Monday, December 22, 2025

Take a peek behind the curtain and test drive the NEW StateNews.com today!

Sports | Basketball Men's 1000

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Women's basketball defeats Indiana 56-46 on the road

An impressive all-around outing from sophomore guard Kiana Johnson powered MSU to a 56-46 win at Indiana Sunday afternoon. Johnson paced MSU (16-2 overall, 4-1 Big Ten) with 15 points while adding five assists and four rebounds. The Spartans’ win begins a stretch that includes three road trips in the next four games.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Payne shows skills against OSU

There are a few times each game where Adreian Payne shows off how good he can be. Although sometimes lost in moments of frustration or general fatigue, there are the moments when Payne throws down a dunk or dishes a nifty pass or, more recently, fires a shot from beyond the 3-point line that reminds head coach Tom Izzo of the player he once recruited.

ICE HOCKEY

Ferris State takes down MSU, 2-1

Friday night was the third time in just more than a month MSU and Ferris State hockey have taken the ice against each other, and the Bulldogs gave the Spartans exactly what they were expecting. This game, for the second time a row, Ferris State (11-9-3 overall, 9-7-1-0 CCHA) was victorious over MSU (6-14-3 overall, 5-11-1-0 CCHA), coming out on top with a score of 2-1. “They’ve played pretty consistently all three games they’ve played us,” captain and junior forward Greg Wolfe said.

ICE HOCKEY

MSU falls to Ferris State 2-1 at home

In the third meeting between the two this season, Ferris State beat MSU hockey, 2-1. Ferris State’s Cory Kane got the game rolling with a shot that made its way through MSU freshman goaltender Jake Hildebrand’s five-hole about midway through the first period.

SPORTS

Spartans look to grow after losses

Every day this week there has been a sign hanging on the MSU wrestling training room door to motivate the team to focus on the little things and be persistent, because the team is counting on them.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Women's basketball topples Iowa 65-54

If Klarissa Bell, MSU’s leading scorer, didn’t have the attention of the visiting Hawkeyes when they got off the bus, they definitely did when her half court heave tied Thursday’s game at 25 at the halftime buzzer. Behind Bell’s career-high 25 points, the Spartans downed Iowa 65-54. Tied at 51 apiece with 3:37 left to play, MSU took advantage of a 9-0 run over the next three minutes to pull away — led by Bell and the outside shooting of junior forward Annalise Pickrel. Pickrel was fouled with 59 seconds left and hit one of two free throws to give the Spartans a 13-point lead at which point Iowa stopped fouling and let the time run out.

BASKETBALL

Getting player back could mean more depth for women's basketball

The MSU women’s basketball team hopes to welcome back redshirt freshman forward Akyah Taylor to the rotation for tonight’s home game against Iowa at 6 p.m. Normally, the Spartans (14-2 overall, 2-1 Big Ten ) would not make a big deal out of the return of a player who has averaged 9.3 minutes of play in four game appearances.

FOOTBALL

ESPN’s Mel Kiper analyzes Spartans’ draft prospects

For the first time since 1999, the MSU football team will have multiple underclassmen leaving school early to enter the NFL Draft, with running back Le’Veon Bell, tight end Dion Sims and defensive end William Gholston each announcing about two weeks ago that they’re ready to take the plunge.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Spartans set to take on Penn State on the road

After Wednesday’s game against Penn State (8-8 overall, 0-4 Big Ten), eight of the Spartans’ (14-3, 3-1) next 14 games come against teams currently ranked in the AP Top 25. Of the final 15 games, eight come on the road, including historically tough venues at Wisconsin and Purdue.