Chicago- It was slow, sloppy, physical and lethargic, but above all else a win. MSU kept its Big Ten Tournament hopes alive Friday afternoon, knocking off fourth-seeded Purdue 54-42 in rough and tumble Big Ten fashion.
Spartan trio looks for NCAA titles Three Spartans are set to participate in the 2003 NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships this weekend at Randall Tyson Center in Fayetteville, Ark.
Student Alumni Foundation officials are looking at about a half dozen new names for the student spirit section at home football games. Members of the section, which was known as Bobby's World for the past three seasons, received an e-mail earlier this week asking for moniker suggestions.
Chicago - In one of MSU's best defensive performances of the season, it was a surprising player that helped the Spartans dispose of Purdue. Freshman forward Erazem Lorbek showed tremendous poise throughout the contest in leading the Spartans (19-11) to 54-42 victory Friday afternoon at the United Center. The 6-foot-10 Slovenia native grabbed eight rebounds, seven on the defensive end.
For Brian Maloney, tonight's CCHA Tournament game against Alaska-Fairbanks can't come soon enough. Maloney, a senior left wing on the MSU hockey team, has been itching for some playoff action for almost two years now.
Chicago - It'll be the third time this season that MSU butts heads with Purdue - but never before today has the outcome held such importance. The "one and done" philosophy of NCAA postseason basketball will finally set in on the Spartans in the Big Ten Tournament.
Chicago - Every year, the Big Ten Tournament not only provides excitement, but it also adds a dose of surprise. In the tournament's five-year history, only one No.
After another grueling practice at the MSU Indoor Tennis Facility, seniors Jimmy McGuire, Adam Hourani and Goran Topalo took a breather to recollect on their time at MSU last Tuesday. During the 2001 season, the team suffered numerous setbacks on its way to a 7-18 record, which included a 1-10 mark in Big Ten play. "Our (sophomore) year was probably our hardest," McGuire said.
It doesn't seem that long ago nearly the entire MSU community packed into Cedar Village like sardines that magical April night the Spartans ran the gauntlet to the school's second national championship. Even with the loss of Mateen, Morris and A.J., Spartan fans had visions of - not sugarplums - back-to-back championships dancing in their heads. The following season, the team returned a solid nucleus - seniors Charlie Bell and Andre Hutson and the high-flying sophomore Jason Richardson - plus a pair of talented freshmen, making the team's attack that much more potent. In pursuit of another title, that team went 24-3 in the regular season and won the school's fourth consecutive Big Ten regular-season title. However, the Spartans encountered a slight bump in the road in their Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal tilt with Penn State, falling to the Nittany Lions, 65-63. Although surprising, the setback didn't deter the team on its way to its third consecutive Final Four.
From living in downtown Chicago to being sidelined by a stress fracture earlier this season, Rashi Johnson's road to playing Big Ten basketball has been rough.While playing street ball at the age of 12, he was shot in the leg.
Stacked with talent, this year's Big Ten conference could send up to six women's basketball teams to the NCAA Tournament. Penn State (24-8) nabbed the regular-season conference championship - which all but guarantees them a tournament bid - while Purdue (26-5) earned its bid by taking the Big Ten tournament title.
There is a green tint to the blue-liners on this year's All-CCHA First Team.MSU seniors John-Michael Liles and Brad Fast were voted the two best defensemen in the CCHA by the 12 league coaches, and sophomore center Jim Slater joined them on the all-conference first team, which was released Wednesday night.It's the first time since 1984-85, when former Spartans Gary Haight and Don McSween were honored, that both first-team defensemen have hailed from the same school."Fast and I play very well together and he has helped me bring my game to another level," Liles said in a statement.
The MSU women's hockey club added another impressive mark to its case for becoming a varsity sport, when it captured the American College Hockey Association championship on Saturday. The Spartans edged Wisconsin 2-1 in a hard-fought contest in Muskegon.
Big Ten coaches and media unveiled choices for the top players in the conference Tuesday, tabbing sophomore guard Chris Hill and sophomore forward/guard Alan Anderson for Big Ten honors.Hill was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team while Anderson picked up an honorable mention from the media.
Tim Hearon is ready to close the book on his hockey career - one year earlier than most people expected.The versatile junior forward from Southgate decided last month to skip his senior season, choosing instead to take his finance degree into the real world.
Snell stands ahead Freshman defensive specialist Kristy Snell is MSU's latest Freshman Student-Athlete of the Year.
Kris Koski's senior season has been filled with uncertainty.Sometimes he plays forward in practice, sometimes he plays defense.
The Big Ten Tournament is six years old this season, but MSU head coach Tom Izzo isn't convinced its growing pains are done. As the men's basketball team prepares for this weekend's tournament in Chicago, Izzo said Monday the Big Ten Tournament is, at best, a mixed blessing for players and coaches as they prepare for the NCAA Tournament the following week. Izzo said the revenue and exposure the conference generates for Big Ten programs is a positive, but the "one and done" philosophy surrounding the Big Ten Tournament isn't the best representative of a season of hard work. "All you harp on all season is playing 40 minutes," Izzo said.
Golfers in the midst of 3-day tournament The MSU women's golf team is competing in its third tournament of the spring season at the 31st annual SunTrust Gator Gold Invitational in Gainesville, Fla.
Columbus, Ohio - Tired of riding the NCAA Tournament bubble, the Spartans knew a road win at Ohio State on Saturday would nearly solidify their postseason hopes. So they took care of business. They defeated the Buckeyes 72-58 at Value City Arena and now look ahead to the Big Ten Tournament - and beyond. "I do believe we deserve to be in the NCAA Tournament right now," MSU head coach Tom Izzo said, following the regular season-ending victory.