On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
Michigan State sophomore, Xavier Booker, has turned a corner in his new role over the last few games after a slow start to the season.
Booker, a former five-star recruit, began his second season as the starting power forward in the Spartans starting five. The expectation for Booker was that he was to be one of the go-to offensive options for this young Spartans team.
Booker didn’t quite live up to that expectation, only scoring 3.6 points per game in the first three games of the season.
Combined with the emergence of junior big man Jaxon Kohler, Spartans coach Tom Izzo decided to slide Booker into a bench role after the team's loss in the State Farm Champions Classic to Kansas.
There was an adjustment period for Booker to settle into his new role on the bench. The forward was held scoreless in the loss to the Memphis Tigers in the Maui Invitational and did not see much time on the floor.
Since then, Booker has earned more minutes, getting a bump from around 10 minutes a game to over 20 per game in his last two appearances.
Booker has taken advantage of those extra minutes, scoring an efficient 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field in the 94-91 overtime victory over the No. 14 North Carolina Tar Heels.
Like most of the Spartans roster, Booker’s long-range shot had struggled to begin the season as the sophomore was shooting just 13 percent from three-point range.
Then, in the Spartans' first Big Ten game of the season, against Minnesota, Booker finally got his three-point shot to fall.
The stretch forward got hot, making three out of four attempts from behind the arc, matching his season total for three-pointers on the season. Bookers shooting success led the way for the Spartans in a 90-72 win.
Booker has been a key piece in one of the best benches in the country. Joined by freshman Jase Richardson and transfer forward Frankie Fidler, the Spartans' bench has become one of their biggest strengths.
Booker will be a key piece for the Spartans as they continue Big Ten play. His ability to space the floor adds another layer to his team’s offense as he makes it easier for others to drive in the lane.
More must-reads:
- Concerns continue to mount after No. 12 Kentucky's latest loss
- Five things we're liking in the 2025-26 women's college basketball season so far
- The 'Men's Final Four hosts since 2000' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
Steelers receive massive Aaron Rodgers injury update ahead of Bears game
On Monday, former NFL quarterback and current analyst Matt Hasselbeck insisted that Pittsburgh Steelers starter Aaron Rodgers could play with a small fracture in his left (non-throwing) wrist as long as Rodgers wouldn't need surgery to repair the issue. It seems Rodgers and the Steelers received a positive update regarding his health. Is Aaron Rodgers on track to start for Steelers at Bears? Late Tuesday morning, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport reported that Rodgers "will not need to undergo surgery to repair his fractured left wrist." Pelissero and Rapoport added that Rodgers "currently is pushing to" start for the 6-4 Steelers at the 7-3 Chicago Bears this coming Sunday but "will need clearance from doctors to be able to play." Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports shared that whether or not Rodgers will play against the Bears "will depend on [his] ability to take snaps under center and grip ability." "Really, it’s just about bracing it and securing it for his comfort and safety," Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said about Rodgers' wrist while speaking with reporters on Tuesday afternoon, per Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. "And then it’s about how functional he is." Rodgers suffered his latest injury during Pittsburgh's 34-12 win over the Cincinnati Bengals this past Sunday. Backup Mason Rudolph completed 12-of-16 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown in the relief appearance. "I can’t say enough about Mason Rudolph," Tomlin said during his media availability on Tuesday. "Although we’re used to it, it’s appreciated. He’s proven over his time here, he’s capable of coming in and playing winning football for us." Why Aaron Rodgers may be hyped to face Bears Rodgers famously featured for the Green Bay Packers from 2005 through the 2022 season and has a long history of tormenting Chicago fans. Per NBC Chicago, he has accumulated a career 24-5 record against the Bears. He passed for 64 touchdowns with 10 interceptions against Chicago as a member of the Packers. During the 2021 season, Rodgers trolled Chicago fans regarding his dominance of their beloved team. Shortly after the latest Rodgers update surfaced, ESPN BET had the Steelers as three-point road underdogs against the Bears.
