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Sports | Basketball

BASKETBALL

Halftime: Women's basketball dismantling Michigan at the Big Ten tournament

Zach Libby
March 5, 2015

A spark that wasn't seen in the regular-season was finally discovered in the second round of the Big Ten tournament by the Spartans, who go into the locker room with a commanding 46-22 advantage over Michigan.  MSU's dominating performance began right from the start, jumping out to an early 12-4 run at the 16:37 mark, thanks to an uncontested layup by freshman Lexi Gussert underneath the basket.  Gussert, the guard, leads the team with 14 points on 5-of-5 shooting and 4-of-4 from beyond the arc.

BASKETBALL

MSU sends seniors off with win in last game at Breslin Center

John Neidhart
March 5, 2015

On senior night, Travis Trice sent quite the farewell to Spartan fans, leading MSU to a 72-66 victory over Purdue. Trice was electric for MSU (20-10 overall, 11-6 Big Ten), tying his career-high of 27 points. He and fellow senior Branden Dawson returned to the starting lineup but only Trice was able to finish the game. After hitting his head and leaving the game with about eight minutes left in the first half, Dawson went to the locker room and did not return to the contest.

BASKETBALL

Without Branden Dawson MSU tops Purdue 72-66

John Neidhart
March 4, 2015

On senior night, Travis Trice sent quite the farewell to Spartan fans, leading MSU to a 72-66 victory over Purdue. Trice was electric, tying his season-high of 27 points. He and fellow Branden Dawson returned to the starting lineup but only Trice was able to finish the game.

BASKETBALL

Women's basketball tops Purdue 61-56

Zach Libby
February 28, 2015

Tori Jankoska has once again proven to be the much needed catalyst for a team looking for a confidence boost late in the season.  In a game that saw constant lead changes and momentum swings, the sophomore forward would send the dagger through the hearts of the Boilermakers with 14 seconds left on the clock.  Up by three, a steal by the 5-foot-8 guard followed by an uncontested layup was the bitter end to Purdue's resurgent run to a close upset, finishing the season on a three-game wins streak thanks to a 61-56 final score.  Jankoska, the Freeland native, capped off the regular-season by recording her tenth 20+ points game of the season to make her the MSU leader in points down in West Lafayette, giving the Spartans an undefeated record whenever she sits on top of the leaderboard.  The offensive firepower of Jankoska and Aerial Powers combined for 43-points, the only two players that recorded more than five points before the final buzzer.

BASKETBALL

HALFTIME: Women's basketball leads Purdue 29-28

Zach Libby
February 28, 2015

Tori Jankoska has picked off where she left off this past Wednesday against the Purdue Boilermakers, garnering 14-points before heading back into the locker room to give MSU a 29-28 lead before halftime.  With the ninth seed in the upcoming Big Ten tournament on the line Saturday afternoon, the Spartans came out of the gates early with a head of steam, quickly going on a 15-6 advantage at the 10:24 mark.  But the Boilermakers, who are sitting dead last in the conference standings with Penn State, went on a 22-14 run to make it a one possession game. Andreona Keys would end the first 20-minutes of play by hitting an uncontested layup right before the buzzer to cut the deficit to one, following a turnover by freshman Kennedy Johnson with two seconds remaining.  Jankoska is shooting 75 percent (3-of-4) from beyond the arc and 57 percent (4-of-7). She has also posted two rebounds and two assists.  Meanwhile, sophomore forward Aerial Powers has broken the MSU single-season rebounding record after grabbing her 337th of the season.

BASKETBALL

Spartans suffer "sickening" loss at home to Minnesota

John Neidhart
February 26, 2015

In another disappointing home performance for the Spartans, Minnesota stormed into Breslin Center and strolled away with a 96-90 victory. With his team leading by three points, sophomore forward Gavin Schilling fouled Minnesota junior guard Carlos Morris on a three-point heave with just over two seconds left.

BASKETBALL

Aerial Powers breaks single season Spartan scoring record

Zach Libby
February 26, 2015

C. Vivian Stringer, the head coach of No. 20 ranked Rutgers, closed the locker room for media members following their defeat at the hands of MSU this past Sunday in East Lansing.  When the 2009 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee had her run-in with reporters inside the tunnel, the conversation quickly focused on the performance of Aerial Powers.  Stringer said that if she could go back and change her preparations for last season's Big Ten regular-season champions, she would have shown less film on the conference's leading scorer, knowing that her players would be less intimated and less fearful at the Breslin Center. Barely being edged out by No.

BASKETBALL

Despite .500 record, women's basketball still ranks in the top 10 in attendance nationally

Zach Libby
February 26, 2015

The product on the floor may not have been as well decorated this season in comparison to years past, but that hasn't stopped loyal supporters in walking through the turnstiles.  According to the MSU athletic department, the Spartans rank first in the Big Ten and eighth in the country in total attendance for women's basketball games as of Feb. 17.  This was evident during Sunday's upset victory over No.

BASKETBALL

Women's basketball tops Illinois 67-65

Zach Libby
February 25, 2015

Tori Jankoska is further proving to her critics that Aerial Powers isn't the only superstar in the making on the Spartans roster.  Playing a major role in last Sunday's upset over first-year Big Ten participant and No.

BASKETBALL

Halftime: Women's basketball leads Illinois 42-30

Zach Libby
February 25, 2015

Whenever sophomore guard Tori Jankoska finishes a contest as the team's leader in the points column this season, the Spartans have come away with a victory.  That was evident when MSU nearly caused a court storming this past Sunday in East Lansing when they knocked off No.