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Sports | Basketball

BASKETBALL

Missed free throws hurt Spartans in upset loss versus Iowa

Matt Bishop
March 14, 2005

Chicago - He came into the game shooting almost 90 percent from the free-throw line. He had missed just 10 free throws all year coming into the game. But in 40 minutes of playing time, MSU senior swingman Alan Anderson missed five free throws, including two crucial misses with 6.5 seconds left in the game that gave Iowa a 71-69 win in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal game Friday at the United Center. For the game, MSU shot 15-for-30 from the charity stripe. "Never would I have thought we would shoot 50 percent from the free-throw line," Anderson said.

BASKETBALL

Spartans' opponent fighting for NIT spot

Brian Charlton
March 2, 2005

MSU head coach Tom Izzo picked Northwestern as his sleeper team this year in the Big Ten. Although the Wildcats (14-13 overall, 6-8 Big Ten) have struggled with injuries and chemistry, they still are fighting for an NIT spot. "We've been hit by injuries and a lot of other things," Northwestern head coach Bill Carmody said.

BASKETBALL

Izzo pleased with Bograkos

Matt Bishop
March 1, 2005

Tim Bograkos always has been a favorite of MSU head coach Tom Izzo. But lately, the senior guard has been garnering even more praise from his coach for his hard work and determination. "He's probably the hardest working, toughest player that we've got the last three or four years," Izzo said.

BASKETBALL

Indiana's nonconference play pays off

Brian Charlton
February 28, 2005

Bloomington, Ind. - MSU head coach Tom Izzo wouldn't suggest to anyone in the world to play the type of schedule his team did last year. After playing Kansas, Duke, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Syracuse and UCLA in the nonconference conference, the Spartans lost all six games heading into the Big Ten. But although the schedule stripped his team of a lot of confidence, Izzo suggested that the experience of tough, close games would help MSU. That's one reason that Izzo knew Sunday's game against Indiana, an NCAA Tournament bubble team, would be a nail-biter. "Indiana is a good enough team.

BASKETBALL

Izzo, Spartans look to erase 6-game winless record against Ryan, Badgers

Brian Charlton
February 24, 2005

When junior center Paul Davis looks back on six straight losses to No. 20 Wisconsin, he said he remembers the big plays. Although nearly all of them have been made by the Badgers, Davis said the Spartans (19-4 overall, 10-2 Big Ten) need to knock off Wisconsin (17-6, 10-2) to give them the lift needed to make a run in March during tournament time. "They beat us down there with the three," Davis said of MSU's last loss at Madison, Wis.

BASKETBALL

In grand company

Brian Charlton
February 17, 2005

MSU head coach Tom Izzo wanted to get more of his guys to play well on the same night. He got his wish during a night of milestones, season-high performances and an overall great shooting clinic in front of the 110th straight sellout crowd at Breslin Center on Wednesday.

BASKETBALL

Defense key to shutting down Hagen, Grier

Matt Bishop
February 15, 2005

Defense will be the name of the game Wednesday for the No. 11 MSU men's basketball team as the Spartans look to shut down Minnesota's dynamic duo of center Jeff Hagen and guard Vincent Grier. Grier has been hurting teams with his penetration into the lane, which the Spartans were able to stop in the teams' Jan.

BASKETBALL

U-M unable to slow down MSU's game

Brian Charlton
February 14, 2005

Ann Arbor - A shorthanded Michigan basketball team felt the best way to beat No. 13 MSU was to slow down the pace, hold the ball and hope that the Spartans were thrown off their game. After all, the strategy worked against No.