As the first half against No. 7 Kansas came to a close, junior guard Keith Appling only had three points to his name. One half and 16 points later, Keith Appling was walking into the locker room as the leading scorer of the game. More importantly for Appling, however, was that the scoreboard read “MSU: 67, Kansas: 64.”
The last time the Spartans faced Northwestern, they were playing for sole possession of the title of 2011 Big Ten Legends Division champions. MSU knocked off the Wildcats 31-17 in Evanston, Ill., ensuring the Legends Division would not be shared en route to the Spartans’ appearance in the inaugural Big Ten championship game. A year later, the scene is being set a little differently.
Growing up in Plano, Texas, Zach Bennett said he always told his dad that one day, he wanted to play college soccer in the NCAA Tournament.
Coming off a split weekend with Michigan, the MSU hockey team (4-5-1 overall, 3-3-0 CCHA) now must lace up its skates to take on CCHA opponent and nationally ranked Miami (Ohio) (6-2-1 overall, 3-2-1-1 CCHA) in Oxford, Ohio, this weekend.
As Suzy Merchant walked off the Convocation Center’s basketball court, the difference from the last time she coached a game on that floor was staring up at her.
Led by a career high 20 points from junior guard Klarissa Bell, the MSU women’s basketball team (2-0) defeated Eastern Michigan (1-1), 60-49 on Thursday night.
There’s a lot to like about Gary Harris. A former McDonald’s All-American, the freshman guard was highly touted before he even stepped foot on campus. He’s a highlight reel in the making, possessing the combination of size and speed to be successful in the Big Ten and beyond. On top of that, he has the charisma of a much older athlete, while still carrying the natural whimsy of a first-year college player.
For the MSU volleyball team, this weekend holds one focus — to get revenge against Northwestern and Illinois.
t might have been a homecoming of sorts for MSU women’s basketball head coach Suzy Merchant, but it took the Spartans (2-0) more than 30 minutes before pulling away from Eastern Michigan and winning 60-49 Thursday night.
The past three times the MSU men’s soccer team (11-9-1 overall, 3-3-0 Big Ten) stepped onto the field, it’s been do or die.
Even when Kurtis Drummond barely saw the field as a redshirt freshman a year ago, the safety was a playmaker. In limited playing time, he grabbed two interceptions, forced a fumble and showed an instinctive nose for the football.
When head coach Suzy Merchant and the MSU women’s basketball team travels to Ypsilanti, Mich., to take on Eastern Michigan at 7 p.m. Thursday, it will be homecoming of sorts for MSU’s head coach.
MSU women’s basketball team picked up its first recruit when Tori Jankoska signed her National Letter of Intent on Wednesday to join the Spartans in the 2013-14 season.
Walking into practice on Wednesday, MSU volleyball head coach Cathy George was wearing an ear-to-ear smile on her face. And with the morning George had on the first day of the NCAA early signing period, who can blame her for being so enthusiastic?
Their college careers might only be two games old, but freshman guards Gary Harris and Denzel Valentine seemed like season veterans during No. 21 MSU’s 67-64 victory over No. 7 Kansas.
Mark Dantonio said he and his football team should use last week’s bye to take some time away from the game of football, to step back and refocus on the task at hand. And the sixth-year head coach did — to an extent.
When Jake Hildebrand was looking at different college hockey programs, he wanted to know if he would have the opportunity to play. The MSU hockey freshman goaltender said he asked head coach Tom Anastos if he would be given that chance as a Spartan, and Anastos said he responded by telling him if he earned ice time, he would be given it.
For Le’Veon Bell, there is no doubt. The Spartans will make a bowl game, and he won’t be convinced otherwise. As the MSU football team (5-5 overall, 2-4 Big Ten) prepares for its home finale against Northwestern (7-3, 3-3) on Saturday (noon, ESPN2), it will look to extend its bowl streak to six consecutive seasons.
One game isn’t enough time to define a season, but for head coach Suzy Merchant and the MSU women’s basketball team, it certainly can show them things they can improve on before going on the road to take on Eastern Michigan at 7 p.m. this Thursday.
For the second time in her Spartan career, sophomore Alison Menzies has been named the Big Ten Diver of the Week.