The sounds blasting over the speakers may have come from the past, but the faces on the floor reflected the future for the MSU men’s and women’s basketball teams.At 10:30 p.m.
MSU’s defensive secondary may have entered Saturday’s Homecoming game against Iowa as a question mark but emerged as an exclamation point in the Spartan’s 31-28 win.The loss of both starting cornerbacks to ankle injuries in the bye week gave MSU reason to worry.
Top-ranked MSU’s two-game series against Lake Superior State wasn’t much more than target practice for the Spartans, who outshot the Lakers 85-33 Thursday and Friday at Munn Ice Arena.MSU’s re-emphasis on offensive production was plainly evident in the sweep, as the Spartans (2-0-1 overall, 2-0-1 CCHA) torched the Lakers (0-2-0, 0-2-0) for 11 total goals - a number the Spartans only eclipsed in one CCHA series last season.Ron Mason, MSU’s head coach of 23 seasons, has encouraged this year’s team to utilize its raw offensive talents, even at the expense of the Spartans’ time-tested defensive tradition.At one point in the second period of Friday’s 6-1 win, all five Spartan skaters darted below the circles in the Laker zone - a move that would have been sacrilegious for a Mason-coached team in recent years.“Our system that we’re playing gives us an opportunity to pursue a little bit more,” said Mason, who earned his 899th career win Friday.
The fans at Old College Field expecting to see a classic battle between MSU and Michigan were not disappointed.After several shifts of momentum, the Spartans (8-2-1, 3-1 Big Ten) left the field with a 4-2 victory over rival U-M (7-4-1, 1-3 Big Ten).The Spartans grabbed control of the game early with two goals off penalty kicks - one by junior midfielder Nick DeGraw and one by senior midfielder Anders Kelto.With an early lead, the Spartans said they felt a great deal of pressure lifted off them.“(Scoring first) is huge against a team like Michigan,” DeGraw said.
MSU alumni won’t be the only ones returning to Spartan Stadium on Saturday for the Homecoming football game against Iowa.
The first step toward another winning basketball season begins tonight and the Spartans aren’t too proud to ask for some support.The MSU men’s and women’s basketball teams officially begin their seasons with the Motown Lo’Down at 10:30 p.m today in Breslin Center.Players will be available to sign autographs, and prizes will be given away before the teams are officially introduced with Motown tunes blasting in the background.At midnight, the first official practice for both teams will begin, giving fans a sneak look at the Spartan teams.For the men, that team will be drastically different than last year’s.The team lost five seniors after they graduated (including starters Charlie Bell, Andre Hutson and David Thomas) and said adios to guard Jason Richardson and forward Zach Randolph, who left early for the NBA.That mass exodus has put a tad bit of pressure on the remaining players and new freshmen to follow four years of Big Ten Championships, three straight Final Four appearances and the 2000 National Championship.“The (freshmen) have to step up, they don’t really have a choice,” junior forward Adam Ballinger said.
Hockey and football aren’t the only on-campus athletic draws this weekend.The MSU women’s soccer team starts the weekend off with a 4 p.m.
Just like Willie Nelson, the Spartan volleyball team will be “on the road again” this weekend as it tangles with the Indiana Hoosiers at 7 p.m.
When No. 15 Ohio State came to East Lansing on Sunday to take on the MSU men’s soccer team.
MSU hockey head coach Ron Mason is scheduled to receive a roughly $20,000 raise to his annual base salary at the MSU Board of Trustees meeting Friday.The Board will vote to increase his salary from $153,215 to $173,215.
For more than two months, Ivory McCoy kept peddling.While his teammates pounded each other on the field, McCoy - who had surgery Aug.
The unknowns of christening a new hockey venue are now in MSU’s rearview mirror, but the Spartans still don’t know exactly what to expect in their next series.After tying Michigan 3-3 in “The Cold War” at Spartan Stadium on Saturday, top-ranked MSU (0-0-1 overall, 0-0-1 CCHA) returns to Munn Ice Arena for a two-game set with Lake Superior State today and Friday.
Despite the menacing weather, a crowd of 245 gathered to watch the MSU men’s soccer team down the Oakland Grizzlies 4-1 Wednesday at Old College Field. The game started slow with neither team creating many chances for themselves. The Spartans (7-2-1, 2-1 Big Ten) went into halftime 1-0, but both teams only had two shots on goal for the half. But Oakland (4-3-2) came out a little flat as well, allowing the Spartans to remain in the game with their subpar performance. “Both teams played sloppy soccer for half an hour,” head coach Joe Baum said.
The ice rink is gone and football is back at Spartan Stadium for the first time since MSU’s Sept.
MSU junior left wing Steve Clark said Saturday was “maybe the biggest disappointment” of his career.It seems like an odd statement considering Saturday was the day the top-ranked Spartans hosted “The Cold War,” broke the world hockey attendance record and tied archrival Michigan 3-3 in Spartan Stadium.Many of Clark’s teammates actually called Saturday one of the best, most memorable days of their lives.
MSU head coach Bobby Williams played musical chairs with his lineup after both of his starting cornerbacks suffered injuries in the bye week.Both senior DeMario Suggs and freshman Jason Harmon broke an ankle and are out eight to10 weeks.As a result, Williams shuffled his players and even dipped into his offensive resources.
Soccer in the United States may not cause the uproar among fans like the Manchester United or Liverpool can.But East Lansing soccer hooligans will have a reason to cheer tonight as the MSU men’s soccer team takes on a diversified Oakland University team at 4:00 p.m.
The weather provided a challenge, but the MSU women’s crew team found a way to succeed as they traveled Saturday to Pittsburgh to compete in the Head of the Ohio. The regatta included 117 organizations and Big Ten rivals Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan. The Spartans entered boats in four races - open pairs, club eight, open four and open eight - and came out with two first-place finishes. Junior Kate Gay and senior Krista Buzzel won the first race of the day, the open pairs, with a time of 17:01.60. Sophomore coxswain Michelle Fix, junior Stacey Atkinson, junior Amy Silder, sophomore Amy Pennington, senior Beth Kaupa, senior Kate Yauk, junior Laura Thomas, junior Ty Middleton and senior Laurie Kozlakowski won the club eight race in 15:22.80.
The legs of MSU’s kickers have been working harder than a Las Vegas chorus line. And for good reason - the position is wide open after three field goals and two extra points missed the mark in the Spartans’ 27-26 loss at Northwestern on Sept.