Saturday, December 27, 2025

Take a peek behind the curtain and test drive the NEW StateNews.com today!

Sports

SPORTS

Slater gave his all to MSU hockey during his 4 years

On an MSU hockey road trip to Miami (Ohio) in early January, a RedHawks fan overheard that I wanted to speak with senior captain Jim Slater following one of the games. The fan turned to me and said, "You requested Slater for postgame?" I nodded my head.

ICE HOCKEY

Icers win, 5-0, play Ohio State next

Detroit - On a holiday where the color green was showcased in respect to St. Patrick, it seemed only fitting for the hockey team in green and white to upend Nebraska-Omaha, 5-0, in the CCHA Super Six quarterfinals. The Spartans (20-15-4), on a six-game winning streak, play Ohio State next in the semifinals at 8:05 p.m.

SPORTS

Familiarize with the foes

Alcorn State Nickname: Lady Braves Founded: 1871 Location: Claiborne County, Miss. Enrollment: 3,100 Famous alumni: Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair History: Alcorn State was the nation's first state-supported institution for the higher education of black students. Athletics: NCAA Division 1-A; Southwestern Athletic Conference Record: 21-8 Leading scorer: LaToya Johnson, 12.5 ppg Other: Third trip to NCAAs, first since 2001 Source: Alcorn State Old Dominion Nickname: Monarchs, a royal crown on a lion's head, representing an historic past and a strong future Founded: 1930 Location: Norfolk, Va. Enrollment: 20,802 Famous alumni: ESPN SportsCenter anchor Jay Harris, NASA astronaut Michael Bloomfield Athletics: NCAA Division 1-A; Colonial Athletic Association Record: 28-5 Leading scorer: Alex Loughton, 13.9 ppg Number of players not from the United States: Five Other: Eighth trip to NCAAs, first trip since 1997, 2-7 record in the NCAAs Source: Old Dominion

ICE HOCKEY

Experience at Joe Louis a plus for MSU

The MSU hockey team heads into the CCHA Super Six quarterfinals game today at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit against a Nebraska-Omaha team it has much in common with. The Spartans and Mavericks have identical overall records of 19-15-4 and split their only regular-season series in late October with respective 5-2 decisions. The Spartans were all over Nebraska-Omaha the first game of the series, only to come out flat in the second game. "Probably the game I think we played our worst in was that second game way back in October," MSU head coach Rick Comley said of the Oct.

SPORTS

Breaking down Old Dominion

So what's the deal with Old Dominion, anyway? Old Dominion is a university located in Norfolk, Va., and is home to 20,802 students with 16 intercollegiate athletics teams. This is the No.

ICE HOCKEY

Bear hat proving more than its worth

Riding the bear. That's been the superstitious motto of the MSU hockey team's recent five-game winning streak after a goofball bear hat purchased by senior captain Jim Slater at an airport in Alaska has proven to be an unlikely good luck charm. "I was going to get a wolf one," Slater said.

BASKETBALL

Team, media names Anderson team MVP

The MSU men's basketball team announced its award winners at its Basketball Bust on Monday. Senior swingman Alan Anderson was named the team's Most Valuable Player by both the team and the media. Along with senior guard Kelvin Torbert, Anderson also was awarded the John E.

SPORTS

Team preps for Lady Braves

For the No. 6 MSU women's basketball team, the seed the Spartans received meant nothing compared to finally knowing who they will play. "We are just glad to finally have an opponent to prepare for," junior forward Liz Shimek said.

BASKETBALL

Izzo: Team needs big games from Hill, Torbert

Following a close loss to Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament on Friday, MSU head coach Tom Izzo said Sunday was a much better day. With calls from former coach Jud Heathcote and Earvin "Magic" Johnson and individual meetings with players, he said he felt better. "I've tried to come to grips with what this team is all about," Izzo said.

BASKETBALL

Tulsa nabs Wojcik as coach

MSU head coach Tom Izzo is sending another apprentice out into the head coaching world. MSU associate head coach Doug Wojcik was hired by Tulsa on Monday to replace interim head coach Alvin Williamson, who led the Golden Hurricane to a 9-20 season after John Phillips resigned in December. Wojcik is the sixth coach under Izzo to nab a head coaching job. Wojcik will stick with MSU for the NCAA Tournament including Friday's opening game against Old Dominion, but has a short timetable to assemble his staff. Izzo joked at his weekly Monday press conference that the bad news was former MSU coach Jud Heathcote called to say he's interested in the position. "But I think I'm going for 10 years younger, and we're going to hire Gene Keady," Izzo said with a laugh. Izzo said when Wojcik came to MSU, there was an understanding it would be a short stop before he snagged a head coaching job but his contribution would help the Spartans and give Wojcik the extra experience he needed. Hiring Wojcik puts Tulsa back on track with past practices of hiring up-and-coming coaches including Tubby Smith, Bill Self and Buzz Peterson. Wojcik has spent two seasons at MSU, specializing in recruiting and scouting.

SPORTS

Women's team deserved No. 1 seed

The Spartans claimed their first-ever No. 1 seeding, but many in the women's college basketball world do not agree with it. After the first three regions were released on Sunday, two candidates were left for the No.

BASKETBALL

Missed free throws hurt Spartans in upset loss versus Iowa

Chicago - He came into the game shooting almost 90 percent from the free-throw line. He had missed just 10 free throws all year coming into the game. But in 40 minutes of playing time, MSU senior swingman Alan Anderson missed five free throws, including two crucial misses with 6.5 seconds left in the game that gave Iowa a 71-69 win in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal game Friday at the United Center. For the game, MSU shot 15-for-30 from the charity stripe. "Never would I have thought we would shoot 50 percent from the free-throw line," Anderson said.

SPORTS

Nick Simmons named Big Ten champ

Nick Simmons won his first Big Ten Championship, and four Spartans qualified for the NCAA Championships on March 5-6 at the Big Ten Championships in Iowa City, Iowa. MSU finished eighth out of the 11 Big Ten schools, and Illinois won its first Big Ten Championship since 1952. At the NCAA Championships starting Thursday, Simmons will be joined by his brother, sophomore Andy Simmons, and juniors Darren McKnight and R.J.