SPORTS
Season was just as hard for me as for you
Anyone who followed MSU football during the 2006 season knows the team can be a bit bipolar at times.
BASKETBALL
New York, new hope
New York — If you had asked most pundits a month ago what the greatest strength of this year's MSU men's basketball team would be, most of their answers would have sounded something like this: "It'll help pass the time until next year's Top 5 recruiting class gets here." Well, after upsetting No.
SPORTS
Notes from New York
•Talk about loyalty: Nine Izzone members drove from East Lansing to New York for Thursday and Friday's men's basketball games, then made the five-hour drive back to State College, Pa., on Friday night for Saturday's MSU-Penn State football game.
SPORTS
Monday Musings
The value of New York Jets running back Leon Washington's trading card is soaring after it was discovered that it appears both his middle fingers are extended in the picture. In a related story, the price of Jon Kitna's trading card continues to plummet after the discovery that his fly is unzipped. The fan who triggered a brawl at The Palace of Auburn Hills by throwing a beer at Ron Artest has been banned from the arena for life by the Detroit Pistons. After shooting less than 35 percent in the team's first 10 games, the Pistons reportedly are considering banning Antonio McDyess from the arena, as well. The Toronto blue jays signed free agent Frank Thomas to a two-year, $18-million contract last week. The deal includes a provision that Thomas is in charge of finding his replacement when he inevitably gets hurt this season. Freshman center Allyssa DeHaan set the MSU record for blocks with eight in a win against Texas-Arlington on Sunday. When reporters asked DeHaan about the accomplishment after the game, she swatted all of their recorders into the third row of the seats. The Miami Dolphins managed only minus-three rushing yards against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, but still won thanks to a pair of return touchdowns. In a related story, the Detroit Lions managed only one offensive touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday but were awarded a win because head coach Rod Marinelli correctly guessed the result of the Helmet Shuffle at halftime.
ICE HOCKEY
Saturday shutout salvages MSU split
Junior forward Bryan Lerg summed up the No. 4 Spartans' 4-1 loss at No. 5 Notre Dame on Friday night with just a few words. "They out-hustled us, out-muscled us and they played with more energy," Lerg said. Notre Dame had just won its ninth straight game and limited MSU's scoring chances with stingy defensive play and quality goaltending. So how could the Spartans beat a Fighting Irish team that only had given up an average of 1.10 goals per game coming into the series? By giving them a taste of their own medicine. In Saturday night's series-closer at Munn Ice Arena, it was the Spartans (6-3-1 overall, 4-3-1 CCHA) who laid out all the hits, played near-perfect defense and controlled the play en route to a 2-0 win. The victory secured the weekend split and gave Notre Dame (9-2-1, 4-1-1) its first conference loss of the season. "Before the game, we identified that you can't be afraid to name a game 'a big game,'" MSU head coach Rick Comley said.
SPORTS
Taste of the city
Tom Izzo has experienced some of the biggest basketball games in college history. But one of his most memorable moments in the last 11 years happened when he took his team to the World Trade Center site in New York City for the 2001 Preseason NIT tournament. "It ranks right up there with some of the most unbelievable things I've ever witnessed," the MSU head coach said Tuesday.
SPORTS
A mix of new and old bodes well for women's team
As the MSU women's basketball team prepares to open its regular season tonight against Bucknell, the No.
SPORTS
McCallie introduces touted class of 2011
The MSU women's basketball team is preparing to welcome another recruiting class to East Lansing next summer. Head coach Joanne P.
SPORTS
Spartans confident heading into NCAA Championships
For the MSU women's cross country team, a bid to Monday's NCAA Championships was guaranteed after winning its Regional Championship.
ICE HOCKEY
MSU preps for surprising Irish
Forget about the Notre Dame hockey team who was a CCHA bottom-feeder in recent years. Having started the season with an impressive 8-1-1 record and road wins against quality opponents such as Providence and Boston College, the Fighting Irish have upped their national ranking to No.
SPORTS
Spartans look to avenge last season's loss to Oklahoma State
The MSU wrestling team will find out how it weighs in against one of the nation's premier wrestling programs when it travels to No.
SPORTS
Men's cross country gets at-large NCAA bid
Save room on the bus, ladies. The men are coming with you. Days after the MSU women's cross country team earned a spot in next week's NCAA Championships by winning the Great Lakes Regional Championship, the men's team found out it would join them after receiving an at-large bid. "The guys have done an unbelievable job of progressing as a team throughout the season," MSU director of cross country and track and field Walt Drenth said in a statement.
SPORTS
Pernicano, Rijpma earn all-region accolades
Two MSU field hockey players — senior forward Ashley Pernicano and freshman midfielder Floor Rijpma — have been named second team All-NFHCA West Region.
VOLLEYBALL
Volleyball freshman named Player of Week
After posting a career-high 10 blocks in MSU's upset of No. 16 Purdue last week, freshman middle blocker Vanessa King was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.
FOOTBALL
Stanton questionable for Saturday's final game
In the last home game of his career, senior quarterback Drew Stanton was forced to watch most of the action from the sideline after a hit he took in the first quarter led to dizziness. Because of the injury, Stanton might be forced to the sideline again for his final game as a Spartan on Saturday at Penn State. "We'll prepare (sophomore Brian) Hoyer at this point as the starter and see what transpires as the week goes by," head coach John L.
ICE HOCKEY
Goalie hopes to end talk of slump
Sophomore slump? Or comeback of the year? If last week's performances were any indication of how the rest of the season will pan out for sophomore goaltender Jeff Lerg, then forget about a second-year slump. In two games against Ferris State last week, Lerg stopped 64 of 66 total shots, including all 35 pucks fired his way in a 6-0 shutout of the Bulldogs in Big Rapids in the series closer. For his performances, Lerg was awarded CCHA Goaltender of the Week honors for the first time this season. "Everyone talks about the CCHA and the goalies and how well they can perform," Lerg said.
BASKETBALL
Morgan's job: Contain Durant
The biggest factor in determining whether Thursday night will be a triumph for the Green and White or the Burnt Orange might be a matchup between two 18-year-olds. MSU (3-0) faces No.
FOOTBALL
Offense tripped up again
The MSU offense had no trouble moving the ball between the 20s on Saturday, racking up 344 yards of total offense.
ICE HOCKEY
Spartans regain legs, pound Ferris State, 6-0
Big Rapids — It's amazing what a few days of rest can do. Only three days after a fatigued Spartans team squandered a two-goal third-period lead to settle for a tie against Ferris State, a rejuvenated MSU squad skated into Ewigleben Ice Arena on Friday and dominated the Bulldogs, 6-0. "Tuesday, I think you could see how much fatigue was a factor," MSU head coach Rick Comley said.
SPORTS
Transfer shows variety of skills in starting role
When Mia Johnson transferred to MSU from St. Louis, one thing MSU women's basketball head coach Joanne P.