Women's basketball reporter Ethan Conley writes about how MSU should follow Illinois' example to spice up a game.

Every arena has its set of run-of-the mill gimmicks and promotions that it runs during timeouts. And they're always boring.

But Illinois has stumbled upon something truly groundbreaking: women's basketball sumo wrestling! They've assembled a bracket, and during each game they advance through a tournament of player versus player sumo matches. And it's all shown on the jumbotron for the arena crowd's viewing pleasure.

Players squeeze into those giant sumo wrestling outfits (you know, those stuffed body suits that smell of the sweat of a thousand carnival patrons), and face off in a best-of-three match. The winner advances, the loser goes home crying.

It's much better than "Cribs" clips shown on SpartanVision at MSU home games, in which a Spartans player gives a tour of her apartment or dorm room. The clips are usually too short, and every "crib" looks the same anyway.

I say the MSU hoops squad should embark on a similar form of mindless entertainment. Enough of the musical chairs and T-shirt tosses and free-throw contests. Would you leave to go to the bathroom or buy a Coke during a timeout if Liz Shimek and Aisha Jefferson were duking it out on the jumbotron with giant stuffed boxing gloves?

Zeke the Wonder Dog has lost his luster. The shoe scramble is only fun so many times. It's time for something new.