All-Access at the South Regional in Atlanta: HoopsHD interviews Michigan State basketball mother Crystal Flint

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Atlanta by chatting with Michigan State basketball mother Crystal Flint about her son Tre Holloman playing for Coach Tom Izzo and making the NCAA tourney.

In high school your son Tre played football/basketball: which sport was he best at, and which sport did he enjoy the most? It depends on the season: he loved them both equally. He was in basketball mode when it was basketball season, and he spent the most time playing basketball because you can just go shoot baskets by yourself. Even when football was going on he would still work on basketball. He was the #1 player in both sports as a senior until he got injured during his 3rd/4th week of football practice, so we shut him down because he was already signed to play basketball at Michigan State. He had offers for both sports from several Big 10 schools, including the safeties coach with Michigan State football. Coach Tom Izzo was willing to let him play both sports.

Your family is from Minneapolis, MN: what made him choose Michigan State? The family atmosphere: he really loves the fan base and the “Izzone” and the culture. All the guys who went here before have really embraced him.

Coach Tom Izzo has made 27 consecutive NCAA tournaments, which is the most in men’s college basketball history: what makes him such a great coach? He has created/maintained a great culture for so many years. To be coached by a Hall of Famer who is able to relate to his players is huge. As a coach myself, I know it is more than just X’s and Os’: you have to build that relationship off the court so that thing are okay when it is time for tough love: he cares about you as a person.

He is a junior: does he have a post-graduation plan yet? Not yet. He is taking it game by game/year by year. His goal is to continue to hone his skills and stay on track for graduation. I am proud of him for finding that balance: as a former student-athlete, I know how hard that can be. He tries to keep it all in perspective with NIL/social media: it was not a thing for everyone back in the day!

Last month he scored 9 PTS including a half-court buzzer-beat in a 3-PT win at Maryland (www.youtube.com/watch?v=M45d0CCT3NE): where does that rank among your family’s athletic highlights? No doubt it is #1. I have had some game-winning shots in my life but never a buzzer-beater. In the section finals as a junior he made a buzzer-beater to go to the state tournament. He also made 1 during his COVID year, so he has had some big moments before. My mother and I were at the game: our seats were not great so it was hard to see. Some people have called it then “Holloman Heave”, but if you watch it he was shooting it and even followed through on his shot.

The Spartans won 8 straight games before a 3-PT loss to Wisconsin in the Big 10 tourney semifinals (Tre scored 10 PTS): how devastating was that loss, and how have they been able to turn things around since then? I would not call it “devastating”: it just made them refocus. If they had won that game and cut down the Big 10 tourney nets, I do not know if they would have made it this far. After they lost to Memphis last November they refocused and beat UNC in OT. It was a wake-up call to show them that they were not invincible and needed to bring their A game and make the right decisions.

The team has won at least 1 NCAA tourney game during each of his 3 years in East Lansing: do you keep your March schedule clear because you expect to be traveling with the team every single spring? I am running out of PTO right now…but am glad to work for an organization that understands the importance of a parent being there for your child. I work for a non-profit and they tell me to go be with him. When I was coaching I knew that he had some more games left, so I guess it is kind of an expectation. He has been blessed to have been on teams that excelled in the postseason.

The SEC set a record this month with 14 NCAA tourney bids, but several Big 10 schools made the Sweet 16 (including Maryland/Michigan/Michigan State/Purdue): where do you think the Big 10 ranks among the best conferences in the country? Every conference has its own style of play and has good teams from top to bottom, but in the Elite 8 anyone can beat anyone. It is about matchups and focus and playing together and weathering the storm because basketball is a game of runs: the team that makes the last run wins. The SEC is great…but the Big 10 is up there with anyone in the country.

You played basketball at Minnesota and your son Marquis played college basketball: who is the best athlete in the family? There are different things that each of us do very well, but I “think” the game better than them. Tre has that flash to him and Marquis has a lot of finesse. I shot exactly one 3 in college: I was an undersized guard, but was the top rebounder on my team in the Big 10. We all played to our strengths and I used to beat Tre, but I let the 2 brothers play 1-on-1 now.

