The forecast predicts that the high will be 61 and the low will be 35.

Defend, rebound, and run: More than a motto in MSU’s win over UCLA

MSU is a team defined by its culture. For more than 30 years, head coach Tom Izzo has enjoyed abundant success with a simple motto: defend, rebound, and run. MSU leaned into the three-word mantra to dominate UCLA from the start, cruising to an 82-59 win. If you watch the Spartans practice, you’ll see a black billboard with the same motto, reminding each player why they play for Izzo and MSU. The result was simple Tuesday night: UCLA was out-defended, out-rebounded, and out-ran. After the game, Izzo said it’s been the team’s philosophy for as long as he’s been the coach. Tonight, it came to fruition. “Everybody’s got a style,” Izzo said. “Some people are just shooting three. Some people are walking the ball up, and ours is to defend, rebound, and run, and it’s worked most years.” Six Spartans scored nine or more points in the victory, with Jeremy Fears Jr. and Coen Carr leading the way with 16 each. Carson Cooper added 12 points and seven rebounds, making two field goals and shooting 8-for-9 from the line. In his fourth start, Jordan Scott was perfect from beyond the arc, hitting four of five shots for 11 points. The win capped a stretch of frustration and the hope for improvement after three losses in four games. Izzo said the season is full of ups and downs, and it’s important to catch fire at the right time.

Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson’s legacy extended through MSU

Civil rights leader Jesse L. Jackson died at the age of 84, his son announced Tuesday morning. Jackson was the leader and founder of the Rainbow/PUSH coalition, worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement, and dedicated his life to advocating for change while reminding people that “I am somebody.” Jackson’s life and career intersected with Michigan State University; he visited the campus five times, repeatedly emphasizing the power of unity and change. Jackson first visited MSU on Feb. 9, 1970, as a top officer in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, speaking at a press conference about the four main targets of the civil rights group: hunger, health, political power, and Black economic power. His next visit to the campus wouldn’t happen until March 12, 1988, when he addressed graduates at the Winter Commencement ceremony. Jackson also received an honorary Doctor of Humanities from then-MSU President John A. DiBiaggio. Jackson’s next visit was in 1992, during a two-day visit to Lansing to speak about hunger, poverty, unemployment, and homelessness in Michigan. Speaking at the MSU Union, he spoke about the importance of voting and memories of his friend and colleague Martin Luther King Jr. His next visit was on Sept. 15, 2002, where he spoke to a crowd of 2,000 people at the Breslin Center shortly after the first anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Joined by students and religious leaders, Jackson spoke about the importance of peace and finding alternatives to violence. Jackson’s legacy at the university has been amplified by former trustee Joel Ferugson, who served as trustee from 1987 to 1995. The pair first met at the Democratic National Convention in 1972, and Ferguson worked on Jackson’s 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns in Michigan, helping him win the state’s Democratic primary in the latter cycle.

MSU Extension workers secure raises after months of negotiation

Michigan State University Extension employees secured higher wages and improved benefits as part of a tentative agreement reached with the university, the union representing Extension workers announced Thursday evening. The tentative agreements reached cover both support staff, nonacademic employees, and academic staff. For both groups, there will be a 2% raise in October 2026, according to Extension employee Stathis Pauls, who was present at the bargaining agreements. Upon signing the agreement, all employees in the union will be awarded a 1% raise. The tentative agreement, which took eight months to reach, will be sent to the union’s voting members for ratification next week, where it needs an over 50% vote to be ratified. If passed, the agreement will be effective for three years. It’s been a tumultuous year for employees within Extension — MSU’s outreach arm that operates throughout Michigan. Extension employees voted to unionize less than a year ago, and layoffs due to federal funding shortages have affected nearly 100 workers. President of the Union of Nontenure-Track Faculty, Extension United’s parent union, Victor Rodriguez-Pereira said one of the most crucial aspect to the agreement was the increase in salary minimums.