five opponent would do.

Michigan State hosts Illinois and Ohio State this week. Even in an empty Breslin Center, home court is home court.

If the Spartans can manage a split, for example, it provides a route to 14-12 with victories over Maryland and Indiana—and that assumes two losses to Michigan. They can finish the regular season with eight Quadrant 1 and 2 wins and zero bad losses, which is respectable for a bubble team.

While, in theory, Michigan State could win the Big Ten tournament and secure an automatic bid, the reality is that's unlikely. Winning four or five games on consecutive days is hard enough, and MSU will have played these six games in 13 days.

Rather than viewing this wicked stretch as a miserable ending to rough year, however, the Spartans have an opportunity.

One win doesn't lessen the frustration of the last two months. But three or four victories would be a good start.

         

Statistics courtesy of KenPom.com or Sports-Reference.com, unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.