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Michigan State basketball rally falls short in Sweet 16 loss to UConn

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WASHINGTON − Just like in so many games this season, Michigan State basketball basketball opened a game ice-cold.

And just like in so many of those games, the Spartans climbed out of their hole to make it a game. But this time, in the East region semifinal at Capital One Arena, the hole was just a little too deep, the second-half comeback stopped a basket or two short, as 3-seed MSU fell to 2-seed Connecticut, 67-63, on Friday, March 27.

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In what wound up as their final game of the 2025-26 season, in coach Tom Izzo’s 17th Sweet 16, the Spartans head home, while the Huskies advance to the Elite Eight. UConn will face 1-seed Duke on Sunday (5:05 p.m., CBS) for a spot in next weekend’s Final Four.

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Michigan State forward Cameron Ward (3) and Michigan State center Carson Cooper (15) go up for the defense rebound over Connecticut forward Jayden Ross (23) during the first half of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.

Michigan State forward Cameron Ward (3) and Michigan State center Carson Cooper (15) go up for the defense rebound over Connecticut forward Jayden Ross (23) during the first half of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.

JEFF SEIDEL: This player helps Michigan State ‘win a lot more than people know’

Coen Carr paced the Spartans with 13 points, while Jeremy Fears Jr. added 11 points, Jaxon Kohler had 12 points and Carson Cooper finished with 14 points.

Tarris Reed Jr. dominated in the paint for UConn, with 20 points and a key rebound of a missed Cooper free throw in the closing seconds, while Solo Ball added 12, Alex Karaban had 17 and Braylon Mullins posted eight.

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Déjà vu

The start looked eerily similar to MSU’s 76-69 exhibition loss to UConn on Oct. 28 in Hartford, Connecticut. Almost identical, actually.

The Spartans started off that fall game going just 2-for-13, and they were an even more abysmal 2-for-16 to open the Sweet 16 matchup. MSU went 8 minutes, 46 seconds between buckets after a Fears jumper at 18:44 and a Carr layup at 9:58.

Meantime, the Huskies banged in six of their first seven 3-point attempts and ripped off a 22-2 run between Spartan field goals. The Huskies also had six of their nine 3s in the exhibition win by halftime.

And just like in October, MSU found itself trailing by 19 points – only this time, it was less than 10 minutes into the game instead of midway through the second half.

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HOW IT ALL STARTED: 1st Sweet 16 for Tom Izzo sent Michigan State basketball to a new high

But as they did in the game that didn’t count, the Spartans slogged their way back slowly and methodically. Back-to-back layups by Carr and Kohler for a 4-0 run. A Fears steal and breakaway up-and-under around Reed, then a dish from the All-American point guard to Cooper for an alley-oop. The rough seas began to calm, and the tide started to shift.

After Reed drew Cooper’s second foul with a nifty post-up spin move with 3:09 left before intermission, the former Michigan big man missed the free throw. At the other end, Fears accepted a pick from Kohler, then fed his forward on the pop for MSU’s first 3-pointer after six early misses. Then Jordan Scott drove and hit a cutting Carr for another layup. UConn started to flub up, and Kohler hit a pair of free throws with 1:26 left.

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Ball attacked and scored with just over a minute to go, but Fears countered at the other end with his own driving layup. The Spartans got another late defensive stop and somehow clawed their way back to within 35-27 at halftime – better than their 11-point hole in October.

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Despite going just 10-for-29, with Kohler’s triple the only one in eight attempts. Despite turning the ball over five times that led to eight points for the Huskies, who shot 56% but didn’t make another 3-pointer in the final 10:37 after their sizzling start. And despite getting outscored 5-2 in transition against UConn’s long-limbed defense.

Kohler had nine points and Carr seven at the break. Fears was just 3-for-8 for six points, while freshmen Scott and Cam Ward combined for nine rebounds in a 20-13 halftime edge on the glass.

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Reed and Ball each scored eight at the break, but it was a combined effort as the Huskies had five others add three or more points.

Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) looks for an open man during the first half as UConn defends during the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.

Michigan State guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) looks for an open man during the first half as UConn defends during the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball East Regional game against UConn at Capital One Arena in Washington DC on Friday, March 27, 2026.

