When Mateen Cleaves and Tom Izzo were cutting down the nets after MSU basketball's last national championship in 2000 they were doing it in Reebok apparel. Times have changed for MSU athletics, as they now wear the Nike swoosh on their uniforms.
Michigan State Spartans posted a video to their Facebook page of the men's basketball team and head coach Tom Izzo celebrating after their upset win over Virginia.
It's been an exciting year for the MSU Synchronized Skating Team, despite being a bumpy one.
When a quality college resume still wasn't enough to receive an invite to February's NFL combine in Indianapolis, that gave former MSU standout, Marcus Rush, a much needed edge during this past Wednesday's pro day. When he was forced to sit at home while his teammates strived to improved their draft stock inside Lucas Oil Stadium, that gave Rush a reason for NFL personnel to rethink their decision of leaving out the defensive end. Backing up why he started a program-record 53 games in his four years at East Lansing, Rush finished with a 4.68 40-yard dash, 24 bench reps and a 34-inch vertical leap. "It just gave me a chip on my shoulder," Rush said at the Duffy Daughtery Facility.
While MSU hockey (17-16-2, 11-7-2 Big Ten) didn’t accomplish all of its goals this season, it was still a step in the right direction.
MSU wrestler John Rizqallah concluded his career over the weekend while competing at the NCAA Championships. Senior, team captain 184-pounder Rizqallah lost in his first match to third-seeded Arizona State's Blake Stauffer 4-1.
On to Syracuse. It wasn't sexy.
It was the Travis Trice show to begin the first half. The senior guard was absolutely electric to start the game, scoring 13 consecutive points on an array of fast break layups and 3-point bombs early in the half to help give MSU the advantage at halftime, 23-18.
MSU (24-11 overall) doesn’t have to look far to see similarities between Wisconsin and Virginia (30-3 overall), their opponent tomorrow in the third round of the NCAA Tournament.
When head coach Tom Izzo first realized MSU would potentially play No. 2 seed Virginia in the second round, he first thought to himself, "why?" The Spartans barely prevailed against the top-seeded Cavaliers in last year's Sweet 16 round, and will now have to crack one of the top defenses in the nation for a second year in a row.
Follow along with our team in Charlotte, North Carolina for the first and second rounds of the NCAA tourney!
By Troy Jefferson Tjefferson@statenews.com Branden Dawson and Gavin Schilling’s early foul trouble could’ve signaled doom for MSU but thanks to the bench, it wasn’t the case.
It was hard to put into words.
Charlotte, North Carolina — MSU missed five of their first six shots and trailed Georgia 9-3 five minutes into the game.
By Troy Jefferson Tjefferson@statenews.com Fan story Birds flock back north for spring but Spartan fans have come south on the first day of the new season.
All was mute on the practice field inside the MSU football facility on Wednesday afternoon following the Spartans Pro Day for the NFL hopefuls, in regards to the recent arrest of Delton Williams. Williams, the sophomore running back, was arrested and charged earlier on Monday night of brandishing a firearm after an alleged road rage incident on Shaw Lane and Red Cedar Road.
Four-year letter award winner and team captain of MSU Wrestling, senior John Rizqallah qualified for the 2015 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, making this his third straight year qualifying and competing at the championships.
Following MSU’s Big Ten tournament championship loss, senior forward Branden Dawson showed a rare set of emotions--tears. He and senior guard Travis Trice are entering the final stretch of their Spartan careers, and following such a tough defeat, Dawson just couldn’t hold back.
“We think that we can kind of see the corner,” head coach Tom Anastos said.