BASKETBALL
U lacked desire in loss
Spartan head coach Tom Izzo could point fingers in a lot of directions following Tuesday’s 63-61 loss to No.
FOOTBALL
Coach leaves for Panthers
After one year, MSU’s linebackers and special teams coach has decided to move on to the next level. Spartan head coach Bobby Williams announced Wednesday that Sal Sunseri has resigned.
SPORTS
Opportunities abound at U
For many MSU athletes, their homes and families are not that distant. But for some, they are a world away.As a member of the Spartans swimming and diving team (6-5 overall, 1-4 Big Ten), Ildiko Szekely is one of those athletes.The interdisciplinary studies and international relations senior has spent most of her MSU years away from her family in Budapest, Hungary.“They love that I have this opportunity here in the U.S.,” Szekely said.
BASKETBALL
Spartans tournament future on bubble
After losing 63-61 to No. 18 Illinois on Tuesday night, the MSU men’s basketball team was forced to add a new word to its dictionary - bubble.Unless the Spartans win the Big Ten Tournament, they will likely be on the fringe of the 65-team pool in March’s NCAA Tournament.
SPORTS
Lions next for Spartans
The MSU women’s basketball team’s goal is still to play in the NCAA Tournament. But another Big Ten loss would secure a losing conference record, therefore the Spartans (15-9 overall, 5-8 Big Ten) must run the table to keep realistic postseason hopes alive.
ICE HOCKEY
Goalie gives commitment
MSU’s commitment list swelled to five when Northville goaltender Justin Tobe pledged to the Spartans. The 5-foot-11, 157-pounder plays for the Compuware Ambassadors of the North American Hockey League.
FOOTBALL
Junior college linebacker visits E.L., takes in game
The MSU football program could receive another commitment for the 2002 recruiting class. But unlike the 19 players who have already given MSU football head coach Bobby Williams the nod, Derrick Pope, a 6-foot-1, 218-pound sophomore linebacker from Garden City Community College in Kansas, would add some hits to the offensively heavy class.
ICE HOCKEY
List shrinks of possible Mason replacements
If the rumor mill is on track, MSU has apparently lost its top candidate to replace Spartan hockey head coach Ron Mason. Denver head coach George Gwozdecky held a press conference Tuesday afternoon to announce a long-term contract extension to stay with the Pioneers.
SPORTS
Spartans thrive in close games, gain confidence
As the turnaround of the MSU women’s basketball team continues, the biggest difference has come in close games.Not only are the Spartans (15-9 overall, 5-8 Big Ten) winning more games overall, they have played in the same number of games decided by five points or less as last season.
SPORTS
Sports briefs
Runner off to NCAAs The women’s track and field team sent sophomore distance runner Jamie Krzyminski to the Cannon IV Classic Saturday to compete in the 5000-meter run. Krzyminski finished fifth with a time of 16:35.99, a provisional qualifying mark for the NCAA Indoor Championships scheduled for March 8-9 in Fayetteville, Ark. The NCAA qualifying time gave Krzyminski a fourth-place spot on MSU’s top five all-time indoor performance list at 5000-meters. The team’s next meet will be the Jack Skoog Open on Friday in Mount Pleasant, Mich. Golfers sit at 9th place The women’s golf team sits in 9th place following Tuesday’s second round action at the TRW Regional Challenge. The tournament is being held at the par 71 Palos Verdes Golf Club in Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. Fifthteenth-ranked MSU shot a 310 in the first round before shooting 303 in the second for a two-day total of 613. The women’s golf team finished day one at the challenge with a 12th-place finish. Final round action begins at 11 a.m.
SPORTS
Wrestlers downed in weekend matches
The MSU wrestling team suffered two losses this weekend. On Saturday, the No. 20 Spartans (4-8 overall, 1-4 Big Ten) lost 32-6 to No.
SPORTS
Spartans sign recruits
After capturing the 2001 Big Ten Championship in field hockey, the Spartans added four highly-ranked recruits to next year’s roster.Head coach Michele Madison, the 2001 Big Ten Coach of the Year, will welcome in two athletes from Delaware and one each from Ohio and California.Maggie Giddens, Michelle Huynh-ba, Megan Kunk and Jessica Miller all signed national letters of intent to play at MSU.Madison could not be reached for comment because she’s in South Africa serving as an assistant coach for the U.S.
ICE HOCKEY
Freshman rides learning curve
As one of the most heralded skaters in MSU’s highly touted, eight-player recruiting class, freshman defenseman Duncan Keith had plenty of expectations coming into his rookie season.He furthered his reputation by scoring in his first collegiate game, “The Cold War.” His laserlike slap shot helped the Spartans tie archrival Michigan, 3-3.He tallied again in his fifth game, a 4-3 loss to Nebraska-Omaha on Oct.
BASKETBALL
Bradford key to Illini success
When the MSU men’s basketball team tangles with Illinois tonight, people will be watching Illini guard Frank Williams. Williams, the 2001 Big Ten Player of the Year, is the Illini’s leading scorer at 16.4 points per game. But lurking in Williams’ shadow is the key to the Illini’s attack, guard Cory Bradford. Many college basketball enthusiasts remember the senior as one of the conference’s best players his freshman and sophomore campaigns, when he averaged just over 15 points a game.
BASKETBALL
Spartans alter preparation for second round with Illini
The MSU men’s basketball team is coming off one of its biggest wins the season, but it won’t have time to take it in.
BASKETBALL
Defense spurs upset win
Ohio State’s backcourt duo of Brian Brown and Brent Darby were on an offensive tear before arriving at Breslin Center on Sunday. Brown and Darby combined for an average of 28.1 points per game before losing to MSU (14-9 overall, 5-5 Big Ten) 67-64.
ICE HOCKEY
Munn Ice luck runs out with Irish
Heavy underdog Notre Dame dealt fourth-ranked MSU a double blow with a 3-2 upset win at Munn Ice Arena Saturday night.With the setback, the Spartans saw their school-record home unbeaten streak snapped at 33 games (30-0-3). MSU hadn’t lost at home since a 2-1 decision to Omaha on Oct.
SPORTS
Richardson shows air
Former MSU All-American Jason Richardson swept through the NBA All Star weekend in Philadelphia on Saturday. The former Spartan was named MVP of The ‘got milk?’ Rookie Challenge, scoring 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting, including a 3-of-5 from three-point range.
SPORTS
Womens hoops feeds of stingy defense
In the week leading up to its game against Illinois, MSU women’s basketball head coach Joanne P.
SPORTS
Patriotism fills opening ceremonies
The events of Sept. 11 will forever be remembered by every American. And as the opening ceremonies of the 19th Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City showed, we aren’t the only ones who remember. From the introduction to the lighting of the cauldron by the 1980 men’s Olympic hockey gold medalists, these games have taken on a new persona. There’s still going to be that competitive fire that’s been the foundation of the games for as long as one can trace it back, but now more than ever, the nations are more unified. America and perhaps the entire world will never forget the images of the twin towers crashing down upon the Manhattan landscape. The olympians are here to represent, and win medals for their countries, but they’re also here to show these games can exist during a chaotic time. That was my feeble attempt to create a NBC-like dramatic introduction to this column.