What’s next for MSU

The Spartans end their season one round short of last year’s Elite Eight trip and two wins shy of another Final Four trip to Indianapolis for Izzo, who is now 61-27 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and 11-6 in his 17 Sweet 16 appearances. It also ends the season for senior starters Kohler and Cooper, who went 57-15 over their final two seasons. MSU also loses Trey Fort, Denham Wojcik and Nick Sanders to graduation, and whatever might transpire with potential portal defections, as Izzo experienced last season. Arriving to potentially join Fears, Carr and the others is one of the nation’s best recruiting classes – the group of center Ethan Taylor, shooting guard Jasiah Jervis, point guard Carlos Medlock Jr., and forward Julius Avent – is ranked No. 2 according to 247 Sports’ composite rankings. MSU also is expected to get back swingman Kaleb Glenn from a summer 2025 knee injury that cost him the season and guard Divine Ugochukwu from a foot injury that ended his season in early February.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State basketball rally runs short in Sweet 16 loss to UConn

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New Vikings Rumors Build around Kirk Cousins to Packers, the KOC-Kwesi Theory, D.J. Reader

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Jaire Alexander sacks Kirk Cousins in the end zone for a safety at U.S. Bank Stadium
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) is taken down in his own end zone by Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander (23) for a safety during second-quarter action, as pressure collapses quickly around the pocket on Sep. 13, 2020, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.

The NFL Draft is 26 days away, and the Minnesota Vikings have nine picks. With the event so close, the rumor mill stays quite loud, and this is the first batch of the weekend.

The rumor mill hit Kirk Cousins, KOC, and D.J. Reader in one swing.

It focuses on a former Vikings quarterback’s connection to a rival, a hypothesis about what got Kwesi Adofo-Mensah fired, and a defensive tackle option in free agency.

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Latest Vikings Chatter Covers Three Very Different Angles

The Purple Rumor Mill for Saturday, March 28th.

Kirk Cousins stands on the sideline watching play during a Falcons vs Vikings game. Vikings rumors.
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins (18) watches from the sideline during second-quarter action, tracking the flow of the game against his former team as emotions and familiarity intersect on Dec. 8, 2024, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with the Vikings controlling key moments throughout the matchup. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.

Rumor: Kirk Cousins is an ideal free-agent fit for the Packers.

Matt Schneidman of The Athletic analyzed free agents for Green Bay this week, and Cousins was mentioned.

He explained, “Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love and Malik Willis have all been backup quarterbacks for the Packers. All three could be starting in the NFL come September. Green Bay really values the position, which might make it unlikely that Desmond Ridder or Kyle McCord — the only other quarterbacks on the roster besides Love — are in the No. 2 role come Week 1.”

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“The idea of adding a proven veteran like Cousins, who can at least help the Packers tread water if Love goes down, might entice head coach Matt LaFleur. Cousins might (understandably) want to sign with a team whose starter is less entrenched than Love, but perhaps the idea of reuniting with his position coach from his first two years in the NFL (LaFleur) entices him, too.”

Green Bay has also visited the recent rumor mill for an Anthony Richardson trade.

Either way, because of the Matt LaFleur connection — LaFleur was Cousins’s first quarterback coach in Washington 14 years ago — Cousins to Wisconsin cannot be ruled out.

Rumor: Kevin O’Connell was denied every step of the way last offseason at quarterback.

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Mike Florio, the boss at Pro Football Talk, led the way with this theory last week.

He said, “As I understand it, O’Connell got overruled. He wanted to have Sam Darnold or Daniel Jones or Aaron Rodgers, and he got overruled. They said no to Rodgers. Rodgers wanted to play for them last year, and they said no. They’re sticking with J.J. McCarthy. And Jones is really the one that I think gulled O’Connell the most, because I think they thought they had something special with Jones.”

“They fired the GM because he had Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, and an interested Aaron Rodgers in the building, and he said,” No, we’re good with J.J. McCarthy, and Max Brosmer and Carson Wentz are gonna be his backups. They’re not going to make the same mistake twice.”

This one actually makes sense, especially for explaining the timing of Adofo-Mensah’s firing — five days after the Seattle Seahawks reached the Super Bowl, led by Darnold.

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Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell speak at a Vikings press conference. Vikings rumors.
Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell address media members, outlining expectations and roster outlook during a pre-training camp press conference held on July 22, 2025, as both leaders discuss team direction, player development, and goals entering another pivotal NFL season. Image Courtesy of YouTube.

Darnold silenced his doubters in Seattle, proving his strong 2024 season in Minnesota was no fluke. He led the Seahawks to a Super Bowl victory in 2025, a feat the Vikings have been chasing for 65 years.

