#24 MSU - 66, #8 Xavier- 53

Well, the women continue to confuse us all, as they upset #8 Xavier tonight 66-53 at the Breslin Center. I really can't get a read on this team, and their leaders in Aitch, DeHaan and Jefferson are just as inconsistent as the rest of the roster. MSU was in control most of the game, as the Spartans had a 9 point halftime lead. It was all DeHaan for the Spartans too, as she poured in 22 with 13 boards. Wins over two top 10 teams is great, but it's also weird they lost their Big Ten home opener to an average Indiana squad.

#21 MSU - 72, #4 UNC - 66

The men couldn't get it done against the Tar Heels, but the women sure could. Suzy Merchant's team beat UNC 72-66 at the Breslin Center last night in the MSU women's Big Ten/ACC challenge game. Lauren Aitch led the way with 15 points, and Alyssa DeHaan put in 14, all in the second half, to overcome 29 by UNC's leading scorer Italee Lucas. DeHaan was limited in the first half, playing only two minutes, due to foul troubles. The Spartans also won the battle on the boards, out rebounding the Tar Heels 42-39. This was the first time the North Carolina women ever visited the Breslin Center.

This is a nice win for MSU, as it helps you forget the opening loss to Dayton on the road, and the one-point heartbreaker to Notre Dame. These are the games top-10 preseason teams are supposed to win. Maybe Tom should've had the boys come in to watch this one so they could see what winning a marquee out-of-conference game looked like. In a weird scheduling quirk, MSU plays their first Big Ten game, their next being weeks away, on Sunday against Indiana at home.

MSU vs. Valparaiso - @ 12pm, BTN

Not going to be a cakewalk to Tom Izzo's record-tying 340th win as Spartan basketball head coach today when MSU hosts Valpo at the Bres. Valpo may be 1-2, but they look to me like one of those teams, like GVSU from a couple years ago, that could sneak in close due to some hot 3-point shooting. Valpo's only senior, Brandon McPherson, went 4/6 from deep against UNC to keep the Crusaders within 11 at the buzzer. McPherson also went 5/6 behind the arc in Valpo's last game, albeit against Indiana-South Bend, to give the Crusaders their first win of the season. Raymar Morgan will be a gametime decision.

As an aside, Jud Heathcote and Earvin "Magic" Johnson will both be inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame later tonight. Izzo will take a plane to Kansas City for the induction immediately after the game ends today. At least that way the team won't have to deal with an unhappy Tom if things don't go to plan.