Michigan
Auburn’s Pearl not buying Izzo, MSU as underdogs
ATLANTA — As the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament, Auburn is, not surprisingly, a minus-4.5-point favorite against Michigan State in their Elite Eight matchup Sunday, according to ESPN BET.
But Auburn coach Bruce Pearl doesn’t believe the odds tell the true story of the game, suggesting Michigan State and its historically successful program should be the real favorite.
“Most of our guys are guys that were mid-majors or junior college or Division II,” Pearl said Saturday. “I’m not going to let Michigan State play the underdog card even though we’re a No. 1 seed and they’re a No. 2 seed. No, they’re Michigan State. They’re Kansas. They’re Duke. They’re North Carolina and we’re Auburn.
“We know our place. We know what we’re trying to go up against, and we know the uphill battle that it is when you play against a Hall of Fame coach and, obviously, a legendary program.”
Pearl also cited the number of McDonald’s All-Americans on their respective rosters as a factor in his position on the Spartans. Michigan State’s Xavier Booker and Jeremy Fears Jr. both played in the 2023 installment of the game, while Tahaad Pettiford is the only McDonald’s All-American on Auburn. He also noted Tom Izzo’s perfect record (10-0) against SEC teams in the NCAA tournament.
Izzo, however, doesn’t seem to agree. He said he and Pearl have been friends for years but he never gets caught up in the odds because anything can happen to a team, regardless of its seeding.
“I’ve been through so many of these, I’ve been a 2-seed that’s been beaten by a 15-seed,” Izzo said. “I’ve been a 1-seed that hasn’t gotten out of the first weekend, so I don’t buy any of that stuff, but if it makes them feel better, I’ll be the favorite. I’m cool with that. Whatever they want me to be, I’ll be.”
This season, Pearl’s team was ranked No. 1 for nearly three months after a 90-day stretch that featured just one loss. Pearl earned SEC coach of the year honors, Johni Broome was named SEC player of the year and three other Auburn players were honored by the league, too.
For Michigan State, Jase Richardson has matured into a projected lottery pick in ESPN’s latest 2025 NBA mock draft, but the Spartans did not have a player on the all-Big Ten first or second teams this season.
Still, Izzo said his focus is not on any comparison between the two programs because his team matters most at this stage.
“The game will be won by the players, not the bettors, not the media, not even the coaches,” Izzo added. “The game will be won by the players who play the game.”
Pearl and Izzo have history against one another.
Pearl cited his recent wins over Big Ten teams as the result of the collective edge in “athleticism” the SEC has had over the Big Ten in recent years. But the last time he faced Izzo in the Elite Eight, he left with a loss. He said he still blames himself for Tennessee’s 70-69 loss to Michigan State in 2010 because of the way he handled the final seconds of the game. On Sunday, he said he’ll have the same concerns he had about Michigan State 15 years ago.
“They’ve always been as athletic as anybody in the backcourt,” Pearl said. “Michigan State has elite athletes in the backcourt. Therefore, like my athletes, they guard. They can score in multiple ways. Then, his front lines are always big, strong, physical. They play really hard.”
Izzo didn’t recall every detail from that 2010 Elite Eight game against Tennessee that capped his 5-seed Michigan State team’s run to the Final Four that year. He said he’s only focused on his current group, which will have its hands full against Auburn, one of the most experienced teams in the field.
“In fact, [Pearl’s] team is very mature,” Izzo said. “I won’t say old. I prefer that people call me mature instead of old, so I’ll do the same thing for their 23- and 24-year-olds.”
Michigan
3 dead after vehicle collides with semitruck on Interstate 94 in Wayne County, Michigan State Police say
Three people are dead after a vehicle hit the back of a semitruck on Interstate 94 in Southeast Michigan late Friday, state officials said.
The Michigan State Police responded to the crash on eastbound I-94 near Michigan Avenue in Wayne County around 11:44 p.m. Investigators said the semitruck was stopped in traffic due to flooding when it was struck by the vehicle.
