Corey Potter has been a quiet force on the Spartans' blue line for the past four years and has emerged as one of the best defenders in the nation. His gritty style of mucking it up in the corners throughout his career has been far from quiet, however.
The MSU hockey team takes on New Hampshire in the first round of the 16-team NCAA Tournament 12 p.m.
Women's basketball reporter Ethan Conley offers his ramblings from Chicago, where the Spartans played the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. • Apparently every restaurant in the Chicago area serves "The best (fill in the blank) you've ever had." Sit down for a burger at Harry Caray's Restaurant, and they'll tell you it's the best burger of your life.
Junior Matt Harmon captured his first individual title by shooting a nine-under-par 207 at Georgia Southern's EZ-GO Schenkel Invitational.
Years ago, he was a small-town kid begging his dad to let him pole vault like his older brother. Now, senior Brad Gebauer has taken his family's tradition of pole vaulting to new heights after placing fourth in the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 10, earning All-America honors with his 17-foot, 10.5-inch jump. Gebauer, seeded fifth for the meet, said he was pleased with the fourth-place finish among the nation's top 16 pole vaulters. "My goal was to become All-American and place fifth or better," he said.
Big Ten — what happened? You were ranked No. 1 in conference RPI before the NCAA Tournament began and got six bids into the Big Dance. After the first four days of play, all six teams from the best conference in the land are left scratching their heads and wondering what went wrong.
The State News recently caught up with MSU women's basketball junior guard Victoria Lucas-Perry. • Her favorite movie… "I love 'Dodgeball' — it's hilarious." • Her favorite song… "'Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It' (by Dem Franchize Boyz). Me and my teammates do a dance to it." • Her favorite ice cream… "Chocolate chip cookie dough.
Detroit— The final seconds of the clock ticked down and an adrenalized team of Spartans emptied off the bench.
Men's basketball reporter Tom Keller concluded his days on the road in Dayton, Ohio. We stayed in the Dayton Marriott, which was quite a change of pace from the steady diet of Best Westerns and Days Inns we've stayed at all season.
Dayton, Ohio — The hype was everywhere in October. It was difficult to look at a college basketball publication without seeing Maurice Ager, Shannon Brown or Paul Davis.
Nick and Andy Simmons repeated as wrestling All-Americans at the 2006 NCAA Championships in Oklahoma City this past weekend, but fell short of their goals to bring home national championships. Nick Simmons earned a fourth-place finish at 125 pounds for the second straight year, and 141-pound Andy Simmons improved from sixth place in 2005 to fifth place. Two other MSU wrestlers — seniors R.J.
There's a saying that goes "You're only as good as your seniors." Well this weekend, the four regularly dressed MSU seniors were about as good as you can be on and off the ice. Defensemen Corey Potter and Jared Nightingale and forwards Colton Fretter and David Booth have been through the downs of the program and have helped return the Spartans to a status of national superiority. It took them four years, but finally each of these well-deserving seniors will leave with a sense of satisfaction.
Get the lowdown on how the players of the next men's hoops class still playing in the high school boys' playoffs fared. Isaiah Dahlman Shooting guard/small forward 6-foot-6, 175 pounds Braham Area High School (Braham, Minn.) With a 41-point effort Friday in the Section 6AA finals, Dahlman broke the all-time Minnesota boys' basketball scoring record, the Isanti County News reported.
The women's basketball team takes on Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament tonight.
A different take on the sports world. Wide receiver Terrell Owens, who was cut from the Philadelphia Eagles last season for his repeated on- and off-the-field antics, signed with the Dallas Cowboys last week. As part of the deal, Dallas head coach Bill Parcells will receive an aspirin to be named later. A Chicago-based consulting firm estimates that this year's NCAA men's basketball tournament will cost employers $3.8 billion in lost productivity. Ironically, that's also the number of times the phrase, "My bracket is so screwed," will be uttered during the next month. In a related story, Bradley, George Mason and Wichita State all made surprise advances to the Sweet 16. What conference are these teams from again?
Chicago — Liz Shimek led MSU's charge into the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Following a slow first half, MSU received a rousing halftime talk from head coach Joanne P.
Today Softball FAU Parents' Weekend Tournament in Boca Raton, Fla. 9 a.m., 11 a.m. Baseball vs.
Four of the last five meetings between the No. 11 Wolverines and No. 5 Spartans have gone into overtime and resulted in ties. If today's CCHA semifinal matchup at Joe Louis Arena is anything reminiscent of the recent past, the two rivals could play into the early hours of Saturday morning to decide who advances to the conference championship game to play for the Mason Cup. "They're a really quality team," MSU head coach Rick Comley said.
How would you describe the No. 5 MSU hockey team? In previous years, you might have called the Spartans underachievers and wanted to pull your hair out while watching games. But that was in previous years. If there's one thing the MSU hockey team has proven this season, it's that the Spartans are no fluke. The Spartans are the definition of the word "team." Multiple players have stepped up this season with game-changing goals, hits and saves.
Juniors Andy and Nick Simmons and seniors R.J. Boudro and Darren McKnight are making return trips to the NCAA Championships in Oklahoma City starting today.