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Sports | Volleyball 1000

SPORTS

CCHA well represented in this years Frozen Four

James Jahnke
March 28, 2001

Despite having somewhat of a subpar year, the Spartans’ intrastate rival Michigan still managed to make it to the 2001 Frozen Four, giving the CCHA 50 percent of the field in Albany.The Wolverines (27-12-5) slumbered through an uncharacteristic 1-4-1 stretch at the end of the regular season that dropped them to a tie-for-second place finish in the league, but they have looked much sharper in the postseason.As the No.

SPORTS

Local artist uses hoops team as next challenge

Jamie Gumbrecht
March 28, 2001

MASON - Doug De Lind had a pile of scrap wood in his backyard and a television tuned into an MSU men’s basketball game.Then he had an idea.Although he is a ceramics artist by trade, De Lind, a Mason resident, decided to create wooden statues of several Spartan basketball players to commemorate their hard work, success and all the excitement they’ve brought to fans.

SPORTS

Basketball tourney gives us plenty of surprises

Four teams. Three games. Two days. One champion. Who will emerge victorious? The Kentucky Wildcats overcame adversity in 1998, clawing their way back from a 12-point second-half deficit to defeat Cinderella team Utah, 78-69. In 1999, basketball fans saw underdog Connecticut beat top-ranked Duke 77-74 for its first national championship in its first trip to the Final Four.

SPORTS

Spartans ready for final four

James Jahnke
March 26, 2001

GRAND RAPIDS - In his four years with the MSU hockey team, senior left wing Damon Whitten has seen a lot. But the Spartan assistant captain has never played against North Dakota - MSU’s first opponent in the Frozen Four - nor has he ever been to Albany, N.Y.

SPORTS

Baseball team falls to Illinois in opener

The Big Ten opening game was a disappointment forthe MSU baseball team, who fell 10-1 to Illinois on Friday.On Saturday, the team showed their stuff by beating the Fighting Illini twice in a row with scores of 13-7 and 13-8.Early in Saturday’s first game, it looked as if the Illini might take another win, but MSU eventually prevailed.

SPORTS

Three track stars earn honors

Keith Dunlap
March 23, 2001

The MSU men’s track team may be starting its outdoor season this weekend in Alabama, but three members are still basking in the glow of victory from their last indoor meet two weeks ago.Freshman shot-putter Steve Manz, senior pole vaulter Paul Terek (a junior in eligibility), and sophomore runner Andy Lixey all earned All-American status at the NCAA Indoor Track Championships two weeks ago in Fayetteville, Ark.

SPORTS

Team starts road to recovery

Keith Dunlap
March 22, 2001

Four months after stepping off the field following a 42-23 loss to Penn State that sent it home without a bowl game in 2000, the MSU football team stepped back onto the practice field Wednesday for their first of 15 spring practice sessions.

SPORTS

Patchell looks to make up for mishap

James Jahnke
March 21, 2001

Sean Patchell’s most recent NCAA Tournament memory is not a happy one.Last March, the then-junior Spartan left wing was sitting alone in the locker-room during MSU’s first-round NCAA Tournament game versus Boston College in Minneapolis, Minn.Patchell had just been whistled for a major penalty for checking star BC forward Brian Gionta from behind in overtime, and he was justifiably worried.For the next five minutes, the Eagles would skate with a 5-on-4 advantage, needing only one goal to advance to the regional final and end MSU’s season.And making things even harder on Patchell, he had to sit there and listen to every excited gasp from the BC fans as the Eagles peppered MSU goaltender Ryan Miller with shot after shot - without being able to do anything about it.In the end, his Spartan teammates valiantly killed off 4:54 of the penalty - all but six seconds - but BC forward Jeff Farkas sealed the Eagles’ 6-5 victory at the 11:53 mark of the extra frame.The rest of the Spartans trudged into the locker room and their expressions told Patchell everything he needed to know.

BASKETBALL

Freshmen shine during weekend

Eric Mckinney
March 20, 2001

Anytime a coach throws freshmen into the madness of March, it’s a gamble. But the Spartans left Memphis, Tenn., holding all the chips. MSU head coach Tom Izzo said he never thought twice about playing freshmen guard Marcus Taylor and center Zach Randolph their normal minutes in their first NCAA Tournament. And why should he?

SPORTS

Spartan recruit earns top high school award

The Associated Press DETROIT - When people talk about Kelvin Torbert, this year’s Mr. Basketball, the word “special” is used a lot - and not just because of what he does on the court. On Monday, Torbert became the 21st winner of the award. Torbert is headed to MSU next year, joining a long list of Flint standouts who’ve played for head coach Tom Izzo. “I’m real excited to go up to East Lansing and play for a coach like coach Izzo and play with players like (last year’s Mr. Basketball) Marcus Taylor and (1999 Mr. Basketball) Jason Richardson; that caliber of players,” Torbert said.

SPORTS

Spartans beat Cinderella hopeful Bowling Green and arch-rival U-M

James Jahnke
March 19, 2001

DETROIT - Everything was green in Detroit on St. Patrick’s Day. Green-clad fans cheered as the CCHA Tournament championship banner ascended to the Joe Louis Arena rafters with a brand-new green addition at the bottom. The joyous bunch of hockey players, donning green and white jerseys, huddled together on the ice with the inaugural Mason Cup. And No.