The Final Four Is Not On The Schedule - A Podcast Discussing Michigan State Basketball.

October 15, 2026: Brad Underwood and his Fighting Illini finally got their breakthrough season with a trip to the Final Four. Illinois hadn’t been in the Final Four since 2004 so it was a well earned appearance after they assembled a balanced team on both sides of the ball that could really rebound. This year might be as good or even better depending on whether or not they can get the development they need from some key guys and the new pieces are as good as advertised. If this team can shoot better than middle of the pack from 3 and do the rest like last year they could be a serious Big Ten and national title contender. Are you looking for collegiate apparel including Spartan gear? There’s only one place we recommend you go to get your MSU T-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts — Nudge Printing (https://www.nudgeprinting.com) Nudge is owned and operated by Gabe and Brittany, two MSU alums. The business is operated out of Michigan and screen prints super high quality products. They also have a large assortment of apparel for other schools as well as stickers for your wall, car, or computer. To enter the free drawing go to (https://nudgeprinting.com/win). If you have a home in Michigan you know the importance of clearing water efficiently away from your home off the roof. Unfortunately, the outdoor beauty of Michigan means you have to deal with leaves and debris that pile up in your gutters. Sometimes, those gutters also can’t keep up with the rain or leave puddles by your foundation. If you live in the Grand Rapids area (Muskegon to Saugatuck to Rockford to Lowell) contact Kurt Stauffer at the Brothers that Just Do Gutters. (https://www.brothersgutters.com/grand-rapids-mi/). If you’re anywhere in the metro Detroit area the Brothers have you covered too! (https://www.brothersgutters.com/metro-detroit-mi/). They are real professionals who will clean, repair, or replace your gutters and protect your home quickly and efficiently with friendly service. Mention Final Four to get 10% off your gutter work. Have you wondered why the world no longer looks clear out of your windows? Maybe you need a professional to clean them. There’s no better option for your window cleaning than your neighborhood window cleaners at the Squeegee Squad. They clean residential, commercial, and high rise windows. Also, if you need power washing on your house, the Squeegee Squad will treat it with kid gloves with their gentle wash that uses low pressure and surfactants. You won’t find a better team to care for the exterior or your house or business than the Squeegee Squad of Grand Rapids (https://squeegeesquad.com/locations/grand-rapids-mi/). Book your free estimate here (https://squeegeesquad.com/grand-rapids-mi/grand-rapids-mi-free-estimate/). Be sure to check out Fanduel Sportsbook for all your sports betting needs. They’ve got some great mobile tools and hundreds to ways to add some extra juice to your sport watching. You can find them at https://www.sportsbook.fanduel.com #MSUHoops #MichiganStateBasketball #MichiganState #bigtenbasketball #IllinoisBasketball Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

October 15, 2026: Despite being in his 70s, Tom Izzo isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. Either in scheduling competition, running intense practices, or recruiting top 100 guys year after year. This year the Spartans have 4 top 100 recruits joining an already stacked team led by the consensus Wooden Award winner, Jeremy Fears, Jr. We’ve got MSU as the favorite for this year in the Big Ten but a nose over this year’s Illini team. Their only matchup will be in Champaign but it looks to us like MSU might have a little bit more. We will have to see. The biggest question coming in is at the 5 spot with the departure of Carson Cooper to the NBA. 7’2” transfer Anton Bonke was brought in to shore things up while Jesse McCulloch and fellow 7’2” freshman Ethan Taylor serve as reserves. How it all shakes out is anyone’s guess. Our impression is that the 2 guard spot is Jordan Scott’s to lose and right now, it looks like he isn’t letting go. Kur Teng, Jasiah Jervis, and maybe CJ Medlock will serve as compliments for now. There’s a lot to be excited about in East Lansing as this season starts to get underway. OUR AWESOME SPONSORS Every great podcast needs great sponsors. And we’re fortunate to have three that not only support the show, but also make it more fun for you guys. First up: Nudge Printing. If you’re looking for Michigan State gear, there are approximately 47,000 places on the internet willing to sell you a green T-shirt. But we recommend going with the Spartans who actually know what they’re doing. Nudge Printing is owned and operated by MSU alums Gabe and