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Sports | Basketball

BASKETBALL

2002-03 Men's Basketball schedule

DATE OPPONENT TIME 11/22/02 UNC Asheville 7 p.m.11/28/02 Montana (Great Alaska Shootout) 11:59 p.m.11/29/02 Great Alaska Shootout TBA11/30/02 Great Alaska Shootout TBA 12/04/02 Virginia 9 p.m. 12/08/02 Cleveland State 1 p.m.12/14/02 at Kentucky 4 p.m. 12/17/02 Loyola 7 p.m. 12/21/02 South Florida 1 p.m. 12/28/02 Jacksonville State 7 p.m. 12/30/02 Toledo 7 p.m. 1/04/03 at Oklahoma 9 p.m.1/09/03 Ohio State 7 p.m.1/11/03 at Iowa 2:34 p.m. 1/14/03 at Purdue 7 p.m.1/18/03 at Minnesota 2 p.m. 1/22/03 Penn State 6 p.m. 1/26/03 at Michigan 1 p.m. 1/28/03 Indiana 7 p.m.2/02/03 Illinois 1 p.m.2/08/03 at Indiana 7 p.m. 2/11/03 at Wisconsin 7 p.m. 2/15/03 Northwestern 3:01 p.m.2/18/03 at Illinois 7 p.m. 2/23/03 Syracuse 2 p.m. 2/26/03 Minnesota 7 p.m. 3/01/03 Purdue 2:34 p.m. 3/05/03 Iowa 8 p.m. 3/08/03* at Ohio State 12:17 p.m. 3/09/03* at Ohio State 2 p.m. 3/13-3/16# Big Ten Tournament TBA*The date for the MSU-Ohio State contest has yet to be determined. #The Big Ten Tournament will be played at the United Center in Chicago.

BASKETBALL

MIDDAY UPDATE: Men's basketball team gets pumped to slam the competition at Breslin

Chris Mackinder
November 20, 2002

The Spartans basketball season kicks off Friday and the MSU men's basketball team is expecting the 2002-2003 campaign to be a memorable one.The main goal for the Spartans, who are ranked ninth and tenth in The Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Coaches polls, is to make some noise and return to glory."We're looking for championship effort, so we can take this thing to an elite level," MSU head coach Tom Izzo said.

BASKETBALL

Spartans roll in exhibition finale

Dawn Klemish
November 18, 2002

MSU women's basketball put a final stamp on its exhibition season Sunday with a convincing 77-48 win over the Basketball Travelers Inc. at Breslin Center. Even with the victory, MSU head coach Joanne P.

BASKETBALL

WEB ONLY: Men's basketball battles for win over Nike Elite

Dawn Klemish
November 15, 2002

From tip-off Thursday night things were certainly different for the Spartan men's basketball team.Showing the defensive intensity it lacked in its first exhibition, MSU battled its way to a 56-55 decision over the Nike Elite team at Breslin Center."We just went after them before they went after us," sophomore guard Alan Anderson said.

BASKETBALL

WEB ONLY: Spartans take out Nike Elite

Chris Mackinder
November 15, 2002

Thanks to a slippery floor and sophomore guard Tim Bograkos' hand, the Spartans survived a possible embarrassment Thursday night, winning 56-55 over Nike Elite.After sophomore guard Alan Anderson missed a free throw that would have given MSU a two point cushion, Nike Elite had the ball for the last shot left.

BASKETBALL

3 prospects make it official

Chris Mackinder
November 14, 2002

MSU men's basketball head coach Tom Izzo said on National Signing Day on Wednesday that even though he and his assistant coaches only had three open slots for scholarships, the Spartans' 2003-04 recruiting class has been a "treat recruiting season." "There is no question this is one of the best recruiting classes we've had," Izzo said.

BASKETBALL

Izzo: Hit unfair to current U-M team

Chris Mackinder
November 8, 2002

Spartan basketball head coach Tom Izzo said he’s saddened University of Michigan head coach Tommy Amaker and the current 2002-03 U-M basketball squad will be punished. U-M penalized its basketball program Thursday because of a scandal involving former booster Ed Martin. “I’ve always been a believer that the coaches and the players should take the hit, not the school,” Izzo said.

BASKETBALL

Freshman out 4-6 weeks with fracture

Chris Mackinder
November 8, 2002

Freshman guard Maurice Ager suffered a stress fracture in his right foot Wednesday night and will be out for four to six weeks. Ager won’t be needing surgery, but will wear a boot for the next couple of weeks. “I’m getting tired of stress fractures,” MSU head coach Tom Izzo said.

BASKETBALL

Magic brings familiar friends to Breslin for another showdown

Dawn Klemish
November 1, 2002

After weeks filled with intense practice the men’s basketball team finally will suit up for its first exhibition game today at Breslin Center. The Magic Johnson All-Stars, are a full professional squad from Australia, that also brings to the table three players who have won a National Championship at MSU - Earvin “Magic” Johnson (1979), David Thomas and Mike Chappelle (1999). Little is known about the rest of the team due in part to its orientation overseas, and as a result the Spartans will take the court sans a specific game plan. “You have no scouting report or anything, you really don’t know much about them,” senior forward Adam Ballinger said.

BASKETBALL

Spartans showcase talent in Green and White games

Dawn Klemish
October 28, 2002

Though this year’s incoming men’s basketball recruits have a difficult road ahead, the sophomore class has made the path a little smoother. Last year’s trio of Chris Hill, Alan Anderson and Kelvin Torbert exploded in their first full-length game this season, scoring 17, 11 and 10 points respectively to lead the Green team to a 78-52 win in the Green-White scrimmage Saturday at Breslin Center. “I really thought we got some good things out of it,” head coach Tom Izzo said.

BASKETBALL

Taylor cut by Wolves

Chris Mackinder
October 25, 2002

After jetting from MSU following his sophomore season to taste the NBA’s glory, Marcus Taylor was released by the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday. Taylor was selected by the Timberwolves with the 52nd overall pick in the draft.

BASKETBALL

Spartans ready for action

Andrew Fifer
October 25, 2002

After two weeks of practicing, the MSU men’s basketball team will have a chance to perform in a game situation Saturday at Breslin Center in the team’s Green and White game. It’s the first Green and White game in two years.

BASKETBALL

Green and White set to tip off Saturday

The men’s basketball team will be kicking off its season this Saturday at 4 p.m. with the Green-White Game. The game will provide the last chance for fans to sign the “Elite Banner” before it’s raised to the Breslin Center rafters.

BASKETBALL

Healthy Spartans work better

Andrew Fifer
October 16, 2002

Last season, the MSU men’s basketball team lacked enough healthy bodies for intense practices. The Spartans had just eight scholarship athletes on the roster and various injuries - including redshirt junior forward Adam Wolfe’s season-ending injury - forcing walk-ons and others to play minutes they had not earned. Head coach Tom Izzo said practices were played “safe.” This fall, the first three days of practices have been more to Izzo’s liking.

BASKETBALL

Spartans open up in style

Benita Mehta
October 14, 2002

A jam-packed Breslin Center helped both the men’s and women’s basketball teams usher in the start of the 2002-03 season Friday night.Master of ceremonies Terry “Boom Boom” Braverman got the Midnight Mania crowd riled up, followed by the Spartan Marching Band leading the crowd in the school fight song.San Francisco 49ers head coach Steve Mariucci sent a message to his buddy - men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo - via video screen.“Tonight is the first step to another championship run, Izzo,” he said.