Kirkland Crawford

Scott Merchant, a longtime fixture the MHSAA sidelines, has left Clinton Township Chippewa Valley to become the new head coach at Lawrence Tech.

Michigan State Spartans (6-5) vs. Stony Brook Seawolves (6-5): 6:30 p.m.; Breslin Center, East Lansing; Big Ten Plus (streaming only); WJR-AM (760).

Tony and Rainer open the show by recapping a very eventful Rose Bowl with Michigan beating Alabama, and then preview the national championship game.

Dave Birkett, the longtime Detroit Lions beat writer for the Free Press, was named the Michigan sports writer of the year on Tuesday.

It was Michigan basketball’s sixth straight loss, tied for its long skid since the 2010-11 seasons. U-M has dropped 18 of its last 20 games.

Oakland basketball’s Trey Townsend was named the Horizon League Player of the Year and Jack Golhke was named the Sixth Man of the Year on Monday.

Free Press columnist Mitch Albom and his wife were among a group of 10, eight from Michigan, rescued Tuesday from Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

The Free Press Marathon announced the top seeds for the Elite Field, the group of world-renown runners who will compete in the annual races.

Mark Wells, from St. Clair Shores, was a forward on the Miracle on Ice USA Hockey team that won the 1980 Olympic gold medal.

The Michigan State football tradition will live on: opener vs. Florida Atlantic set for Aug. 30 on the Big Ten Network.