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Sports | Basketball

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.

BASKETBALL

Spartans hold off Hawkeyes from late rally, win 75-64

Brian Charlton
February 7, 2005

Iowa City, Iowa - MSU had been in this situation before, letting a lead slip away in the second half on the road. But this time, senior guard Tim Bograkos stepped to the free-throw line with a three-point lead over Iowa with more than a minute left. With 15,500 Iowa fans screaming and Iowa on a 13-4 scoring run to control the momentum, Bograkos didn't worry about the pressure.

BASKETBALL

Falling short

Brian Charlton
February 2, 2005

An unruly Izzone student section and several late runs by MSU weren't enough to stop No. 1 Illinois and its talented trio of guards. Fighting Illini guards Luther Head, Deron Williams and Dee Brown combined for 54 points, each finding ways to dash any hopes of an MSU comeback.