BASKETBALL
Spartans have new goal: win 5 games, WNIT title
Senior guards Alisa Wulff and Courtney Davidson were hoping Feb. 28 would be the last time they would play at Breslin Center.
BASKETBALL
Pitt advances to face Spartans, 82-63
Levance Fields scored a season-high 23 points and Keith Benjamin had 12 points and nine rebounds for Pittsburgh as the Panthers defeated Oral Roberts 82-63 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday at Pepsi Center.
BASKETBALL
Balanced effort
Arguably the most important contribution from the MSU men’s basketball team in its win against Temple can’t be found in the box score. A combined MSU effort in defending guard Dionte Christmas, Temple and the Atlantic 10’s leading scorer, doesn’t show up on the stat sheet, but might be the most notable of the afternoon. Thanks to Kalin Lucas, Drew Neitzel, Raymar Morgan and especially Travis Walton, the Spartans held Christmas to three points — his lowest point total of the season.
SPORTS
Gomez heads into NCAA Quarterfinals with triple-overtime win
In a marathon match that lasted three overtimes, sophomore wrestler Franklin Gomez overcame a tough unseeded opponent and a hurt ankle to advance to today’s quarterfinals of the NCAA Championships.
BASKETBALL
Do's and dont's
Through a roller-coaster ride of a season, the MSU men’s basketball team has found ways to win and ways to lose. They’ve shown flashes of brilliance in games against top-10 teams and floundered against cellar-dwellers. Now, with everything on the line in the NCAA Tournament, here are three things the Spartans should and should not do to better their chances for a postseason run.
BASKETBALL
Tickets in Mile High City scarce for MSU students
As Danny Kulas wandered past Bailey Hall dorm rooms selling green-and-white T-shirts stating “This is madness,” the marketing freshman could only dream about making the trip to Denver for MSU’s first-round basketball game against Temple.
BASEBALL
Weather could chill home opener
According to the schedule, the MSU baseball team plans to make its 2008 home debut Friday at Kobs Field. Mother Nature might have other ideas, however, as of Wednesday, weather.com is forecasting a high of 37 degrees and a chance for snow showers.
SPORTS
No. 1 Gomez cool, calm, expecting to be NCAA champion
While the thought of wrestling for a national championship in front of 22,000 people may put added pressure on some individuals, it hasn’t affected sophomore wrestler Franklin Gomez.
FOOTBALL
Sparty to appear on cover of 'NCAA Football 09'
Sparty will be on the cover of “NCAA Football 09” for the Nintendo Wii after a close competition, EA Sports announced Tuesday.
FOOTBALL
MSU lands verbal from E.L.'s Blake Treadwell
Like father, like son. The MSU football team received another verbal commitment for the 2009 recruiting class Sunday, landing East Lansing High School junior Blake Treadwell, according to Scout.com.
BASKETBALL
Commitee's motives are questionable
Even ESPN is bewildered by the NCAA selection committee’s picks for the NCAA Tournament. Actually, I think everyone except those faithful to Florida State and Auburn believes the MSU women’s basketball team got pushed under the rug.
BASKETBALL
Spartans look forward to Temple match
After CBS’ selection show, senior guard Drew Neitzel admitted he and the rest of the MSU men’s basketball team knew zilch about Temple’s offense, defense, roster and every other team characteristic.
BASKETBALL
Big Ten shaken up by seeding
What a difference a weekend makes. In other words, what a difference the men’s Big Ten Tournament made. Before this weekend, many basketball analysts penciled Indiana, Wisconsin, Purdue and MSU all as no lower than a six seed — and some as high as a three — in the NCAA Tournament.
BASKETBALL
MSU misses out on NCAA bid
Anger and disappointment. Those two words sum up the morale in the Berkowitz Basketball Complex after the MSU women’s basketball team found out it would not make an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
ICE HOCKEY
Spartans topped by Wildcats in overtime
A boarding penalty on senior captain Bryan Lerg was all Northern Michigan needed to get going. Then, 1:54 later, it was all over.
BASKETBALL
Fouled out
Unfortunately for the MSU men’s basketball team, the NCAA has made it illegal to defend a team shooting free throws. In a touchy, tightly officiated Big Ten Tournament semifinal game, the Spartans had to stand aside and watch Wisconsin shoot 37 free throws on 30 team fouls en route to a 65-63 win Saturday afternoon at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
BASKETBALL
Neitzel's tourney offensive output best in MSU history
At the end of it all — a heartbreaking 65-63 semifinal loss in Indianapolis for an early tournament exit and finished Big Ten career — Drew Neitzel untucked his jersey and slowly trudged off the floor into the tunnel.
SOFTBALL
Spartan softball splits series, MSU gymnasts fall short vs. Auburn
The MSU softball team finished the weekend just the way they started it with a one-run loss to Elon on Sunday in the Stetson Tournament. MSU (12-12), which went 2-2 on the weekend, also fell to Elon 5-4 in nine innings on Friday.
BASKETBALL
No. 5-seed Spartans to play Temple Thursday
The MSU men’s basketball team didn’t know much about the Temple Owls when it was revealed the two teams would meet in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, but The Spartans were confident it would only be a matter of hours before they were well educated.