Mississippi
Michigan State basketball vs Miss. State in March Madness: Prediction for 2024 NCAA opener
Michigan State men’s basketball vs. Mississippi State
Breaking down Friday’s West Region first-round game between No. 9 Michigan State and No. 8 Mississippi State:
Records: No. 9 Michigan State (19-14, 10-10 Big Ten); No. 8 Mississippi State (21-13, 8-10 Southeastern Conference).
Fast facts: 12:15 p.m. Thursday; Spectrum Center, Charlotte, North Carolina.
TV: CBS.
TUNE IN: Watch NCAA tournament games on TNT, TBS and truTV
At stake: Winner faces winner of 1-seed North Carolina vs. 16-seed Howard or 16-seed Wagner on Saturday for spot in Sweet 16 in Los Angeles.
THE LINE: Michigan State basketball opens as slight gambling favorite over Mississippi State
PRINT YOUR BRACKET: March Madness schedule, how to watch the NCAA tournament
About MSU
Location: East Lansing.
Coach: Tom Izzo (29 seasons at MSU, 706-294 career).
School tournament record: 72-35 in 36 appearances.
Past 10 games: 5-5.
Scoring leaders: Tyson Walker, 18.2 points per game; Malik Hall, 12.6; A.J. Hoggard, 11.
Rebounding leaders: Hall, 5.6 rebounds per game; Mady Sissoko, 5.1; Carson Cooper, 4.6.
Assist leaders: Hoggard, 5.2 assists per game; Walker, 2.9; Tre Holloman, 2.5.
3-point leaders: Holloman, 41.8%; Walker, 37.3%; Akins, 36%.
The buzz: After losing to Kansas State in overtime of last year’s Sweet 16, MSU entered this season as a top-five pick and embraced national championship ambitions. Instead, it immediately suffered through an inconsistent, wild winter. The Spartans dropped their season-opener at home to James Madison, then lost their Big Ten opener at home to Wisconsin. Sophomore center Jaxon Kohler missed the first 14 games after October foot surgery, and freshman point guard Jeremy Fears Jr. was lost for the season after he was shot and suffered non-life threatening injuries Dec. 23. MSU was 9-7 overall and 1-4 in conference play after losing Jan. 11 at Illinois, then won eight of its next 10 games, including beating the top-10 Illini at Breslin Center on Feb. 14. But the Spartans then lost back-to-back home games to Iowa and Ohio State and closed the regular season losing four of five, then split two games at the Big Ten tournament. Walker’s scoring numbers have plummeted — since averaging 20 points per game over his first 17 games this season, the senior is averaging just 16.1 points and shooting 39.4% in the past 15 games. And junior Jaden Akins, since making 7 of 10 3-pointers against Michigan on Jan. 30, is shooting just 30.5% from deep in his past 12 games.
GOING TO CHARLOTTE? MSU basketball tickets in 2024 NCAA tournament: Prices, how to buy
About Mississippi State
Location: Starkville, Mississippi
Coach: Chris Jans (42-26 in two seasons at Mississippi State, 185-70 in eight seasons overall).
School tournament record: 11-12 in 12 appearances.
Past 10 games: 5-5.
Scoring leaders: Josh Hubbard, 17.1 points per game; Tolu Smith III, 15.2; Cameron Matthews, 9.5.
Rebounding leaders: Smith, 8.4 rebounds per game; Matthews, 6.9; D.J. Jeffries, 5.7.
Assist leaders: Matthews, 2.9 assists per game; Dashawn Davis, 2.6; Shakeel Moore, 1.8.
3-point leaders: Hubbard, 38.7%; Trey Fort, 34.9%; Moore, 34.8%.
The buzz: Much like the Spartans, the other MSU has battled inconsistent play throughout the season. The Bulldogs defeated No. 6 Tennessee, 73-56, in Friday’s SEC tournament quarterfinals before losing to eventual champion Auburn in Saturday’s semifinals, 73-66. Mississippi State also defeated the Vols, a No. 2 seed in the NCAAs, in January while also earning regular-season wins against the Big Ten’s Northwestern and Rutgers and NCAA qualifier Washington State. The Bulldogs had two non-SEC losses, against Georgia Tech and Southern, along with a 2-11 mark against the other seven NCAA qualifiers in their conference. With the Spartans already struggling to shoot beyond the arc, they run into one of the nation’s best at defending it from deep. The Bulldogs are seventh in Division I in allowing opponents to make just 29.4% of their 3-point attempts and are 52nd at 41.6% field-goal percentage defense. They also are one of the better offensive rebounding squads at 12.44 per game, which ranks 39th nationally, and 28th in rebounding margin at plus-5.9. Mississippi State scores 74.8 points a contest while giving up 69.1 to opponents. Hubbard, a 5-foot-10 freshman guard, is averaging 25.4 points a game over his past eight.
Prediction
In the battle of MSU’s, it is the Spartans’ veterans who harness lessons learned all winter and make the clutch plays down the stretch to advance to a showdown with 1-seed North Carolina. The pick: Michigan State 69, Mississippi State 65.
Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari.
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MUNCIE, IN — A Muncie man accused of shooting two local residents was arrested by U.S. marshals on the early morning of Wednesday, May 13, in Jackson, Mississippi.
De Vonte Marquise Williams, 32, is charged with two counts of attempted murder, a Level 1 felony carrying up to 40 years in prison, in the April 26 shootings at a home in the 1600 block of East Second Street.
One victim, a man, was shot in the “shoulder/back area,” according to an affidavit.
The other victim, a woman, had a gunshot wound in her buttocks, the document said.
According to Melissa Criswell, deputy chief for the Muncie Police Department, Williams on Wednesday afternoon was being held in Mississippi, awaiting extradition proceedings.
Criswell said the arrest was the result of a joint effort involving the MPD and other agencies, including the U.S. Marshal’s Service, Indiana State Police and the Delaware County Sheriff’s Department.
According to court records, Williams has been convicted of crimes including possession of cocaine, carrying a handgun without a license and leaving the scene of an accident.
Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.
STARKVILLE — Vaida Valincius estimates she used to drive about 60,000 miles per year to watch her two sons, Tomas and Vytas, play baseball.
The Valinicius family is from Lockport, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, but the brothers have played all over the United States.
Vytas and Tomas are three years apart, so they very rarely played on the same team. Vaida did her best to be there, whether it was in California, Arizona, Tennessee, South Carolina, Virginia or greater Illinois.
“I put down like three cars I think,” Vaida told The Clarion Ledger.
But finally, after years of countless hours in the car to watch her sons play baseball, it all came full circle at Mississippi State.
Vytas, an outfielder and the older brother, and Tomas, a starting pitcher, both transferred to Mississippi State for the 2026 season but from different schools. It was a perfect reunion for Vytas’ final year of eligibility.
The brothers live together in a house and got a dog named Sergei. They get along well but, like typical competitive brothers, still banter over small things. Like who wins in a wrestling battle, or if Vytas batted closer to .500 or .100 against Tomas in fall scrimmages.
And making it even more special is that Vaida has been living with her sons in Starkville this season. She said there was “no question” she would be doing it, and the boys were welcoming.
The No. 12 Bulldogs (38-14, 15-12 SEC) begin a three-game series at No. 10 Texas A&M (37-12, 16-10) starting May 14 (6 p.m., SEC Network+) to conclude the regular season.
Vaida’s drive for home games at Dudy Noble Field has been just a few miles.
“It’s been great,” Vytas said in a joint interview with Tomas. “She cooks, cleans and does stuff for us. It makes our life easier.”
Valincius brothers had unusual path to baseball through immigrant parents
Vaida grew up in Lithuania, which at the time was controlled by the Soviet Union. At 7 years old, she was taken from her parents to train to be an Olympic cyclist until the Soviet Union fell in 1991.
In 1999, she immigrated to the United States.
“I had no English, no money and no friends,” Vaida said.
Vaida eventually settled in Chicago where she met her husband, Jozef Wolyniec, also a Lithuanian immigrant who was a speed skater growing up.
So, they each had athletic backgrounds, but knew nothing about baseball. They mostly spoke Lithuanian at home and learned baseball through the kids. Their introduction to baseball came in strange ways.
One day, 5-year-old Vytas was playing Wiffle ball with the neighbors. Vytas hit a home run, and the neighbor told him to go home.
Vytas didn’t understand what that meant. So instead of running the bases, Vytas ran to his house.
“I’m watching through the window, and my English was not good at the time,” Vaida said. “I go to the neighbor like, ‘What’s the problem? Why are you saying that?’”
Tomas is a left-handed pitcher, and one time Vaida bought him the wrong glove.
“Tomas was like, ‘Mom, I don’t feel right. I don’t feel right throwing the ball,’” Vaida said. “I was like ‘I don’t care. Throw the ball.’ I had no clue that they had gloves for the lefties too.”
Valincius brothers transfer to Mississippi State included missed flight
Tomas and Vytas both played high school baseball at the Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, but not at the same time.
Vytas is on his fourth college team, playing at South Carolina in 2022, John A. Logan Community College in 2023, then Illinois in 2024 and 2025. He was an All-Big Ten second-team selection last season, leading the Illini with a .348 batting average.
Tomas played at Virginia as a freshman in 2025, posting a 4.59 ERA and 6-1 record in 13 appearances and 12 starts to make the All-ACC Freshman Team.
The first domino to get the brothers to Mississippi State fell when MSU coach Chris Lemonis was fired on April 28, 2025.
The Bulldogs hired Virginia’s Brian O’Connor as the new coach on June 1, about one hour after the season ended in the Tallahassee Regional final.
“I think it was quick,” Tomas said. “I didn’t even know it was a possibility that this could happen just because of our age gap and I didn’t really know any of the rules or anything. It kind of all just worked out as it did with Coach O’Connor coming here.”
