He hadn’t touched a basketball since August, but that didn’t stop Dion Sims from believing he could step on a court and compete with one of the top teams in the nation.
It’s the morning of Dec. 6. The MSU women’s basketball team is a few days removed from one of its biggest wins ever at Breslin Center, a 72-66 victory against then-No. 4 North Carolina. The challenge that day: conference foe Indiana in the Big Ten opener.
Coming into Wednesday night, the Minnesota Golden Gophers led the Big Ten in turnover margin while the Spartans were second last — a recipe for MSU disaster.
Few expected the MSU women’s basketball team to start the Big Ten season 2-3. ****
Tom Izzo said he was as excited as anybody when his old friend Tubby Smith was hired to revitalize the Minnesota men’s basketball program three years ago. This week, the MSU head coach wish it wasn’t so.
For the last few seasons, MSU women’s basketball head coach Suzy Merchant has sounded like a broken record when talking about how Brittney Thomas needs to be more aggressive on offense.
After three big men from last season graduated, it was clear the MSU men’s basketball team would have a huge hole to fill down low.
So Kalin Lucas and Durrell Summers have been quiet in the box score lately.
Draymond Green is like a point guard in a post player’s body.
Coming into Saturday’s game with Ohio State, the MSU women’s basketball team was focused on stopping two Buckeyes — point guard Samantha Prahalis and center Jantel Lavender.
Saturday night’s men’s basketball game between No. 10 MSU and Iowa should have been called “The Draymond Green Show.” The sophomore forward did just about everything in the Spartans’ 71-53 win against the Hawkeyes in Iowa City, Iowa.
Much like the previous three games the MSU women’s basketball team played against top-10 opponents, Saturday’s tilt with No.
Students may still be on winter break, but Wednesday night, the Izzone was full – of former members reliving their college days.
For basketball fans that don’t care for the Big Ten’s half-court, banging style of play, Wednesday night’s game between the MSU and Wisconsin men’s basketball teams was a perfect opportunity for them to hide their eyes.
Allyssa DeHaan scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as the No. 16 Spartans beat Indiana 53-44 Sunday afternoon at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind.
Following MSU men’s basketball 87-68 victory Wednesday against Texas-Arlington at Breslin Center, head coach Tom Izzo tried to downplay booting junior guard Kalin Lucas from practice Tuesday.
In a flash Tuesday night, a series of plays epitomized the MSU men’s basketball team’s outing against Texas in Austin — its strengths muted while the Longhorns’ strong points flexed their muscles.
Suzy Merchant believes no Big Ten team has been tested like hers in the nonconference season. Monday’s game with St. Bonaventure was just another reason why. On the cusp of the top-25, the Bonnies came into Breslin Center unbeaten at 11-0 with several quality wins, so it was no surprise to anyone when they kept fighting back.
Kalin Lucas has never lost to Texas — and he doesn’t plan on starting this season. MSU’s junior guard has been a key cog in MSU’s two neutral site victories against the Longhorns the last two seasons. This season, however, the stakes are higher, as the Spartans have the opportunity to make a splash on the national scene by beating the No. 2 Longhorns on Tuesday in Austin, Texas.
It’s safe to say a tape of Saturday’s game between the MSU women’s basketball team and Washington won’t ever be heading to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The two teams combined to shoot 31.1 percent, commit 36 turnovers and 48 personal fouls, but the No. 16 Spartans were much more efficient on both ends of the floor, knocking off the Huskies 69-52 at Breslin Center.