Monday, April 13, 2026

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Sports | Volleyball 1025

ICE HOCKEY

Better late than never, first line takes charge

After the Spartans’ top forward line produced impressive statistics in Saturday night’s 4-3 win over Miami (Ohio), MSU head coach Ron Mason was thinking the same thing as many Spartan fans.“It’s about time,” the longtime MSU foreman said.The three players that comprise the top line - junior left wing Brian Maloney, freshman center Jim Slater and senior right wing Adam Hall - weren’t really slumping.

FOOTBALL

Thornhill files for draft

MSU senior linebacker Josh Thornhill filed his name for entry into the NFL Draft in April. Last season Thornhill led the team with 128 tackles, 93 solo, in 12 games for the Spartans. The 6-foot-2, 235-pound linebacker is projected to go somewhere between the second and forth rounds. Thornhill joins junior running back T.J.

BASKETBALL

NCAA dreams in good shape

The Spartans’ NCAA Tournament chances remained intact as Alan Anderson stepped to the line and connected on two free throws, giving MSU a 57-54 win against Indiana. Sunday’s win all but wraps up a bid for the Spartans (17-10 overall, 8-6 Big Ten) in the NCAA Tournament.

SPORTS

Season starts strong

The MSU baseball team kicked off its season by winning two of three games during their weekend trip to Las Vegas. The Spartans (2-1) defeated UC Santa Barbara 19-14 on Friday in the UNLV Tournament. Twelve of the team’s runs came in the last three innings, seven coming in the last inning. Senior Nick Bates struck out six of the first seven batters he faced on Saturday to help give the Spartans an 8-3 victory over host UNLV. Bates tied his career-high with nine strikeouts in seven innings. On Sunday the Spartans finished the tournament with a 22-15 loss to Creighton.

FOOTBALL

Football gets new coach

Danny Crossman was named linebackers coach and special teams coordinator for the MSU football team Friday. Crossman, 35, served as an assistant coach at Georgia Tech the last three years.

BASKETBALL

Off the bubble

The MSU men’s basketball team made the NCAA Tournament selection committee raise a collective brow Sunday.The Spartans toppled Big Ten-leading No.

SPORTS

Gymnastics looks for repeat at Invitational

The gymnastics team hosts the 13th Annual Country Markett Spartan Invitational Saturday. The Spartans (9-4, 0-2 Big Ten) welcome Illinois-Chicago (8-8), New Hampshire (5-2) and Ball State (10-6) at Jenison Field House. MSU has won the tournament the last two years.

SPORTS

Desert Classic begins season in Las Vegas

Starting a season with 17-straight road games may be a strain for most sports teams, but the MSU baseball team is ready to except the challenge. The Spartans open the season with games against UC Santa Barbara, UNLV and Creighton this weekend in Las Vegas at the UNLV Desert Classic.

ICE HOCKEY

U still tied with U-M, RedHawk series vital

To say Miami (Ohio) has struggled to score in recent contests against MSU is quite an understatement - the RedHawks’ last four games against MSU have been exhibitions of complete offensive futility. Never before, in 60 years of MSU hockey, had the Spartans shut out the same opponent four times in a row until thwarting Miami the past two years.

ICE HOCKEY

Winter Olympics divide team

Most of the talk in MSU’s locker room this week centered around the team’s impending series against Miami (Ohio). But a close second in conversation material has been Olympic hockey, which started its medal round Wednesday.Many Spartan players are rooting for a United States versus Canada matchup, which won’t happen until Sunday’s gold or bronze medal games - if at all.

ICE HOCKEY

Future Spartans discuss Siberia; tiebreaker favors U-M

MSU recruit Corey Potter, upon returning from Siberia, both verified and discredited the mental image most Americans have about the frosty central Russian region. “It was really cold, but it wasn’t that bad,” said Potter, who signed a National Letter of Intent with MSU in November.