Following Sunday’s loss at No. 8 Penn State in arguably the biggest game of the regular season for the MSU women’s basketball team, head coach Suzy Merchant tried to embrace the positives.
He stood at the bench with Tom Izzo, and after a brief conversation, headed to the scorer’s table, checking into the game for the final time. “Now entering the game for the Spartans, number 22, Branden Dawson.” The announcer’s call echoed throughout Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind., but it was the following sound that left the greatest impression — a deafening silence.
Around the same time the Spartans were tipping off against the Big Ten-leading Nittany Lions, Michigan was putting the finishing touches on a 67-56 upset of second-place Purdue, ranked No. 13 — a win that would have been paramount to MSU’s chances of winning the conference this season.
The nerves of Branden Dawson were obvious. But few could blame him. A native of Gary, Ind., Dawson once again took the floor of Mackey Arena before family, friends, teammates and an anxious crowd in his home state.
West Lafayette, Ind. — When Tom Izzo looked out on practice Friday and saw two of his top guards sitting out injured and several other players hobbled, he didn’t know what he had. Could they be healthy enough to compete in a tough road environment? Would they be mature enough to focus on the game at hand and avoid getting caught looking ahead to a matchup with arch-rival Michigan on Tuesday? It didn’t take long for Izzo to get his answer. The No.
West Lafayette, Ind. – By now, Branden Dawson should know what to expect when he visits Purdue’s Mackey Arena. A season ago, the Gary, Ind.
West Lafayette, Ind. – Branden Dawson is ready to move on. But even though a year has passed since Dawson signed with the MSU men’s basketball program, the Purdue faithful still hasn’t forgotten.
Arguably the biggest challenge of the season looms Sunday in State College, Pa., in the second stop of what MSU women’s basketball coach Suzy Merchant calls the “February fight.”
As Tom Izzo made his way to the podium he handed off a towel, took a seat, sighed and smiled. The always-talkative Izzo caught himself in a rare moment, “speechless” — unsure of what to say about a performance that didn’t meet his expectations and a team growing more hobbled by the second. “I’m healthy, my wife’s healthy, my trainer’s in great shape, other than that we’ve got problems,” Izzo said. It started with Gary Harris’ back. Then it was Branden Dawson’s ankle. Add on a bloody — initially feared to be broken — nose for Adreian Payne, a shoulder popping out of place for Keith Appling, and a head injury that prevented Travis Trice from even suiting up. One can begin to understand why Izzo is simply thankful for his own health. Despite it all, the No.
It certainly wasn’t a pretty showing by the No. 12 MSU men’s basketball team Wednesday at Breslin Center.
After plodding through an ugly first half, the No. 12 MSU men’s basketball team (19-4 overall, 8-2 Big Ten) used an energetic second half to come from behind and defeat No. 18 Minnesota (17-6, 5-5), 61-50, on Wednesday night at Breslin Center.
Sometimes two teams get entangled in a rugged defensive struggle, where both teams fight to exert their will on the opposition. This was not one of those times.
Join our live chat as the MSU men’s basketball team takes on Minnesota at Breslin Center in a rematch with implications for the rest of the Big Ten season.
Tom Izzo has developed many friends in the coaching business. After 18 years with the MSU men’s basketball program, it’s bound to happen.
The MSU women’s hoops team really needed Monday’s victory over Michigan. It needed it to maintain dominance over the Spartans’ arch rival.
When Branden Dawson thinks about his performance in MSU’s past game, Thursday against Illinois, one word sticks in his mind — “embarrassing.”
The MSU women’s basketball team welcomed first-year Michigan coach Kim Barnes Arico to the in-state rivalry in overwhelming fashion Monday night. Once the Spartans overcame a poor shooting stretch at the beginning the game, the rout was on. MSU (18-4 overall, 6-3 Big Ten) took advantage of an explosive run in the second half to down rival Michigan (16-6, 5-4) for the 12th consecutive time, 61-46. “I think Michigan State is the program that sets the bar, obviously, for the state of Michigan,” Barnes Arico said. “They have a great fan base.
It was supposed to be close. Identical conference records. Overall records separated by just a game. One of the mainstays of the Big Ten’s elite against a program on the rise, with a new head coach and coming off its first NCAA Tournament berth in 11 years. But when Kiana Johnson stood with the ball in her hands, arms crossed as the final seconds ticked off the clock, an authoritative message of dominance was sent. “Get off my court,” Johnson said was the thought on her mind as she stood near midcourt.
The bench continues to shrink for the No. 12 MSU men’s basketball team. After battling the injury bug earlier this season, freshman guard Gary Harris and sophomore guard Travis Trice both left Thursday’s 80-75 win against Illinois with a new set of ailments.
Weaving his way through the defense, Denzel Valentine spotted his teammate open in the corner on the opposite side of the court — yet, that wasn’t where he passed the ball.