FOOTBALL
Williams, 'U' part ways with payment
While MSU continues searching for its next football coach this week, former head coach Bobby Williams will be waiting for a big check to arrive.
BASKETBALL
WEB ONLY: Women's basketball losses lead, game to Memphis
The MSU's women's basketball team's offense stalled toward the end of Saturday's match, resulting in a 59-56 loss to tournament-host Memphis in the championship game of the Lady Tiger Thanksgiving Classic. The Spartans broke the game open four minutes into the contest by going on a 19-3 run to take a 25-11 lead.
BASKETBALL
Team comes home empty
Maybe Alaska was the wrong place to heat up the MSU men's basketball season. The No. 9 Spartans (2-2) sparked the Great Alaska Shootout tournament with a 80-60 Thanksgiving Day defeat of Montana, but fell in subsequent games to unranked opponents Villanova, 81-73, and Oklahoma State, 64-61. Following Saturday's early exit from Anchorage, Ala., at the hands of the Cowboys, basketball head coach Tom Izzo labeled the weekend as an exercise in poor play from MSU guards and lagging defense. "We don't have very good guard play right now," Izzo said, "and we're not very good defensively.
VOLLEYBALL
ONLINE UPDATE: Volleyball splits in weekend play; awaits NCAA Tournament announcement
Coming off a thrilling five-game win over Northwestern on Friday night, the Spartans had a great deal of momentum heading into Saturday's contest against Wisconsin.But no amount of momentum was going to stop the No.
FOOTBALL
ONLINE UPDATE: MSU to pay Williams $550,000
MSU will pay Bobby Williams $550,000 to end his contract with the university, officials announced Wednesday.The buyout deal is more than twice what the university had to pay under the terms of its 5-year rolling contract with Williams, which was in its third year.
FOOTBALL
ONLINE UPDATE: MSU will pay Williams $550,000
MSU will pay Bobby Williams $550,000 to end his contract with the university, officials announced Wednesday.The buyout deal is more than twice what the university had to pay under the terms of its 5-year rolling contract with Williams, which was in its third year.
BASKETBALL
SPORTS UPDATE: Men's basketball team falls short in Great Alaska Shootout
Despite being heavy favorites, No. 10 MSU failed to capture the Great Alaska Shootout championship.The Spartans (2-2) were the only ranked team in Anchorage, Alaska, during the holiday weekend, but the Green and White finished 1-2.MSU opened the tournament strong, defeating Montana, 80-60.
VOLLEYBALL
Team caps off regular season
The Spartans hold their destiny in the palm of their hands. After picking up two emphatic victories last weekend, the MSU volleyball team has two games left on its schedule.
ICE HOCKEY
Spartans set to play in Hockey Showcase
The MSU hockey team has some things to be thankful for this weekend - a healthy roster, a slew of home games next semester and the fact that the NCAA Tournament will expand to 16 teams this year. But the Spartans are not at all pleased at this point in late November.
BASKETBALL
Spartans ready for action in Alaska
The MSU men's basketball team will be heading into some unusual territory Thursday. The No.
FOOTBALL
Henry accepts invite to East-West game
Despite the fact that MSU won't be playing in a bowl game, senior quarterback Cedric Henry will strap on his Spartan helmet one more time."Cedric Henry has accepted an invitation to play," East-West Shrine Game spokesman William Homer said.
SPORTS
Cross Country runner named All-American
After a 20th place finish in the NCAA Championships on Monday in Terre Haute, Ind., junior Michelle Carson earned All-American status.All-American status is granted to the top 30 American finishers and the top 30 finishers overall.Carson was named Women's Big Ten Cross-Country Athlete of the Year earlier this season and was also named Big Ten Athlete of the Week twice this season.She led MSU to a second-place finish at the Big Ten Championship, losing to Michigan 73-70, marking the closest margin of victory in the history of the women's Big Ten Championships.Two other cross-country athletes - juniors Jamie Krzyminski and Andrew Marsh - barely missed getting All-American status.
BASKETBALL
Spartans open regular season with victory, lack consistency
The MSU men's basketball team is undefeated in its regular season and still ranked No. 9 in the country. But what MSU's 1-0 record doesn't show is its win over UNC Asheville was by only 14 points - not quite the blowout victory expected. Friday's performance followed two sketchy exhibition games.
SPORTS
Field hockey's effort earns 2 All-Americans
After its best season in club history, the MSU field hockey team had two players named Division I all-Americans.
FOOTBALL
Pressure rises to hire coach
MSU Athletics Director Ron Mason says interested coaches and their agents have been tying up his phone line since he fired Bobby Williams three weeks ago.
SPORTS
Women's cross country places 12th in NCAAs Women's cross country places 12th in NCAAs
The MSU men's and women's cross country teams closed their seasons at the NCAA Championships on Monday in Terre Haute, Ind. The women's team placed 12th, falling one spot from last year.
FOOTBALL
Rogers to enter NFL Draft
It was perhaps the worst-kept secret in college football. But on Monday, MSU star receiver Charles Rogers made it official. He is going pro. Rogers confirmed the speculation during the team's year-end banquet. "I felt like today was a better day because I have my family and my teammates here," the 6-foot-4, 205-pound junior said after receiving the team's most valuable player award. "If you're projected to be a top-10 pick, you can't say no." Although Rogers was quick to point out during the past several weeks he hadn't made up his mind about whether he would forfeit his last year of college eligibility and enter the NFL Draft, there wasn't an analyst - or teammate - who expected him to stay. "We saw it coming.
ICE HOCKEY
Miller demoted back to Rochester Americans
After a two-game stint in the NHL, former MSU goaltender Ryan Miller was sent back to the minor-league Rochester Americans on Sunday. Miller went 1-0-0-1 in his NHL debut with the Buffalo Sabres, but he allowed eight total goals to the New Jersey Devils and Columbus Blue Jackets.
FOOTBALL
Lusterless losses end season
The MSU football team's season was low-lighted by lackluster efforts, humiliating losses, several suspensions and the dismissal of the head coach before the end of the year. There were five losses by 21 points or more, five players who voluntarily left the team and six players suspended for one game or more. "It was a disaster," ESPN college football analyst Beano Cook said.
ICE HOCKEY
Streak continues with loss to Bowling Green
Bowling Green, Ohio - The MSU hockey team traveled south Friday, hoping to get an easy win over a conference doormat before starting a tough stretch of games next weekend.Instead, the Spartans' surprisingly difficult season took another downturn.At MSU's expense, the lowly Bowling Green Falcons notched their first league win - by an overtime score of 3-2 at the BGSU Ice Arena.The Spartans (5-6-0 overall, 3-4-0 CCHA) grabbed a 2-1 lead with less than four minutes to go, but once again, they couldn't hold a late-game advantage.Falcon right wing Tyler Knight scored with 1:54 left in regulation and then center D'Arcy McConvey tallied a controversial goal with 1:50 left in overtime to seal the upset for Bowling Green (3-8-1, 1-7-1).MSU had blown similar late leads to Lake Superior State and Niagara earlier this season, but the Spartans came back to win both of those games.