Friday, March 13, 2026

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Sports

SPORTS

Column: Field hockey overcame rough start

Big Ten Champions. A 14-10 overall record. An Elite Eight exit in the NCAA Tournament. By all means, the 2013 season is the most successful season for the field hockey team since 2009, and the best of head coach Helen Knull’s three-year head coaching tenure. Thankfully, the season didn’t end after nine games.

BASKETBALL

MSU struggling early, leading Portland 36-32 at half

The seniors stole the show for the No. 1 MSU men’s basketball team as they lead Portland 36-32 at the break. Senior guard Keith Appling led the way with 16 points, while senior center Adreian Payne chipped in with 10. Portland got off to a hot start when they stole the opening tip and rolled it in for the first lead of the game. The Pilots got another basket sandwiched in between 3-point baskets from sophomore guard Gary Harris and Appling. The lead went back and forth until there was 14 minutes left in the game and MSU forced back-to-back turnovers.

SPORTS

UConn ends field hockey's unpredictable postseason

Fresh off a major upset of No. 2 Syracuse, the field hockey team’s postseason euphoria was at an all-time high. However, all storybooks come to a close. An improbable, Cinderella-like postseason run finally ended for the field hockey team on Sunday. In a physical game, the Spartans (14-10 overall, 4-2 Big Ten) fell to No.

FOOTBALL

Some type of win

LINCOLN, Neb. – With a historic opportunity in their grasp, they ran a “Charlie Brown,” but they didn’t pull a Charlie Brown — whiffing and falling flat. The then-No. 14-ranked Spartans strolled into one of college football’s most hallowed sanctuaries and used a crafty fake field goal to power their 41-28 win, the program’s first win against Nebraska in eight tries. MSU (9-1 overall, 6-0 Big Ten) was ahead by six and facing fourth-and-1 at the Cornhuskers’ 27-yard line early in the fourth quarter when head coach Mark Dantonio ordered the trickery named after the “Peanuts” main character. Once again, junior punter Mike Sadler was the secret weapon and designated ball-carrier on the deceptive play, this time as the holder on the field goal unit.

VOLLEYBALL

Wicinski becomes all-time MSU kills leader in weekend split

It’s no secret the MSU volleyball team is talented. In the past few weeks, it’s become more clear just how talented the roster is in a historical sense. A week after junior libero Kori Moster became the all-time digs leader in MSU history, senior outside hitter Lauren Wicinski set the all-time career kills record against Iowa on Saturday.

MEN'S SOCCER

Indiana stops men's soccer Big Ten repeat in final

A second half goal denied the No. 20 men’s soccer team its second straight Big Ten Championship in a row after a 1-0 loss to Indiana on Sunday in Columbus, Ohio. Jamie Vollmer netted a 66th-minute goal to earn the Hoosiers (8-11-2) an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

MSU women's basketball earns win over Dayton in overtime

It went all the way down to the wire and needed an overtime period to finish, but the No. 19 MSU women’s basketball team pulled out the win against No. 23 Dayton, 96-89. With MSU trailing by two and just a minute left in play, senior forward Annalise Pickrel went up for a layup but was fouled. She made both free throws to tie the game. Redshirt freshman Aerial Powers immediately stole the inbound pass which led to an easy basket by sophomore guard Cara Miller. But Dayton guard Amber Deane was able to make her own layup as well as draw a foul against senior guard Klarissa Bell. She pursued to make the free throw to give Dayton the one-point lead. After making the big steal, Powers made a poor turnover which led Bell to foul Deane again, but Deane could only hit one shot from the line.

FOOTBALL

One step closer to Indy

LINCOLN, NEB. – All season long, defense has been a strength for the No. 14 MSU football team, able to overcome even the most egregious of offensive shortcomings.