The MSU women’s basketball team moved into sole possession of first place in the Big Ten on Thursday with a 71-65 overtime win at Indiana. The Spartans started off the game fast, as junior center Allyssa DeHaan angled the opening tip toward a wide open redshirt junior forward Aisha Jefferson who ran the ball down the court for a layup.
Picked to finish third in the Big Ten, the MSU women’s basketball team is off to a 17-7 start and are 10-3 in the conference. Winners of seven of the last eight games, MSU is in shouting distance of the Big Ten Championship. Here’s how they grade out so far.
With the best Big Ten start in school history, an undefeated road record and the moxie to rise above an array of injures and illnesses, the MSU men’s basketball team looks to be in prime position to win its first Big Ten Championship since 2001. Even with all of their success thus far, nobody’s perfect and the No. 9 Spartans (20-4 overall, 10-2 Big Ten) have had their share of breakdowns. Here’s how they stack up with six games remaining:
The MSU men’s basketball team’s side of the Berkowitz Basketball Complex was completely quiet earlier this week, as the No. 9 Spartans (20-4 overall, 10-2 Big Ten) were forced into shutdown mode by MSU head coach Tom Izzo.
In his first interstate rivalry game, MSU forward Delvon Roe showed no signs of nerves. In fact, he played arguably the best game of his career. Roe finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds — his first career double-double — to lead MSU to a 54-42 victory over Michigan Tuesday night at Crisler Arena.
An MSU men’s basketball team that loves to push the ball up court and a Michigan team known for its love affair with the 3-point shot each fell victim to unfriendly baskets and lockdown defenses Tuesday night, as the No. 9 Spartans come away with a 54-42 win at Crisler Arena.
He hails from Ohio, but MSU forward Delvon Roe said he needed no lessons on the intensity of his team’s rivalry with Michigan. On Tuesday, he proved it. Roe finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, his first career double-double, to lead MSU past U-M 54-42 at Crisler Arena in the only matchup between the interstate schools of the regular season.
The questions at women’s basketball head coach Suzy Merchant’s weekly press conferences usually center around the next game. But with only a trip to Indiana this week, there was plenty of time left open Monday to discuss the major issue the Spartans face — the untimely loss of sophomore guard Brittney Thomas to a season-ending knee injury.
While driving up to school a couple months ago, I stumbled across a sports radio debate that was even more absurd than Michigan men’s basketball head coach John Beilein’s comb-over.
Perhaps unlike any other team in the Big Ten, opponents are never sure which Michigan basketball team will show up on a given night. The Wolverines can look like a potential NCAA Tournament team one night, drilling 3-pointers to beat UCLA and Duke as they did earlier this season.
If games were played on paper, the MSU men’s basketball team would have had Saturday’s game against Indiana wrapped up before the singing of the national anthem. MSU entered the game with the best record in the Big Ten; Indiana had the worst.
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.
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.
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.
MSU sophomore guard Brittney Thomas will miss the rest of the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee on Friday, head coach Suzy Merchant said.
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.
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.
The MSU women’s basketball team has been cool down the stretch all season long, seemingly shrugging off pressure in the last five minutes as just another fan yelling in the stands.
As you might expect from a team that had to replace 98.7 percent of its scoring from last season, Indiana has experienced more than a few growing pains this season.
The only question following Wednesday night’s game between the MSU men’s basketball team and Minnesota was which Durrell Summers highlight play would find itself on the chopping room floor.