Michigan
Michigan State basketball proves it can stay cool, calm after stressful start
Video, Bryant and Michigan State fans set for Cleveland March Madness
Bryant and Michigan State basketball fans get ready for the Bulldogs and Spartans to play a first-round March Madness game Friday in Cleveland.
CLEVELAND — For a while, it looked like it might be one of those games.
Tom Izzo knows them well. The underdog comes out with its hair on fire. An uppercut here. A body blow there.
A couple 3-pointers. A few blocks. And halfway through the first half, the underdog has the lead, as Bryant did over Michigan State.
Remember when MSU began the NCAA tournament as a No. 2 seed in 2016?
Of course you do. And for a moment, the Middle Tennessee vibes were pulsating.
It had been a minute since the Spartans entered the postseason with such a high seed, and with this much expectation. It feels different.
And it felt different here at Rocket Arena.
MSU showed its nerves — and its youth — in particular spots.
The Spartans were amped to start — overamped, truthfully — and when Jase Richardson barely hit the rim on his first two shots, you could see the freshman guard was struggling to catch his breath.
Bryant scored the first five points. The Spartans missed their first four shots — and their first free throw. It wasn’t until Jaden Akins, the senior, got to the free throw line that Spartans scored.
He followed with a 3-pointer. And as he ran down the court, he pushed his palms down near MSU’s bench, motioning everyone to calm down, that everything would be fine.
Eventually, it was, as MSU beat Bryant, 87-62, to advance to the second round, where it will play New Mexico here Sunday.
Pushed around?
“I thought we got pushed around a little bit in the first half,” Izzo said. “And maybe that was me. I don’t know. But we did a better job the second half.”
Punched in the mouth, he called it. And for a coach who has built his program to take the swings, it was hard to watch the beginning.
Then Akins hit the shot to settle things. From there, Coen Carr catapulted the Spartans. The sophomore forward played the game of his life. He ran the floor, as he always does, and dunked. He rebounded, too. Mostly, he supercharged MSU.
“It was infectious,” Izzo said.
Not to mention critical.
Bryant is long on the perimeter and tough everywhere. And unlike so many teams reluctant to crash the offensive glass because of the Spartans’ lethal fastbreak, the Bulldogs were fearless there, too.
their athleticism may not have surprised the Spartans, but it bothered them — especially early — and forced the Spartans to swarm the defensive glass as well, keeping them from running.
Points were a struggle early — except for Carr, who finished with a game-high 18.
He hit a pull-up from the left elbow midway through the first half. On the next possession, he laid it up after a balletic spin. And when he got to the free throw line after getting the chance at a three-point play, he knocked it down — a relief, considering his normally reliable teammates were misfiring from the line.
Twice, he soared in for offensive rebounds. Each time, he rose up and dunked the putbacks off two feet, single-handedly keeping the upset vibes at bay.
“I wasn’t going to let my team lose today,” Carr said. “I just tried to play as hard as I can, tried to get every rebound I can and just make the most of my opportunities out there.”
He started the second half in place of Szymon Zapala, only coming out to take a brief rest. It was his game. His athleticism countered the Spartans’ 15th-seeded opponent. Or at least helped to match it.
His game was made for the matchup — and for the moment.
Because he doesn’t live on the perimeter, where nerves can get in the way, he was free to unleash his otherworldly hops and quickness.
Izzo has been waiting for him to attack the boards like this, and to play defense like this.
“Coen ignited us on offense, especially when things (weren’t) going our way,” teammate Jeremy Fears Jr. said. “He was a big piece in getting this win today and helping us pull away.”
Not, technically, his first rodeo
This was not Carr’s first time under the NCAA tournament spotlight.
But he didn’t get this kind of run a year ago as MSU fell in the second round. He took advantage of the opportunity.
Where Richardson and Fears, and even Jaxon Kohler, took a bit to find their footing — and slow their heart rates — Carr channeled his extra juice into a season-saving night. Kohler was so nervous and jacked up, he couldn’t find his rebounding rhythm — or his normal feel for the ball on the block.
As for Carson Cooper?
Izzo didn’t lean on him early, then spent time kneeling next to him on the bench. Bryant’s front line outmuscled and outmaneuvered MSU’s bigs. Kohler and Cooper knew it was coming, but needed a minute to adjust.
Carr gave them those minutes to figure things out.
Maybe they win without his breakout turn, but not likely.
Izzo refused to acknowledge his team walked off the floor with more teachable moments. He wants his team to be past that by now.
It’s tournament time. The “my bad” excuse doesn’t work this time of year, as he likes to say.
“There should be no eye openers, I don’t think,” Izzo said. “We’ll talk about that tonight when we get back (to the hotel). It wasn’t looking real good there, and I think if (Bryant) would have kept close, (with) the way those three guys could shoot it, I wouldn’t have liked for that thing to come down to the nitty-gritty, and I think our team will learn that.”
