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Sports | Basketball

BASKETBALL

MSU women preparing to take on familiar foe in Bowling Green

For two weeks, the MSU women’s basketball team has dealt with the sour taste of its Big Ten Tournament loss to Iowa. Now the Spartans are two wins away from being sweet again, and it all starts Saturday in the team’s first-round NCAA Tournament game against Bowling Green at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Ky.

BASKETBALL

NMSU student 'bleeds green'

New Mexico State University student Blake Knoblock grew up in Traverse City, Mich., and has been an MSU basketball fan since he can remember. Knoblock, 21, now is in his junior year and majoring in film and creative writing. This week, The State News caught up with Knoblock, who will be attending Friday’s game and asked him what he expects from Friday’s game.

BASKETBALL

Morgan focused on leaving MSU on top

Coming out of high school in Canton, Ohio, as a two-time state champion, Raymar Morgan was the go-to guy. As his career progressed, Morgan began to lose focus and become passive, letting older players handle problems and carry the load.

BASKETBALL

Getting to know the Aggies

Earlier this week, The State News caught up with Jason Groves, the Las Cruces Sun-News New Mexico State beat writer, to talk about the Aggies’ strengths and players to watch.

BASKETBALL

MSU hoping for best of times in NCAA Tourney

Because of the wild variation of emotions March can bring, some would call it the best of times. For others, it’s the worst of times. The same concept can be applied to the 64 teams that will participate in the 2010 NCAA Tournament.

BASKETBALL

No upset here: UConn rolls to another title

Connecticut, the No. 1 overall seed and winners of 71 straight games, is the prohibitive favorite to win its second straight national championship. The Huskies dominated the competition throughout the season, winning their games by an average of almost 35 points.

BASKETBALL

MSU needs to keep focus in future games

Too often this season, regardless of whether it’s a win or a loss, the MSU women’s basketball team has talked about losing focus. With the stakes high and a trip to the Big Ten Tournament championship game on the line, lost focus cost the Spartans dearly.

BASKETBALL

Allen must get Izzo's message for team success

With about four minutes remaining in the MSU men’s basketball team’s Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal game Friday, head coach Tom Izzo walked to the end of the bench and spoke briefly with Chris Allen. Normally, that’s presubstitution standard procedure — offer a few words of instruction and send him in to relieve a teammate. You can bet that’s what both Izzo and the junior guard wished the meeting was about.

BASKETBALL

Spartans to march West

The No. 5 seed MSU men’s basketball team will start its march to the Final Four in Indianapolis against No. 12 seed New Mexico State at 7:20 p.m. Friday at Spokane, Wash. The Spartans or the Aggies will face the winner of the first round match between No. 4 seed Maryland and No. 13 seed Houston on Sunday.

BASKETBALL

Spartans' leaders can't orchestrate tournament win

Indianapolis – The same group of upperclassmen, captains and leaders who put the MSU men’s basketball team on their back Friday against Minnesota were the same ones that clanked late free throws and ran out of gas down the stretch in the Spartans’ 72-67 loss.

BASKETBALL

Minnesota knocks MSU out of Big Ten Tournament in OT

Indianapolis — Two pairs of missed free throws in overtime and clutch shooting from Minnesota hurt the MSU men’s basketball team Friday night as the Spartans lost, 72-67, to the Golden Gophers at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Spartans’ quarterfinal loss in the Big Ten Tournament means they will be off until the start of the NCAA Tournament next week.

BASKETBALL

Minnesota win sets up Friday tournament match with Spartans

Indianapolis — With a dominating 76-55 win Thursday against No. 11 seed Penn State in the first round of the men’s Big Ten Tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse, the No. 6 seed Minnesota Golden Gophers advance to face MSU, which defeated Minnesota twice already this year and had a first-round bye. Minnesota and MSU are scheduled to tip-off at 9 p.m. Friday.