MSU hockey (10-12-2, 4-4-2-2 Big Ten) had its three-game winning streak snapped Saturday night losing 4-1 to U-M (16-8, 8-2 Big Ten) in the Hockey City Classic.
Free throw shooting has perhaps been MSU's greatest weakness this season. On Saturday, that weakness was compounded to absurd heights. The Spartans missed eight free throws in the first half against Illinois Saturday at Breslin Center, and three in the final four minutes of the game.
At halftime, Illinois leads MSU, 28-27. Both teams entered the game missing key pieces, with Illinois down redshirt senior guard Rayvonte Rice and MSU down freshman forward Javon Bess. Junior guard Bryn Forbes was called for a reach-in foul at the 18:19 mark, and after a good week of practice, sophomore guard Alvin Ellis checked in for him.
Barry Greer has gone to every men's basketball home game for more than 20 years. His task? Keeping the Spartan Brass on beat.
An instate rivalry that has been historically commanded by MSU saw a different chance in scenery on Thursday night when a prolonged streak was shattered. Michigan, who haven't swept the Spartans in the regular-season since the 1999-00 season, squandered the historic run thanks in part to four of their starters finishing in the double-digit mark in scoring, silencing MSU on the road, 72-59. Despite being loaded with two of the top five leading scorers in the Big Ten in Aerial Powers (No. 2) and Tori Jankoska (No. 5), the duo was held to a combined 31-points, 25 of those recorded by Powers. Jankoska, who is the reigning Big Ten player of the week after scoring a career-high 28-points last week against Indiana, shot a mere 2-of-8 from the floor, failing to sink her first field-goal until the 10-minute mark in the second half. Coming into their 11th conference game of the season, Michigan's last win outside of Ann Arbor was back in January, 17 against Northwestern. On Thursday, a 20-2 run in the first half was enough to hold MSU's comeback late in the second, led by Powers. The Detroit native, who played the entirely of the game due to a lack of numbers on the bench for head coach Suzy Merchant, was able to keep the motor running, cutting the deficit to as low as nine with more than four minutes remaining. Anna Morrissey, the 5-foot-10 senior guard, followed suit by pulling up for a wide opened three-pointer to decrease the Wolverines' lead to six two minutes later, her only bucket of the evening. Powers also led the Spartans in rebounds (15) and finishing second behind Jankoska in assists (four). Katelynn Flaherty and Cyesha Goree were the leading scorers for the Wolverines, finishing with 19 and 17-points each. Goree also led the maize-and-blue with 10-rebounds. MSU's Becca Mills contributed 10-points, seven of which came in the first half. The frustrating loss at the Breslin Center for the Spartans ends their two-game home win streak, which began with a victory over Wisconsin on the 25th of January. They'll have a couple days off before hitting the road to face Minnesota, who have lost just twice this season in front of the home crowd.
At 6-3 in Big Ten play, the men's basketball team is in the midst of a crucial stretch with the Big Ten Tournament just a month away.
National Signing Day has passed and the Spartans may have secured one of their most talented classes rankings wise in recent memory. The fact the Jimmy Clausen was a five-star recruit and largely considered the No.
Michigan hasn't swept the Spartans in regular-season play since the 1999-00 season. But after the first half of play, the Wolverines will have an easy road to squander the 14-year streak. Both Katelynn Flaherty and Siera Thompson lead the maize and blue with 12-point to give the team a 35-18 lead heading into the locker room. Michigan has managed to have a field day on the offensive side of the glass, converting 60-percent of their shots from beyond the arc while shooting 50-percent from the floor.
Tom Izzo has had a lot to be concerned about this season. But senior forward Branden Dawson's motor, a concern in previous seasons, has perhaps been the least of MSU's problems. Dawson has been stellar in Big Ten play, averaging 12 points and a league-leading 10.1 rebounds per game.
One week shy of their first game in Surprise, Arizona, MSU baseball is forced to prepare in unconditional ways. Burdened with the inability to practice at the McLane Baseball Stadium, the team attempts to replicate a number of game-like situations indoors at the Duffy Daugherty football center.
On a day that brings a plethora of strain and tension, Mark Dantonio woke up this morning feeling stress free. With an overcast hanging above his head and plenty of slush accumulating on his feet, the MSU head coach took the time to go for a run. "I wasn't worried about anything," Dantonio said Wednesday afternoon at the signing day press conference at Spartan Stadium.
For the second weekend in a row, MSU hockey (10-11-2, 4-3-2-2 Big Ten) will face its rival No.
The 2015 recruiting class is now completed on Wednesday as Taylorsville (UT) defensive end Mufi Hunt has committed to MSU on National Signing Day. The decision was made at his high school in front of a packed audience with his entire family.
Corona De Sol (AZ) outside linebacker Cassius Peat, who committed to UCLA back in October, has flipped his decision and has signed his letter of intent with MSU on National Signing Day. First reported by Jason Jewell of Scout.com on Wednesday, Peat remained opened to other programs despite committing to UCLA. The Spartans were one of three schools that Peat was considering, along with Arizona State and the Bruins. Ranked as the No.
The Michigan State Women’s swimming and diving team will be looking to get back in the win column this Friday, as they take on women of Michigan The meet will take place in East Lansing, and will be a great opportunity for the Spartans to bounce back after a tough 190-110 this past Saturday against Illinois. The team hasn't had the best season so far, currently holding a 5-8 record.
After nine Big Ten games, MSU is halfway through the conference season. Some called it a rebuilding season, but sitting just a game and a half out of first place, the Spartans remain within shouting distance of the top spot. Wisconsin has been the class of the league all season, never dropping to lower than No.
Women's softball head coach Jacquie Joseph is her 22nd season as head coach of the team and after a recent stretch of disappointing play, she will be looking to get the team back on track. The Spartans last winning season came in 2007 when MSU posted a record of 33-26, but since 2007 the results have not been favorable. In 2008 the team went 27-29, 21-28 in 2009, 21-31 in 2010, the team rebounded slightly in 2011 going .500 with a 27-27 record, but the team failed to build momentum from its performance in 2011 and finished 2012 with an 11-42 record the lowest amount of wins in Joseph's tenure.
Men's basketball head coach Tom Izzo has called the Spartans a good, but not great, basketball team several times this season.
After seven years at MSU, assistant field hockey coach Molly Pelowski will be leaving the Spartans to take over as head coach for the Central Michigan field hockey program. This past season, the Chippewa’s ended their play early with a 2-1 loss against Ohio University in the first round of the MAC tournament.
Khalid Kareem, the local product from Farmington Hills Harrison, is the latest 2016 recruit who's taking his talents to Michigan State for his college career, as he committed to the program during Sunday's MSU and Michigan basketball game in East Lansing. Rated at No.