Friday, December 26, 2025

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Sports | 1000

ICE HOCKEY

Icers buck Broncos, sweep series

For five years, Lawson Ice Arena in Kalamazoo perplexed the MSU hockey team. Saturday’s game would hold the answer to the riddle for the Spartans, who defeated Western Michigan 4-2 — the first win on the Broncos’ ice since 2003.

BASKETBALL

Turnover turmoil

Bloomington, Ind. — Problems are not being corrected. Nineteen turnovers, 9 assists — not exactly a statistic MSU men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo can stomach anymore.

BASKETBALL

Merchant searches for winning formula

Women’s basketball head coach Suzy Merchant is having an interesting first year at MSU. Untimely injuries, combined with early departures and inconsistency, has left the Spartans floundering at the middle-to-bottom of the Big Ten.

BASKETBALL

Injuries - not Merchant - to blame for rough 1st year

Take it to the bank: Suzy Merchant will succeed as MSU women’s basketball coach. Although some have criticized MSU’s first-year head coach for her team’s tough season, a lot of what’s contributed to the rough start thus far has been out of her control.

BASKETBALL

Big Ten Roundup: Minnesota excelling on court, in classroom

Being a Division I athlete is hard enough, but when you throw in the fact that they’re also students, it gets even tougher. Well, it doesn’t seem to be too difficult for the Minnesota women’s basketball team, as the Golden Gophers landed four players on ESPN The Magazine’s Academic All-District team.

SPORTS

Prognosticators

The prognosticators are at it again! Those sly dogs! Read up on their latest predictions for hockey and basketball.

BASKETBALL

Shades of Gray

Toward the end of the national anthem before basketball games, Marquise Gray raises one finger to the sky. The moment is one of solitude, thought and dedication for the junior forward, and it has special significance — both for Gray’s immediate family and for his Spartans family.

BASKETBALL

Rebound battle crucial to Spartan victory

Like a broken record, the MSU women’s basketball team’s rebounding problems are happening again and again. MSU head coach Suzy Merchant said rebounding will be one of the big keys to beat Indiana tonight — especially after being outrebounded by 12 the first time the two teams met on Jan. 20. The Spartans dropped the game, 70-56.

BASKETBALL

Lucas steps up to plate Tuesday, becomes 'go-to guy'

Anyone watching the MSU men’s basketball game Tuesday night at Purdue witnessed a real coming of age. Kalin Lucas took the last step in his maturation process from a Spartan boy to a man. The freshman guard has emerged this season as a prolific scorer, but on Tuesday he became the Spartans’ go-to guy.

BASKETBALL

Boiled over

A Boilermaker couldn’t have been a more fitting mascot to cheer for Purdue’s team Tuesday night. The No. 1 team in the Big Ten never came to a screeching halt — or showed signs of slowing down. They chugged along and steamrolled the MSU men’s basketball team, 60-54, at Mackey Arena, giving the Spartans their third conference and road loss of the season.