sports

ICE HOCKEY

MSU student-athletes named Academic All-Big Ten honorees

Colton Wood

March 22, 2017

62 MSU student-athletes were named Academic All-Big Ten honorees for the 2017 winter sports season, the Big Ten Conference announced Wednesday. To be eligible for this honor, each student-athlete must earn a varsity letter, be in at least their second academic year at a Big Ten university and obtain a GPA of 3.0 or higher. MSU swimming and diving sophomores Gabe Whitaker, Courtney Aycock and Heidi Surdyk were three of 12 conference student-athletes who earned a perfect 4.0 GPA. Below is the full list of MSU's honorees: Men's Basketball Kyle Ahrens, So.

FOOTBALL

Former MSU football players showcase their talent one last time for Pro Day

Colton Wood

March 22, 2017

As MSU football held its Pro Day on Wednesday, limited media availability led to minuscule information being surfaced from the event as the drills portion was closed to the media, leaving fans and reporters gathering little knowledge and having to refer to tweets and interviews with selected players.

ICE HOCKEY

COLUMN: Searching for Tom Anastos' replacement

Colton Wood

March 22, 2017

After MSU Athletic Director Mark Hollis announced on Tuesday Tom Anastos, who led the Spartans to a mere seven wins in the 2016-17 season, was stepping down from the helm of the MSU hockey program, the search to find a replacement instantly commenced.

BASEBALL

Spartan baseball throttles Central Michigan in 2017 home opener

Casey Harrison

March 22, 2017

Junior southpaw Keegan Baar’s day was cut short for MSU’s home opener, but once again the bats came alive as the Spartans defeated in-state rival Central Michigan University on Tuesday, 11-2.

SPORTS

Four MSU gymnasts preparing for NCAA Regionals, gunning for NCAA Championships

Colton Wood

March 22, 2017

As the season nears a close for the MSU gymnastics team, four Spartans — seniors Nicola Deans, Elena Lagoski and Kira Frederick and junior Hailee Westney — qualified for the NCAA Regionals and will head to Champaign, Ill.

WOMEN'S SOCCER

MSU women's soccer announces spring schedule

Souichi Terada

March 22, 2017

The MSU women's soccer team announced its spring schedule, spanning six games, four played in East Lansing at DeMartin Stadium.

ICE HOCKEY

MSU hockey's Tom Anastos stepping down as head coach

Colton Wood

March 21, 2017

Tom Anastos' tenure as head coach of the MSU hockey team is over.

SPORTS

MSU gymnastics concludes Big Ten Championships setting records

Colton Wood

March 21, 2017

As the MSU women’s gymnastics team concluded the first session of the Big Ten Championships in Piscataway, N.J. on Saturday, a marquee performance by the Spartans resulted in the setting of numerous records.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Future MSU forward Xavier Tillman just misses Mr. Basketball award

Colton Wood

March 20, 2017

Tom Izzo and the MSU basketball team were within reach of a third-straight Hal Schram Mr. Basketball award winner, but couldn’t fully secure it as Kalamazoo Central senior Isaiah Livers took home the award, the Detroit Free Press announced Monday.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Spartans leave all on the court in loss to Kansas, eager to look at bright future

Casey Harrison

March 20, 2017

TULSA, Okla. — The morale was low in the Spartans’ locker room, after a crushing 90-70 loss to Kansas Sunday to end MSU’s season. The No. 9-seeded Spartans came close to upsetting the No. 1 Jayhawks — MSU stayed at the coattails of Kansas for nearly 30 minutes and trailed by five with 6:43 to play. But Kansas throttled the Spartans until the end, finishing the game on a 19-3 run and holding MSU scoreless for the last 2:36 of regulation.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

After 20-point defeat, MSU men's basketball looks to next season

Connor Clark

March 20, 2017

TULSA, Okla. – As the final buzzer sounded, MSU's season was ended by the hands of No. 1 Kansas. A hard fought game by both sides, MSU couldn't string a run big enough to crawl past the Jayhawks. The final score was 90-70.

BASEBALL

MSU baseball head coach Jake Boss Jr. earns 300th career win

Colton Wood

March 20, 2017

On Saturday, MSU baseball head coach Jake Boss Jr. reached a momentous milestone in his career as the ninth-year head coach recorded his 300th career win in the Spartans' 13-4 victory over the University of Spiders.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

FINAL: MSU knocked out of Big Dance by No. 1 Kansas, 90-70

Casey Harrison

March 19, 2017

TULSA, Okla. — With a trip to the Sweet Sixteen on the line, the No. 1-seeded Kansas University Jayhawks used a series of runs late in the game to work past No. 9 MSU at the BOK Center Sunday. The runs aided the Jayhawks in advancing another round in the NCAA Tournament after defeating the Spartans, 90-70.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Live Blog: No. 9 MSU plays No. 1 Kansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament

Connor Clark

March 19, 2017

TULSA, Okla. – Follow along with The State News and their basketball writers, Connor Clark and Casey Harrison, as MSU plays No. 1 Kansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

PREVIEW: MSU faces No. 1 Kansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament

Connor Clark

March 18, 2017

TULSA, Okla. — In the second round of the NCAA Tournament, No. 9 seed MSU will face No. 1 seed Kansas at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

MSU freshmen will face friend, now foe, in Kansas' Josh Jackson

Connor Clark

March 18, 2017

TULSA, Okla. — Despite the highly acclaimed freshman class for MSU men’s basketball, just a year ago, it almost added had another top prospect in Kansas’ Josh Jackson. Jackson, a Detroit native, was highly recruited by head coach Tom Izzo since his freshman year of high school. Last year Jackson sat alongside MSU's Cassius Winston and Miles Bridges in the Breslin Center on his visit.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Winston draws comparison to NBA-great Steve Nash for high basketball IQ

Casey Harrison

March 18, 2017

TULSA, Okla. — When Miami Hurricanes head coach Jim Larrañaga took the podium Thursday for NCAA Tournament media day, his scouting report for the No. 9 Spartans didn’t consist of typical match-ups.