He wanted a better, cleaner start — and who can blame him?
His team may not have overwhelming talent, but it has thrived all season within its relatively small margin for error. Look at the way these Spartans closed the Big Ten regular season.
“We know what it’s like to show up every night, and we’ll have to do better,” he said.
To make a run, they’ll have to.
To make a run, they’ll have to survive the occasional fits and spurts — and to do that, someone will have to lift the group. Carr did that Friday night, making sure MSU’s postseason didn’t end almost as soon as it started.
This is how it has been for these Spartans all season: If one side of the floor gets a little sticky, someone on the other side gasses it.
Sunday, against New Mexico, it may be someone else. Or it may be someone else and Carr again.
Because what he did, he can duplicate.
Energy is like that — and he is proving to have an unlimited supply.
Contact Shawn Windsor: swindsor@freepress.com. Follow him @shawnwindsor.
Michigan
Sherrone Moore’s former assistant sues University of Michigan over alleged FOIA violations
A former University of Michigan assistant whose relationship with ex-coach Sherrone Moore was under investigation is accusing university officials of refusing to provide records related to the probe.
Paige Shiver filed the lawsuit on Wednesday in Washtenaw Circuit Court, claiming that U of M “arbitrarily and capriciously” violated the Michigan Freedom of Information Act by repeatedly denying her requests. Shiver and her legal team are seeking a court order requiring the university to disclose the records.
The lawsuit also alleges that throughout Shiver’s four-year employment with U of M, she was “discriminated against and subjected to a hostile work environment on the basis of her sex, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Michigan law including Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act.”
“The lawsuit filed today demands transparency and accountability from the University of Michigan, President Grasso and the Board of Regents,” said Shiver’s attorney, Andrew M. Stroth.
On Wednesday, CBS News Detroit reached out to U of M, which says it has no comment.
The investigation led to Moore’s firing in December 2025. At the time, it was determined that he was in an inappropriate relationship with a staffer, who was later identified as Shiver.
Moore was arrested hours later after authorities said he went to Shiver’s home and threatened to harm himself. He was charged with third-degree felony home invasion, as well as misdemeanor counts of stalking and of breaking and entering. Moore was sentenced to 18 months’ probation after pleading no contest to the two misdemeanor charges.
According to the lawsuit, Shiver filed a FOIA request in February 2026 for audio, video and transcripts of interviews of herself, her father, Jeff Shiver, and Moore. The lawsuit alleges that the university denied her request, citing the ongoing investigation.
The lawsuit alleges that Shiver submitted a similar request months later, in June, but was told by the university that it was “overly broad and vague” and “does not describe a ‘public record sufficiently to enable the public body to find the public record.’”
The lawsuit claims that requests were submitted in March and May, respectively, for all emails sent to the law firm Jenner & Block (UMconcerns@jenner.com) and for recordings of Shiver’s meetings by the university through Jenner & Block. However, those requests were denied because the university cited that it had no responsive records, according to the lawsuit.
The law firm was hired by U of M to investigate Moore and Shiver’s relationship. The university later expanded the investigation to include the athletic department.
The lawsuit also claims that Shiver requested copies of emails between Moore and athletic director Warde Manuel that contained the words “affair,” “discipline,” “pregnancy,” “baby” and “abortion.” The university denied the request, citing the communication between U of M employees as “exempt information,” according to the lawsuit.
However, Shiver’s legal team argued that the university has not shown evidence that the emails are exempt.
“This public university paid Jenner & Block $12 million to investigate the Sherrone Moore scandal and the abuse, Title IX and Title VII violations within the athletic department and Schembechler Hall, yet now refuses to release the investigation’s findings. It was important for our client to file this initial FOIA lawsuit to ensure the truth and facts come out,” Stroth said.
Shiver appeared on ABC News’ “Good Morning America” in April to discuss her relationship with Moore. In the interview, she said she became pregnant by Moore and sought an abortion after medical complications were discovered about the pregnancy.
Note: The video above previously aired on April 14, 2026.
Michigan
‘Big Brother’ season 28 to premiere this week. One guest from Michigan
Meet the 3 New Jersey contestants on ‘Big Brother’ 28
Three New Jersey contestants are joining ‘Big Brother’ Season 28. Meet the Maplewood, Washington Township and Monroe Township houseguests.
Doors will to the “Big Brother” house will open soon, as season 28 premieres this week — and the cast list includes one guest from northern Michigan.
At 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 9, “Big Brother” season 28 will premiere on CBS to introduce the new guests in a 90-minute episode.
