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Is Michigan State safe from the NCAA Tournament bubble? Selection Sunday anxiety builds

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Is Michigan State safe from the NCAA Tournament bubble? Selection Sunday anxiety builds


East Lansing, Mich. – When Michigan State played Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals on Friday, it didn’t feel like a must-win situation, but it might have been.

The Spartans wake up this morning in a more precarious NCAA Tournament bubble predicament than most observers anticipated.

At stake is Michigan State’s streak of 25 straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament. That’s the third longest in college basketball history. The Spartans can overtake North Carolina’s streak of 27 and post the second-longest streak in history if the Spartans make The Big Dance this year and the next two years. 

Tom Izzo’s streak of 25 consecutive appearances is the most by any coach in the history of the game. 

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Those streaks are on the line today as the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee meets to decide the fate of several bubble teams, one of which is Michigan State. This will likely be the most uneasy Selection Sunday of the past 26 years for Izzo and Michigan State.

With North Carolina State winning the ACC’s automatic bid and Oregon winning the Pac-12’s automatic bid, those two surprise teams stole bids from teams that were previously on the bubble. That means teams that weren’t on the bubble a couple of days ago have been bumped down a couple of pegs into the danger zone – and Michigan State is one of them.

ESPN’s Joe Lunardi had Michigan State comfortably in the tournament two days ago. But now he has the Spartans as one of the “last four in.” He has the Spartans a notch below TCU, and a notch ahead of Oklahoma and Colorado. That’s a thin margin of error for Michigan State. 

Lunardi is well-respected for his projections, but there are occasionally Selection Sunday surprises, enough to make Spartans fans sweat when the brackets are announced at 6 p.m. on Sunday. 

Lunardi has Michigan State playing Oklahoma in a “First Four” game in Dayton, for the right to play No. 7 seed Gonzaga in Salt Lake City. The survivor would face No. 2 seed Arizona if the chalk holds.

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CBS’s Jerry Palm has the Spartans somewhat comfortably in as a No. 10 seed. He has Dayton, St. John’s, Northwestern and Texas A&M as the last four in. He has Pitt, Colorado, Virginia and Seton Hall as the first four out. 

Lunardi has St. John’s, Virginia, Seton Hall and Indiana State as the “first four out.” 

Lunardi and Palm disagree about their first four out and last four in – again, enough to make Michigan State fans squeamish about a lack of consensus. 

The NET ranking is a key metric to keep an eye on. That’s a ranking the NCAA Selection Committee has valued above all others in recent years. No team ranked outside the Top 30 in the NET has ever failed to get an NCAA Tournament bid. But that could change this year.

Michigan State has a strong No. 25 ranking in the NET. Colorado is No. 24. Indiana State is No. 30, and both major bracketologists are projecting that the Sycamores aren’t going to make the field. 

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Dayton appears strong at No. 23 in the NET with a 24-7 record. 

Northwestern had a better Big Ten season than Michigan State but has a NET ranking of No. 54, due in part to a non-conference strength of schedule which ranks No. 330, compared to Michigan State’s No. 44.

St. John’s (No. 34), Seton Hall (No. 66) and Virginia (No. 55), each of whom Lunardi has out, don’t have strong NET rankings.

Palm has St. John’s and Northwestern in. He has Pitt (No. 41 in the NET) and Colorado (No. 24 in the NET) out. 

Colorado out with a No. 24 NET? Again, these conflicting interpretations are enough to cause Spartan palpitations. The comparisons are dizzying. 

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Palm seems to be the bracketologist who is most bullish on Michigan State. He has the Spartans playing against No. 7 Gonzaga in Omaha, with the winner playing No. 2 seed Iowa State if the chalk holds. 

Playing Iowa State in Omaha would be a major problem for any team. Iowa State is red hot after racing through the Big 12 Conference Tournament and has a huge fan following that will travel to Omaha in large, loud numbers. 

