The MSU women’s basketball team (9-1) seemed right at home in their return to Jenison Field House, pummeling IPFW (3-7) 64-36 Sunday afternoon.
The game was played in Jenison Field House to commemorate the “Game of Change” nearly 50 years ago, when the stadium hosted an NCAA Tournament game between Loyola-Chicago and Mississippi State, in which Mississippi State had to sneak out of its state to play an integrated basketball game during the height of the Civil Rights Movement.
It was a night of historic moments that certainly wasn’t lost on head coach Tom Izzo, who imparted the lessons taken away from the positives of such a cultural shift in American history.
In the first game at Jenison Field House in more than two decades, the No. 19 MSU men’s basketball team overcame an ugly first half to defeat Division II Tuskegee 92-56.
The Commodores had come and gone, the new lights were shining bright and an electric crowd had found some unusual seats.
When Keith Appling thinks of Jenison Field House, three people come to mind: Jud Heathcote, Magic Johnson and Gregory Kelser.
As the final seconds ticked off the clock, Matteen Cleaves held the ball in his hands, making sure he left Magic Johnson’s old stomping grounds in the same manner the Flintstone did the last time he wore Spartan green: victoriously.
It’s been 12 years since Mateen Cleaves made his one shining moment for the MSU basketball program.
After men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo spent most of his weekly press conference sharing his excitement about the return of his mentor this weekend, an accident has resulted in a change of plans.
The No. 19 MSU men’s basketball team (8-2) overcame foul trouble to both of its point guards to knock off a relentless Loyola-Chicago (6-3) 73-61 Saturday afternoon, behind a career-high 20 points from freshman guard Gary Harris.
The MSU women’s basketball team’s winning streak came to an end as they lost to No. 19 Dayton 60-53 Saturday afternoon.
Three hours before Saturday’s game against Loyola-Chicago, Gary Harris was ready. Setting his feet, checking his mechanics and firing shot after shot at the rims of Breslin Center, Harris wanted to be comfortable playing for the first time since his Nov. 20 shoulder injury without his shoulder brace.
After a first half that saw the No. 19 MSU basketball team head into the locker room trailing Loyola-Chicago, it seemed the Spartans were in line for another lackluster performance against a non-conference opponent. However, there was nothing lackluster about what Gary Harris had in mind Saturday at Breslin Center.
It was clear from the opening tip that the Ramblers (6-2) came to play, leading the No. 19 MSU men’s basketball team (7-2) 32-30 at halftime.
After starting the past two seasons in unique venues, MSU men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo is learning not to take anything athletics director Mark Hollis says lightly.
It’s been one day since an emotional Tom Izzo addressed the media following his team’s 32-point victory over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, where the head coach promised his playing rotation would be shortened. After watching the film, a more subdued Izzo hadn’t changed his stance.
The MSU women’s basketball team (8-0) has accomplished more with their backs against the wall this year than was expected of them, and now they have another obstacle to hurdle when they take on No. 19 Dayton at 1 p.m. Saturday in Dayton, Ohio.
Before the No. 19 MSU basketball team took the floor Wednesday against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Tom Izzo vowed he’d have a much fairer evaluation of his team than he did on Saturday against Nicholls State. But even after the No. 19 Spartans thoroughly routed the Golden Lions on Wednesday evening at Breslin Center, the veteran head coach didn’t like what he saw.
Holding an opponent scoreless for the opening 10 minutes of a game, as part of a 32-point victory would have most basketball coaches excited. But Wednesday night, Tom Izzo was anything but.
There was a distinct holiday flavor in the air at Breslin Center on Wednesday, as the Izzone student section taunted visiting Arkansas-Pine Bluff with Christmas songs for much of the evening. Unfortunately, the No. 19 MSU basketball team wasn’t exactly in the mood for gift giving.