Michigan

Nearly Every Winnable Game is a Must-Win for the Spartans

Published

2 years ago

June 23, 2024

Nearly Every Winnable Game is a Must-Win for the Spartans

Michigan State football is entering its first season under Coach Jonathan Smith. The hope surrounding the program is that Coach Smith and his coaching staff will be able to help the Spartans get back on track. The last few seasons have been difficult for the Spartans. Under Coach Smith, Michigan State looks to return to national prominence again. However, in the first season under Coach Smith, the Spartans have one of the most challenging schedules in the Big Ten and one of the most difficult schedules in the country.

While Coach Smith may or may not be patient with the Spartans’ turnaround, most agree that turning around a football program takes time. In today’s age of the transfer portal, though, sparking a turnaround doesn’t necessarily have to take as long as it did in years past, in which college football programs wouldn’t see the progress of a new coaching regime for at least three or four years.

After securing one of the best transfer portal classes in the country this offseason, Coach Smith and his coaching staff have given themselves a chance to see at least some progress in their first season in East Lansing. However, even with a talented transfer portal class and competent coaching staff, the Spartans will still need to control what they can control, which is their performance on game day.

With Coach Smith and the Spartans having one of the most challenging schedules in the country, the games they have a chance to win become much more critical. Consecutive games against Ohio State, Oregon, Iowa, and Michigan give the Spartans one of the country’s most difficult four-game stretches. This stretch could realistically see the Spartans go on a four-game losing streak this season.

Most understand the Spartans will likely not fare well in that stretch of games, as Michigan State is in the beginning stages of a rebuild. Most of those four schools are where Michigan State hopes to one day be as a football program.

Coach Smith and the Spartans will receive the benefit of the doubt for those four games. However, the Spartans have a chance in every other scheduled game. That four-game stretch in the middle of the season makes nearly all the other games on the Spartans’ schedule all but must-win games if they hope to have a successful season.

The Spartans should win the games against Florida Atlantic and Prarie View A&M. A loss in either game would be a setback. Michigan State plays both Maryland and Boston College on the road. While playing both teams on the road early in the season will be difficult for the Spartans, it is not unreasonable to expect them to win at least one of those games, which is not irrational. The Spartans should enter their game against Ohio State 2-2 at the worst or 3-1 at the best.

The worst-case scenario would be for the Spartans to lose all four games of the aforementioned four-game stretch. However, even if they did, they would enter the last quarter of the season with four winnable games, three of which will be played in East Lansing.

While many things would need to go right for the Spartans, they could win the last four games of the season and finish with at least six wins, making Coach Smith’s first season a successful one. For this to happen, though, the Spartans must win the games they have a legitimate shot at winning. Doing so would help Coach Smith and his coaching staff shorten the time it takes to rebuild Michigan State’s football program.

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Michigan

Yaxel Lendeborg injury update: Michigan star hurt in Final Four

Published

11 hours ago

April 4, 2026

Press Room

Yaxel Lendeborg injury update: Michigan star hurt in Final Four

Indianapolis — If Michigan wants to play for a national championship, it might have to do so without its best player.

With 8:51 to play in the first half of a Final Four game against Arizona on Saturday night, Wolverines star Yaxel Lendeborg rolled his left ankle on a drive after he stepped on the foot of Arizona center Motiejus Krivas. After hitting two free throws, he subbed out of the game and headed down the tunnel with the help of a trainer.

Lendeborg’s pain showed immediately. After he got up from falling, he walked down the court, wincing, squatting to collect himself. He tied his shoes tighter to boos from some Arizona fans before hitting his foul shots. Then he walked to the bench, down the stairs, past concerned teammates, before heading off to be evaluated.

Arizona went on a 9-0 run after Lendeborg left the game.

Lendeborg returned to the Michigan bench, walking gingerly, with about six minutes left in the first half, but did not immediately return to the game. He then returned to the locker room before the end of the half.

Late in the first half, Tracy Wolfson on the TV broadcast reported that Lendeborg’s ankle would be iced with the Wolverines possibly getting their star back for the second half.

Lendeborg was the Big Ten Player of the Year and leads Michigan with 15.2 points per game, but he played just five minutes of the game against Arizona. In the span of 1:22, he picked up two defensive fouls and had to sub out, returning at 12:57 as the Wolverines led 19-10.

Lendeborg made a 3-pointer and hauled in a rebound before leaving the game with his injury.

cearegood@detroitnews.com

@ConnorEaregood

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Michigan

Flooding reported across much of Mid-Michigan after heavy rainfall overnight, several roads impassable

Published

23 hours ago

April 4, 2026

Press Room

Flooding reported across much of Mid-Michigan after heavy rainfall overnight, several roads impassable

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – Flooding is impacting many people across Mid-Michigan after heavy rainfall late Friday and into Saturday morning. News 10 Chief Meteorologist Darrin Rockcole says some areas of Mid-Michigan saw 1-2+ inches of rain. The Lansing area saw more rain overnight than those near Jackson and to the south.