Any predictions for tonight’s game vs. Auburn in Atlanta? I am going with Michigan State: I truly believe that when they play together and know their roles and do not deviate from the plan that they can beat anybody in the country. This is the best time for it: they have not had a full game from beginning to end but I think they will make that happen.

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All-Access at the South Regional in Atlanta: Michigan State breakout room

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Atlanta with a Michigan State breakout room interview.

The way it works is that Coach Tom Izzo and his 5 starters start out on the podium while the rest of the team does interviews in the locker room, then Coach keeps going while each of his starters goes to their own breakout room:



I chose to go to the breakout room for Coen Carr for a quick interview:
SO F Coen Carr

You were born in Stockbridge, GA (21 miles southeast of Atlanta): how has your homecoming been? It has been fun: I got to make my 1st-ever college start on Friday. I kept it a secret from everyone, and it turned out to be a great surprise for my mom on her birthday.

What was the biggest factor in your win over the Rebels on Friday? We got tougher in the 2nd half after getting punked in the 1st half. It was important to get stops on defense.

I saw you walking around the concourse in your jersey after the game: how did that happen? My mom called our team operations manager and told him to send me up there to take some photos, so I did not have time to change out of my jersey.

What do you know about Auburn? They are physical: Johni Broome had a bunch of REB against Michigan (16). They also have a lot of guards who can shoot so we must defend the 3-PT line.

Auburn F Jahki Howard said that he beat you in 1 dunk contest and you beat him in 1 dunk contest: who do you think would win the rematch? Probably him.

Check back for a lot more access all week long!

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All-Access at the South Regional in Atlanta: Michigan State locker room

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Atlanta with a Michigan State locker room interview.

JR C Carson Cooper

Coach Tom Izzo has made 27 consecutive NCAA tournaments, which is the most in men’s college basketball history: what makes him such a great coach once he gets to March? Coach is Coach…but in the NCAA tourney the level of intensity goes up ten-fold, so we rely on his experience.

The SEC had 4 teams make the Elite 8, and 1 reason they did not have 5 is because you beat Mississippi: how do you think the Big 10 compares to the SEC? We started the season off well due to our league’s size and the level of physicality. It is not just our team: Purdue almost upset Houston on Friday.

What was the biggest factor in your win over the Rebels on Friday? Our execution has gotten better: we are finishing plays and making shots.

What do you know about Auburn? Everyone knows the importance of the upcoming game so we will trust the closeness of our team. Everyone must come in and do what they do best.

You turn 21 in a couple of weeks: how good is that 1st-ever-beer going to taste if you win the title? I am trying not to think too far ahead…but if we win it all then it will be an amazing birthday celebration!

Check back for a lot more access all week long!

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All-Access at the South Regional in Atlanta: Auburn breakout room

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Atlanta with an Auburn breakout room interview.

The way it works is that Coach Pearl and his 5 starters start out on the podium while the rest of the team does interviews in the locker room:

Then Coach Pearl keeps going while each of his starters goes to their own breakout room:

I chose to go to the breakout room for Miles Kelly for a quick interview:

SR G Miles Kelly

You were born in Stone Mountain, GA (20 miles northeast of Atlanta) and transferred to Auburn from Georgia Tech (whose arena is 2 miles north of State Farm Arena): how has your homecoming been? It has gone even better than I expected…and hopefully we can win again on Sunday and make it to the Final 4.

You shot 39.4 3P% this year and tied Bryce Brown’s NCAA tourney school record with 7 3PM in your 1st round win over Alabama State, but you made only 1-7 3PM vs. Michigan: was it just a cold shooting night or did their defense do something different than you expected? This is a make-or-miss sport, but I am not worried about bouncing back in my next game because my confidence has never wavered.

You did have 3 STL/1 BLK in that game: what is the secret to playing great defense? I try to use my length to make my opponents uncomfortable.

Your teammate Johni Broome had 22 PTS/16 REB: where does he rank among the greatest college players that you have ever seen? He is the national POY for a reason: it speaks for itself. He is a playful/goofy guy. We are roommates on the road and like to have fun, but I am a neat freak while he will just throw his stuff on the floor!

What was the biggest factor in your win over the Wolverines on Friday? We had great energy and did not allow their guards to get many clean looks at the basket. We need to transfer that energy to our game on Sunday.