In Indianapolis, Jones emerged as an early MVP candidate before his performance waned in November. A torn Achilles tendon cut his season short, and despite this, rumors surfaced that Minnesota hoped to bring him back in 2025. Ultimately, Jones chose to try the Colts, betting on a starting role under Shane Steichen — a decision that proved prescient.

Meanwhile, Rodgers guided the Steelers to the playoffs, though their run ended in the first round, marking the end of Mike Tomlin’s tenure. Despite the early exit, Pittsburgh secured a playoff berth, while Minnesota narrowly missed out.

If Florio is correct, every quarterback option O’Connell wanted would have led to success.

Rumor: The Vikings should sign DT D.J. Reader.

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Reader got the shoulder tap from Bleacher Report‘s Kristopher Knox on a late-March free-agent list, and he claimed that Reader should pick the Vikings or Dallas Cowboys for his 2026 plan.

DJ Reader lines up on the defensive line during a Lions vs Eagles game. Vikings rumors.
Detroit Lions defensive tackle DJ Reader (98) lines up at the line of scrimmage, preparing for the snap and engaging the interior during defensive action against the Philadelphia Eagles on Nov. 16, 2025, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as trench battles shape the tone of the game. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images.

Knox explained, “D.J. Reader will turn 32 this summer and isn’t the sort of attacking interior pass-rusher that many teams want at defensive tackle. However, he remains a high-end starter, a legitimate force against the run, and a very durable defender. Reader would be a great addition for the Dallas Cowboys, who traded away Osa Odighizuwa and Solomon Thomas.”

“He could serve as a run-stuffing specialist behind Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams to help boost a defense that allowed 4.7 yards per carry in 2025. The Minnesota Vikings should also take a long look at their former division rival. Minnesota released defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave in cap-saving moves earlier this offseason. Best Fits: Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings.”

Reader is a damn steady defensive tackle, similar to former Vikings defender Dalvin Tomlinson of yesteryear. He would look great in purple for a couple of seasons. Minnesota almost never showcases a true nose tackle. That would change with Reader.


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Jaxson Dart admits having whirlwind romance with Marissa Ayers, 1 week after posing in pilgrim outfit for model gf

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Jaxson Dart opened up about his whirlwind romance with girlfriend Marissa Ayers. The New York Giants quarterback has been dating the fashion model for around six months now.

They met in October, and their romance blossomed quickly. Last week, Dart appeared at the Clarins Night of Extra on March 20, where he opened up about his relationship with Ayers and discussed their fast-moving connection in an interview with People magazine.

“She’s been amazing. I mean, I can’t say good enough things about her,” Ayers said (via PEOPLE). “Things have come around so fast between us.

“It’s really cool when you have two people who are independent what they do, but at the same time… are each other’s biggest cheerleaders. She’s amazing and she’s going to do amazing things, so I can’t wait to support her,” she added.

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Before the event, Jaxson Dart made headlines after his girlfriend, Marissa Ayers, shared a glimpse of their romantic outing on her Instagram account last week. She shared a few romantic photos with the NFL star with a sweet caption

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“in our own little world,” she wrote.

For the outing, Jaxson Dart wore a black coat with a white collar. He paired it with white shoes and posed with his girlfriend, who wore a black dress.

Dart was trolled for his outfit, with fans saying it looked like he dressed for a pilgrimage. Even LSU Tigers coach Lane Kiffin poked fun at his outfit and reacted to it with a laughing emoji.

Also Read: Jaxson Dart’s GF Marissa Ayers seemingly drops major relationship update with Giants QB


Jaxson Dart shuts down the trolls

Jaxson Dart opened up about his pilgrim robe outfit at the Clarins Night of Extra event last week. While talking to reporters, he was asked for his take. The 22-year-old shut down the trolls with his reply.

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“I thought it was a great fit,” he said. “I think, I can understand a little bit because it was a Celine outfit. The shirt kind of blended in with the pants but it was a great fit. I definitely do not regret wearing it.”

“I think there’s a lot of people who have opinions about fashion and I think that’s a great thing about this world. You’re able to wear what you want to wear confidently and I love it.”

Jaxson Dart is enjoying the offseason after his amazing rookie season. He played in 14 games in 2025 and recorded 2,272 passing yards.

Also Read: Jaxson Dart’s GF Marissa Ayers responds after QB gets ridiculed for pilgrim robe outfit