Saturday, December 27, 2025

Take a peek behind the curtain and test drive the NEW StateNews.com today!

Sports | Hockey

BASKETBALL

MSU faces Indiana Thursday in Big Ten Tournament

Josh Mansour
February 29, 2012

Hitting the road for the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis, the MSU women’s basketball team (19-10 overall, 11-5 Big Ten) is out to do one thing: make magic. The Spartans will open the tournament against No. 12-seed Indiana (6-23, 1-15) on Thursday (approximately 8:25 p.m., Big Ten Network), and senior forward Lykendra Johnson said her team is confident after winning seven of the past eight games.

ICE HOCKEY

MSU has week to unwind, prepare for CCHA playoffs

Dillon Davis
February 29, 2012

At long last, a much-needed break for the No. 15 MSU hockey team. Following a weekend split on the road at Notre Dame, the Spartans (19-13-4 overall, 14-11-3-2 CCHA) have a bye week to catch their breath before meeting Miami (Ohio) in a best-of-three series in the quarterfinal round of the CCHA Tournament.

BASEBALL

Baseball play with last year’s loss in mind

Dillon Davis
February 29, 2012

It might be early in the season, but Justin Scanlon still hasn’t forgotten the way the last one ended. The senior shortstop and captain of the MSU baseball team walked off the field at Huntington Park in Columbus, Ohio, at the end of May 2011 with his head down and his dreams dashed, as Illinois beat the Spartans in the Big Ten Tournament championship game by a final score of 9-1.

Samantha Radecki ·
SPORTS

Seniors lead MSU in individual ways

Jesse O'Brien
February 28, 2012

On the surface, senior wrestlers Curran Jacobs and Anthony Jones Jr. couldn’t be more different. As expressive as they come, Jacobs speaks with confidence and never shies away from the spotlight. When he came to MSU five years ago, he didn’t have a flashy wrestling résumé, but that didn’t stop him from working his way up to the No. 18 ranked wrestler in the nation at 174 pounds.

BASKETBALL

Column: MSU’s Big Ten Tournament seed is ideal

Josh Mansour
February 28, 2012

When Suzy Merchant was asked last week if it was important to secure a bye in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, she paused. The question would have been laughable a month earlier when the MSU women’s basketball team (19-10 overall, 11-5 Big Ten) had lost four straight games for the first time in four years and was fighting itself more than its opponents.

BASKETBALL

No. 5 MSU looks to beat Indiana away for outright Big Ten Title

Pat Evans
February 27, 2012

Although the No. 5 MSU men’s basketball team could celebrate its third Big Ten title in four years, it can clinch the championship outright Tuesday in Bloomington, Ind. The Spartans (24-5 overall, 13-3 Big Ten) were guaranteed at least a share of the Big Ten regular season championship after Purdue and No. 14 Wisconsin beat No. 13 Michigan and No. 10 Ohio State, respectively. But if they want to be the lone champions, they have work left to do, and it can accomplish that goal at No. 18 Indiana (22-7, 9-7).

BASKETBALL

Final win aids NCAA tournament chances

Josh Mansour
February 27, 2012

As head coach Suzy Merchant walked to the podium for her weekly press conference on Monday, it was with a big smile that hasn’t always been there each week. The MSU women’s basketball team (19-10 overall, 11-5 Big Ten) finished the regular season with a 76-57 victory over Northwestern yesterday — the Spartans’ seventh win in the past eight games — and has overcome an earlier four-game losing streak to finish in a four-way tie for second-place in the Big Ten.

BASKETBALL

Women's basketball fights through season, finishes on high note

Josh Mansour
February 26, 2012

One month ago today, not many people could have seen this day coming. It was Jan. 26, and the MSU women’s basketball team (19-10 overall, 11-5 Big Ten) suffered a disheartening loss to Illinois — winless in conference play before the day — that extended MSU’s losing streak to four games and made dreams of finishing near the top of the conference seem like just that — dreams. Later that night, senior guard Porschè Poole and freshman guard Kiana Johnson called out their teammates for being selfish, and Poole made sure to meet with head coach Suzy Merchant to find answers. “I definitely think it was a turning point,” Merchant said.

SPORTS

Spartans defeat Ball State during 'outstanding' meet

Jesse O'Brien
February 26, 2012

With the Big Ten Championships and NCAA Regionals approaching, the MSU gymnastics team badly needed another high score on Friday at Jenison Field House against Ball State. The Spartans got their wish, when they posted a team score above 195 for the second straight week, toppling the Cardinals 195.025-193.300.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Spartans smash Northwestern 76-57 on road

Josh Mansour
February 26, 2012

The MSU women’s basketball team collected a solid 76-57 victory at Northwestern to improve their NCAA Tournament résumé. Heading into Sunday’s game, head coach Suzy Merchant warned her team that its six wins in the last seven games would be meaningless if MSU didn’t finish the regular season strong.

ICE HOCKEY

Hockey splits with Notre Dame, finishes fifth in CCHA

Dillon Davis
February 25, 2012

South Bend, Ind. – In a weekend that the No. 13 MSU hockey needed to pick up a pair of road victories to keep pace in the CCHA standings, the Spartans will have to settle for one. Coming off of Friday’s 2-0 loss at the hands of Notre Dame, the Spartans — led by a 27-save performance by sophomore goalie Will Yanakeff — rose to the occasion in the rematch and beat the Fighting Irish, 4-2, Saturday at Compton Family Ice Arena in South Bend, Ind. With the win, the Spartans improve to 19-13-4 overall with a 14-11-3-2 mark in the conference.