Indianapolis — Going into Friday’s Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal game against Minnesota, the MSU women’s basketball team knew, above all else, it would have to contain Golden Gophers guard Emily Fox.
With a victory in sight late in the game on the road, the Spartans refused to crumble — not something MSU men’s basketball fans are used to seeing away from Breslin Center. The Green and White held on to squeak by Illinois 59-51 Thursday night at Assembly Hall in Champagne, Ill., led by senior guard Drew Neitzel and his 17 points.
Junior center Goran Suton nailed his first collegiate 3-pointer Sunday afternoon against Indiana, snapping an 0-for-15 attempt record. Could it have been karma?
You know what they say about paybacks. After losing by 19 points to Indiana on Feb. 16, the MSU men’s basketball team responded by crushing the Hoosiers, 103-74, on Sunday afternoon at Breslin Center.
Madison, Wisc. — At times, it wasn’t clear what was icier — the 19-degree Wisconsin weather or MSU’s offense.
After four years on the MSU women’s basketball team, senior guard Courtney Davidson ended her regular-season career in record-setting style. Davidson scored a career-high 20 points, leading the team to a 54-46 victory over Illinois on Thursday night at Breslin Center.
When Drew Neitzel and Drew Naymick walk the length of their home floor on Sunday for senior day celebrations, they’ll be leaving a trail. The trail — of records, statistics, charity work and tenacity — will go down as a culmination of their character, more commonly referred to as a legacy.
With the Big Ten regular season coming to a close Sunday with a logjam near the top of the league, it’s no surprise to see the same tight race near the top of the individual stat sheet.
The top Spartan seniors discuss some of the highlights of their basketball careers.
Spartans fans — what is your profession? It could be to grab the foam finger, body paint, rowdy rags, hair dye and Sparty helmet — there’s no other game at Breslin Center quite like this one.
Emotions will be running high for the MSU women’s basketball team when it meets Illinois tonight for its regular-season finale. Not only is position on the line for the Big Ten Tournament, but also it will mark the last home game for seniors Courtney Davidson and Alisa Wulff.
Every time Tom Izzo travels to Madison, Wis., he takes a number with him. That number — zero — is the amount of victories the MSU men’s basketball head coach has brought home with him on those road trips in the last seven seasons.
When most people return to their alma mater in hopes of a new career, they trade their current lifestyle for one full of books and term papers. Antonio Smith, on the other hand, decided to swap his basketball shoes for football cleats.
Five wins, 17 losses. It’s no secret – conference road games haven’t been one of the MSU men’s basketball team’s strong points the last three seasons. And the road games won’t get any easier while the team finishes up its Big Ten season, as the Spartans still travel to Wisconsin, Illinois and Ohio State – in three arenas known to rattle the opposition.
When a basketball player misses a shot, every person in the paint is supposed to attack the boards in a fight for the ball, correct? That theory, which MSU women’s basketball head coach Suzy Merchant has described as being far from “rocket science,” has been ignored by her team more often than not.
The number 300 has a whole new meaning for Spartans fans. Surrounded by MSU administrators, dozens of former Spartan basketball players and his family, MSU head coach Tom Izzo angled his head upward and focused his eyes on one of Breslin Center’s overhead screens. Izzo had just obtained his 300th win Saturday afternoon at the arena.
In the Big Ten race, the MSU men’s basketball team might almost be out — but the Spartans are going into every game like they have everything to play for.
After gaining momentum to put together a train of wins, the MSU women’s basketball team’s streak was halted at four by Purdue on Sunday. The Boilermakers (15-13 overall, 11-6 Big Ten) took revenge and then some against the Spartans (17-12, 9-8) — setting the record straight as they shut down MSU, 69-59, to split the season series.
Murphy’s Law was in full effect for the MSU women’s basketball team Sunday against Purdue
There seemed to be some extra emotion at Breslin Center Saturday afternoon.