Levance Fields scored a season-high 23 points and Keith Benjamin had 12 points and nine rebounds for Pittsburgh as the Panthers defeated Oral Roberts 82-63 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday at Pepsi Center.
Arguably the most important contribution from the MSU men’s basketball team in its win against Temple can’t be found in the box score. A combined MSU effort in defending guard Dionte Christmas, Temple and the Atlantic 10’s leading scorer, doesn’t show up on the stat sheet, but might be the most notable of the afternoon. Thanks to Kalin Lucas, Drew Neitzel, Raymar Morgan and especially Travis Walton, the Spartans held Christmas to three points — his lowest point total of the season.
Even ESPN is bewildered by the NCAA selection committee’s picks for the NCAA Tournament. Actually, I think everyone except those faithful to Florida State and Auburn believes the MSU women’s basketball team got pushed under the rug.
After CBS’ selection show, senior guard Drew Neitzel admitted he and the rest of the MSU men’s basketball team knew zilch about Temple’s offense, defense, roster and every other team characteristic.
What a difference a weekend makes. In other words, what a difference the men’s Big Ten Tournament made. Before this weekend, many basketball analysts penciled Indiana, Wisconsin, Purdue and MSU all as no lower than a six seed — and some as high as a three — in the NCAA Tournament.
Anger and disappointment. Those two words sum up the morale in the Berkowitz Basketball Complex after the MSU women’s basketball team found out it would not make an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Unfortunately for the MSU men’s basketball team, the NCAA has made it illegal to defend a team shooting free throws. In a touchy, tightly officiated Big Ten Tournament semifinal game, the Spartans had to stand aside and watch Wisconsin shoot 37 free throws on 30 team fouls en route to a 65-63 win Saturday afternoon at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
At the end of it all — a heartbreaking 65-63 semifinal loss in Indianapolis for an early tournament exit and finished Big Ten career — Drew Neitzel untucked his jersey and slowly trudged off the floor into the tunnel.
Indianapolis — In a span of three minutes, the MSU men’s basketball team lost four players and a 10-point lead.
Indianapolis — He didn’t take the leadership role and just run with it — he hopped on a horse and took off.
Indianapolis — Through an up-and-down season, there’s one thing the MSU men’s basketball team has been able to do with every chance it’s had.
From give-it-your-all plays to jerseys that make you dry heave, this season has had it all. We now present the best and worst of the 2007-08 men’s basketball regular season.
The MSU women’s basketball team got off to a (very) slow start, going 2-4 in its first six Big Ten games.
It’ll be a barn burner — two passionate squads with everything to prove.
There’s no better time than the playoffs to exact revenge on a team. A sweep by Northern Michigan essentially knocked the MSU hockey team out of the CCHA regular-season championship race in early February.
Indiana Hoosiers senior forward D.J. White was announced as the Big Ten Player of the Year on Monday.
After an up-and-down senior season, MSU guard Drew Neitzel was recognized by his efforts by the Big Ten coaches and was named to the first-team All-Big Ten team.
To avenge its Sunday loss to Ohio State, the MSU men’s basketball team doesn’t have to look any farther than — well, Indianapolis. The Spartans have their chance at revenge for the 63-54 collapse they suffered in Columbus this weekend as the Spartans (24-7 overall, 12-6 Big Ten) face the Buckeyes (19-12, 10-8) for the second time in a week.
MSU women’s basketball head coach Suzy Merchant plans on celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with an NCAA Tournament bid. The Spartans will find out at 7 p.m. Monday whether they will head to the tournament for the sixth straight season, or the WNIT as a heavy favorite.