Even with each series carrying significant importance this time of year for the No. 17 MSU hockey team, this week is slightly different. Every word, every practice, every gym session and team meal carries a distinct buzz radiating from the coaches down to the Zamboni driver. It’s Michigan week.
Although the Big Ten season is in the books, the MSU wrestling team still has some work to do before the conference tournament in the first week of March.
After struggling through a sluggish start, the MSU women’s basketball team (15-9 overall, 7-4 Big Ten) used a 12-2 run to gain the lead before halftime and cruised to a 72-58 win over Northwestern (13-11, 3-7).
Spring break for the rest of the student body is still three weeks away, but the MSU softball team is going to get an early taste of it this weekend, when it opens the season in Miami.
For Tom Izzo, Wednesday’s 77-57 win over Penn State at Breslin Center wasn’t the ideal time to walk off the floor disappointed in his post players.
Following a dramatic win over Michigan on Sunday, the MSU women’s basketball team (14-9, 6-4) returns home to take on Northwestern (13-10 overall, 3-7 Big Ten) on Thursday (6:00 p.m., Big Ten Network).
As the MSU gymnastics team heads into its final home meet of a three-meet stretch, the Spartans know how important it is to notch a third win over Pittsburgh before they hit the road. To do so, the Spartans have tried to simulate the atmosphere of a meet in their practices this week, which included the team being split into two squads and competing against each other. “When we do our practice routines, we try to get more scoring in to try and create the pressure of being judged and the meet experience,” sophomore Alex Pace said.
The MSU hockey program might have some big changes on the horizon to give the team a greater home-ice advantage. At a meeting with members of The Associated Press on Wednesday, head coach Tom Anastos said a decision will be made in the short term on whether money will be invested to renovate the nearly 40-year-old Munn Ice Arena or build a new venue altogether.
Looking back through sports history, great teams always have been led by great players. From high school to college to the professional ranks, championship teams tend to have a leader who embodies at least one distinct characteristic the whole team possesses to make it successful.
The biggest rivalry in college hockey couldn’t be any bigger this time around for the No. 17 MSU hockey team. As if a series rematch with the Spartans’ (15-11-4 overall, 10-9-3-2 CCHA) biggest rival Michigan wasn’t motivation enough to get geared up for the weekend, serious playoff implications are on the line for both squads.
When it came down to it, MSU wrestling’s 24-13 dual loss to No. 6 Ohio State wasn’t because the Spartans were unprepared, or overmatched, or even just having a bad day. Instead, the dual was lost all in about a three-minute time frame sparked by what head coach Tom Minkel called a “breakdown in discipline.”
After a short, midseason slump, Keith Appling surfaced in Sunday’s 64-54 win against No. 22 Michigan, No. 11 men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo said at his press conference Monday.
With 25 seconds on the clock and the score tied at 63 against Michigan, head coach Suzy Merchant called timeout and drew up a play with everyone in the arena knowing who would have the ball in her hands.
It was in their grasp, but the Spartans just couldn’t pull off the upset. The MSU wrestling team dropped its final Big Ten dual of the season 24-13 to No. Ohio State, but the match was much closer than the score indicates.
Draymond Green was a game late, but he started the streak of never losing to Michigan again.
The MSU gymnastics team welcomed back former gymnasts Saturday at its annual alumni meet at Jenison Field House.
The MSU hockey team picked up a critical series sweep against No. 10 Ohio State.
It wasn’t a perfect night for the MSU gymnastics team, but the Spartans topped Southeast Missouri State 193.450-188.350 Saturday night.
On Jan. 17, Trey Burke had his way with Keith Appling and any other Spartan who guarded him.
The MSU women’s basketball team (14-9 overall, 6-4 Big Ten) came into Ann Arbor and knocked off Michigan (17-7, 6-5) 65-63 thanks to a game-winning jumper by senior guard Porsché Poole with 3.9 seconds remaining.