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Sports

BASKETBALL

U plays spoiler in Columbus

The past four seasons head coach Tom Izzo and his Spartans have spent the last weeks of February fighting off opponents trying to spoil their Big Ten Championship dreams. But with conference title hopes gone, the MSU men’s basketball team (17-10 overall, 8-6 Big Ten) gets to play the spoiler tonight in Columbus, Ohio.

SPORTS

Womens track takes 10th at indoor championship

The women’s track and field team took 10th place in the 21st annual Big Ten Indoor Championship last weekend. The Spartans (0-2) traveled to University Park, Pa., where sophomore Jamie Krzyminski won first place in the 5,000-meter run.

ICE HOCKEY

Better late than never, first line takes charge

After the Spartans’ top forward line produced impressive statistics in Saturday night’s 4-3 win over Miami (Ohio), MSU head coach Ron Mason was thinking the same thing as many Spartan fans.“It’s about time,” the longtime MSU foreman said.The three players that comprise the top line - junior left wing Brian Maloney, freshman center Jim Slater and senior right wing Adam Hall - weren’t really slumping.

BASKETBALL

Young Spartans perform under pressure

If young teams are supposed to fold in high-pressure situations, someone forgot to tell the Spartan men’s basketball squad. With an opportunity to raise their NCAA Tournament stock, MSU used late-game heroics to come from behind to upend No.

FOOTBALL

Thornhill files for draft

MSU senior linebacker Josh Thornhill filed his name for entry into the NFL Draft in April. Last season Thornhill led the team with 128 tackles, 93 solo, in 12 games for the Spartans. The 6-foot-2, 235-pound linebacker is projected to go somewhere between the second and forth rounds. Thornhill joins junior running back T.J.

BASKETBALL

NCAA dreams in good shape

The Spartans’ NCAA Tournament chances remained intact as Alan Anderson stepped to the line and connected on two free throws, giving MSU a 57-54 win against Indiana. Sunday’s win all but wraps up a bid for the Spartans (17-10 overall, 8-6 Big Ten) in the NCAA Tournament.

SPORTS

Season starts strong

The MSU baseball team kicked off its season by winning two of three games during their weekend trip to Las Vegas. The Spartans (2-1) defeated UC Santa Barbara 19-14 on Friday in the UNLV Tournament. Twelve of the team’s runs came in the last three innings, seven coming in the last inning. Senior Nick Bates struck out six of the first seven batters he faced on Saturday to help give the Spartans an 8-3 victory over host UNLV. Bates tied his career-high with nine strikeouts in seven innings. On Sunday the Spartans finished the tournament with a 22-15 loss to Creighton.

FOOTBALL

Football gets new coach

Danny Crossman was named linebackers coach and special teams coordinator for the MSU football team Friday. Crossman, 35, served as an assistant coach at Georgia Tech the last three years.

BASKETBALL

Off the bubble

The MSU men’s basketball team made the NCAA Tournament selection committee raise a collective brow Sunday.The Spartans toppled Big Ten-leading No.

SPORTS

Gymnastics looks for repeat at Invitational

The gymnastics team hosts the 13th Annual Country Markett Spartan Invitational Saturday. The Spartans (9-4, 0-2 Big Ten) welcome Illinois-Chicago (8-8), New Hampshire (5-2) and Ball State (10-6) at Jenison Field House. MSU has won the tournament the last two years.