Three passengers in the vehicle that crashed into the semi died at the scene, according to the state law enforcement agency, and the driver was taken into custody.
The ages of the individuals involved in the collision have not yet been disclosed by officials.
As of Saturday afternoon, the investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Michigan
What to know about cyclosporiasis as Michigan health officials investigate 300+ cases in outbreak
Over 300 cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported within a week in Southeast Michigan, and Michigan health officials are investigating.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) are actively investigating the potential source of the “large and growing outbreak” of cases confirmed in Monroe, Lenawee, Washtenaw, Wayne, Shiawassee, Jackson and Livingston counties.
Health officials also reported 24 cases across 11 other Michigan counties, including in the city of Detroit. Typically, Michigan only gets around 50 cases per year.
On July 1, MDHHS reported there were at least 170 cases. On Thursday, the number of cases jumped to at least 300.
Read more –> Michigan health officials warn of ‘large and growing outbreak’ of cyclosporiasis
The age range of individuals who were diagnosed with the illness ranges from 8 years old to 84 years old, with a median age of 41, according to MDHHS.
Health officials are working to determine the common exposure of the outbreak in Michigan.
Here’s what to know about cyclosporiasis:
What is cyclosporiasis?
Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by a parasite and infects the small intestine.
Healthcare providers can diagnose the illness by testing a stool sample.
Signs and symptoms
If infected with cyclosporiasis, people may experience watery diarrhea with frequent and sometimes explosive bowel movements.
The illness can last from a few days to over a month if the illness is not treated. Symptoms could relapse.
The timeframe from becoming infected to becoming sick usually takes about one week but can range from two days to two weeks or more.
In the US, outbreaks of cyclosporiasis have been linked to various types of fresh produce. People can get infected with Cyclospora more than once.
Anyone who experiences symptoms of cyclosporiasis should see their healthcare provider.
How it spreads
The illness can spread when people eat food or drink water that was contaminated with feces.
The CDC said it can take at least one or two weeks outside the body for Cyclospora to become infectious after passing in a bowel movement, making direct person-to-person transmission unlikely.
How to prevent cyclosporiasis
According to the CDC, people can prevent infection by avoiding food or water that may contain feces and by following food safety recommendations for safe preparation and storage.
The CDC recommends washing hands with soap and water before and after handling or preparing raw fruits and vegetables.
Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water before eating, cutting or cooking. Cut away any damaged or bruised areas on fruits and vegetables before preparing and eating.
Read more on prevention here.
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A shooting altercation between two groups of young people at a shopping mall in Dearborn, Michigan, left two people dead and a third injured over what is typically the most violent weekend of the year in the US, police said.
The shooting occurred as the US began celebrating the Fourth of July, historically a holiday weekend that sees higher rates of gun violence across the country. In 2024, the Gun Violence Archive reported more than 500 shootings over Independence Day weekend.
The shooting at Fairlane Town Center on Friday sent mall patrons scrambling, including a person who was hit by a vehicle outside the mall while attempting to flee, said Issa Shahin, the Dearborn police chief.
People believed to be linked to the fight were being questioned at the police station, but no one was immediately taken into custody, he said.
Shahin said the altercation was not a random act: the two groups knew each other and after they came into contact at the mall a fight started that escalated into gunfire. Members of both groups had handguns, he said.
One of the victims died inside Fairlane Town Center and the other died at a nearby hospital. Details on the third person who was shot were not released.
The mall was evacuated after the shooting and police planned to keep it closed while they investigated.
A video posted to social media appeared to show people running from the shopping center after gunshots could be heard.
Fairlane Town Center has more than 125 stores and restaurants, according to its website.
Dearborn is a suburb of Detroit with a population of more than 100,000 people about nine miles west of Detroit.
Tyhrann Howard, Michigan state police specialist lieutenant, said the agency was assisting with the investigation and referred questions to the Dearborn police.
A person who answered the phone at the telephone number for mall security declined comment.
Associated Press contributed reporting
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