The transfer portal opened June 2. O’Connor had his public introduction on June 5 at Dudy Noble Field. The brothers and their mom were in attendance but arrived just minutes before it started. They missed a connecting flight in Atlanta because they didn’t realize they were sitting at the wrong gate.
The brothers, their mom, three other players and a parent rented a car and frantically drove from Atlanta to Starkville.
“We rented a car and were like who’s driving?” Vaida said. “Then Tomas goes, ‘Well, if we want to make it, let my mom drive.’ I’m like, ‘OK, boys, we’re not stopping.’”
Tomas and Vytas committed to MSU on June 6, with Vytas receiving an extra year of eligibility.
How Valincius brothers are impacting Mississippi State with their mom
Vaida moved in with the boys in February, not long before opening day.
She helps them around the house and takes care of the dog. She makes sure dinner is ready for them at home after every game. The dog even accompanies her in the car for road games.
“It’s fun to watch them going through this,” Vaida said. “It would be a different story if I was at home and just came for the games. That would be, not an outsider, but I wouldn’t be used to it because I’m always with them. It’s a blessing for sure.”
Tomas has been one of the top starting pitchers in the SEC. He has an 8-2 record and ranks third in the SEC with a 2.52 ERA and second with 105 strikeouts. Tomas didn’t allow an earned run in his first 19 innings of conference play.
“For me, it’s nerve-wracking,” Vytas said about watching Tomas pitch. “I enjoy when he does good, but when there’s like runners on (base) I really stress out a lot for him. I don’t know. It’s my little brother.”
Vytas is batting .371 with two home runs, 16 RBIs and 15 runs in 28 games and 19 starts.
He hit his first home run of the season against Georgia on April 4. Tomas was one of the first players out of the dugout waiting to celebrate with Vytas after he rounded the bases.
“That was the first home run I think I’ve seen him hit since, I don’t know, him playing in high school, which was like sophomore year,” Tomas said. “So that was fun. I was hyped up. I was screaming and yelling.”
Vaida said her favorite moments of the season are whenever Vytas and Tomas are in the lineup together. That’s only happened three times this season.
The most recent one, May 7 against Auburn, was the best though. Tomas pitched 6⅔ innings with three runs allowed on 13 strikeouts and 112 pitches. Vytas hit three singles and drove in a run in a 10-3 MSU win.
Tomas has one more season until he’s eligible for the 2027 MLB Draft, where Baseball America recently ranked him as the No. 3 college prospect.
Vaida said she hasn’t made any decisions yet if she’ll live with Tomas next season.
“As a mom, it’s just been a pleasure to be around them and watch how they grow in every way,” Vaida said.
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
STARKVILLE — Mississippi State baseball remains on the bubble for hosting an NCAA Tournament regional.
However, the latest bracket projections still have the No. 12 Bulldogs (38-14, 15-12 SEC) forecast to host a regional at Dudy Noble Field for the first time since 2021.
MSU has lost its last two series against Texas and Auburn. The Bulldogs start a series at No. 10 Texas A&M (37-12, 16-10) on May 14 (6 p.m., SEC Network+).
Here is a look at the updated NCAA Tournament projections for Mississippi State entering the Texas A&M series.
Mississippi State baseball NCAA Tournament projections
Aria Gerson of The Tennessean has Mississippi State hosting as the No. 12 national seed. Kansas is in the regional as a No. 2 seed with No. 3 Louisiana and No. 4 Indiana State.
D1Baseball also projects MSU as the No. 12 seed. Included in the regional would be No. 2 seed Oklahoma State, No. 3 NC State and No. 4 Southeastern Louisiana.
Baseball America projects Mississippi State as the No. 13 national seed. In that Starkville Regional would be No. 2 seed Wake Forest, No. 3 TCU and No. 4 Bethune-Cookman.
Mississippi State NCAA Tournament resume
Mississippi State baseball has an RPI at No. 12 as of May 12. That’s down three spots from the previous week.
The Bulldogs are 9-11 in Quad 1 games, 5-3 in Quad 2 games and 24-0 in Quads 3 and 4. Four of those Quad 1 wins are against Ole Miss. MSU’s strength of schedule is ranked No. 8.
The Texas A&M series will be three more Quad 1 games.
Mississippi State’s SEC series wins against Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, LSU and South Carolina are all against teams in the bottom half of the conference standings.
Mississippi State baseball NCAA Tournament history under Brian O’Connor
Brian O’Connor is a first-year coach at Mississippi State, so it hasn’t played in the NCAA Tournament with him. MSU won the 2021 national championship under coach Chris Lemonis, but he was fired during the 2025 season.
Mississippi State has made the NCAA Tournament in the last two seasons as No. 2 seeds, losing in the Charlottesville Regional final and the Tallahassee Regional final.
O’Connor was the Virginia coach for 22 seasons, reaching 18 NCAA Tournaments, nine super regionals, seven College World Series and winning the 2015 national championship.
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
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