The MSU hockey and men's basketball teams shared one common goal when the week began - capture the regular-season title for their respective conferences. While the basketball team's loss Tuesday will make it tougher to claim a share of the title, the No.
MSU's chance at a Big Ten championship will have to wait - whether for a couple of days or another season is the question. The Spartans had a chance to recapture the conference crown and raise another banner at Breslin Center after a two-year hiatus, but MSU lost a 68-64 thrilling overtime game to No.
MSU now is one of 30 finalists in the running to host the first and second rounds for the 2006 NCAA women's basketball tournament. Breslin Center, which seats 14,759 people, already hosts the Michigan High School Athletic Association Boys' Basketball finals each year and is home to MSU men's and women's basketball.
The MSU softball team took the Florida International Tournament title after defeating Florida International, 3-2, on Sunday.
Four players on the No. 25 MSU women's basketball team received honors Tuesday for their accomplishments throughout the season. Sophomore guard Lindsay Bowen, sophomore forward Liz Shimek, junior guard Kristin Haynie and freshman guard Rene Haynes all were recognized by the Big Ten.
Spartan spirit was alive and well Monday night in the Wonders Hall Kiva as about 150 to 200 fans came to the "Spartan Spirit 2004 Pep Rally" hosted by members of the Wonders Hall Student Government and Wonders resident mentors. MSU basketball fans showed their support for the men's and women's basketball teams on their way to tournament seasons.
The MSU men's basketball team might get a chance next year to take its game to a whole new level - aboard an aircraft carrier. University officials are engaged in talks about the plan, which would pit MSU against the Navy while the Air Force would take on North Carolina in a season-opening doubleheader.
The MSU men's track and field team finished the Big Ten Indoor Championship competition in ninth place overall at Michigan on Saturday. MSU finished the competition, which was held Saturday and Sunday, with a total of 27 points - more than double its 11 total points from last season's Big Ten Championship.
The MSU men's baseball team dropped its series finale at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas on Sunday with a 20-8 loss, ending its three-game series at 1-3.
The MSU women's track and field team finished the Big Ten Indoor Championship on Sunday in sixth place overall. The Spartans finished with 65 total points for the competition, held at Iowa. Senior Jamie Krzyminski won the indoor event title in the 5,000-meter run for the third year in a row, while freshman sprinter Cynetheia Rooks qualified for the NCAA Tournament in both the 400-meter dash and the 200-meter dash, placing second and third, respectively.
College football spectators can anticipate watching a fifth top-level bowl game starting in 2006 after an agreement Sunday would add one more bowl game in addition to the existing four. The announcement came from Miami by presidents of colleges representing teams that are part of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) and those from teams outside it. Oregon president David Frohnmayer called the change "positive" and "significant." "We have substantially increased the opportunities for Division I-A colleges to participate in BCS bowl games," he said.
The MSU hockey team enjoyed a bye weekend, but the rest of the CCHA continued with its league play. First-place Michigan lost twice to Notre Dame, 4-1 and 5-2.
Rolling, tumbling and jumping their way to victory, the MSU gymnastics team scored 196.775 and defeated Ohio State and West Virginia to break an all-time university scoring record on Saturday. While a crowd of 1,049 at Jenison Field House watched, the team took titles in every event but vault and eclipsed the previous MSU all-time record of 196.575, a score they had tied Feb.
State College, Pa. - Sharpen the scissors and get the ladders out of storage, because MSU is playing for a Big Ten Championship - and a chance to cut down the nets - Tuesday against Wisconsin at Breslin Center. The Spartans (17-9 overall, 12-3 Big Ten) beat Penn State, 67-42, on Saturday night, guaranteeing them at least a share of the Big Ten Championship if they win their regular season finale against the Badgers. "Everything now is one and done," head coach Tom Izzo said.
State College, Pa. - The Spartans are honoring a creed handed down from generation to generation: sharing. Against Penn State, nearly every Spartans shot was prefaced with pass.
Former Spartans defenseman Andrew Hutchinson's power-play goal in overtime lifted the Nashville Predators over the New York Rangers on Saturday, 2-1. Hutchinson was called up Wednesday from the Milwaukee Admirals, Nashville's minor-league affiliate, after Nashville defenseman Jason York fractured a cheekbone. Hutchinson, who played at MSU from 1998 to 2002, tallied 78 total points and 160 penalty minutes.
Bloomington, Ind. - Another close game on the road turned into another win for the No.
Next week cannot come any sooner. Girlfriends wait with fear and trepidation while their boyfriends' hormones get revved up.
MSU men's swimming and diving finished up a competition at the Big Ten Championships with individual performers excelling. The championship was held Friday and Saturday in West Lafayette, Ind. Standing out for the Spartans was Ian Clutten, who placed seventh in the 200 breaststroke, swimming the event in a time of 1:59.73 and earning an NCAA provisional qualifying time.
MSU softball heads to Florida this weekend to play against Stony Brook, Maryland and Florida International before entering into bracket play during the Florida International Tournament. The Spartans will face season-starters Stony Brook and 3-2 Maryland on Friday before taking on 2-9 Florida International on Saturday. MSU has 13 extra base hits on the season and hopes to keep up that momentum throughout this weekend's play. Coming off of a 1-1 showing at last weekend's UNLV tournament, the Spartans athletes hope to keep their record-breaking performances.