WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Team prepares for Sweet 16, focuses on defense

The MSU women’s basketball team got one last practice in Wednesday before it left for Berkeley, Calif., to meet Iowa State in the Sweet 16 on Saturday. The Cyclones, who are 26-8 on the season and finished in third place in the Big 12 with an 11-5 conference record, are very guard-oriented and remind the Spartans a lot of Middle Tennessee State, the team MSU beat in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Behind the scenes

Cash Kruth

March 26, 2009

Eight seasons after the MSU men’s basketball team won the national championship, the days of preparation leading up to the 2000 title game are still firmly etched in Brian Gregory’s mind.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Gray has different impact than expected for Spartans

Alex Altman

March 26, 2009

During his career with the MSU men’s basketball team, senior forward Marquise Gray has learned a thing or two about dealing with criticism. A superstar caliber athlete coming out of Flint Beecher High, Gray came to MSU with the world on a string. Jaw-dropping athleticism, brute strength, a soft touch around the basket — Gray had it all.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Dayton coach gives thoughts on Kansas

Cash Kruth

March 26, 2009

Former MSU associate coach Brian Gregory and his Dayton Flyers pulled an upset over six-seeded West Virginia in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, but the No. 11 seed lost 60-43 to Kansas in the second round.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Aldrich, Collins key for Jayhawks offense; Kansas trying for chance at back-to-back titles

Cash Kruth

March 26, 2009

Bill Self hasn’t been around a lot of big men during his 16 years coaching NCAA men’s basketball. That might mean the praise he gave Cole Aldrich — when the Kansas coach said he can’t compare Aldrich to anyone — isn’t too impressive.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Centers look forward to matchup

Alex Altman

March 26, 2009

Senior center Goran Suton’s dominant defensive performance against Southern Cal didn’t strike fear into the heart of Kansas’ center Cole Aldrich. In fact, the Jayhawks star center said he’s looking forward to his individual matchup with Suton.

SOFTBALL

Spartans sweep doubleheader with Titans

Alex DiFilippo

March 25, 2009

In Tuesday’s home opener, the MSU softball team waited until the bottom of the seventh inning to win the game on a walk-off home run by sophomore shortstop Lindsey Hansen.

BASKETBALL

Merchant well on way to icon status at MSU

The State News dubbed the MSU women’s basketball team’s win over Duke on Tuesday as head coach Suzy Merchant’s “signature win.”

BASEBALL

Spartans extend winning streak to 5 games

Cash Kruth

March 25, 2009

Head coach Jake Boss Jr. thought his MSU baseball team had the chance to build some momentum when the Spartans came north after its spring trip down south. So far, so good.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Aitch, Johnson stars of MSU’s upset win against Duke

Cash Kruth

March 25, 2009

It is March Madness, but Tuesday night at Breslin Center was much more than an upset win for the MSU women’s basketball team.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

MSU women outhustle Blue Devils in win

They said it would take everything they had. On Monday, Aisha Jefferson said no team shows up in March Madness with more hustle than an opponent — it would come down to mental focus.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Suzy's signature win

It had to be perfect. To beat No. 1-seed Duke, the No. 9-seed MSU women’s basketball team had to limit turnovers, storm the glass and play staunch defense.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Matchup between point guards Lucas, Collins pivotal

Cash Kruth

March 24, 2009

This late in March, no team is fully reliant on one or two players. Yet while Kansas has a lot of young, skilled players on its roster, there is no question that guard Sherron Collins (18.9 points per game) and center Cole Aldrich (14.8 ppg) make the team work.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Kansas much improved since Jan. meeting

Alex Altman

March 24, 2009

It didn’t take much for MSU men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo to put Kansas’ midseason improvement into perspective for his team. In fact, all it took were two words: North Carolina.

FOOTBALL

Dantonio confident in both Cousins, Nichol heading into spring

Alex DiFilippo

March 24, 2009

Don’t expect an answer anytime soon to the biggest unanswered question for the MSU football team this season. Sophomores Kirk Cousins and Keith Nichol are duking it out for the vacant starting quarterback job following the graduation of Brian Hoyer in May.

BASKETBALL

Blue Devils possess edge with trip to Berkeley, Calif.; Sweet 16 at stake

Joey Nowak

March 23, 2009

The MSU women’s basketball team (21-10) will take on Duke (27-5) at 7:16 p.m. tonight at Breslin Center in a battle between a No. 9 and No. 1 seed.

BASKETBALL

Former MSU assistant not going to rely on old knowledge with new team

Facing a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament already is difficult enough, but the MSU women’s basketball team is facing another obstacle — the team it will play, Duke, has a coaching staff that knows the ins and outs of most of the roster.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Walton, Suton switch roles to help beat USC

For once, Travis Walton was the offensive star on the MSU men’s basketball team. That meant it was someone else’s turn to be the unheralded defensive star.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Gray helps Summers get on track

Alex Altman

March 22, 2009

Before his team suited up to take on Southern Cal, Marquise Gray called teammate Durrell Summers over for a little chat. “I told him we can kind of lean on each other,” said Gray, a senior forward. “Everybody has their struggles, so I just told him to go over there and play.”

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Kansas knocks off Dayton; will play MSU

Alex Altman

March 22, 2009

Sherron Collins scored a game-high 25 points and Cole Aldrich collected a triple-double, leading Kansas to a 60-43 victory over Dayton in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. With the win, No. 3 seed Kansas advances to the Sweet 16, where the defending national champs will play MSU in Indianapolis.