Mid-Michigan is not out of the woods yet when it comes to rain for the rest of Saturday either, as explained in your latest First Alert Forecast. If you see flooding in your area, submit photos and videos to News 10 by clicking here.

Many major roadways are experiencing flooding, leading to several highways being shut down as water was over the roadway. Numerous flood warnings, watches and advisories are in effect across Mid-Michigan.

Flooding in a neighborhood on the west side of Lansing Saturday morning(WILX)

Here are the many reports of flooding from city and county officials across Mid-Michigan. This has led to the closing of roads across the area.

EATON COUNTY

SB I-69 just north of Potterville exit (66) was closed with water over the freeway.

Eaton County has canceled their outdoor siren test for Saturday due to the inclement weather.

Flooding along the Thornapple River(Heather Schmidt)

Michigan State Police said on ‘X’ Saturday that numerous area roadways were flooded outside of the previously mentioned portion of I-69.

Traffic Alert! Eaton County: Due to the heavy rains in the area, southbound I-69 at Vermontville Hwy is flooded and impassable. Numerous other roads in the Eaton County area are also flooded. Troopers are reminding the public that if you do not have to go out right now, it might… pic.twitter.com/KcUzYIMOzK
— MSP First District (@MSPFirstDist) April 4, 2026

INGHAM COUNTY

I-496 was flooded between Waverly and Martin Luther King in Lansing, drivers were asked to avoid the area.

Potter Park Zoo: The zoo is closed Saturday as flooding is impacting Pennsylvania Ave in Lansing.

Ingham County has canceled its outdoor siren test for Saturday due to the inclement weather.

CITY OF LANSING

Traffic alert from the city: Reports of many streets flooded throughout Lansing. Please use caution while driving and do not attempt to drive through standing water.

CITY OF EAST LANSING

City Alert: Reports of streets flooded throughout the area and basements with backed up water. Use caution when driving. Do not attempt to drive through standing water. Check sump pumps for proper operation and monitor basements for signs of water.

CLINTON COUNTY

County siren test scheduled for Saturday has been canceled due to inclement weather. Next testing opportunity will be May 2, 2026 at noon.

Flooding in a neighborhood on the west side of Lansing Saturday morning(WILX)

Backyard flooded in Mid-Michigan.(Leela Green)

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Michigan

From warehouse to Final Four, Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg is living unlikely dream

Published

1 day ago

April 3, 2026

Press Room

From warehouse to Final Four, Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg is living unlikely dream

INDIANAPOLIS — Yaxel Lendeborg accepted his fate. College wasn’t for him.

“I was working at a warehouse,” Michigan’s star forward said on Friday. “I was getting used to that lifestyle, this is going to be [my life]. I didn’t have any other aspirations or goals in mind.”

His mother, Yissel Raposo, wouldn’t accept it. She forced him to go to junior college.

Six years later, the 6-foot-9 senior from Pennsauken, N.J., is getting ready to play in the Final Four.

Soon, he will be an NBA draft pick, possibly even hearing his name called in the lottery.

It has been a wild journey.

Three years at Arizona Western College, two years at UAB, and now this past season at Michigan. In high school, Lendeborg admittedly “slacked off all four years.”

Yaxel Lendeborg of the Michigan Wolverines shoots the ball during the Practice Day of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 3, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Getty Images

“I had no confidence in myself when I went to JUCO,” he recalled. “I didn’t want to go anyway, so it was like I was just wasting time. The journey has really felt like a dream, every step of the way. I went through so much. Mentally, it was definitely draining. There were many times I wanted to give up, I wanted to quit.”

Raposo wouldn’t let him. At Arizona Western, Lendeborg developed into a junior college All-American. Initially, he committed to St. John’s under former coach Mike Anderson. But when Anderson was fired, he decommitted and landed at UAB. There, he was one of the top mid-major players in the country. After his second season there, in which he averaged 17.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.8 blocks, Lendeborg entered the transfer portal while putting his name into the NBA Draft.

He would’ve likely been a late first-round pick, but he didn’t feel ready to make the jump. He also wanted the opportunity to play for the Wolverines.

Yaxel Lendeborg #23 of the Michigan Wolverines interacts with fans during the Practice Day of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 03, 2026. — Yaxel Lendeborg of the Michigan Wolverines interacts with fans during the Practice Day of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 03, 2026. Getty Images

Lendeborg felt a bond with Michigan coach Dusty May. May spent plenty of time building a relationship with Lendeborg, even though it was very much up in the air if he would get to coach him.

“He was with me throughout the whole process,” Lendeborg said. “That meant a lot to me.”

He couldn’t have imagined a season like this. Lendeborg has led Michigan to a 35-3 record, was an Associated Press first-team All-American and the Big Ten Player of the Year. He added Midwest Region Most Outstanding Player last weekend.

“Everything has been falling into place so far,” said Lendeborg, averaging 21 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and shooting 50 percent from 3-point range in the NCAA Tournament. “We have two more wins and everything will be perfect.”

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