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Sports | Basketball

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Thomas tears ACL; will miss season

The MSU women’s basketball team took a big hit Friday when sophomore guard Brittney Thomas went down for the season, tearing the anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, in her left knee, head coach Suzy Merchant announced.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Freshman's career day paces MSU in 75-47 victory

All Draymond Green did Saturday was take advantage of an opportunity. With the MSU men’s basketball team in a closer-than-expected Big Ten battle with last-place Indiana and senior center Goran Suton struggling early, the freshman forward brought energy and tenacity to the floor, scoring 15 points and grabbing 12 rebounds to lead the Spartans to a 75-47 victory over the Hoosiers at Breslin Center.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

MSU closing in on Big Ten lead after 52-46 victory

The MSU women’s basketball team’s 52-46 win over No. 14 Ohio State was the battle it was built up to be. A match between the top two teams in the Big Ten, the Spartans led the entire game, but never by more than six on their way to a win that moves them within a half-game of first place in the Big Ten.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

MSU overtakes Indiana in 'strange' game

Never has a 28-point win looked so ugly. Playing against Indiana, the worst team in the Big Ten, the No. 13 MSU men’s basketball team shot 42.4 percent from the field, 67.9 percent from the free-throw line and 28.6 percent from 3-point range — typical ingredients for disaster.

BASKETBALL

Tough guy

In the second half of a game between the MSU men’s basketball team and Illinois earlier this year, an MSU jumper clanked off the rim. MSU freshman forward Draymond Green and Illinois forward Dominique Keller each jumped for the rebound, both coming down together with the ball. Quickly and swiftly, Green lifted the ball up — and with it the 6-foot-7, 230 pound Keller. Green body-slammed Keller to the ground.

BASKETBALL

Spartans looking to get back on track at home

Two consecutive home losses for the first time since the 1996-97 season have led MSU head coach Tom Izzo to admit the shell of his team has been slightly shaken. In the last two games at Breslin Center, the Spartans have dealt with hot shooters and an array of shots that would have won numerous HORSE championships in their losses to both Northwestern (70-63 on Jan.

BASKETBALL

MSU left looking for answers

For some reason, the MSU men’s basketball team can’t win at home. Blame it on bad defense, young players’ belief in entitlement, or just a rash of bad luck and banked-in 3-pointers, but the No. 9 Spartans (17-4 overall, 7-2 Big Ten) now find themselves in the midst of what no MSU team has had to deal with in more than 10 years — a losing streak at Breslin Center.

BASKETBALL

Allen uses video to study shot technique

After an up-and-down freshman campaign, MSU guard Chris Allen realized he had a lot to learn about college basketball. The game was faster, the strategies were more complex, and he had problems taking advantage of his greatest strength: shooting.

BASKETBALL

More than hoop dreams

People say Idong Ibok will be the president of Nigeria someday. Coaches who have seen him play basketball and grow through different stages of life echo each others’ thoughts — there’s more to the player than a presence in the post. But Ibok just laughs.

BASKETBALL

Team gains consistency with new surge in offensive play

Already the best defensive team in the Big Ten, the MSU women’s basketball team finally is starting to find its way around the offensive side of the ball. The Spartans started off the season winning games, but not consistently scoring baskets the way they wanted to, with clean passes into the post for easy layups rather than risky outside shots.