You are 1 of 4 SEC teams in the Elite 8 (Alabama/Auburn/Florida/Tennessee): what is it like to be part of the best conference in the history of the sport? It has been a dominant league all year and no games are a cakewalk. We might end up with all 4 teams in the Final 4 so that speaks volumes about how hard our league is.

What do you know about Michigan State? They have good guards: we watched a little film on them and will try to take them out of their looks.

Check back for a lot more access all week long!

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All-Access at the South Regional in Atlanta: Auburn locker room

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Atlanta with an Auburn locker room interview.

FR F Jahki Howard

You began your high school career in Norcross (20 miles NE of Atlanta): how has your homecoming been? It is not really a homecoming, but I did start my journey here.

You played for OT Elite: what did you learn there? How to become a pro athlete, both mentally/physically.

In 2024 you were named King’s Hawaiian National Slam Dunk Champion: do you think you could win a dunk contest against Michigan State F Coen Carr? We are 1-1 against each other, as we each won 1, but I think I would win the rematch because I am younger!

You were an AAU teammate of Tahaad Pettiford: what makes him such a great player? We have known each other since the 6th grade. I grew up in Boston, which is not too far from New Jersey, so we played against each other throughout high school. He is like my brother.

You have helped raise money for the Color of Autism Foundation: why did you choose that organization? My little brother is autistic, so I like to give back to that community.

What was the biggest factor in your win over the Wolverines on Friday? We were really locked in and had everyone on the same page.

What do you know about Michigan State? I have played against some of their guys before (Carr/Jeremy Fears Jr.) and it will be a dogfight between 2 great defensive teams.

Check back for a lot more access all week long!

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All-Access at the South Regional in Atlanta: HoopsHD interviews Michigan State basketball father Hedlun Walton

The NCAA tournament is about basketball but also so much more: the parents, fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The Sweet 16/Elite 8 are taking place in 4 cities around the country and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD is covering all the angles so you can look forward to an abundance of access in the days ahead. Jon Teitel continues our coverage from Atlanta by chatting with Michigan State basketball father Hedlun Walton about his twin sons Brennan/Colin playing for Coach Tom Izzo and making the NCAA tourney.

You played college basketball: how good a player were you back in the day? My wife Stephanie and I both played at Alma College (D-3): she played for 1 year and I played for 3. I went to a small Catholic high school (about 100 students) but we had some pretty good teams. I was top-3 on the scoring list when I finished…but keep getting pushed down the list by these younger players! Alma College was just about 20 minutes from home for me. I played center in high school and was an undersized power forward at Alma, but was very aggressive and jumped well so that made up for a lot. I think playing college athletics was a good experience for both Stephanie and I…but nothing like what the boys are experiencing now being part of a Power-5 team under a Hall of Fame coach in Tom Izzo. We are thrilled for them to have this experience.

Your family is from Lansing: was it an easy decision for your twin sons Brennan/Colin to choose Michigan State? It is a long story how that came about: you may have already heard it. Just the fact that Coach Izzo reached out was a huge compliment to them. It was a long process, and we knew that it would involve some sacrifices, but yes: once the offer to be preferred walk-ons was made, it was a very easy decision.

Coach Izzo has made 27 consecutive NCAA tournaments, which is the most in men’s college basketball history: what makes him such a great coach? If you listen to how he talks about his program’s success, I think one of the themes that he comes back to is that he believes he has always had great people around him, from athletic directors to assistants coaches and program managers, players, this community, and Spartan fans across the country. He is the tip of the spear, but it takes everyone pulling in the same direction. When you can maintain that at the same place for your whole career, that is when you can achieve that consistent success. Since he has been so loyal to Michigan State, we have not had to experience a new coach coming in and having to rebuild, and he has not had to rebuild somewhere else. It seems to me that consistency in success/leadership go hand in hand.

Your sons are walk-on teammates: how have they enjoyed their experience so far? We think it has been great for them. To be a part of a big-time program like this, especially with the year they are having and the way the team is achieving their success, we really could not ask for much more. They have always played baseball/basketball so sports were a big part of their life. We wondered how they would handle not having all that structured time…but now their time is even more structured than before. It has been challenging both physically/mentally for them, but I think they would say it has been well worth it. The team and the entire program have been great to them. They were always among the best athletes on their teams growing up so it is a new and humbling role to be scout-team redshirt freshmen walk-ons. However, at the same time, they obviously benefit from the status that comes from being on the Michigan State basketball team.

