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Sports | Hockey

VOLLEYBALL

What to watch for over break

Most MSU students will home preparing, eating or working off a Thanksgiving feast over break, but the Spartans will be on the field, court, ice and mat working hard to give MSU some victories. Check out what will be happening in the Green and White world of sports over the holiday week.

ICE HOCKEY

MSU hockey loses to Western, 4-1

MSU (3-7) dropped its fourth straight game Saturday night as the Western Michigan Broncos (5-5-2, 2-2 NCHC) thumped the Spartans, 4-1. WMU completed the sweep of the Spartans in the home-and-home series, scoring early and often Saturday night at Lawson Ice Arena in Kalamazoo, Mich.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Women's basketball recovers from close first half, pulls away from Rice

After leading by only two points at halftime, the No. 21 MSU women’s basketball team made a 13-0 run midway through the second half that powered the Spartans through to a win against Rice on Saturday night at Breslin Center. Early in the first half, the Spartans (4-1 overall) got into foul trouble, which saw senior forward Annalise Pickrel head to the bench for most of the first half after picking up two fouls in just two minutes. In the second half, Rice (3-3) tied it right off the bat when forward Megan Palmer hit a layup, but back-to-back 3-pointers by senior guard Klarissa Bell and junior guard Kiana Johnson gave MSU the lead back, and the Spartans wouldn’t lose it again. With less than 10 minutes left, the Owls cut the lead to only four off an Alyssa Lang 3-pointer.

FOOTBALL

Spartans heading to Indy after clinching division title

The Spartans are going back to Indianapolis. No. 13 MSU claimed the Legends Division title and booked its trip to the Big Ten Championship Game with its 30-6 win against Northwestern. For the second time in the past three seasons, the Spartans will head to Lucas Oil Stadium to battle for the conference crown – likely against undefeated No.

ICE HOCKEY

MSU hockey drops home game versus Western Michigan

The return of junior forward and last season’s leading scorer Matt Berry and sophomore defenseman John Draeger was spoiled Friday night with a 2-0 loss to in-state rival Western Michigan Broncos. MSU dropped the first of a two-game home-and-home series at Munn Ice Arena Friday night, with the Broncos shutting out the Spartans, 2-0.

ICE HOCKEY

MSU hockey hosts Western Michigan

After a week off, the MSU hockey team returns to action with a home-and-home series with Western Michigan this weekend. The Spartans (3-5 overall) and Broncos (3-5-2, 2-2 NCHC) will face off at 7:05 p.m. at Munn Ice Arena on Friday night before heading to Kalamazoo, Mich., for a matchup at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at Lawson Ice Arena.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

MSU squares off against Va. Tech matchup in Brooklyn

For the first time ever, No. 1 Michigan State will be tipping off against Virginia Tech tonight at the Coaches vs. Cancer semifinals in Brooklyn, N.Y. (9:30 p.m., TruTV) Head coach Tom Izzo said after practice Wednesday that, even after looking at tape, there still are surprises within the Hokies’ team.

VOLLEYBALL

MSU volleyball heads into senior weekend

The volleyball senior class has seen steady, season-by-season progression since joining the program. Coming in as freshmen, middle blocker Alexis Mathews, setter Kristen Kelsay and outside hitter Kelsey Kuipers entered a program that hadn’t seen a great amount of national success.