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Sports

FOOTBALL

Stars aligned

Stephen Brooks
December 5, 2013

Les Brown is credited with coining the phrase “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” For college football coaching staffs coast to coast, landing stars — as many as possible — is the lifeblood of the business. Not star players per se, although that’s the ultimate goal, but rather players with the most five-sided shapes attached to their online recruiting profile. More stars means better players. Better players means more wins. More wins means more money and job security for said coaches. With the advent and evolution of national recruiting analysis services such as Rivals.com, Scout.com and ESPN’s Recruiting Nation in the past decade, any potential prospect worth a Division 1 coach’s time is promptly listed, evaluated and assigned a “star rating” from one to five based on skill. A five-star-rating represents the most elite high school athletes.

BASKETBALL

No. 1 Spartans fall to UNC after slow start

Matt Sheehan
December 4, 2013

The No. 1 men’s basketball team walked onto the court in kryptonite-colored socks for their highly-anticipated Big Ten/ACC Challenge matchup against North Carolina. However, the Superman of college hoops walked off the court with their first loss of the season to UNC, 75-69. The Spartans never led during a game that showcased some of MSU’s most troubling tendencies on the season thus far. The game started just as poorly as it possibly could have for MSU and had the packed Breslin Center in a restless frenzy almost immediately. Junior forward Alex Gauna, who got the start in place of ill sophomore forward Matt Costello, started the game by committing two fouls and a turnover within the first 90 seconds. MSU went on to turn the ball over eight times, four of which came in the first five minutes, and allowing UNC to grab 10 offensive rebounds on the half.

BASKETBALL

Top-ranked MSU tied with UNC at halftime

Zach Smith
December 4, 2013

It was a tale of two halves…of a half. The No. 1 MSU men’s basketball team is tied with North Carolina 32-32 at the half, after an up-and-down start to the game by the Spartans The Tar Heels led by as much as 14 midway through the period, but MSU scored eight of the last 10 field goals to even the score. It took four minutes for MSU to get their first field goal.

SPORTS

MSU opens Big Ten wrestling play with Badgers

Derek Blalock
December 4, 2013

As the fall semester draws to a close, the wrestling team’s season is just starting to heat up. The Spartans (5-3 overall) will partake in their first Big Ten matchup of the season against No. 16 Wisconsin at 2 p.m. Sunday at Jenison Field House.

FOOTBALL

2011 loss still fresh on MSU football players' minds

Stephen Brooks
December 4, 2013

Max Bullough will never forget the feeling. In the senior linebacker’s four years at MSU, he’s experienced a wide range of emotions. There were highs, from dramatic late-game miracles such as the “Little Giants” and “Rocket” games of 2010 and 2011, to winning the first bowl game under head coach Mark Dantonio. He felt the lows, too, through a disappointing 2012 season and snapping a four-game winning streak against rival Michigan.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Face Time: ESPN's Rece Davis

Matt Sheehan
December 4, 2013

Yesterday, The State News got to chat with ESPN’s Rece Davis about the top-ranked men’s basketball team in the country, the Champions Classic and Sparty’s semifinal appearance in the Capital One Mascot Challenge. Here is what the “College GameDay” co-host had to say:

MEN'S SOCCER

MSU men's soccer continues historic season

Zach Smith
December 3, 2013

The MSU men’s soccer team is entering relatively uncharted territory. For the first time since 1968, the 11th-seeded Spartans are headed to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight after a 1-0 upset victory against Georgetown on Sunday afternoon. They take on Notre Dame at 7 p.m. Saturday with a trip to the Final Four on the line.

VOLLEYBALL

Volleyball brings in 5 Big Ten awards

Omari Sankofa II
December 3, 2013

With the regular season over, five MSU volleyball players were honored as Big Ten post-season award winners on Tuesday. Junior libero Kori Moster was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight year. Senior Lauren Wicinski was a unanimous All-Big Ten selection, with senior middle blocker Alexis Mathews and Moster being named honorable mentions. For the second straight season, senior setter Kristen Kelsay was the Sportsmanship Award winner, and freshman outside Chloe Reinig was selected to the All-Freshman team.

FOOTBALL

Dantonio on BCS title: 'Why not us?'

Dillon Davis
December 3, 2013

“Why not us?” That is indeed the question following Mark Dantonio’s weekly press conference with the media yesterday afternoon. With only a few days before the No. 10 Spartans (11-1 overall, 8-0 Big Ten) travel to Indianapolis for a date with No. 2 Ohio State (12-0, 8-0) in the Big Ten Championship Game, the MSU head coach briefly entertained a scenario that would send the Spartans to Pasadena — not for the Rose Bowl, but for the BCS National Championship Game.

SPORTS

Column: NCAA rules clearly spell out Miller suspension

Derek Kim
December 3, 2013

The shadow of the birds’ wings was all Braxton Miller needed. Ohio State running back Dontre Wilson and offensive lineman Marcus Hall were ejected for their participation in a near-bench clearing scuffle against Michigan on Saturday. The Big Ten spent the past three days reviewing film and officials’ reports of the incident.

FOOTBALL

Then and now

Stephen Brooks
December 2, 2013

Regardless of what happens in Saturday’s Big Ten Championship Game, No. 10 MSU now can be remembered as the only program with multiple Legends Division titles — the Big Ten is switching to an East-West division alignment next season. Before trying to avenge their 2011 loss in the conference championship at the hands of Wisconsin, the then-No. 11 Spartans had to take care of Minnesota on senior day. Now, the sights are set on an undefeated showdown with No. 2 Ohio State.

FOOTBALL

Six Spartans earn Big Ten first-team honors

Matt Sheehan
December 2, 2013

With the nation’s No. 1 defense residing in East Lansing, it was all but guaranteed the Spartans would make their presence known in the Big Ten football awards. Six members of the No. 10 MSU football team earned All-Big Ten first team honors from the coaches, the program’s highest amount since 1966 — the last time the Spartans claimed a national title.