Five Sports Shorts
By Levi Bright
Spartans and Wolverines
With the state’s major college football teams out of season, all eyes are on basketball. The season is in full swing, and both Michigan and Michigan State have strong teams — the former is currently ranked No. 3 with a 16-1 record, the latter No. 10 at 16-2. Dusty May’s Wolverines feature an explosive offense, ranking fifth nationally in points scored per game with 93.1. They’re led by the big man duo of forwards Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. Meanwhile, a calling card of Tom Izzo’s Spartans squad is rebounding — MSU has outstripped their opponents by an average of nearly 14 boards per game, good for a top-two mark in all of college basketball. It’s a balanced group, but 6’9” power forward Jaxon Kohler is the headliner.
Both teams are elite defensively: Michigan State ranks first nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency; Michigan ranks second. As usual, the two rivals are scheduled to meet twice during the regular season, first on Jan. 30 in East Lansing and again on March 8 in Ann Arbor.
Each team has legitimate title aspirations, so the games should be extremely competitive. Keep an eye on these two matchups for some of the best basketball the state will see all year.
Pistons are fun again
The Detroit Pistons are showing the NBA that they’re a serious competitor. Fresh off their first playoff appearance in several years, the team has taken their level of play up yet another notch. Detroit currently owns a 31-10 record, sitting atop the Eastern Conference 5.5 games ahead of the second-place Celtics. It’s a very well-rounded group, but the centerpiece is undoubtedly star guard Cade Cunningham. The 24-year-old has posted averages of 25.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game this year — some of the best numbers in the league. As a whole, the team keeps finding ways to win games despite injuries. Players like Jalen Duren, Daniss Jenkins, and Isaiah Stewart continue to step up, and the conference-leading Pistons continue winning. It’s an extremely exciting time to be a fan. The team is young, fun to watch, and they’re playing at a level they haven’t played at in years.
Red Wings looking good
Detroit’s hockey team is in the midst of their best season in a decade. As of now, the Red Wings boast a 30-16-4 record, good for 64 points and second place in their division. Right wing Alex DeBrincat and center Dylan Larkin have combined for 49 goals, while DeBrincat and left wing Lucas Raymond are neck-and-neck for the team lead in total points with 50 and 52, respectively. If these team standings were to hold, the Red Wings would face the Montreal Canadiens (their division’s three-seed) in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It would be the team’s first postseason appearance since 2015-16. This is the Red Wings’ first full season under head coach Todd McLellan, who was hired partway through the 2024-25 campaign following the firing of previous head coach Derek Lalonde. Regular NHL games run until mid-April, after which the playoff bracket will be set.
Tigers drama
Baseball isn’t in season, but the Tigers are still attracting plenty of attention. It’s currently the free agency period, but the biggest story recently has been the team’s contract issues with two-time Cy Young winning pitcher Tarik Skubal. Heading into the final year of his current deal, the ace is yet to sign an extension. The circumstances are fluid, but in a nutshell, Skubal’s future with the team is in doubt. Watch for the situation to develop over the next few months. Aside from that, the Tigers’ offseason has been relatively uneventful. Detroit’s spring training games are scheduled to begin on Feb. 21, and their season opener is slated for March 26 at the San Diego Padres. The team will be chasing their third consecutive playoff appearance under manager AJ Hinch and president of baseball operations Scott Harris.
Detroit’s soccer team
Unbeknownst to many, the state of Michigan has a professional soccer team. Detroit City FC competes in the United Soccer League, essentially a tier below Major League Soccer. It’s the offseason at the moment, but the team is coming off a strong 2025 in which they qualified for the playoffs and advanced to the conference semifinals. They are scheduled to begin the 2026 season with a March 14 home game against Brooklyn FC. The club also fields two women’s teams, one competing in the USL’s W League and one in the Major Arena Soccer League. The relevant storyline recently has been AlumniFi Field, a brand-new stadium under construction in Detroit’s Corktown neighborhood. The club’s future home is slated for a 2027 opening and will seat 15,000 people. DCFC currently plays at Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck, an enclave of Detroit.