Steve Kerr 'very concerned' about worrisome trend plaguing NBA
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is sounding the alarm on a troubling trend affecting the league that could potentially worsen down the line. The NBA has faced some huge crises over the past few months. The Kawhi Leonard-Aspiration issue in the offseason raised concerns about the Los Angeles Clippers potentially circumventing the salary cap. The arrests of Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier highlighted the growing threat of sports gambling on the integrity of the game. Steve Kerr highlights an under-the-radar concern While those fiascos have understandably grabbed headlines, Kerr recently expressed unease about a different issue that’s flying under the radar. The Warriors coach admitted to ESPN’s Anthony Slater that he is “very concerned” that the heightened pace of play in the modern game over an 82-game schedule may finally be taking its toll on the Association, with a growing number of soft tissue injuries impacting players of late. Eight different players have suffered soft tissue injuries over the past couple of weeks, headlined by stars like Anthony Davis, Victor Wembanyama and, most recently, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Kerr stated that the Warriors’ medical staff believes “wear and tear, the speed, the pace, the mileage” are increasing the risk of today’s players suffering such injuries. “Across the league, everyone understands that it’s easier to score if you beat the opponent down the floor, get out in transition,” Kerr said. “But when everybody’s doing that, the games are much higher-paced. Everyone has to cover out to 25 feet because everybody can shoot 3s. We have all the data. Players are running faster and further [than] before. We’re trying to do the best we can, but we basically have a game every other night. It’s not an easy thing to do.” Kerr, who has been an advocate for shortening the regular season, also lamented the struggles teams face with the league schedule, which makes it difficult for teams to get adequate recovery and practice time. With the Steph Curry-era Warriors being a huge part of the NBA’s pace and space movement, Kerr knows just how physically demanding the modern game has become. But with the financial implications that come with potentially shortening the season, Kerr understands that such a drastic change to the NBA schedule is “not happening” anytime soon.
Dallas Cowboys just got even better at a position they're already looking great at with latest roster move
Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Kenny Clark found the perfect word to describe the team's defensive tackles during the win over the Las Vegas Raiders: Nasty. It's easy to see why. Clark, Quinnen Williams, and Osa Odighizuwa combined for three sacks and nine quarterback hits. They made plays against the run, too, with three combined tackles for loss and a lot more plays invisible in the eyes of the stat sheet but important nevertheless. Odighizuwa and Williams led the NFL in PFF defensive grades for all defensive tackles for Week 11. It wasn't only nasty, it was scary. And believe it or not, that position group for the Cowboys just got better on Tuesday. The team announced its activated Perrion Winfrey from its Injured Reserve. Winfrey was a preseason standout not expected to make the 53-man roster when he was signed. However, his strong play everywhere on the defensive line earned him a spot on the team, though an injury delayed his season debut until now. In Week 12, he is set to officially join one of the best defensive tackle rooms in the NFL. The Cowboys waived LB Damone Clark to open up a roster spot. Winfrey's activation poses first-world problem for the Cowboys With Winfrey's activation, the Cowboys have six defensive tackles on the 53-man roster, which is considered on the higher side in the NFL. On a 48-man gameday roster, it's difficult to use six spots on defensive tackles. For reference, Dallas has listed at least one defensive tackle as an inactive player every week this season—most times as a healthy scratch. Before it was either Jay Toia or Mazi Smith. Now, the Cowboys might be forced to place Toia—a seventh-round rookie—on the inactives list but he's the only true nose tackle on the team. Even on Monday, he logged 13 defensive snaps. The alternative could be to place Winfrey in the inactives while the room remains healthy. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus has a tough decision to make. But anytime you're forced to choose because of having too many good players in one position, it's a first-world problem to have. window.addEventListener('message', function (event) {if (event.data.totalpoll event.data.totalpoll.action === 'resizeHeight') {document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-375').height = event.data.totalpoll.value;}}, false);document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-375').contentWindow.postMessage({totalpoll: {action: 'requestHeight'}}, '*'); This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Nov 18, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add A to Z Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