Iowa State will have a home court advantage against whichever team it faces in the Second Round. That would be a difficult date for Michigan State, but one that most Spartan fans would accept, if they could, considering the air of uncertainty that will accompany Selection Sunday’s bracket announcements. 

Tom Izzo (Photo by Junfu Han | USA Today Network).



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Michigan heatwave on way. See day likely to set a record high

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Michigan heatwave on way. See day likely to set a record high


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Get ready to sweat, Michigan.

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The summer’s first big heatwave is expected to start on Monday, bringing a four-day stretch of potential 90-plus-degree temperatures to much of the state, across the Midwest and parts of the East Coast.

The National Weather Service is advising Michiganians to limit time outdoors and stay hydrated in the leadup to Independence Day.

The heatwave is projected to peak on Tuesday, the final day of June, when virtually the entirety of Lower Michigan and surrounding states will be considered at major risk of heat-related effects, according to NWS.

Anyone without access to cooling or hydration or who must engage in prolonged outdoor activity or strenuous labor will face a significantly elevated risk of heat-related illness, including heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

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The NWS office in Marquette said above-normal humidity is expected to accompany the high temperatures, elevating the risk.

About 16 people a year die from heat and heat-related illnesses in Michigan, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Relief will be minimal, experts advised. Thunderstorms are unlikely during the heatwave, AccuWeather reported, and overnight lows are expected to drop only into the mid-70s, according to NWS.

‘Heat dome’ bringing near-record temperatures

AccuWeather attributes the warmup to a “heat dome,” which is a high-pressure system that traps hot air and prevents cooling. The weather system will bring above-normal temperatures throughout the central and eastern states. St. Louis could log eight straight days of at least 90 degrees.

Lower Michigan is expected to see this summer’s first consecutive 90-plus-degree days. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are all currently expected to climb past that mark.

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Currently, the hottest day on record this year in Detroit was May 18, when the mercury climbed to 90 degrees, according to NWS data.

High temperatures are likely to approach daily records during next week’s heatwave. Detroit’s record highs for June 29 through July 2 are 96, 96, 98 and 99, respectively. The weather service currently projects highs of 91, 97 and 95 for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. A high for Thursday is not yet available.

On average, temperatures during this time of year top out around 81 or 82, NWS data shows.

The high temperatures approach the United States as Western Europe swelters under a record-setting heatwave that is expected to persist through the end of the week. On Wednesday, Britain and France both logged the hottest June days on record, Reuters reported.

mreinhart@detroitnews.com

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Body of 13-year-old boy who went missing in Lake Michigan waters recovered by Indiana officials

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Body of 13-year-old boy who went missing in Lake Michigan waters recovered by Indiana officials


The body of a 13-year-old boy who went into Lake Michigan waters at a northwest Indiana beach and didn’t resurface has been recovered, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

The recovery was confirmed to NBC Chicago Wednesday morning. It comes two days after officials say the boy went swimming at Washington Beach in Michigan City with a group of friends.

No further details on the boy’s identity have been released.

Searches for the boy were suspended Monday night and Tuesday due to “challenging water conditions” and high waves. All day Monday, Lake Michigan beaches in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan were under a high swim risk with a beach hazards statement from the National Weather Service in effect.

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The statement warned of dangerous waves as high as five feet, and “life threatening currents.”

The incident unfolded about 5:43 p.m. Monday at Washington Park Beach, with Michigan City police responding to the beach for a possible drowning. Witnesses say they saw a child wearing red shorts enter the water on the east side of the catwalk just south of the lighthouse and then disappear beneath the surface.

Dangerous water conditions “significantly complicated search efforts,” Michigan City police said. About 10:44 p.m., police posted an update saying dive operations had been suspended “due to hazardous conditions that posed a risk to responder safety.”

According to the update, three of the four MCFD divers sustained minor injuries during the search and were transported to a nearby hospital for evaluation. A DNR diver was also injured, police said, and was evaluated on scene.

