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Sports

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Comeback kid

Derek Blalock  and  Omari Sankofa II
November 24, 2013

Madison Williams already has suffered three anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, tears. But something is telling her she isn’t done yet. The redshirt junior center and former McDonald’s All-American only played in three collegiate games prior to this season. On Saturday night, a Breslin Center crowd of nearly 6,000 witnessed her play in her first game since Nov. 15, 2011. To a standing ovation from the crowd, Williams entered the game with about 15 minutes left in the first half. In two stints — one in the first half and one in the second half — Williams played five minutes and showed a glimpse of her potential when she scored six points, and recorded one rebound, one block and one steal. “(It’s) such a huge weight off,” Williams said about playing in her first game in two years. “All I’m thinking right now is I’m so thankful. God is so good to me just that I can get out there and I’m safe. He kept me safe in that game.

ICE HOCKEY

MSU hockey loses to Western, 4-1

Robert Bondy
November 23, 2013

MSU (3-7) dropped its fourth straight game Saturday night as the Western Michigan Broncos (5-5-2, 2-2 NCHC) thumped the Spartans, 4-1. WMU completed the sweep of the Spartans in the home-and-home series, scoring early and often Saturday night at Lawson Ice Arena in Kalamazoo, Mich.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Women's basketball recovers from close first half, pulls away from Rice

Derek Blalock
November 23, 2013

After leading by only two points at halftime, the No. 21 MSU women’s basketball team made a 13-0 run midway through the second half that powered the Spartans through to a win against Rice on Saturday night at Breslin Center. Early in the first half, the Spartans (4-1 overall) got into foul trouble, which saw senior forward Annalise Pickrel head to the bench for most of the first half after picking up two fouls in just two minutes. In the second half, Rice (3-3) tied it right off the bat when forward Megan Palmer hit a layup, but back-to-back 3-pointers by senior guard Klarissa Bell and junior guard Kiana Johnson gave MSU the lead back, and the Spartans wouldn’t lose it again. With less than 10 minutes left, the Owls cut the lead to only four off an Alyssa Lang 3-pointer.

FOOTBALL

Spartans heading to Indy after clinching division title

Stephen Brooks
November 23, 2013

The Spartans are going back to Indianapolis. No. 13 MSU claimed the Legends Division title and booked its trip to the Big Ten Championship Game with its 30-6 win against Northwestern. For the second time in the past three seasons, the Spartans will head to Lucas Oil Stadium to battle for the conference crown – likely against undefeated No.

ICE HOCKEY

MSU hockey drops home game versus Western Michigan

Robert Bondy
November 22, 2013

The return of junior forward and last season’s leading scorer Matt Berry and sophomore defenseman John Draeger was spoiled Friday night with a 2-0 loss to in-state rival Western Michigan Broncos. MSU dropped the first of a two-game home-and-home series at Munn Ice Arena Friday night, with the Broncos shutting out the Spartans, 2-0.

ICE HOCKEY

MSU hockey hosts Western Michigan

Zach Smith
November 22, 2013

After a week off, the MSU hockey team returns to action with a home-and-home series with Western Michigan this weekend. The Spartans (3-5 overall) and Broncos (3-5-2, 2-2 NCHC) will face off at 7:05 p.m. at Munn Ice Arena on Friday night before heading to Kalamazoo, Mich., for a matchup at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at Lawson Ice Arena.

FOOTBALL

Budget Balance

Dillon Davis
November 21, 2013

College athletics are big business. From the growing facades of athletic venues to the expanding salaries of the coaches and staffs on the sidelines to the varying cost of tickets, concessions and merchandise along the concourse, athletic budgets have become as much as a topic for discussion as the teams and players that the program represents. For athletics director Mark Hollis and MSU’s athletics department, the discussion heated up this summer following a June 21 Board of Trustees meeting, where a 4.7 percent increase — a little more than $4 million — to the athletic budget was reported for the 2013-14 fiscal year. Multiple outlets, including The State News, reported the $4 million increase was expected to be allocated exclusively to the football program.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

MSU squares off against Va. Tech matchup in Brooklyn

Matt Sheehan
November 21, 2013

For the first time ever, No. 1 Michigan State will be tipping off against Virginia Tech tonight at the Coaches vs. Cancer semifinals in Brooklyn, N.Y. (9:30 p.m., TruTV) Head coach Tom Izzo said after practice Wednesday that, even after looking at tape, there still are surprises within the Hokies’ team.

VOLLEYBALL

MSU volleyball heads into senior weekend

Omari Sankofa II
November 21, 2013

The volleyball senior class has seen steady, season-by-season progression since joining the program. Coming in as freshmen, middle blocker Alexis Mathews, setter Kristen Kelsay and outside hitter Kelsey Kuipers entered a program that hadn’t seen a great amount of national success.

VOLLEYBALL

Wicinski making footprint at MSU

Omari Sankofa II
November 21, 2013

Senior outside hitter Lauren Wicinski transferred to MSU from Northern Illinois before her junior year. Despite only being with the program for two years, her impact on the team’s success has been measurable. Last season, Wicinski helped the Spartans achieve a 25-10 overall record and Sweet Sixteen finish in the NCAA Tournament. It was a definite leap forward in the program.

FOOTBALL

After starting season in doubt, receivers are now in spotlight

Stephen Brooks
November 20, 2013

More than once, MSU head coach Mark Dantonio mentioned the evolution of the outside perception of his now-Big Ten championship contending team at his Tuesday press conference. He recalled a September filled with skepticism of an unproven offense and an October in which potential turned into production, then he transitioned to November, when the Spartans established themselves as a complete team.

SPORTS

Field hockey ends strong season looking at bright future

Omari Sankofa II
November 20, 2013

Glancing at the postseason finishes, 2009 and 2013 seem very similar for the field hockey team. Both teams were Big Ten champions. Both teams had postseason runs cut short by falling in the Elite Eight. However, the events leading up to the postseason this year were different. The 2013 team, coming off two consecutive years that ended in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament, was an underdog that overachieved. The 2009 team, fresh off an Elite Eight exit in 2008, had greater expectations.

BASKETBALL

Search still on for big man

Zach Smith
November 20, 2013

The No. 1 MSU men’s basketball team still is searching for the big man down low to best replace the force that was Derrick Nix. Redshirt junior forward Alex Gauna, sophomore forward Matt Costello and freshman forward Gavin Schilling are the three candidates that have been rotating in and out from below the basket.