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Sports | Basketball Men's 1000

SPORTS

Colson awarded team's most valuable

Senior setter Nikki Colson was honored Saturday as the MSU volleyball team's Most Valuable Player for the second year in a row. With 1,585 assists on the season, Colson broke her own record en route to setting the career assist record for MSU with 4,563. Colson, along with teammate senior libero Emmy Miller, took home the 2003 Captains' Awards.

SPORTS

Spartans dismantle U-M in lopsided rivalry victory

This season, the No. 25 MSU women's basketball team has made a name for itself with its defense. After putting on arguably their best defensive effort in a game against Ohio State last week, the Spartans (13-3 overall, 3-2 Big Ten) bettered the effort against Michigan in a 67-33 win Sunday.

FOOTBALL

Prep end added to 2004 roster

The newest addition to the Spartan football 2004 lineup said the main thing he hopes to accomplish in his freshman year is to keep the team on track for another winning season. Justin Kershaw, a 6-foot-5, 235-pound, strongside defensive end from Reynoldsburg High School in Columbus, Ohio, committed on Saturday to play for the Spartans.

SPORTS

Sports briefs

Softball ranked in preseason polls MSU softball team was ranked No. 24 in the ESPN.com/USA Today Softball Top 25 preseason poll released Wednesday. The Spartans are one of just three Big Ten teams in the top 25, including No.

FOOTBALL

Lineman's 2004 NFL Draft decision leaves spectators anxious, optimistic

Matthias Askew's decision to enter the 2004 NFL Draft has left both fans and analysts divided. The junior defensive lineman announced Monday he would forgo his senior season in order to pursue a professional career. Stewart Mandel, an online reporter for Sports Illustrated, said Askew will probably be a third or fourth-round pick, not faring as well as former Spartans who also left early.

VOLLEYBALL

Former assistant to help lead USA National, Olympic teams

Todd Dagenais has some adjusting to do. MSU's former associate head volleyball coach will be spending the next few weeks getting acclimated to his new home, Colorado Springs, Colorado. "The funny thing is, the biggest adjustment has been getting used to the altitude," Dagenais said, adding that the city is more than a mile above sea level.

FOOTBALL

Spartans gain transfer, prep standout for 2004

Spartan football's fall lineup is going to add some much-needed bulk, now that defensive tackle Daniel Zynn has committed to play. The 6-foot-4, 303-pound Zynn was one of the best defensive tackles coming out of high school, and was ranked second at the California Nike Camp.

SPORTS

'U' trio brings home gold

With one period left and down two goals, it was do-or-die time for the U.S. National Junior Team, which included three Spartan hockey players.

SPORTS

Izzo: Cotton still confused, receiving calls from schools

It seems imminent Brandon Cotton will transfer from MSU. At his weekly press conference Monday, MSU head coach Tom Izzo said the freshman point guard still was confused as to what he was doing, but mentioned Cotton's name when talking about college basketball transfers in general. "As of last night, it was still up in the air (if Cotton would start school Monday)," Izzo said.

SPORTS

'U' dismantles Titans

The No. 25 MSU women's basketball team stepped out of conference to grab a 64-41 win over Detroit Mercy on Monday afternoon. The Spartans (11-3) used a press and their matchup zone defense to overwhelm the Titans (6-7). MSU forced 20 turnovers, which it turned into 21 points. "Their matchup zone is as good as anybody's in the country," Detroit head coach Mickey Barrett said.

SPORTS

Spartans earn respect for roller coaster season

The MSU football team traveled a wide and quite unexpected spectrum of success and strife in 2003. Emotions in East Lansing ran rampant as the Green and White endured a fairy tale season that nearly came crashing down near the end.

SPORTS

Departure of guard leaves Izzo 'jilted'

Freshman point guard Brandon Cotton's defection from the MSU men's basketball team last week was a shocking revelation to head coach Tom Izzo, but it wasn't the first time a player surprised Izzo by leaving the team. "Do I feel a little bit jilted?