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Sports | Football 1087

BASKETBALL

MSU plays Illinois tonight

Tom Keller
January 30, 2007

Saturday's near-win at No. 5 Ohio State showed the MSU men's basketball team's tenacity, but tonight's game against Illinois might be a better indicator of the Spartans' resolve. Less than 72 hours removed from their extremely dramatic and taxing comeback against the Buckeyes, the Spartans (17-5 overall, 4-3 Big Ten) will need to find a way to rebound quickly against the struggling but dangerous Fighting Illini (15-8, 3-5), who are playing to resuscitate their fading postseason bid. "This is where you really make a statement, or you really grow up, or you really have a turning point," head coach Tom Izzo said Monday at his weekly press conference.

SPORTS

MSU wrestling downs U-M in Sunday meet

Eric Fish
January 30, 2007

The No. 23 MSU wrestling team defeated No. 17 Michigan Sunday at Jenison Field House to win the overall meet, 21-17, and claim its first dual win over U-M since 2003. Senior brothers Nick and Andy Simmons put the Spartans ahead early, 15-0, but five match wins by the Wolverines put the Maize and Blue back in the picture near the end. With the Spartans hanging on to a slim 18-17 lead, the final decision came down to a double-overtime final match when freshman Alan O'Donnell defeated U-M's Omar Maktabi, 2-1, to secure the victory. "That was the biggest win of my career," O'Donnell said in a written statement.

ICE HOCKEY

Spartans remain in conference hunt

Zack Colman
January 30, 2007

While the bye week was a restful one, the MSU hockey team did more moving than it would have liked. The Spartans, who have 25 points in the CCHA so far this year, dropped from third to fourth in the league standings during their idle weekend, while Michigan surpassed MSU with a pair of conference wins. "It doesn't really matter until all games have been played," MSU head coach Rick Comley said.

FOOTBALL

Stanton to represent MSU in skills contest

Eric Fish
January 30, 2007

Senior quarterback Drew Stanton has been selected to represent MSU today in the College Football All-Star Challenge in Miami. Stanton earned team MVP honors last season after tossing 17 touchdowns for 2,252 total yards.

SPORTS

Curler already making an impact

Colleen Maxwell
January 29, 2007

Nicole Curler's freshman year has been a balancing act. Literally. The 5-foot gymnast attends classes, practices and study tables. Not to mention she ranks sixth in the nation on the balance beam (9.850) as of Jan.

BASKETBALL

How to defend Oden

Tom Keller
January 29, 2007

Columbus, Ohio — Trying to stop Greg Oden is like playing a game of Russian roulette — you pick your poison and hope you live to tell about it. After Saturday's game, MSU junior center Drew Naymick had no problem reciting the catalog of moves the all-world Ohio State freshman uses on the low post — the head fake, the drop step, the off-arm hook — "it's legal," Naymick said — all performed with textbook precision. "That's what makes him a great player," Naymick said. Oden's expansive repertoire — not to mention his brute force — has opened him up for dozens of uncontested highlight-reel dunks already this season.

BASKETBALL

Scrappy comeback shows MSU is for real

Columbus, Ohio — They say close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. We really should consider expanding that saying to include the RPI. Because if MSU's oh-so-close 66-64 loss to No.

SPORTS

Monday musings

Tom Keller
January 29, 2007

The Austin Toros, an NBA Developmental League team, almost lost a late lead last week when their mascot, Da Bull, was assessed a technical foul for hanging on the rim while the ball was in play.

ICE HOCKEY

Increased crowds at Munn have No. 9 MSU energized, excited

Zack Colman
January 24, 2007

First MSU hockey game attendance this season against Western Michigan — 4,497. Saturday's attendance against Lake Superior — 6,653. The cheering, the chants and the overall crowds have galvanized the Spartans at Munn Ice Arena in their last four home games, creating more of a buzz around the arena than there has been in recent years. Winning nine of the past 10 games most likely helps attendance, but even some of the players aren't quite accustomed to the fan activity yet. "The crowds are into it from the start," freshman defenseman Mike Ratchuk said.

BASKETBALL

Spartans face Gophers tonight at Breslin

Ethan Conley
January 24, 2007

The MSU men's basketball team is about to enter the toughest part of its conference season. The Spartans face a brutal stretch that includes games against national title contenders in hostile environments. They'll face a Wooden Award front-runner (Wisconsin forward Alando Tucker), the likely No.

BASKETBALL

Izzo unhappy with Big Ten schedule

Tom Keller
January 23, 2007

The Big Ten scheduling computer has not received a Christmas card from MSU men's basketball head coach Tom Izzo lately. The league plays a 16-game conference schedule, meaning each of its 11 schools plays six opposing teams twice and four teams once.

BASKETBALL

High-tempo Spartans explode for transition points; Izzo vows team will continue to play faster game

Tom Keller
January 22, 2007

State College, Pa. — The green light is on again. With their perimeter depth at least somewhat restored for Saturday's game against Penn State, the Spartans revived their struggling fast break — just as head coach Tom Izzo had been aching to do all season. The Spartans had three transition baskets in the first seven minutes of their 91-64 romp, and they finished the game with a 16-9 edge in fast-break points. "We're going to keep running," Izzo vowed afterward. Part of the equation was intense ball pressure up top from junior guard Drew Neitzel and sophomore guard Travis Walton, which forced several turnovers that led to transition baskets. "You pressure the ball, get a couple turnovers, (and) it gets you going on defense, it gets you going on offense," Walton said. But even on missed Penn State shots, the Spartans were getting back up the court with the urgency of someone trying to catch a bus, and Neitzel and Walton did a superb job of getting the ball ahead to streaking finishers.

SPORTS

Monday musings

Tom Keller
January 22, 2007

The Los Angeles Dodgers have announced they will open an all-you-can-eat pavilion in right field next season.