What Could Possibly Stop Carlos Alcaraz and Andy Roddick? Andy Roddick Has a Theory
In the ever-shifting landscape of men’s tennis, two names have cemented themselves at the peak: Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Their rivalry has become the stuff of legend, a seemingly endless chess match where each player adapts and counters with frightening speed. But according to former World No. 1 Andy Roddick, their dominance isn’t just about blistering forehands or impossible gets. It’s about something far more unusual in the hyper-competitive world of professional sports: brutal, public honesty. Roddick, never one to mince words on his Served with Andy Roddick podcast, pointed out a shared trait between the two young titans that he finds frankly astonishing. It’s a level of self-awareness and vocal admission of weakness that Roddick admits he, and most of his peers, never possessed. Roddick: Alcaraz and Sinner’s Honesty is “Insane” Let’s be real, top athletes are usually masters of the non-answer. They’re trained to project confidence, to never show a crack in the armor. But Alcaraz and Sinner? They’re tearing up the playbook. Roddick highlighted a moment after Alcaraz lost to Jack Draper at Indian Wells. Instead of trotting out tired cliches, Alcaraz was disarmingly candid. “He walks in, he goes, ‘I’m trying to find it, I’m insecure, I was nervous’,” Roddick recounted, almost in disbelief. “I don’t know if we’ve ever had two guys be as honest about their deficiencies when the rest of the world doesn’t see any.” He then turned his attention to Sinner, who, after a stellar season that included a Wimbledon title, offered a similarly stunning post-mortem following his US Open defeat. “Sinner goes in… fresh off winning Wimbledon, not really losing to anyone not named Carlos… He walks in and goes, ‘I need to change a lot.’” For Roddick, this is what separates them from the pack. It’s not just talent; it’s a cold, hard assessment of their own game, even at the pinnacle of success. “That is an insane amount of self-awareness, and certainly an amount of self-awareness that I never had,” Roddick confessed. “To know that you’re, if not the best in the world, one of two, and to walk in straight after the US Open and have that clarity of what comes next, that’s not a normal thing.” Roddick’s Theory When you’re nitpicking players as dominant as Alcaraz and Sinner, you have to look beyond their opponents. According to Roddick, their biggest challenge might not be another player at all, but something far more elemental: the blistering Australian heat. “If you get on the wrong side of that heat in Australia, I think Sinner has shown that, if anything, the heat can get to him a touch,” Roddick explained, pointing to Sinner’s history with cramps in hot conditions. He didn’t let Alcaraz off the hook either, recalling the Spaniard’s full-body cramps during the French Open. “I think the single biggest factor is going to be conditions. If they get one of those days where they feel like they’re playing in a hair dryer, I think that is going to be the biggest thing, maybe not necessarily matchups.” It’s a refreshingly honest take. When two players are this good, maybe the only thing that can level the playing field is Mother Nature turning up the thermostat to “unbearable.” The Never-Ending Rivalry Chris Eubanks, a recent guest on Roddick’s show, chimed in, marveling at the back-and-forth nature of the Alcaraz-Sinner saga. One moment, Sinner is steamrolling the competition, the next, Alcaraz finds a way to claw back a victory. They trade blows like heavyweight boxers, learning from each loss and returning stronger. “The corrections they are making and learning from each loss, they are able to flip it, find ways to get better, and then come out on top the next time, it’s remarkable,” Eubanks said. This constant evolution, fueled by an almost pathological need to improve, is what makes their rivalry so compelling. They aren’t just playing matches; they are engaged in a high-speed, public game of self-improvement. While Roddick may have been impressed by their honesty, it’s this relentless drive to patch up those self-identified “deficiencies” that truly keeps them a step ahead of everyone else. And honestly, we can’t wait to see the next chapter.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