Who is the best athlete in the family? Well, the boys seem to be good at every sport they try. They were good at tennis (just playing for fun), they were outstanding baseball players, and obviously know basketball well. They picked up golf very quickly in the past couple of years and are way better than me already. They are good at cards/board games: anything competitive. There are some things athletically that I could hold over them, but it is kind of apples to oranges. I was a big dunker in my career, but I was playing at 185-190 pounds. They started their senior season in high school at 240 pounds so they were not getting off the ground much, but they just completely bullied opponents so our games were very different. I think it was a real advantage for each of them to not only have a brother growing up, but someone about the same size/skill level so they could challenge each other.

Both of your sons’ bios on the school website list their father as “the person I most admire”: how close is your family? As a dad, that has to be the thing you most hope for: to be honest, it choked me up when I first saw that. You hope you set a good example and teach them right, but you do not always know if you are getting through. I coached or helped a lot of their teams growing up, and they were big on going to the field or the gym for extra work, so we spent a lot of time together. This is our first year as “empty nesters”: our daughter is a sophomore at Oklahoma, so it takes some effort to stay connected now. We try to let the kids have their own experiences and figure things out for themselves, but it is also nice to have some idea what is going on. We have told a lot of people that we find out about our kids’ lives via Instagram more than anything else. Our daughter is very good about doing a video call once a week, but mostly we see the boys at games and when they need to borrow the truck for something (since they do not have a car on campus). It is probably not uncommon for this stage of their development, and they have each other to lean on, so they do not seem to need us as much.

The Spartans won 8 straight games before a 3-PT loss to Wisconsin in the Big 10 tourney semifinals: how devastating was that loss, and how have they been able to turn things around since then? It was disappointing not to win the BIG10 Tournament, but being the regular season champion takes most of that sting away. Wisconsin had a very good team and played well that day. We know how tough those games can be, so you must pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and be thankful that you have the NCAA Tournament to get ready for.

The SEC set a record this month with 14 NCAA tourney bids, but several Big 10 schools are also still alive (including Maryland/Michigan/Purdue): where do you think the Big 10 ranks among the best conferences in the country? You must tip your cap to the SEC, as they have had an amazing year for sure, but I think we can make the case that the BIG10 is right up there on a yearly basis. In contrast, you saw both the ACC/Big East dip a bit this year.

You work as a high school counselor and is also an assistant coach for your school’s boys’ freshmen basketball team: how do you like being a counselor, and how do you like being a coach? I have really enjoyed being a high school counselor. Like anything, it has its challenges/rewards. During COVID I realized how much I missed seeing the students in person. For all the tough things they go through in the world today, I think working with young people shows you the potential for our world, and I have been fortunate to be able to guide them. I coached the boys on our community travel basketball team from grades 3-8 along with a good friend of mine, and helped out some with baseball too. I picked up the freshmen team at Okemos a few years ago when that opened up, and this past year I moved down to an assistant position so I would have some flexibility to work around the MSU games. We had an absolute legend and good friend of mine who was coaching our 8th grade team who unexpectedly passed away a couple weeks into the season, so I finished that season for him and then helped with the 9th grade the rest of the way when I could. Coaching at the 9th and now 8th grade levels, we still try to get everyone a chance to play in each game. For the 9th graders we get each guy at least a couple of minutes in the first half, and then in the second half we go with whoever is playing well, which can change from game to game. I do not look at it as a “participation-trophy” approach, but rather a way to keep everyone engaged. In each game they know they will get onto the court, so I think it makes them practice better. We can do more fun stuff at practice and put guys in different positions. They are all still developing/growing so you are not sure just what you have yet. Once they hit JV, that rotation is so much tighter and the opportunities fewer.

Any predictions for this weekend in Atlanta, and how big a deal would it have been if you had faced Michigan on Sunday for a spot in the Final 4? It is a moot question at this point, but it would have been nice for our conference/state to have an MSU-Michigan Elite 8 game. I guess that will have to wait for another day.

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