Gymnastics season off to record beginning The MSU women’s gymnastics team opened the season Friday at Jenison Field House with a second-place finish. The four-team field included No.
Champaign, Ill. - Despite their best comeback attempts, the Spartan women’s basketball team dropped their third straight game 72-66 to Illinois at Assembly Hall. The Spartans (10-6 overall, 0-5 Big Ten) trailed by as many as 11 to the Fighting Illini (11-4, 4-1) and faced an eight-point deficit at halftime, before staging a second-half comeback that came up just short. Spartan head coach Joanne P.
Auburn Hills - Bodies hit the floor all night long Friday, but in the end it was MSU’s John Lesneski who remained standing with his arm raised in victory. MSU defeated Michigan 11-9 in the first-ever Toughman Contest fueled by a college rivalry. The kinesiology senior was the fighter who put MSU over the top by winning all four of his contests, including the championship, at the Palace of Auburn Hills. “My head hurts really bad, my thumb is a little messed up, but I’m really happy,” Lesneski said. Lesneski fought four fights in a three-hour time period, explaining his loss for words and desire for aspirin.
The old sports cliché “catch the ball with two hands” haunts Kelvin Torbert after Saturday’s 64-63 loss to Wisconsin.In one motion, the freshman guard caught an inbound pass, cradled the ball and banked in what seemed to be the winning shot as time expired.But after officials reviewed the play, the shot was disallowed.
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Former Spartan and Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Plaxico Burress was cited for missing court Wednesday. Burress was charged for carrying an open alcoholic beverage in downtown Cleveland on Christmas Eve. In his second NFL season, Burress had 66 receptions for 1,008 yards and six touchdowns. No further charges have been made at this time.
You can expect blood and sweat, but don’t count on any tears when MSU and Michigan face off in the ring. Students, faculty and alumni from the age-old rivals will be going head-to-head in a Toughman Contest at 8 p.m.
It’s hard to believe, but only four players on MSU’s roster have ever won a game against Western Michigan. All four - right wing Adam Hall, left wing Joe Goodenow, and defensemen Andrew Hutchinson and Jon Insana - are seniors now.
After losing three road games in three weeks, the No. 25 Spartans finally return to Breslin Center on Saturday to take on Wisconsin. A home game could be the catalyst MSU (9-6 overall, 0-2 Big Ten) needs to pull itself out of the Big Ten’s basement.
Sometimes a change of scenery can be a good thing, but for the Spartan women’s basketball team leaving the MSU campus creates some challenges.The Spartans (10-4 overall, 0-3 Big Ten as of Jan.
To raise money for New York area charities, officers from the Michigan State Police and Ontario Provincial Police are trading in their uniforms for hockey jerseys. The two departments will square off in a charity hockey game at 7 p.m.
When he steps onto the court, the reception he gets doesn’t rival that of senior guard Mat Ishbia.But when it comes to walk-ons, Flint native Tim Bograkos is MSU basketball head coach Tom Izzo’s guy.With only eight scholarship players, Izzo looks for depth when the starting backcourt needs a breath.
The Spartan women’s basketball team continues its uphill battle in the Big Ten.Fifth-ranked Wisconsin (13-1 overall, 4-0 Big Ten) poses the next challenge for MSU (10-4, 0-3) at 7 p.m.
MSU volleyball head coach Chuck Erbe announced the signing of Caroline Belichto a National Letter of Intent for the 2002-03 season. “She’s a tremendously well-rounded player that will fit in well with all the players we have here,” Erbe said. The Illinois native was a three-year letter winner at Lyons Township High School, leading her team to conference and regional championships as a junior and a senior. Belich, a 6-1 outside hitter, earned all-conference and all-region honors as her team reached the sectional finals the last two seasons. “She’s a great athlete,” said Erbe.
Quick, who leads sixth-ranked MSU in goal scoring?No, it’s not senior captain Adam Hall, sensational freshman center Jim Slater or even thunder-shooting junior wing Brian Maloney.It’s John-Michael Liles - a 5-foot-10 defenseman from the renowned hockey hotbed of Indiana.Against Quinnipiac on Saturday, Liles became the first Spartan to notch 10 goals this season.
Bloomington, Ind. - The No. 25 MSU men’s basketball hasn’t lost three games in a row since 1997.
Trust me, this is not a plea for T.J. Duckett to return next fall. Actually, I have no clue if the big guy will depart the banks of the Red Cedar for the NFL’s big bucks, but speculation has the 3,379-yard career-rusher fleeing MSU in a limo after his 4 p.m.
The possible departure of junior running back T.J. Duckett would be a “disaster” for the Spartan football team, one top college football analyst said.ESPN college football expert Beano Cook said if Duckett takes his game to the NFL, MSU would struggle to compete in the Big Ten conference.“It’s a disaster for them - you can count on two more losses (for the Spartans),” he said.
The chant “T.J. Duckett, T.J. Duckett” has roared within Spartan Stadium countless times.
Swimming MSU men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams finished competition Saturday in the 26th annual Rainbow Invitational hosted by the University of Hawaii.
Nothing hurts a program more than a player renouncing his eligibility to turn pro. It leaves programs with unexpected holes to fill and no reasonable way to fill them. It’s kind of like driving down the highway at 70 mph and suddenly throwing the car in reverse.