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Sports | Hockey

MEN'S BASKETBALL

State of play

Jacob Carpenter
April 2, 2009

From the Upper Peninsula to the southeast corner, the Rust Belt to the western frontier, the MSU basketball program has Michigan covered. MSU head basketball coach Tom Izzo emphasizes building his program on local products, and perhaps no team represents the entire state better than his 2009 Final Four squad. When the team takes the court against Connecticut on Saturday evening, it will be playing for more than fans back in East Lansing.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

MSU gets advantage playing close to home

Joey Nowak
April 2, 2009

Playing just a short drive from Breslin Center, the MSU men’s basketball team will try to knock off its second consecutive Big East opponent when it faces Connecticut at 6:07 p.m. Saturday in the Final Four at Ford Field. The Huskies (31-4) finished second in the talented Big East this year while the Spartans (30-6) won the Big Ten regular season championship.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Driven by faith

Cash Kruth
April 2, 2009

During his sophomore year, Travis Walton was sitting at a barbershop when he overheard a man talking about God. “Do you really believe that?” Walton asked the stranger. He replied that he did. The man was Jesse Brown, a pastor at Rivers of Life Church, 2495 N. Cedar St., in Lansing. His message struck Walton, now a senior guard on the MSU men’s basketball team. Interested and intrigued by Brown and his beliefs, Walton began going to Rivers of Life regularly — although only after his grandmother met and approved of Brown.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Izzo's promise stands

Cash Kruth
April 2, 2009

A few years ago, MSU men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo was sitting in his office at the Alfred Berkowitz Basketball Complex. Across from Izzo was Kalin Lucas, an ultra-fast high school guard, and Lucas’ parents, Kenneth and Tina.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Players draw inspiration from Detroit

Alex Altman
April 2, 2009

When Durrell Summers takes the court Saturday night, the sophomore guard will know exactly what he’s up against. MSU’s opponent, Connecticut, is a juggernaut of a team. The Huskies blazed through the West Region like a forest fire, winning their four tournament games by an average of 25.5 points. In all those games combined, they trailed for a total of three minutes and 27 seconds.

BASEBALL

Spartans blow out Central Michigan, 20-3

Joey Nowak
April 1, 2009

The MSU baseball team bounced back from a weekend sweep in dominating fashion Wednesday, and every player was in on the action. Coming off three straight losses at the hands of Illinois, each batter in the Spartans’ starting lineup registered a hit, as MSU thrashed Central Michigan 20-3 at Oldsmobile Park.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Talented Spartans couldn't repeat title in '01

Cash Kruth
April 1, 2009

After its 2000 National Championship, the MSU men’s basketball team lost Mateen Cleaves, Morris Peterson and A.J. Granger. Luckily for head coach Tom Izzo, the Spartans had Charlie Bell, Andre Hudson and Jason Richardson coming back, along with two dynamite freshmen in Marcus Taylor and Zach Randolph.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

No doubt Izzo best coach of past decade

In 2007, ESPN reporter Andy Katz wrote a piece anointing MSU as the top basketball program over the past 10 seasons. Two years later, I’m ready to take that coronation a step further. Not only has MSU been the nation’s best program in that span, head coach Tom Izzo has been the nation’s best coach.

SPORTS

Georgia on his mind

Jacob Carpenter
March 31, 2009

Next week, MSU junior Jack Newman will venture to Augusta, Georgia, for the premiere golf event in the world: the Masters Tournament. Newman will walk in the footsteps of Jack, Arnie, Tiger and Lefty — men who made their names at the famed Augusta National Golf Club.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

2000 team took program to new heights

Alex Altman
March 31, 2009

Fresh off making his first Final Four in 1999, MSU men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo knew the 2000 season had the chance to be even more special. With nearly every key player returning for his senior season — including Mateen Cleaves, Morris Peterson and A.J. Granger — Izzo felt his team had the talent, experience and toughness to win a national championship.