FOOTBALL
Alvarez hoping for one more magical ending against PSU
With only three weeks left in the regular season, the Big Ten race is coming down to the wire. This week's game between No.
FOOTBALL
Defense finally breaks out
A struggling and inconsistent Spartan defensive unit may have gotten the turnaround it was looking for in Saturday's 46-15 win over Indiana. Using a more aggressive strategy, the defense intercepted three passes for the first time since 2003, recovered a fumble, recorded two sacks, and made six tackles for losses, all while holding the Hoosier offense to 369 total yards.
SPORTS
NBA dress code only first step
When I first heard NBA commissioner David Stern was enforcing a dress code, I was reminded of my high school principal, Mrs. Fisher.
ICE HOCKEY
Icers still fighting injuries
It has been a season of ups-and-downs for the MSU hockey team and it has only played five games. The ups have been aplenty, with the team starting the season 3-1-1 and getting wins against top teams North Dakota and Cornell. "Our confidence is very good because we are getting such great efforts from all players," MSU assistant coach Tom Newton said.
SPORTS
MSU draws Indiana in Big Ten Tournament
The MSU women's soccer team will face Indiana in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament at 10:30 a.m.
VOLLEYBALL
George stays upbeat despite poor start
Despite a roller coaster season thus far, MSU head coach Cathy George isn't hanging her head. She still has the same grin on her face that she had at the beginning of the season.
SPORTS
Field hockey to face Buckeyes in 1st round
After wrapping up its Big Ten season at home by defeating No. 8 Ohio State, the No. 15 MSU field hockey team will look to defeat the Buckeyes again, this time in the first round of the Big Ten tournament at 3 p.m.
ICE HOCKEY
Icers upset No. 2 Cornell to earn split
Brandon Warner scored his first collegiate goal, which turned out to be the game winner, Saturday against No.
BASKETBALL
Growing expectations
There's no shortage of big bodies eager to mix it up in the paint on the MSU men's basketball team. Though the inexperienced White squad fell to the Green squad, 84-44, its frontcourt demonstrated the talent and resolve necessary to give MSU a solid bench throughout the upcoming season. Redshirt freshmen Idong Ibok and Goran Suton showed no hesitation in attacking the basket from the low block during Saturday's Green-White scrimmage, despite being matched up against more experienced players.
SPORTS
Cross country teams come in 5th and 7th
The MSU women's cross country team finished fifth in the Big Ten Championship this past weekend in Minneapolis and the men came in seventh. Junior Katie Kelley had the best showing for the Spartans with a time of 21 minutes, 53 seconds.
SPORTS
Volleyball team drops weekend matches
It was a weekend where the MSU women's volleyball team hoped to turn its season around. Instead, the Spartans found themselves back in familiar territory. On the road, the Spartans fell to Illinois and were swept by No.
FOOTBALL
Special teams runs away with game
For the first time all season, MSU's special teams units were just that — special. After being called out Friday night by special teams coach Jim McElwain, the Spartans special teams responded with their best performance of the season.
SPORTS
Men's golf finishes seventh in tourney
The MSU men's golf team carded a 290 in the final round of The Landfall Tradition to finish seventh on Sunday in Wilmington, N.C., to close the fall season. The Spartans, who shot 891 overall, were just two shots away from a third-place tie. Texas A&M (870) captured the tournament —?10 shots over Coastal Carolina (880). Tulsa, Illinois, Minnesota and Virginia Commonwealth all tied for third place (889). Freshman Randy Hutchison came in fourth with a 1-over-par, shooting a 69 in the final round and 217 for the tournament.
SPORTS
Monday musings
• French golfer Jean Van de Velde will attempt to enter next year's Women's British Open because he is upset women might qualify for the 2006 British Open. In a related story, the Pistons will attempt to get Darko Milicic a spot on the Detroit Shock this season because they're upset he averages infinity fouls per 48 minutes. • A judge sided with high school civics teacher and Tampa Bay Buccaneers season-ticket holder Gordon Johnston that security pat-downs at the team's stadium violated individual liberties. "I'd say it's humiliating," Johnston said.
SPORTS
Women picked second, Ohio State first in poll
Chicago — MSU and Ohio State ended last season tied atop the Big Ten standings, but it's the Buckeyes who got the nod as the preseason favorite at the league's media day on Sunday. Ohio State, coming off a 30-win season and a trip to the NCAA regional semifinals, was picked to finish first in both the media and coaches' polls.
SPORTS
Spartans enjoy 2 weekend victories
The MSU field hockey team sent its six seniors off with a bang. The No. 15 Spartans defeated No.
FOOTBALL
Spartans still in running for bowl
After throwing his second touchdown pass Saturday against Indiana, Drew Stanton exited the game to the ovation that he was accustomed to hearing when the Spartans started the season so sharply. "It's really nice to get back in the win column," Stanton said.
SPORTS
Halloween fun for all including MSU athletes
It's that time of the year once again where you can let your imagination, humor and creativity wander in an effort to become somebody else for one day.
BASKETBALL
Media select men to finish first in Big Ten
Chicago — The expectations keep growing for the MSU men's basketball team. MSU is ranked near the top in most preseason publications, and now they have one more expectation to live up to: preseason Big Ten favorite. Head coach Tom Izzo's squad was selected as the favorite by the media attending Sunday's Big Ten basketball Media Day. "It's best to be picked high and try to meet those expectations than it is to be picked low and try to beat those expectations," Izzo said. Last year's national runner-up Illinois and Indiana follow the Spartans in the poll. "There's probably seven or eight teams in the conference that can be competitive," said Bruce Weber, Illinois' head coach and the reigning national Coach of the Year.
FOOTBALL
ONLINE UPDATE: Spartans are back in the game
It's been a while since MSU has tasted victory. The sweetness, though, returned on Saturday. After three straight losses, MSU picked up its first win since Sept.