Brittany, right here in Michigan. They make some seriously good Spartan apparel, along with gear for a bunch of other schools. And, perhaps most importantly to you, Nudge supplies the apparel and gift cards for our listener contests. So when you win something on the show, there’s a pretty good chance Nudge is the reason you have something to put on your body or spend at the mall. Check them out, support a couple of fellow Spartans, and get yourself some new gear. Then there are The Brothers that just do Gutters. You know what gutters do? They keep water out of places where water shouldn't be. You know what we want Michigan State to do? Keep opposing players out of places where opposing players shouldn't be. That's why The Brothers are the official sponsor of our “player MSU needs to keep in the gutter” segment. It’s a match made in heaven. If your gutters are overflowing, clogged, damaged, or generally behaving like a Big Ten defense that has forgotten its assignments, call Kurt Stauffer and the Grand Rapids crew. The Brothers that just do Gutters — Grand Rapids They handle installation, repair, cleaning, maintenance and gutter guards throughout the Grand Rapids area. They also have you covered in Metro Detroit. The Brothers that just do Gutters — Metro Detroit Mention “Final Four” to get 10% off your gutter work. That's a much better discount than the one you'll get if you tell your contractor you finished second in your office pool. And finally, our friends at Squeegee Squad of Grand Rapids. We’ve decided that if two people are going to spend an entire basketball season arguing about who is better at cleaning the glass, we might as well have a professional window-cleaning company sponsor it. Thus, Squeegee Squad sponsors our “who cleans the glass best?” competition. They specialize in residential and commercial window cleaning, along with pressure and soft washing, gutter cleaning and other exterior cleaning services. Basically, if it's dirty and attached to your house or business, they probably have a way to make it look better. Squeegee Squad of Grand Rapids And if you'd like to let someone else handle the dirty work, you can request a free estimate here. We genuinely appreciate all three of these businesses for supporting the show. And yes, we realize there is a certain amount of irony in having a gutter company sponsor a segment about putting an opposing player in the gutter while a window-cleaning company sponsors a competition about cleaning the glass. We didn't plan it this perfectly. It just happened. #michiganstatebasketball #msuhoops #bigtenbasketball Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

October 11, 2026: It’s hard to find much to criticize about Michigan’s season last year. Dusty May assembled an unconventional roster and took the Wolverines to the promised land with a national title. One of the most statistically dominant teams in recent memory, Michigan cruised through the Big Ten with a 19-1 record and fairly easily won the the Big Ten’s first National Title since MSU in 2000 by beating UConn. The offseason certainly got interesting for the Wolverines as they had the expected roster turnover but also lost Dusty May to the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA. The move came fairly late so assistant coach, Mike Boynton, was elevated to the head coach on a 2 year deal. Boynton was previously the head coach of the Oklahoma State Cowboys where he had a pretty unremarkable stay. He managed to keep most of Michigan’s newest loaded roster and will try and find a way to get the Wolverines back the the Tournament and another deep run. OUR AWESOME SPONSORS Every great podcast needs great sponsors. And we’re fortunate to have three that not only support the show, but also make it more fun for you guys. First up: Nudge Printing. If you’re looking for Michigan State gear, there are approximately 47,000 places on the internet willing to sell you a green T-shirt. But we recommend going with the Spartans who actually know what they’re doing. Nudge Printing is owned and operated by MSU alums Gabe and Brittany, right here in Michigan. They make some seriously good Spartan apparel, along with gear for a bunch of other schools. And, perhaps most importantly to you, Nudge supplies the apparel and gift cards for our listener contests. So when you win something on the show, there’s a pretty good chance Nudge is the reason you have something to put on your body or spend at the mall. Check them out, support a couple of fellow Spartans, and get yourself some new gear. Then there are The Brothers that just do Gutters. You know what gutters do? They keep water out of places where water shouldn't be. You know what we want Michigan State to do? Keep opposing players out of places where opposing players shouldn't be. That's why The Brothers are