BASKETBALL
MSU needs solid post defense vs. Smith
MSU women’s basketball head coach Suzy Merchant was not happy with her team’s post defense in Sunday’s 68-55 win against Northwestern.
BASKETBALL
Spartans beat Hoosiers in 'workmanlike win'
It was a convincing win that could have been even more so. The MSU men’s basketball team outdid Indiana in nearly every facet Tuesday night — depth, field-goal shooting, points in the paint and bench production — and handled the Hoosiers all the way to a 72-58 triumph at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Ind.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Spartans' swagger stemming from 'nastier,' 'tougher' defense
The MSU women’s basketball team hasn’t won six of its last seven games by luck. The Spartans are playing with a defensive swagger, allowing only 54.8 points per game during that stretch.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Stats, records thrown aside when visiting Assembly Hall
Members of the MSU men’s basketball team and head coach Tom Izzo will be the first to note that tonight’s game at Indiana has a lot more to it than meets the eye.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Izzo hopes distractions done for MSU
During his team’s three-game losing streak, Tom Izzo was looking for some resiliency and a rallying cry from his players. The MSU men’s basketball head coach thinks he found it during Saturday’s 65-54 win against Penn State, and a key reason was junior guard Mike Kebler’s defensive performance on Penn State guard Talor Battle.
BASKETBALL
Jaeschke hindered by foul trouble in 2nd half
As quickly as Northwestern center Amy Jaeschke warmed up in the second half Sunday against the MSU women’s basketball team, she cooled down. Jaeschke reeled off Northwestern’s first 10 points of the second half, giving her 20 for the game, as Northwestern cut a 17-point deficit to seven.
BASKETBALL
Kebler proves he can hang with starters
Days before the MSU men’s basketball team’s game against Illinois on Feb. 6, head coach Tom Izzo fielded questions about what he would do at point guard with junior guard Kalin Lucas injured.
BASKETBALL
Defensive Dominance
Love was not in the air for the MSU women’s basketball team’s Valentine Day’s matinee with Northwestern. With one, if not more, bodies flying around on any given play, the Spartans once again used their defense to transition into offense, knocking off the Wildcats 68-55 in front of 8,632 fans Sunday at Breslin Center.
BASKETBALL
Washington lists defense as key goal for rest of season
Cetera Washington now is in her third season with the MSU women’s basketball team. The 6-foot junior forward from Kalamazoo, Mich., came to MSU from Loy Norrix High School, where she was named 2006 Associated Press Class A Player of the Year.
BASKETBALL
Balanced offense leads MSU to win
The MSU women’s basketball team showed it has many weapons Sunday, using a balanced offensive attack to beat Northwestern, 68-55, at Breslin Center. Every Spartan who played scored, led by three in double figures — senior center Allyssa DeHaan (12 points), sophomore guard Porschè Poole (12) and senior center Lauren Aitch (11).
BASKETBALL
Spartans snap losing streak, beat Penn State 65-54
Junior guard Kalin Lucas scores 24 in MSU’s 65-54 win at Penn State. The win ends the Spartans’ three-game skid and gives them their 10th Big Ten win of the season.
BASKETBALL
DeHaan ties NCAA all-time blocks record
Senior center Allyssa DeHaan tied the NCAA Division I career blocks record Thursday night when she swatted Michigan center Krista Phillips 13 seconds into the second half at Crisler Arena, tying the previous record of 480 held by Texas Christian’s Sandora Irvin (2001-05). Later Thursday night, St. Mary’s junior forward Louella Tomlinson, who came into her game with Gonzaga needing three blocks to break the record, tied and later broke the record with five rejections.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Spartans defend well in 50-45 win over U-M
The MSU women’s basketball team got back to basics in Thursday’s night victory against Michigan: defense and rebounding.
BASKETBALL
DeHaan ties NCAA blocks record against U-M
Ann Arbor — Senior center Allyssa DeHaan tied the NCAA career blocks record when she swatted U-M center Krista Phillips 13 seconds into the second half Thursday night at Crisler Arena. DeHaan tied the record of 480 blocks held by Texas Christian’s Sandora Irvin (2001-05).
BASKETBALL
Defensive rebound
MSU junior guard Chris Allen is averaging career highs in points, rebounds, assists and steals — but Allen and his coaches agree those improvements stem from his growth on defense. His increased focus and intense film study means he’s now playing the best defense of his life, head coach Tom Izzo said.
BASKETBALL
Battle presents challenge for Spartans
For more than a week, the focus of the MSU men’s basketball program has been on junior guard Kalin Lucas. Saturday, the team’s attention will turn to Penn State’s junior guard and leading scorer Talor Battle, the Nittany Lions’ most dangerous player.
BASKETBALL
MSU holds edge over winless Nittany Lions
A trip to State College, Pa., might be just what the doctor ordered for the MSU men’s basketball team. No coach would play a road game in the Big Ten if he didn’t have to, but if there is a team you want to face on their home floor, it’s the Nittany Lions.
BASKETBALL
Despite injuries, fiery Jefferson remains focused, determined
Injuries throughout her basketball career might have taken away some of Aisha Jefferson’s physical gifts, but they haven’t affected her heart.
BASKETBALL
Spartans prepare for another 3-point shooting team in U-M
There’s nothing like a rivalry game to get a team going after a tough loss. Following Sunday’s disappointing loss at Iowa, the MSU women’s basketball team will be anxious to get back at it tonight when they head to Crisler Arena to play Michigan at 7 p.m. Four days after the team struggled defensively against the Hawkeyes, MSU goes into Ann Arbor against a team that will play a very similar style — drive to the basket and either put up a shot or kick out for a 3-point attempt.
BASKETBALL
Lucas shows grit, heart in loss
Funny, the effect ankle injuries have on star MSU point guards. Kalin Lucas’ performance on a bum ankle Tuesday night against Purdue brought back memories of Mateen Cleaves’ 2000 championship game effort.