There is no shortage of intriguing matches as the Spartan hockey team readies for its last eight regular-season games of the year. Fourth-place MSU plays archrival Michigan four times in the next three weeks, starting with this weekend's home-and-home series. Sandwiched between those rivalry tussles is a series against Northern Michigan at Munn Ice Arena on Feb.
In the fall, Kevin Estrada could hardly bring himself to discuss his role with the MSU hockey team. The highly skilled sophomore's confidence had been free-falling since the beginning of his unconvincing rookie campaign and it finally bottomed out. New head coach Rick Comley's more open offensive style was supposed to be the boost Estrada needed to be a goal-scoring force in the CCHA this year, but the first two months of the season netted him no goals, one assist and four healthy scratches. Estrada, a left wing, was already miffed about not being able to score in college.
With the 2003 season on the horizon, the MSU softball team is hoping for a complete turnaround from its 2002 campaign.Last season the Spartans went 24-35 while winning just four of 19 Big Ten contests.
Madison, Wis. - A feisty Wisconsin team proved to be too much for the Spartans on Tuesday night. MSU fell to the Badgers 64-53, ending the Spartans' three-game winning streak at the Kohl Center in front of 17,142 fans - many arriving late because of a snowstorm. "We played good enough to bounce back but in critical times, we kind of ran out of gas," MSU head coach Tom Izzo said.
Track and FieldThe MSU men's and women's track teams went to South Bend, Ind., over the weekend to compete against Notre Dame and six other teams in the Meyo Invitational.Friday, redshirt freshman Julien Williams took second place in the long jump, while junior Steve Manz placed by taking sixth in the weight throw.
If it doesn't concern tonight's game at Wisconsin, the MSU men's basketball team is lending only a deaf ear and a blind eye.The Spartans (13-8 overall, 5-4 Big Ten) have won three straight games, putting them two games out of the conference lead and in a fifth-place tie with Minnesota.But MSU head coach Tom Izzo said forecasting later games is useless in light of the Spartans' lackluster Big Ten start."If we get this one, I guess we'd be somewhat back in the race," Izzo said.
The MSU men's basketball team had only one game since last week's polls came out, but the Spartans didn't get any respect after a 67-62 overtime victory against Indiana on Saturday. Voters in The Associated Press Top 25 poll obviously weren't impressed with the Spartans' (13-8 overall, 5-4 Big Ten) road win, nor their three-game winning streak as MSU actually lost 20 votes in the poll. The Spartans received only 11 votes, just one week after picking up 31.
Three members of the MSU wrestling team had impressive showings over the weekend at the Edinboro Open.Freshman Andy Simmons garnered the most success, recording five pins to take first place in the 141-pound division.
If 50 million Elvis fans can't be wrong, then 63 million soccer fans just might be onto something. That's right, nearly 63 million people watched the final of the World Cup this past summer.
Bloomington, Ind. - As usual, Alan Anderson wanted to be the Spartans' leader and help his team to victory. Saturday night, the sophomore forward did just that.
Bloomington, Ind. - If MSU's narrow victory over No. 16 Illinois last week moved the team off the respirator of Big Ten contention, Saturday's 67-62 dramatic overtime defeat of Indiana might have upgraded the team to stable condition. Saturday's win was the Spartans' (13-8 overall, 5-4 Big Ten) third consecutive conference victory and their first road win since beating Kentucky in mid-December.
Bowling Green, Ohio - MSU head coach Rick Comley had a feeling Bowling Green's power-play scheme would crumble under constant stress. So on Saturday, Comley threw everything in his penalty-killing arsenal at the Falcons. The Spartans forechecked aggressively, pressed the Falcons through the neutral zone and harassed the Bowling Green power-play unit around the offensive zone en route to a 6-3 win at BGSU Ice Arena. "We felt they were vulnerable to pressure," Comley said.
The MSU wrestling team continued its successful homestand with stunning upsets against Iowa and archrival Michigan.The 14th-ranked Spartans (7-5, 4-1 Big Ten) defeated the No.
Penn State guard Jess Strom sank six-straight free throws in the final minute of the game to allow No.
Bowling Green, Ohio - The MSU hockey team used two offensive bursts - one early in the first period and one late in the second - to distance itself from 11th-place Bowling Green on Saturday night at BGSU Ice Arena.Five different Spartans had at least two points in the 6-3 win.The contest was the Spartans' only action of the weekend, but the two points they earned were enough to stay in fourth place in the CCHA.
Bowling Green, Ohio - The MSU hockey team used two offensive bursts - one early in the first period and one late in the second - to distance itself from 11th-place Bowling Green on Saturday night at BGSU Ice Arena.Five different Spartans had at least two points in the 6-3 win.The contest was the Spartans' only action of the weekend, but the two points they earned were enough to stay in fourth place in the CCHA.
The MSU men's basketball team eeked out its first Big Ten road victory of the year Saturday night, defeating Indiana 67-62 in overtime. The victory was the Spartans' (13-8 overall, 5-4 Big Ten) third straight conference win and the fourth in five games.
The MSU men's basketball team's quest for its first conference road win continues Saturday when it ventures to Indiana to take on the struggling Hoosiers. The Spartans have failed in four previous tasks to bring home a conference road win.
Grapplers go to battle with No. 2 Hawkeyes The MSU wrestling team's six-match homestand culminates with more top-25 action. The 14th-ranked Spartans (5-5, 2-1 Big Ten) host No.
The game is going down to the wire, the clock is ticking down like a sluggish metronome and only a 3-pointer can tie the game. Who gets the ball? If the MSU men's basketball team is the squad in need of a trey, then the ball is likely to end up in the hands of sophomore guard Chris Hill, MSU's deadliest and most consistent 3-point threat. Hill has made his career as a Spartan by banking on his long range shot.