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Sports | Basketball

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Players suspended for 9 games in 2012-13

Zach Smith
September 17, 2012

MSU women’s basketball head coach Suzy Merchant announced Friday that sophomore guard Kiana Johnson and redshirt freshman forward Akyah Taylor have been suspended for the first nine games of the upcoming season, after NCAA guidelines “related to the receipt of extra benefits” were violated, according to a release by the MSU athletics department. “Both Kiana and Akyah are good student-athletes that made a bad decision this summer,” Merchant said in a statement.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Report: MSU women basketball players suspended

Andrew Krietz
September 15, 2012

Two MSU women basketball players, Kiana Johnson and Akyah Taylor, are suspended for the first nine games of the upcoming season, according to the Associated Press. MSU officials said NCAA guidelines “related to receipt of extra benefits” were violated. Keep checking statenews.com and future print editions of The State News for more on this developing story.

Omari Sankofa II ·
BASKETBALL

Students aim for free Izzone tickets in contest

Zach Smith
September 12, 2012

When electrical engineering freshman Seth Purucker woke up Wednesday morning, he never thought he would be attending all of the MSU men’s basketball games for free this season. But as Izzone tickets went on sale just after midnight on Wednesday, Purucker was one of 20 students who received free tickets from the Student Alumni Foundation, or SAF, and the athletics department after making a half-court shot at the rock on Farm Lane on Wednesday morning.

BASKETBALL

Former athlete helps others with autism

Stephen Brooks
July 16, 2012

Just a few months ago, former MSU basketball player Anthony Ianni thought he would follow in the footsteps of his father, Deputy Athletic Director Greg Ianni, and pursue a career in sports administration. That all changed earlier this month when he was appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder to the state’s newly created Michigan Autism Council.

BASKETBALL

Nix sentenced to community service

Kellie Rowe
May 10, 2012

MSU basketball player Derrick Nix was sentenced Thursday to serve 24 hours of community service and pay $853 in court costs and fines before Judge Richard Ball in 54B District Court, according to the Detroit Free Press. After Nix was pulled over at the intersection of Abbot and Lake Lansing roads, Nix was charged with possession of marijuana and operating a vehicle with the presence of drugs and was arrested 12:20 a.m.

BASKETBALL

Raymar Morgan speaks about his Israel experience

Derek Blalock
April 16, 2012

Some of the best memories of Raymar Morgan’s life came during his time at MSU. After playing basketball overseas for the past two years, he came back to the campus where he spent four years on the MSU men’s basketball team and speak to Jewish students about his time in Israel. Morgan spoke to students at the RCAH Theatre in Snyder and Phillips halls on Monday night. The Israel on Campus Coalition and MSU Hillel organized the event.

Lauren Gibbons ·
BASKETBALL

Nix reinstated after guilty plea

Jeremy Warnemuende  and  Lauren Gibbons
April 12, 2012

MSU basketball player Derrick Nix pled guilty to a charge of impaired driving Thursday morning in East Lansing’s 54-B District Court, a court spokeswoman confirmed. Nix, a junior center on the basketball team, pled guilty to the reduced charge of impaired driving, lowered from a charge of operating under the influence of drugs.

BASKETBALL

Column: Nix could use arrest to boost leadership role

Pat Evans
April 9, 2012

The recent trouble Derrick Nix got himself into with a traffic stop and drugs in the car could have a lot of people wondering what’s at stake for the MSU men’s basketball team’s future. Although the issue will affect the junior center and his future, I’m not sure his legal troubles will change the outlook of the team too much next season.