“Strong currents, changing wave action, and limited visibility beneath the water can quickly overwhelm even experienced swimmers and rescuers,” police said. “We urge everyone to pay close attention to beach conditions, heed all posted warnings, and stay out of the water when hazardous conditions are present.”

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According to the Great Lakes Surf Rescue Project, there have been 23 Great Lakes drownings to date in 2026. 12 of those, the site showed, have been in Lake Michigan.



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Michigan basketball champ Yaxel Lendeborg joins Warriors, gets chance to learn from Curry, Draymond Green

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Michigan basketball champ Yaxel Lendeborg joins Warriors, gets chance to learn from Curry, Draymond Green


NEW YORKMichigan Wolverines national champion Yaxel Lendeborg grew up rooting against Stephen Curry and Draymond Green; now he’ll be learning from them.

The Golden State Warriors selected him with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft on Tuesday night, adding a versatile, defense-first playmaker from a national championship team to a franchise built on championship standards.

“It’s a full-circle moment for me,” Lendeborg said after being drafted.“I’ve been saying this every time I get asked this question, but in 2016, I’m a big Kyrie guy, so I used to hate Steph Curry. So now that I’m actually gonna be on the same team with him, play and actually learn so much from him, it means a lot.”

Lendeborg said Curry’s reputation extends beyond the court.

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“I met him a couple of times. He’s a very great guy, genuine person, and it’s gonna be an honor to be able to watch him do what he does in person,” Lendeborg said.

Lendeborg is coming off a breakout season at Michigan, where he helped former coach Dusty May’s Wolverines win a national championship.

He became one of college basketball’s top defenders, earning a spot on the Big Ten All-Defensive Team while developing into a versatile forward who could impact the game on both ends.

“I feel like what will translate quickly for me would be just my defense, my versatility,” Lendeborg said. “Just the IQ of the game, making the right reads, making the play at the right time.”

In Golden State, Lendeborg will also have a chance to learn from veteran Draymond Green, the longtime Warriors leader and Michigan State Spartans legend, known for defense, playmaking, and voice in the locker room.

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One immediate adjustment will be a new jersey number.

Lendeborg wore No. 23 at Michigan, but Green wears it for the Warriors.

Lendeborg joked that his backup choice, No. 3, is also unavailable.

“I think now that I’m stepping into the NBA, I’m going to step in with another number and start a new legacy,” Lendeborg said.

He also carried his Michigan rivalry energy with him on draft night. Asked if he would wear Michigan State gear to convince Green to give up No. 23, Lendeborg quickly said no.

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“Nah, I’m not doing that, man,” Lendeborg said. “I hate those guys. I only been there for one year, but I definitely hate those guys.”

Lendeborg pointed to Michigan’s success against the Spartans during its title run.

“They can’t really say much because I went 2-0 against them this year,” Lendeborg said. “They’re gonna be little brother for me forever.”

Lendeborg also said his decision to return to college for another season helped him develop before making the jump to the NBA.

“When I was getting recruited by Dusty, he said he was going to make me a lottery pick,” Lendeborg said. “Evidently, he made me a lottery pick.”

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“I went back because I didn’t feel like I was ready yet,” Lendeborg added. “I wanted to become a better person, better player. I wanted to develop pro habits.”

Michigan’s championship group shared draft night moments as several Wolverines were selected in the first round.

Lendeborg said the players stayed connected throughout the process.

“We were all super excited, super nervous,” Lendeborg said. “We were just talking about who we think is going to go first, who’s going where.”

He also joked that Dusty May would leave Michigan for the Dallas Mavericks after the title, then select teammate Morez Johnson Jr. No. 9 overall.

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“I’m definitely mad at Dusty right now because we know who his favorite is now,” Lendeborg said.

Despite the banter, he said he was happy for his former teammate.

“I’m super happy for Morez. He definitely deserves it, and he’s going to be a great pro for sure,” he said.

Now Lendeborg heads to Golden State with the confidence of a champion and the chance to learn from champions.

“I’m super excited,” Lendeborg said. “I’m excited to be there and play

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