Friday, December 19, 2025

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

Sports

VOLLEYBALL

Team takes two in tourney

After suffering its second consecutive loss, the MSU volleyball team rallied back to win the next two matches and leave the South Florida Adidas Invitational with a record of 7-2. With its 2-1 record in the tournament, the No.

FOOTBALL

ONLINE UPDATE: Spartans fall to Golden Bears

Fifthteenth-ranked MSU suffered its first defeat of the season, a 46-22 loss to California at Spartan Stadium.The Golden Bears capitalized on five Spartan turnovers and sloppy play by MSU’ s special teams.The Spartan offense struggled all day, but the defense looked strong early.

SPORTS

Ohio State in nations only top-10 showdown

No. 10 Washington State at No. 6 Ohio State This is the nation’s only top-10 matchup of the week, and it could be a preview of the Rose Bowl. Both teams are experienced, talented and undefeated after two games.

FOOTBALL

Dortchs leadership aids freshmen

Tyrell Dortch has reason to be frustrated at football. But he’s not. When the MSU secondary lost four players last season, Dortch, a tailback, filled in at cornerback, and it almost crippled him.

SPORTS

Sports find their purpose in post-Sept. 11 way of life in U.S.

One year later and where do sports stand? It’s been a year since America was brought to its knees at the cowardly hands of terrorists, and there’s no doubt that our nation has changed. We now live in a world where each moment and each day should be enjoyed to the fullest. In this once-free society, we could walk outside without the fear of terrorism creeping up behind us ready to attack.

SPORTS

Quiet Stanley loud on field

Spartan sophomore linebacker Ronald Stanley isn’t an athlete of many words - never has been.“He was a very, very quiet person,” said Saginaw High School head coach Don Durrett, who coached Stanley from 1997-2000.

SPORTS

The Recovery

The MSU secondary faced its share of adversity last season. Senior cornerback Cedric Henry was made academically ineligible two weeks before the season-opener, and roughly two months later, senior cornerback DeMario Suggs and then-freshman free safety Jason Harmon broke their ankles in practice on consecutive days. Their injuries healed.

SPORTS

Heisman watch

With the first Heisman Trophy showdown behind us, the race for college football’s most prestigious award is starting to take shape.

SPORTS

HARDY: Big Ten needs to prove itself in key matchups

It’s time to polish my red-striped, pigskin-predicting tool - the Magic Big Ten Ball - as top-ranked Big Ten squads battle the nation’s best on a Saturday, forecasting the conference champion. Every team brings perfect records to the 100-yard table in these key matchups of Ohio State vs.

VOLLEYBALL

Transfer ready to lead

Three years ago an athlete described as having “competitive fire” was a coveted recruit.The Spartans lost the recruiting battle as Sara Villwock chose to stay close to home and attend Colorado.After two years of leading the Buffaloes’ volleyball team to as far as the second round in the NCAA Regionals, the junior outside hitter wanted to compete for a national championship.“I felt like I wanted more and I needed a change,” Villwock said.

SPORTS

Sports briefs

Pistons to visit E.L. Members of the Detroit Pistons will visit the Lansing area for the third consecutive year.

SPORTS

Lugnuts down 2-0, remain optimistic

The Lansing Lugnuts have made it to the Midwest League finals for just the second time in franchise history, but have a great task ahead of them if they want to snag the championship like they did in 1997. In 1997 the Lugnuts trailed the Kane County Cougars 2-0.

BASKETBALL

Spartan heads to Cleaves-land

After one year on the West Coast, former Spartan star Mateen Cleaves is headed back to the Midwest in search of some playing time.Cleaves, a point guard, was traded from the Sacramento Kings to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday in exchange for second-year forward Jumaine Jones.

BASKETBALL

Trustees to vote on contract extension

The MSU Board of Trustees will vote to approve a one-year contract extension for men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo at its meeting Friday.The extension would keep Izzo at the helm of the Spartan program until June 30, 2009.And although the board must vote to make the extension official, trustee David Porteous said the deal is as good as done.“He does a great job, and we’re fortunate at MSU to have Tom Izzo,” Porteous said.

FOOTBALL

Knott finds niche in Spartan offense

Sophomore tight end Eric Knott is proving why he was considered the nation’s No. 1 tight end recruit coming out of Detroit’s Henry Ford High in 1999.In his junior and senior seasons at Henry Ford he caught 72 passes for 1,186 yards and 15 touchdowns.In just two games at his natural position, Knott is already starting to put up similar numbers.Despite not getting the start against Eastern Michigan in the season-opener, Knott pulled down six catches for 69 yards and two touchdowns.

SPORTS

Recent loss coincidence, or part of something bigger

Can you remember when the men’s basketball team won the NCAA National Championship in 2000? MSU finished 32-7 that year, but it wasn’t all highs during that season. On a cold December evening, the Spartans took a 9-3 record down to Dayton, Ohio, for a contest with the 2-8 Wright State. As 23-point favorites, the Spartans were expecting a relatively easy contest.