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Sports | Basketball Men's 1037

SPORTS

Spartans hope for win under stadium lights

Andrew Fifer
October 25, 2002

The MSU football team enters the eighth game of the season looking to gain some respect and pick up a win after two consecutive blowout losses to conference foes.The Spartans (3-4 overall, 1-2 Big Ten) were pummeled at Spartan Stadium last week in a 28-7 loss to Minnesota and two weeks ago were embarrassed by Iowa 44-16 in Kinnick Stadium.After the games, Golden Gopher (7-1, 3-1) and Hawkeye (7-1, 4-0) players questioned the Spartans’ toughness; and head coach Bobby Williams admitted his team needs to be tougher offensively and defensively in the running game.In last week’s defeat, the Golden Gophers’ running attack racked up 390 yards, while their defense held MSU to 51 yards on the ground.The Spartans face the prospect of losing their fifth game of the season - which would be as many as they had all of last year - and falling two games below .500.MSU has dropped four of its last five games - three of them lopsided defeats - and another loss would put its bowl hopes in serious jeopardy.The Spartans will try to turn things around against Wisconsin at 7:05 p.m.

SPORTS

Say farewell to polls, BCS ranking is back

So far this season there have been two predominant sources for finding where your favorite college football team stacks up in the country, the USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Poll and The Associated Press Top 25 Poll.

BASKETBALL

Taylor cut by Wolves

Chris Mackinder
October 25, 2002

After jetting from MSU following his sophomore season to taste the NBA’s glory, Marcus Taylor was released by the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday. Taylor was selected by the Timberwolves with the 52nd overall pick in the draft.

SPORTS

Womens tennis looks to continue progress in regional

As the MSU women’s tennis team gets set to host the Omni Hotels/ITA Midwest Regional Championship this weekend, the team is looking to build on its experience and success for the spring season. The tournament begins today at the MSU Indoor Tennis Facility, 3571 E.

SOCCER

Mens soccer finishes road trip with a victory

Dawn Klemish
October 24, 2002

The men’s soccer team (10-5 overall, 3-2 Big Ten) rose to .500 on its month-long road trip with a 4-1 defeat of Western Michigan on Wednesday. Junior midfielder Nick DeGraw scored the Spartan’s first two goals just 1:31 apart for the only offense in the first half. In the second half, senior defender Scott Babinski found net for the first time this season to provide MSU with an insurance goal at 60:35. The Broncos aided the Spartans’ cause in the 77th minute, scoring on themselves to stretch the lead to four. Western managed to avoid a shutout thanks to forward Chad Wiseman, who booted one past senior goalkeeper Tyler Robinson at 80:44. The Spartans went 3-3 on the road for the month of October. MSU returns for its home finale at 1 p.m.

FOOTBALL

First-teams battle it out during practice

Eric Mckinney
October 24, 2002

After two straight losses and countless questions regarding a lack of toughness, MSU head coach Bobby Williams decided this week was the time to mix things up in practice.So for the first time all season, the Spartans’ first-team offense squared off against the first-team defense on the practice field.“We get real excited when we get to go against the first-team offense,” sophomore linebacker Ronald Stanley said.

SPORTS

Youth on display at Munn as Spartans face off with Lakers

James Jahnke
October 24, 2002

For one of the only times this season, MSU will be more experienced than its opponent this week.The youthful Lake Superior State Lakers are in town for a CCHA series at Munn Ice Arena on Thursday and Friday, and they almost make the green Spartans look like fossils.Laker head coach Frank Anzalone has a whopping 15 freshmen on his team, while MSU only has eight rookies.

ICE HOCKEY

New rule helps increase speed of game

James Jahnke
October 23, 2002

College hockey games have been as short as two hours this season, thanks to the NCAA’s new 15-second faceoff rule. The rule mandates that the visiting team puts its personnel on the ice no more than five seconds after a whistle.

SPORTS

Team looks to go undefeated at home

Dawn Klemish
October 23, 2002

MSU field hockey is just 70 minutes away from an undefeated season at home, and Kent State is the final obstacle in the Spartans’ way.In its inaugural season at the MSU Field Hockey Complex, MSU (15-2 overall, 3-1 Big Ten) has successfully defended its turf, winning all nine games.But numbers aside, head coach Michele Madison said today is just another tough game.“We’ll definitely have to bring our ‘A’ game to the field,” Madison said.

BASKETBALL

Green and White set to tip off Saturday

The men’s basketball team will be kicking off its season this Saturday at 4 p.m. with the Green-White Game. The game will provide the last chance for fans to sign the “Elite Banner” before it’s raised to the Breslin Center rafters.

SPORTS

Williams lack of experience is showing

Eric Mckinney
October 22, 2002

I don’t know about everyone else on campus, but for me watching the Spartans has become more painful than any final I’ve ever taken. I mean, seriously, I’d rather sit through an entire semester of nothing but calculus, biology and economics classes.

ICE HOCKEY

Spartans adjust game plan

James Jahnke
October 21, 2002

Marquette - It’s only two weeks into the season, but patterns are already emerging for the MSU hockey team - lose badly Friday night, watch the videotape of the loss early Saturday, make adjustments and then win the second game.Such was the case against Northern Michigan at the Berry Events Center during the weekend.