“This season’s cast includes an MMA fighter, rocket scientist, game show host, daughter of an ’80s pop star, and a DRAG RACE All Star, among others,” CBS said in a July 7 announcement. “This new group of Houseguests is stepping into a summer where nothing is as it seems, where every twist rewrites the rules, and where time becomes the ultimate twist.”
There is one Michigan guest, Rome Seymour, 28, who works as a professional pickleball coach from Traverse City.
“I would describe myself as bashful, extroverted and extremely excitable. To be on ‘Big Brother’ is a dream. I’ve never felt anything as exiting as this before,” Seymour said in the “Big Brother” July 7 live cast announcement video.
Seymour said he will use his inner nerdiness to befriend and protect guests who are perhaps similar.
“I see myself as hero, but I think a lot of people in the house are going to see me as a villain just because I’m so competitive that I want to win,” Seymour said.
After the 14 guests were revealed by CBS, the cast was said to be joined by long-time “Survivor” contestant Rick Devens, according to a July 7 Entertainment Weekly article.
Here’s more on the cast and how to tune in this week:
What is ‘Big Brother’ about? What is the theme for season 28?
“Big Brother,” is a reality TV show that follows a group of people living in a large house surrounded by 112 cameras and 113 microphones as an unfiltered 24-hour live feed to capture every interaction, strategic move and challenge.
A guest will be voted off each week, and the last remaining guest will win the grand prize of $750,000, according to CBS.
The theme for season 28 is called, “Time Trip,” according to Sneak Peak from Paramount+.
Is anyone from Michigan on ‘Big Brother’ season 28?
Yes. There is one guest from Michigan on season 28 of “Big Brother:” Rome Seymour, 28, is a professional pickleball coach from Traverse City, located in the northwest Lower Peninsula.
Full ‘Big Brother’ season 28 cast list
Here is the full guest list for “Big Brother” season 28:
- Rick Devens, 42: TV journalist and long-time “Survivor” contestant from Blacksburg, Virginia.
- Jason De Puy, 35: Drag Queen and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alum from San Francisco, California.
- Ashley Trail, 24: Bartender from Alton, Illinois.
- Barrett Pfeiffer, 27: Jumbotron Engineer from Benton, Arkansas.
- Chuk Anyanwu, 27: Supply Chain Analyst from Dallas, Texas.
- Drew Campbell, 22: Surgical Dental Assistant from Temecula, California.
- Haley Thogmartin, 29: Telemedicine Executive from Neosho, Missouri.
- Rome Seymour, 28: Pickleball Coach from Traverse City, Michigan.
- Kamuela “Kamu” Kirk, 32: MMA Fighter from Phoenix, Arizona.
- LaTrice Verrett, 57: Boutique Salesperson from Kankakee, Illinois.
- Lyric Medeiros, 25: Attorney from Honolulu, Hawaii.
- Mallory Aurichio, 24: Rocket Scientist from Township of Washington, New Jersey.
- Melody Morris, 24: Corporate Game Show Host from Thornton, Colorado.
- Taylor Brown, 27: Elementary School Counselor from Deerfield Beach, Florida.
- Yash Patel, 24: Financial Analyst from Monroe Township, New Jersey.
What time does ‘Big Brother’ season 28 premiere?
The 90-minute “Big Brother” season 28 premiere is set to air at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 9.
“Big Brother: Unlocked,” will air at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, July 10, and a 90-minute episode will air at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 12.
Where can I stream the ‘Big Brother’ premiere this week?
“Big Brother” Season 28 will air on CBS and will be available on Paramount+ Premium, priced at $13.99 per month.
Paramount+ Essential subscribers will be able to catch the episode the day after it airs.
Following the season premiere this week, the series will air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET, followed by hour-long shows on Thursdays, featuring live evictions, and Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.
USA TODAY contributed.
Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@lsj.com
Michigan
Michigan Supreme Court rules rape admission invalid due to LSD use
A man who took a large quantity of LSD before allegedly sexually assaulting his friend was too dazed to legally confess to the incident when deputies questioned him about it hours later, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
In a 6-1 decision in which the dissenting justice agreed that the case should be retried, the high court sent the case against Zebadiah J. Soriano, 24, back to the trial.
Soriano’s attorney argued that not only was his client high on the hallucinogenic drug when he admitted to being a rapist after being read his Miranda rights, he also was sleep-deprived, hungry and unfamiliar with law enforcement procedures.
“Voluntary intoxication does not make a Miranda waiver per se invalid,” Justice Kimberly Thomas wrote in the opinion. ” … However, the circumstances here undermined Soriano’s ability to make a knowing and intelligent waiver.”
Defense attorney Ali Nathaniel Wright called the decision “a victory for Michiganders and our right to be protected from self-incrimination.”
