Michigan

Michigan State men’s tennis falls in second round of NCAA tournament

Published

11 months ago

May 4, 2025

Michigan State men’s tennis falls in second round of NCAA tournament

Staff Reports
| Lansing State Journal

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Michigan State men’s tennis team fell to Mississippi State, 4-0, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, ending the Spartans season in the Round of 32 for the second straight year.

The Spartans, who finish the season 17-10, beat North Alabama in the first round on Friday. This was MSU’s third NCAA tournament appearance all-time.

Mississippi State (23-5) advances to next week’s NCAA Super Regionals.

The Bulldogs took the doubles point after a back-and-forth battle on all three courts. A 6-4 win for top-ranked Petar Jovanovic and Benito Sanchez at No. 1 doubles over MSU junior Ozan Baris and freshman Matthew Forbes gave the Bulldogs an early advantage, but the Spartans continued to fight, with both freshman Danial Rakhmatullayev and redshirt-sophomore Aristotelis Thanos and the brother duo of senior Max and freshman Mitchell Sheldon battling to 6-6 contests to head to tiebreaks.

Max and Mitchell Sheldon evened up the doubles battle with a 7-6 (4) tiebreak win at No. 3 doubles, moving Max Sheldon’s all-time combined wins total to 170, establishing a new program record.

Rakhmatullayev and Thanos suffered a narrow defeat in their tiebreak, falling 7-6 (6) to the Bulldogs’ 60th-ranked team of Nicolo Baroni and Benito Sanchez Martinez as Mississippi State took a 1-0 lead.

The Bulldogs made it 3-0 with wins at No. 5 and No. 4 singles, with Dusan Milanovic defeating Forbes, 6-3, 6-2, and Bryan Hernandez Cortes picking up a 6-3, 6-4 win over Mitchell Sheldon.

The Spartans continued to battle, forcing third sets in all three remaining singles matches. After dropping his first set, 6-1, Max Sheldon evened his match at No. 3 singles with a 6-4 second set win, but could not complete the comeback, falling 6-3 in the final set to Baroni, who clinched the 4-0 win for the Bulldogs.

The respective head coaches were very familiar with each other, as Bulldogs’ head coach Matt Roberts was an assistant at Michigan State from 2009-2012 under former Spartan head coach Gene Orlando, including during MSU coach Harry Jadun’s freshman season in East Lansing in 2012.

Here are the full results:

#12 Mississippi State 4, #22 Michigan State 0

Singles competition:

1. #28 B. Sanchez Martinez (STATE) vs. #40 Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) 7-6 (7-5), 2-6, unfinished

2. #67 Petar Jovanovic (STATE) vs. #15 Ozan Baris (MSU) 2-6, 6-4, 5-4, unfinished

3. #111 Niccolo Baroni (STATE) def. #109 Max Sheldon (MSU) 6-1, 4-6, 6-3

4. Dusan Milanovic (STATE) def. #107 Matthew Forbes (MSU) 6-3, 6-2

5. B. Hernandez Cortes (STATE) def. Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) 6-3, 6-4

6. M. Martinez Serrano (STATE) vs. D. Rakhmatullayev (MSU) 6-3, 3-6, 4-1, unfinished

Doubles competition

1. #1 Petar Jovanovic/B. Sanchez Martinez (STATE) def. Ozan Baris/Matthew Forbes (MSU) 6-4

2. #60 Niccolo Baroni/M. Martinez Serrano (STATE) def. D. Rakhmatullayev/Aristotelis Thanos (MSU) 7-6 (8-6)

3. Max Sheldon/Mitchell Sheldon (MSU) def. Dusan Milanovic/Michal Novansky (STATE) 7-6 (7-4)

— MSU Athletic Communications

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Michigan

Morez Johnson Jr. NBA mock draft projection: Where Michigan star is expected to land

Published

5 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Morez Johnson Jr. NBA mock draft projection: Where Michigan star is expected to land

The 2026 men’s NCAA Tournament is down to its Sweet 16 and we’ll have a Final Four by Sunday evening. For half of the college stars taking the court this weekend, it’s one final opportuniy to impress NBA teams with their play at full game speed when the lights are brightest as this year’s draft class comes into focus.

The 2026 NBA draft is expected to take place in late June. In USA TODAY’s latest mock draft, Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr. is expected to go in the first round. Here’s how USA TODAY currently projects the big man’s draft night will play out.

Our draft order is based on ESPN’s projected records and factors in trades, including swaps and protections.

Morez Johnson Jr. 2026 NBA Draft prediction: Pick No. 25 overall, Los Angeles Lakers

Kalbrosky’s Analysis:

Morez Johnson Jr. is one of the best, most underrated two-way players in the NCAA. He is a crucial part of the Michigan identity this season and has thrived since transferring to the Wolverines from Illinois. Johnson’s shooting form at the free throw line looks good, and he scores well near the rim, especially when cutting to the basket. The former FIBA U-19 Team USA standout and All-Big Ten big man is a trustworthy defensive playmaker, too, and should find minutes at the next level.

See USA TODAY’s full mock draft here

Morez Johnson Jr. player profile

(all stats as of March 15)

Position: Forward-Center
Current Team: Michigan
13.1 points per game
7.2 rebounds per game
1.1 assists per game
62.8% field goal percentage
37.9% three-point field goal percentage

Los Angeles Lakers 2026 projected draft picks

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Michigan

Woman struck, fatally injured, while walking on the Lodge Freeway, state police say

Published

17 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Woman struck, fatally injured, while walking on the Lodge Freeway, state police say

March 27, 2026 / 7:44 AM EDT
/ CBS Detroit

A pedestrian was struck and died of her injuries early Friday on the Lodge Freeway in Detroit.

Emergency dispatchers started to get calls about 2:30 a.m. about someone who was walking along the Lodge, and then were notified that the person had been struck by a vehicle, the Michigan State Police reported.

When troopers arrived, they found multiple cars stopped along the freeway, and people standing around a woman who was severely injured.

Detroit EMS pronounced the woman dead at the scene, state police said. She has not yet been identified.

The driver who struck the woman did not stay at the scene.

“Troopers are currently using technology that is available in the area to identify the vehicle involved,” MSP F/Lt. Mike Shaw said.

The Lodge Freeway, also known as M-10, was closed at about 2:46 a.m. Friday between Chicago Boulevard / Hamilton Avenue and Clairmount Street for the investigation and emergency assistance, according to Michigan Department of Transportation reports. The Lodge was reported back open at 6:05 a.m.

Michigan Department of Transportation traffic reports are at the MI Drive site.

State police said their investigation is continuing. Those who witnessed the crash or have other information are asked to call the MSP Metro South Post at 734-287-5000 or Crime Stoppers of Michigan at 800-SPEAK-UP.

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