BASKETBALL
Smothering defense lifts Spartans to rout
They didn't allow a point for the first eight minutes of the game. They held their opponent to less than 30 percent shooting from the floor.
SPORTS
Hoyer one of lone bright spots
There were plenty of reasons to be depressed about MSU football on Saturday — the defense that whiffed on tackles, the running game that spun its wheels in the mud and the stadium that was embarrassingly empty. But there was one sign of hope. Brian Hoyer's line may not have been pretty.
BASKETBALL
Not just Neitzel: Offense spreading wealth
A balanced scoring attack is what MSU didn't have last season, as three players combined for almost 80 percent of the Spartans' offense. But a balanced attack is what the MSU men's basketball team got Sunday evening at Breslin Center, as eight players recorded at least six points each to lead the Spartans to a 73-41 win against The Citadel. Pacing the attack was junior guard Drew Neitzel with 17 points, followed by freshmen Raymar Morgan and Isaiah Dahlman with 10 each. Both Morgan and Dahlman were effective from outside, each going 2-for-2 from beyond the arc. "I think he had his best game," MSU head coach Tom Izzo said of Dahlman, who turned 19 on Sunday.
SPORTS
Monday musings
The Detroit Tigers traded three pitching prospects to the New York Yankees last week for disgruntled power hitter Gary Sheffield. The Tigers then traded another minor-leaguer to get a muzzle for Sheffield. Several tennis players at this weekend's WTA Championships reportedly were upset that models were used as ball retrievers. Event officials counter that it's the only way they can get Anna Kournikova on the court for the finals of a tournament. Three different Johnsons — Jeremi, Rudi and Chad — scored the Cincinnati Bengals' first three touchdowns Sunday. It was the first time three players with the same name scored in one game since Huey, Dewey and Louie Duck. Two-time major champion John Daly filed for divorce last month with his fourth wife. Tabloids are already predicting how long it will take for Daly and fellow recent single Britney Spears to become Hollywood's new power couple. Rasheed Wallace has been called for a league-leading four technical fouls in the Detroit Pistons' first seven games, part of a league-wide crackdown on in-game complaints by players. NBA commissioner David Stern said if Wallace doesn't stop complaining to the referees soon, the league will have no choice but to send him to his room and put him in timeout.
FOOTBALL
Bowled Over
It's safe to say Saturday's game against Minnesota didn't play out the way Drew Stanton would have hoped.
BASKETBALL
Izzo introduces highly touted recruits
About eight hours before his team kicked off its 2006-07 season, head coach Tom Izzo was busy introducing one of the most touted recruiting classes of his tenure. Guards Kalin Lucas, Durrell Summers and Chris Allen, who signed letters of intent Wednesday, make up a three-guard class that's ranked No.
BASKETBALL
Top priority in tonight's opener: Cut turnovers
Ever wonder where all of Roy Williams' and Jim Boeheim's hair has gone over the years? Maybe it's a pesky gene that caused the tops of their heads to become bare as their coaching victories piled up. Or maybe they've just spent too many years pulling their hair out because of turnovers. And if that's the case, Tom Izzo's hairline might not be far behind. The Spartans committed 38 combined turnovers in their first two exhibition games, including 21 against Northern Michigan on Nov.
SPORTS
Torn ACL sidelines Aitch for remainder of season
MSU women's basketball sophomore Lauren Aitch, who appeared in 32 of 34 games last season, will be out for the season after tearing her right ACL last week. Aitch, a 6-foot-1 center from Lansing, averaged 2.6 points and 1.7 rebounds in 8.3 minutes a game last season.
ICE HOCKEY
MSU hopes Ferris State helps it forget bittersweet U-M series
Only three days removed from its most lopsided loss of the early season, the No. 6 MSU hockey team will look to get back on track when it hosts Ferris State tonight in a conference matchup at Munn Ice Arena. "We're definitely eager," sophomore forward Justin Abdelkader said.
