Raymar Morgan scored a season-high 29 points off the bench and three other Spartans scored in double figures, as the No. 5 MSU men’s basketball team defeated Oklahoma State 94-79 Friday at the Old Spice Classic at the Milk House in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
First came the turkey. Then came the stuffing. The Maryland men’s basketball team feasted on MSU like a three-course Thanksgiving meal Thursday, upsetting the No. 5 Spartans 80-62 at The Milk House in Orlando, Fla.
In its first big test of the season, the No. 24 MSU women’s basketball team looked impressive in its 74-48 victory over No. 23 Old Dominion.
With arguably the toughest four-game stretch in program history on the horizon, MSU men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo is preparing for a stressful holiday season. “This might be toughest four-game stretch because … none of (the games) are at home,” Izzo said. “It just gives me something else to worry about over Thanksgiving.”
The men’s basketball team isn’t the only hoops squad that has to endure a tough stretch of games the next week. The No. 24 women’s basketball team, fresh off winning the TD Banknorth Classic championship, now has to face No. 23 Old Dominion and No. 14 Notre Dame this week, something head coach Suzy Merchant said she is looking forward to.
Not even two big handfuls of mistakes could knock the MSU women’s basketball team off its path. Despite 24 turnovers and 49 missed shots from the floor and free-throw line, the Spartans still rolled over Detroit Mercy 85-48 on Wednesday at Breslin Center — remaining unbeaten this season.
For Travis Walton, basketball is nothing without consistency. A team can slam the ball through the hoop 100 times, make 16 3-pointers or even destroy an opponent by 50 points in a single game.
After weeks of wondering who would play where and in what capacity, MSU men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo unveiled the first official edition of the MSU starting lineup Sunday night. In the Spartans’ 100-62 season-opening win against Idaho at Breslin Center, Izzo started sophomore guards Kalin Lucas and Chris Allen in the backcourt, senior guard Travis Walton at the three and junior forward Raymar Morgan and senior center Goran Suton in the frontcourt.
Aisha Jefferson is making up for lost time with a vengeance. The junior forward, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL, scored in double figures for the second time in as many games Sunday for the Spartans, who soared past Stony Brook, 73-42, at Breslin Center.
The final score of Sunday’s 73-42 victory over Stony Brook meant very little to women’s basketball head coach Suzy Merchant. The Spartans were tired, passive and careless in MSU’s second game of the season, Merchant said, even though the scoreboard displayed a 31-point MSU win.
One game into the MSU women’s basketball season, the record books already need to be re-written.
The MSU men’s basketball program prepared for the loss of three senior post players from this year’s team with the signing of two centers for its 2009 recruiting class Wednesday.
You’ll have to excuse MSU head coach Tom Izzo for not knowing much about the Idaho men’s basketball team. After all, the team features 12 new players, a new head coach and has played only one exhibition game.
The MSU women’s basketball team capped off its exhibition season with a convincing 84-44 win against Grand Valley State on Sunday at Breslin Center — using their superior strength, quickness and depth to pull away from the Lakers despite turning the ball over 25 times.
After Thursday’s 97-32 drubbing at the hands of the MSU women’s basketball team, Saginaw Valley State’s athletic trainer had better have some extra ice packs prepared for the night’s ride home.
All of the questions facing the MSU men’s basketball team were answered resoundingly Wednesday night with a 118-57 drubbing of Northern Michigan.
Breslin Center’s roof might need to pop a couple ibuprofen and rest a while with the headache it’s suffering from. Because the structure appeared as if it may blow off the arena’s walls Wednesday evening from all the booming noise and violent shaking that came pounding from all angles.
Joe Dumars has done it again. With the trade of Denver Nuggets All-Star Allen Iverson for Detroit Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups, center Cheikh Samb and five minutes with Antonio McDyess’ bought-out contract, the Pistons general manager has pulled off another risky swap that not only keeps Detroit in the NBA title hunt, but also positions the team for success in the future.
The No. 7 MSU men’s basketball team has been practicing and scrimmaging each other so much lately that freshman forward Delvon Roe admitted he can’t even remember what five-on-five hoops looks like between two different teams.
When there’s no other squad available, just divvy ‘em up, grab a couple referees and hit the hardwood.