the official sponsor of our “player MSU needs to keep in the gutter” segment. It’s a match made in heaven. If your gutters are overflowing, clogged, damaged, or generally behaving like a Big Ten defense that has forgotten its assignments, call Kurt Stauffer and the Grand Rapids crew. The Brothers that just do Gutters — Grand Rapids They handle installation, repair, cleaning, maintenance and gutter guards throughout the Grand Rapids area. They also have you covered in Metro Detroit. The Brothers that just do Gutters — Metro Detroit Mention “Final Four” to get 10% off your gutter work. That's a much better discount than the one you'll get if you tell your contractor you finished second in your office pool. And finally, our friends at Squeegee Squad of Grand Rapids. We’ve decided that if two people are going to spend an entire basketball season arguing about who is better at cleaning the glass, we might as well have a professional window-cleaning company sponsor it. Thus, Squeegee Squad sponsors our “who cleans the glass best?” competition. They specialize in residential and commercial window cleaning, along with pressure and soft washing, gutter cleaning and other exterior cleaning services. Basically, if it's dirty and attached to your house or business, they probably have a way to make it look better. Squeegee Squad of Grand Rapids And if you'd like to let someone else handle the dirty work, you can request a free estimate here. We genuinely appreciate all three of these businesses for supporting the show. And yes, we realize there is a certain amount of irony in having a gutter company sponsor a segment about putting an opposing player in the gutter while a window-cleaning company sponsors a competition about cleaning the glass. We didn't plan it this perfectly. It just happened. #michiganstatebasketball #msuhoops #bigtenbasketball #michiganbasketball #wolverinesbasketball Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

October 8, 2026: Last season didn’t go as planned for Mick Cronin and the Bruins. Injuries to star players hampered their chances to win a Big Ten or go far in the NCAA Tournament. Added to that was a huge disappointment with star transfer Donovan Dent who just never lived up to the offensive numbers of his all Mountain West season. For this year, UCLA went out and got some more firepower spending (allegedly) 7 figures on a two year deal with 17 year old Nikola Kusturica from Serbia. Will it be enough to get UCLA over the hump? If Cronin fails to deliver this year will his seat get hot? Are you looking for collegiate apparel including Spartan gear? There’s only one place we recommend you go to get your MSU T-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts — Nudge Printing (https://www.nudgeprinting.com) Nudge is owned and operated by Gabe and Brittany, two MSU alums. The business is operated out of Michigan and screen prints super high quality products. They also have a large assortment of apparel for other schools as well as stickers for your wall, car, or computer. To enter the free drawing go to (https://nudgeprinting.com/win). If you have a home in Michigan you know the importance of clearing water efficiently away from your home off the roof. Unfortunately, the outdoor beauty of Michigan means you have to deal with leaves and debris that pile up in your gutters. Sometimes, those gutters also can’t keep up with the rain or leave puddles by your foundation. If you live in the Grand Rapids area (Muskegon to Saugatuck to Rockford to Lowell) contact Kurt Stauffer at the Brothers that Just Do Gutters. (https://www.brothersgutters.com/grand-rapids-mi/). If you’re anywhere in the metro Detroit area the Brothers have you covered too! (https://www.brothersgutters.com/metro-detroit-mi/). They are real professionals who will clean, repair, or replace your gutters and protect your home quickly and efficiently with friendly service. Mention Final Four to get 10% off your gutter work. Have you wondered why the world no longer looks clear out of your windows? Maybe you need a professional to clean them. There’s no better option for your window cleaning than your neighborhood window cleaners at the Squeegee Squad. They clean residential, commercial, and high rise windows. Also, if you need power washing on your house, the Squeegee Squad will treat it with kid gloves with their gentle wash that uses low pressure and surfactants. You won’t find a better team to care for the exterior or your house or business than the Squeegee Squad of Grand Rapids (https://squeegeesquad.com/locations/grand-rapids-mi/). Book your free estimate here (https://squeegeesquad.com/grand-rapids-mi/grand-rapids-mi-free-estimate/). Be sure to check out Fanduel Sportsbook for all your sports betting needs. They’ve got some great mobile tools and hundreds to ways to add some extra juice to your sport watching. You can find them at https://www.sportsbook.fanduel.com #MSUHoops #MichiganStateBasketball #MichiganState #bigtenbasketball #UCLABasketball Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

