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Sports | 1000

SPORTS

Gin Mill provides friendly atmosphere for former Spartans

Chicago - If any Spartans are ever feeling a little lonely in Chicago or miss East Lansing, then there's a perfect bar and grill for them to hang out at. Everyone won't know your name, but at the Gin Mill in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of the Windy City, they'll know what it's like to bleed green and white. The Gin Mill is best known for housing MSU fans during sporting events. And the "Welcome to East Lansing," in green lights and pictures of former Spartans Mateen Cleaves and Morris Peterson during the 2000 championship run can make any Spartan feel at home. "MSU fans gravitate toward Chicago," explained John McHugh, who has managed the bar for three years. Want to watch an MSU men's basketball game?

BASKETBALL

Teammates' birthday wish: A tourney bid

Dawn Klemish
March 14, 2003

Julie Pagel knows exactly what she wants for her birthday - a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The junior forward's 21st birthday is today - two days before the March 16 committee selection date - but Pagel has already made plans to accept the belated present. "It's two days overdue, but nevertheless, it'd be a great gift," she said.

SPORTS

Sports briefs

Spartan trio looks for NCAA titles Three Spartans are set to participate in the 2003 NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships this weekend at Randall Tyson Center in Fayetteville, Ark.

FOOTBALL

Fan section seeks identity

Kristofer Karol
March 14, 2003

Student Alumni Foundation officials are looking at about a half dozen new names for the student spirit section at home football games. Members of the section, which was known as Bobby's World for the past three seasons, received an e-mail earlier this week asking for moniker suggestions.

ICE HOCKEY

Icers try to hook Nanooks

James Jahnke
March 14, 2003

For Brian Maloney, tonight's CCHA Tournament game against Alaska-Fairbanks can't come soon enough. Maloney, a senior left wing on the MSU hockey team, has been itching for some playoff action for almost two years now.

BASKETBALL

Crazy 8

Chris Mackinder
March 14, 2003

Chicago - Every year, the Big Ten Tournament not only provides excitement, but it also adds a dose of surprise. In the tournament's five-year history, only one No.

SPORTS

Longtime tennis leaders now seniors

Benita Mehta
March 14, 2003

After another grueling practice at the MSU Indoor Tennis Facility, seniors Jimmy McGuire, Adam Hourani and Goran Topalo took a breather to recollect on their time at MSU last Tuesday. During the 2001 season, the team suffered numerous setbacks on its way to a 7-18 record, which included a 1-10 mark in Big Ten play. "Our (sophomore) year was probably our hardest," McGuire said.

BASKETBALL

Champs to chumps? Izzo's squad in danger

It doesn't seem that long ago nearly the entire MSU community packed into Cedar Village like sardines that magical April night the Spartans ran the gauntlet to the school's second national championship. Even with the loss of Mateen, Morris and A.J., Spartan fans had visions of - not sugarplums - back-to-back championships dancing in their heads. The following season, the team returned a solid nucleus - seniors Charlie Bell and Andre Hutson and the high-flying sophomore Jason Richardson - plus a pair of talented freshmen, making the team's attack that much more potent. In pursuit of another title, that team went 24-3 in the regular season and won the school's fourth consecutive Big Ten regular-season title. However, the Spartans encountered a slight bump in the road in their Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal tilt with Penn State, falling to the Nittany Lions, 65-63. Although surprising, the setback didn't deter the team on its way to its third consecutive Final Four.

BASKETBALL

Guard glad to play in hometown

From living in downtown Chicago to being sidelined by a stress fracture earlier this season, Rashi Johnson's road to playing Big Ten basketball has been rough.While playing street ball at the age of 12, he was shot in the leg.

SPORTS

Spartans hope to land NCAA tourney berth

Dawn Klemish
March 13, 2003

Stacked with talent, this year's Big Ten conference could send up to six women's basketball teams to the NCAA Tournament. Penn State (24-8) nabbed the regular-season conference championship - which all but guarantees them a tournament bid - while Purdue (26-5) earned its bid by taking the Big Ten tournament title.

ICE HOCKEY

Slater, Liles, Fast named to CCHA first team

James Jahnke
March 13, 2003

There is a green tint to the blue-liners on this year's All-CCHA First Team.MSU seniors John-Michael Liles and Brad Fast were voted the two best defensemen in the CCHA by the 12 league coaches, and sophomore center Jim Slater joined them on the all-conference first team, which was released Wednesday night.It's the first time since 1984-85, when former Spartans Gary Haight and Don McSween were honored, that both first-team defensemen have hailed from the same school."Fast and I play very well together and he has helped me bring my game to another level," Liles said in a statement.

BASKETBALL

Hill, Anderson garner conference honors

Patrick Walters
March 12, 2003

Big Ten coaches and media unveiled choices for the top players in the conference Tuesday, tabbing sophomore guard Chris Hill and sophomore forward/guard Alan Anderson for Big Ten honors.Hill was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team while Anderson picked up an honorable mention from the media.

ICE HOCKEY

Junior chooses job hunting over senior season

James Jahnke
March 12, 2003

Tim Hearon is ready to close the book on his hockey career - one year earlier than most people expected.The versatile junior forward from Southgate decided last month to skip his senior season, choosing instead to take his finance degree into the real world.

SPORTS

Sports briefs

Snell stands ahead Freshman defensive specialist Kristy Snell is MSU's latest Freshman Student-Athlete of the Year.

BASKETBALL

Izzo says Big Ten Tournament can derail a team's confidence

Patrick Walters
March 11, 2003

The Big Ten Tournament is six years old this season, but MSU head coach Tom Izzo isn't convinced its growing pains are done. As the men's basketball team prepares for this weekend's tournament in Chicago, Izzo said Monday the Big Ten Tournament is, at best, a mixed blessing for players and coaches as they prepare for the NCAA Tournament the following week. Izzo said the revenue and exposure the conference generates for Big Ten programs is a positive, but the "one and done" philosophy surrounding the Big Ten Tournament isn't the best representative of a season of hard work. "All you harp on all season is playing 40 minutes," Izzo said.

SPORTS

Sports briefs

Golfers in the midst of 3-day tournament The MSU women's golf team is competing in its third tournament of the spring season at the 31st annual SunTrust Gator Gold Invitational in Gainesville, Fla.

BASKETBALL

Senior re-emerging late in season

Patrick Walters
March 10, 2003

Columbus, Ohio - Senior forward Adam Ballinger is certainly picking a convenient time to heat up. After drudging through a season laden with shooting slumps and abandoned expectations, he has come alive for MSU the past two contests.