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Sports | 1000

BASKETBALL

Spartans focused on hard-nosed Badgers

Patrick Walters
February 11, 2003

If it doesn't concern tonight's game at Wisconsin, the MSU men's basketball team is lending only a deaf ear and a blind eye.The Spartans (13-8 overall, 5-4 Big Ten) have won three straight games, putting them two games out of the conference lead and in a fifth-place tie with Minnesota.But MSU head coach Tom Izzo said forecasting later games is useless in light of the Spartans' lackluster Big Ten start."If we get this one, I guess we'd be somewhat back in the race," Izzo said.

BASKETBALL

Hill, teammates are not worried about rankings

Chris Mackinder
February 11, 2003

The MSU men's basketball team had only one game since last week's polls came out, but the Spartans didn't get any respect after a 67-62 overtime victory against Indiana on Saturday. Voters in The Associated Press Top 25 poll obviously weren't impressed with the Spartans' (13-8 overall, 5-4 Big Ten) road win, nor their three-game winning streak as MSU actually lost 20 votes in the poll. The Spartans received only 11 votes, just one week after picking up 31.

SPORTS

Simmons records 5 pins in meet

Three members of the MSU wrestling team had impressive showings over the weekend at the Edinboro Open.Freshman Andy Simmons garnered the most success, recording five pins to take first place in the 141-pound division.

ICE HOCKEY

Spartans get key victory

James Jahnke
February 10, 2003

Bowling Green, Ohio - MSU head coach Rick Comley had a feeling Bowling Green's power-play scheme would crumble under constant stress. So on Saturday, Comley threw everything in his penalty-killing arsenal at the Falcons. The Spartans forechecked aggressively, pressed the Falcons through the neutral zone and harassed the Bowling Green power-play unit around the offensive zone en route to a 6-3 win at BGSU Ice Arena. "We felt they were vulnerable to pressure," Comley said.

SPORTS

Grapplers defeat 2 top-10 teams

Benita Mehta
February 10, 2003

The MSU wrestling team continued its successful homestand with stunning upsets against Iowa and archrival Michigan.The 14th-ranked Spartans (7-5, 4-1 Big Ten) defeated the No.

SPORTS

Sports Briefs

Grapplers go to battle with No. 2 Hawkeyes The MSU wrestling team's six-match homestand culminates with more top-25 action. The 14th-ranked Spartans (5-5, 2-1 Big Ten) host No.

BASKETBALL

Hill is go-to man from 3-point land

Patrick Walters
February 7, 2003

The game is going down to the wire, the clock is ticking down like a sluggish metronome and only a 3-pointer can tie the game. Who gets the ball? If the MSU men's basketball team is the squad in need of a trey, then the ball is likely to end up in the hands of sophomore guard Chris Hill, MSU's deadliest and most consistent 3-point threat. Hill has made his career as a Spartan by banking on his long range shot.

SPORTS

Recruits may surprise some in a few years

The Spartans pulled a rabbit out of their hat. Sure, one of the nation's top linebackers fled to Whoretown (Ann Arbor). And sure, MSU's 2003 football recruiting class doesn't have many big names.

SPORTS

U-M gets the best of 'U' again

Kristofer Karol
February 7, 2003

MSU football has found itself in a familiar and uncomfortable situation. It's football staff has once again missed out on recruiting highly touted prep players, such as Saginaw High linebacker LaMarr Woodley.

SPORTS

Fekete returns after major injuries

Benita Mehta
February 6, 2003

Coming back from one serious injury is difficult enough, but coming back from two, to the same body part no less, takes a huge amount of dedication, heart and love for your craft.Not only did senior Nik Fekete fight off two serious shoulder dislocations to return to the mat, but he says his confidence never wavered along the road to recovery."I had so much support, from family, friends and teammates," he said.

SPORTS

Stats don't define Pagel's impact

Dawn Klemish
February 5, 2003

Relaxing in a chair in the basement of Breslin Center after her team's 73-56 waxing of Michigan on Thursday, MSU junior forward Julie Pagel is all smiles.During the game, Pagel assumed an entirely different persona as she stepped out onto the court with a scowl on her face and prepared to do battle with the rival Wolverines.Hauling in a game-and season-high 12 rebounds and tallying three steals during the game, Pagel was the epitome of the blue-collar Spartan defense head coach Joanne P.

ICE HOCKEY

Spartans stuck at '16'

James Jahnke
February 5, 2003

For the first time in about a month, MSU head coach Rick Comley bemoaned his team's effort after Friday's 5-3 loss to Miami (Ohio)."We had a lot of players that didn't work hard enough," Comley said.

ICE HOCKEY

Maloney playing 'possessed'

James Jahnke
February 4, 2003

Nobody on the MSU hockey team has played with more intensity since the semester break than senior left wing Brian Maloney. Overall, the 6-foot-1, 207-pounder has skated faster, hit harder and forechecked more fiercely and consistently than any of his counterparts.

BASKETBALL

Spartans 3-1 with latest lineup

Patrick Walters
February 4, 2003

In the thick of the Big Ten season, the MSU men's basketball team finds itself living an anomaly - downtime during conference play. The Spartans (12-8 overall, 4-4 Big Ten) knocked off two ranked opponents (now-unranked Indiana and No.