“The decision serves as a reminder to our lower courts and law enforcement that confessions elicited from hospitalized teenagers who cannot fully appreciate their rights because they are intoxicated and sleep deprived have no place in a court of law,” Wright said in a statement.
‘I am a rapist’
Soriano was 18 years old on the night of Nov. 20, 2020, when he used LSD with a platonic friend, identified in court documents as “AC,” at her home in Grand Traverse County. Records show that Soriano had made romantic advances toward AC in the past, which she had rebuffed.
AC allegedly took one acid tablet while Soriano has claimed that he took six.
AC later told investigators that, a short time later, Soriano disrobed, forced himself on top of her and groped her, according to court documents. When she got away from him, Soriano allegedly caught her and put his arms around her throat. The alleged victim again was able to escape from Soriano, who eventually fell down a flight of stairs and ran out of the house.
Police were called to the scene and found Soriano around two hours after the alleged assault, in a wooded area about a quarter-mile from AC’s home, court documents show. He was acting strangely and making nonsensical statements, so officers transported him to a hospital, where they read him his Miranda rights before he made the incriminating statement that lies at the heart of the case:
“I am a rapist. I am f***ed,” he allegedly told a Grand Traverse sheriff’s deputy.
Convicted of criminal sexual conduct
Soriano was charged in Grand Traverse Circuit Court with assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct involving penetration, as well as assault by strangulation, records show.
Before his trial, Soriano filed a motion seeking to suppress the damning statement he made at the hospital, arguing that because he was high on LSD, he was unable to legally waive his constitutional right to remain silent.
The court denied the motion and, in September 2021, a jury convicted Soriano on the criminal sexual conduct charge while acquitting him of assault by strangulation. He was sentenced to three years of probation, six months in jail and ordered to register as a sex offender for life, according to court records.
The suspect later filed a motion seeking a new trial, arguing that his defense failed to support his motion to suppress with expert testimony, records show.
The trial court denied the motion and, in May 2024, an appeals court affirmed Soriano’s conviction in a 2-1 decision, opining that any alleged errors were harmless and unsupported.
“AC’s testimony, particularly when corroborated by other witness testimony, makes it is clear beyond a reasonable doubt that a rational jury would have found defendant guilty absent any potential error in the admission of his statements made while in the hospital,” the Appeals Court judges wrote.
In September 2025, Soriano appealed the decision to the Michigan Supreme Court. Wright wrote in a brief that two hours after Soriano had been interrogated, a deputy told his parents that he was “too out of it” to speak to them.
“If Zebadiah was not sober enough to hold a basic conversation with his parents two hours after his interrogation, then he was not sober enough to knowingly and intelligently waive his constitutional rights or give a voluntary confession,” Wright wrote. “The State should not be permitted to reap the benefits of (the deputy’s) exploitation of a vulnerable teenager.”
Too high to confess?
In a decision filed Tuesday, the Michigan Supreme sided with the defense.
Thomas, writing for the 6-1 majority in a 24-page opinion, said Soriano did not fully understand the rights he was giving up when he told law enforcement that he was a rapist.
“The short period of time between defendant’s erratic behaviors and being advised of his Miranda rights supports the conclusion that defendant was not able to understand his rights at the time of waiver,” Thomas wrote.
The high court also rejected the Court of Appeals’ conclusion that other evidence made the error harmless, determining that Soriano’s hospital statement was an important part of the prosecution’s effort to prove his intent.
“Given the other evidence concerning defendant’s intent, the average jury would have found the prosecution’s case significantly less persuasive without the erroneously admitted statement,” Thomas wrote.
The dissenting justice, Richard Bernstein, disagreed with his colleagues about the legal reason Soriano’s waiver was invalid, but agreed a new trial was warranted.
The ruling reverses the Appeals Court decision, vacates Soriano’s conviction and sends the case back to the trial court for further proceedings.
mreinhart@detroitnews.com
-
South Dakota4 minutes ago
SD Lottery Powerball, Lotto America winning numbers for July 8, 2026
-
Tennessee7 minutes ago
TN Lottery Powerball, Lotto America winning numbers for July 8, 2026
-
Texas12 minutes agoTexas reports 48 cyclospora cases and the source is still unknown
-
Utah19 minutes agoUtah Jazz vs Washington Wizards: Summer League Preview, start time, how to watch
-
Vermont22 minutes ago
VT Lottery Powerball, Gimme 5 results for July 8, 2026
-
Virginia27 minutes agoVirginia’s voided special election cost $11.6 million
-
Wisconsin37 minutes agoNew Wisconsin AD Shawn Eichorst: Badgers Need ‘Texas Swagger’ And Less Humility
-
West Virginia42 minutes agoWest Virginia retailers told to allow people to purchase soda with SNAP benefits