October 5, 2026: Purdue enters the 2026-27 season facing something it hasn't had to deal with in quite some time: figuring out how to play basketball without Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer. The two longtime backcourt starters finished their Purdue careers having started all 149 games they played together, and their departure leaves Matt Painter with some enormous holes to fill. The Boilermakers will turn to a combination of returning players and newcomers, including C.J. Cox, Omer Mayer, Jack Benter and highly regarded freshman Luke Ertel, to take on much larger roles. With Smith's playmaking and Loyer's shooting no longer available, where will Purdue's offense come from, and who becomes the new voice in the backcourt? And while Purdue's 30-9 record and trip to the Elite Eight would qualify as a terrific season for most programs, expectations in West Lafayette are a little different. The Boilermakers entered last season with considerably higher aspirations, and the loss to Arizona in the regional final left the season feeling somewhat disappointing despite another deep NCAA Tournament run. Now the challenge is to see whether Painter can successfully reload rather than rebuild. We'll look at the new-look Purdue roster, the players who are positioned to step into starring roles, the newcomers who could make an immediate impact, and what Michigan State should expect when these two teams meet in a very different chapter of the Purdue-MSU rivalry. OUR AWESOME SPONSORS Every great podcast needs great sponsors. And we’re fortunate to have three that not only support the show, but also make it more fun for you guys. First up: Nudge Printing. If you’re looking for Michigan State gear, there are approximately 47,000 places on the internet willing to sell you a green T-shirt. But we recommend going with the Spartans who actually know what they’re doing. Nudge Printing is owned and operated by MSU alums Gabe and Brittany, right here in Michigan. They make some seriously good Spartan apparel, along with gear for a bunch of other schools. And, perhaps most importantly to you, Nudge supplies the apparel and gift cards for our listener contests. So when you win something on the show, there’s a pretty good chance Nudge is the reason you have something to put on your body or spend at the mall. Check them out, support a couple of fellow Spartans, and get yourself some new gear. Then there are The Brothers that just do Gutters. You know what gutters do? They keep water out of places where water shouldn't be. You know what we want Michigan State to do? Keep opposing players out of places where opposing players shouldn't be. That's why The Brothers are the official sponsor of our “player MSU needs to keep in the gutter” segment. It’s a match made in heaven. If your gutters are overflowing, clogged, damaged, or generally behaving like a Big Ten defense that has forgotten its assignments, call Kurt Stauffer and the Grand Rapids crew. The Brothers that just do Gutters — Grand Rapids They handle installation, repair, cleaning, maintenance and gutter guards throughout the Grand Rapids area. They also have you covered in Metro Detroit. The Brothers that just do Gutters — Metro Detroit Mention “Final Four” to get 10% off your gutter work. That's a much better discount than the one you'll get if you tell your contractor you finished second in your office pool. And finally, our friends at Squeegee Squad of Grand Rapids. We’ve decided that if two people are going to spend an entire basketball season arguing about who is better at cleaning the glass, we might as well have a professional window-cleaning company sponsor it. Thus, Squeegee Squad sponsors our “who cleans the glass best?” competition. They specialize in residential and commercial window cleaning, along with pressure and soft washing, gutter cleaning and other exterior cleaning services. Basically, if it's dirty and attached to your house or business, they probably have a way to make it look better. Squeegee Squad of Grand Rapids And if you'd like to let someone else handle the dirty work, you can request a free estimate here. We genuinely appreciate all three of these businesses for supporting the show. And yes, we realize there is a certain amount of irony in having a gutter company sponsor a segment about putting an opposing player in the gutter while a window-cleaning company sponsors a competition about cleaning the glass. We didn't plan it this perfectly. It just happened. #purdueboilermakers #purduebasketball #bigtenbasketball Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.