FOOTBALL
Reader mail Next MSU coach should only be paid for wins
Has anyone considered changing the football coaches' salaries paradigm? Instead of paying these coaches large guaranteed contracts and for a guaranteed number of years, why do we not offer them a set salary and then for each game they win, they get a guaranteed payment? This would force coaches to actually coach and tie their paycheck to their success, instead of the current system in which these coaches get paid if they win or lose and then the universities have to buy out the large contracts for coaches who failed to produce. For instance, a football coach could have a base salary of $500,000 and then get $100,000 for each game won.
FOOTBALL
Izzo: I let Smith down
After MSU football head coach John L. Smith was fired Wednesday, his basketball counterpart, Tom Izzo, said he wanted to be involved in the hiring of Smith's replacement. On Monday, Izzo reiterated those statements and took some personal blame for the way Smith's tenure at MSU played out. "I think I let (Smith) down because I didn't know him as well, I didn't jump in there with the help I could give him," Izzo said.
SPORTS
No excuses for football turnout Sat.
Correction: The column should have said the MSU football team's record is 1-5 in the Big Ten. Any MSU student fan would love to tell you how die-hard they are — how blue-collar, how unwavering. But they're wrong. After Saturday's showing at the MSU vs.
BASKETBALL
Izzo: 'A lot of work ahead'
With the regular-season opener right around the corner, MSU head coach Tom Izzo hoped to find some answers to the many questions surrounding his team during Sunday's final exhibition game against Northern Michigan. Will the freshman class be able to contribute?
SPORTS
Friday should be example of fan turnout at Munn
Where were you Friday night? If you weren't part of the 7,092 fans packing Munn Ice Arena as the fourth-largest crowd in the building's history, then you were missing out on what was the best crowd atmosphere I've ever been part of — in any sport. The "Go Green, Go White" chants were booming throughout the arena, the students were loud, vocal and energetic, and the entire place was simply electric beyond what my words can accurately describe. But that begs me to ask another question: Where have you been? Granted, Friday's game against Michigan was the first big game of the season for the Spartans, but MSU is a top-ranked team coming off a CCHA Championship — and a team that missed a trip to last year's Frozen Four by one lousy goal.
ICE HOCKEY
On the offensive
Ann Arbor — It took the Wolverines 10 contests against the Spartans to finally beat their intrastate rival Saturday night, 6-2 — the first time in nearly two years.
BASKETBALL
Morgan shoulders scoring output
Freshman forward Raymar Morgan sure knows how to make a great first impression. In his first collegiate game, Morgan wowed the crowd Sunday at Breslin Center with his athleticism and well-rounded play, scoring 16 points and adding 12 rebounds in 30 minutes to lead the Spartans to a 74-63 win against Northern Michigan. "I was excited, probably a little too excited at times," Morgan said.
SPORTS
Monday Musings
Penn State football coach Joe Paterno was injured in a sideline collision Saturday. Paterno was taken to a nearby hospital, where he got an MRI for half-price with his AARP discount. Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenny Rogers won the fifth Gold Glove of his career. Commissioner Bud Selig happily shook Rogers' hand as he presented the award, then needed adhesive remover to pry himself free. Dallas Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens acknowledged he sometimes sleeps during team meetings. The admission sent Owens' value skyrocketing in fantasy football leagues that give points for irresponsibility. Race car driver Paul Tracy might miss the season's final race after he crashed a golf cart while drunk. Tracy said he could fight through the injuries he sustained, but the genitalia his friends drew on his face after he passed out might be too much to overcome. Tennessee State women's hoops coach Tracee Jones won $265,000 on the NBC game show "Deal or No Deal" that aired last week. In a related story, MSU football head coach John L.
VOLLEYBALL
MSU drops 2 conference matchups
The MSU volleyball team suffered losses to two ranked teams this past weekend — 3-0 to No. 12 Minnesota on Friday and 3-1 to No.
SPORTS
Same story: Defense solid but where was offense?
With their backs against the walls, MSU's defense came out firing against Purdue. They blitzed and got to the quarterback and made plays.
FOOTBALL
A step behind
Something unusual happened Saturday at Spartan Stadium. The MSU defense came to play. It forced a turnover and brought pressure on the quarterback.