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Sports | 1000

Josh Mansour ·
BASKETBALL

Williams maintains focus after 2nd ACL tear

Josh Mansour
March 20, 2012

Madison Williams stood in the locker room, bracing herself to tell her teammates the news she heard only hours earlier. As the three simple letters “A-C-L” left her mouth, the room froze, and she left in tears after coming face to face with the looks of pity and sadness she spent the previous year fighting to move past.

ICE HOCKEY

Spartans see no pressure in underdog role

The future of the MSU hockey team’s season was in the hands of Union last weekend. The team was on the bubble for a bid to the NCAA Tournament, but thanks to No. 1-seed Union’s 3-1 win Saturday against Harvard, MSU will travel to Bridgeport, Conn., this weekend to compete against the same team they were rooting for just a few days ago.

ICE HOCKEY

Column: Tournament victory could save season

Dillon Davis
March 20, 2012

Ah yes, an underdog story. Players own the distinction of it. Fans thrive on it. Members of the media write and rewrite their stories to determine if it’s too cheesy — it almost always is. With the NCAA Tournament just days away, the MSU hockey team is about to embark on an underdog story of its own, and the narrative is its for the taking.

BASKETBALL

Spartans view Sweet 16 as stepping stone

Jeremy Warnemuende
March 19, 2012

With the MSU men’s basketball team locking up its fourth trip to the Sweet 16 in the last five years, the Spartans continue to establish themselves as one of the best tournament programs in the country. And although that’s all fine and good, senior forward Draymond Green said players and teams aren’t remembered for making the Sweet 16.

SPORTS

Column: MSU’s season summed up in shortcomings

Jesse O'Brien
March 19, 2012

Curran Jacobs was 60 seconds away from his first All-American honors. Competing for a top-eight spot in the NCAA Tournament this weekend — where the top eight finishers are named All-Americans — the senior 174-pounder was the remaining Spartan participating.

SPORTS

Wrestlers come up short of All-American honors at NCAAs

Jesse O'Brien
March 18, 2012

Before six members of the MSU wrestling team left for St. Louis to participate in the NCAA Tournament beginning on Thursday, competing junior heavyweight Steve Andrus said he felt there was no reason all six wrestlers couldn’t come back with All-American status. However, by Friday night, each of the Spartan wrestlers had been eliminated from the tournament with senior 174-pounder Curran Jacobs coming within an overtime 3-1 decision of his first All-American honors.

BASKETBALL

Appling benefits from Billikens' sag defense

Pat Evans
March 18, 2012

Coming into the game against Saint Louis, the MSU men’s basketball team knew it would be well defended against. The Billikens are praised for their defense and were extremely physical and abusive to the Spartans. At least all the Spartans not named Keith Appling. The Billikens sagged of the sophomore guard and dared him to shoot. Appling has struggled with his shot all season, but he can still find the bucket when needed.

ICE HOCKEY

Hockey earns No. 4 seed in NCAA Tournament

Dillon Davis
March 18, 2012

The NCAA unveiled its 2012 tournament field on Sunday, and the MSU hockey team has a new lease on life. The Spartans (19-15-4 overall, 14-11-3-2 CCHA) earned a bid as the No. seed in the East Region in the 2012 NCAA Tournament and will open against Eastern College Athletic Conference champion and No. 1-seed Union on Friday in Bridgeport, Conn. With the bid, the Spartans rank fourth in all-time tournament appearances with 27 and are in the tournament for the first time since 2008.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Column: Seniors united through careers, tournament losses

Josh Mansour
March 17, 2012

After answering questions at the podium, Taylor Alton, with tears in her eyes, returned to the locker room and sat next to fellow senior forward Lykendra Johnson. It was the final time the duo would wear their MSU jerseys, and as Alton sat in her chair, emotionally drained from the afternoon, her fellow captain put her arm around her and the two rocked back and forth, talking of their time at MSU.

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BASKETBALL

Despite elimination, Spartans laid foundation for next season

Jesse O'Brien
March 17, 2012

College Park, Md. — Just hours after their season ended with a 67-55 loss to No. 7 seed Louisville in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the MSU women’s basketball team already is looking ahead to next season. Although the 2011-2012 campaign is now in the books, freshman center Jasmine Hines said she felt that because the Spartans refused to quit during the loss, they had laid a good framework to build on in preparation for next season. “We’re all competitors,” Hines said.