BASKETBALL
Spartans alter preparation for second round with Illini
The MSU men’s basketball team is coming off one of its biggest wins the season, but it won’t have time to take it in.
BASKETBALL
Defense spurs upset win
Ohio State’s backcourt duo of Brian Brown and Brent Darby were on an offensive tear before arriving at Breslin Center on Sunday. Brown and Darby combined for an average of 28.1 points per game before losing to MSU (14-9 overall, 5-5 Big Ten) 67-64.
ICE HOCKEY
Munn Ice luck runs out with Irish
Heavy underdog Notre Dame dealt fourth-ranked MSU a double blow with a 3-2 upset win at Munn Ice Arena Saturday night.With the setback, the Spartans saw their school-record home unbeaten streak snapped at 33 games (30-0-3). MSU hadn’t lost at home since a 2-1 decision to Omaha on Oct.
SPORTS
Richardson shows air
Former MSU All-American Jason Richardson swept through the NBA All Star weekend in Philadelphia on Saturday. The former Spartan was named MVP of The ‘got milk?’ Rookie Challenge, scoring 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting, including a 3-of-5 from three-point range.
SPORTS
Womens hoops feeds of stingy defense
In the week leading up to its game against Illinois, MSU women’s basketball head coach Joanne P.
SPORTS
Patriotism fills opening ceremonies
The events of Sept. 11 will forever be remembered by every American. And as the opening ceremonies of the 19th Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City showed, we aren’t the only ones who remember. From the introduction to the lighting of the cauldron by the 1980 men’s Olympic hockey gold medalists, these games have taken on a new persona. There’s still going to be that competitive fire that’s been the foundation of the games for as long as one can trace it back, but now more than ever, the nations are more unified. America and perhaps the entire world will never forget the images of the twin towers crashing down upon the Manhattan landscape. The olympians are here to represent, and win medals for their countries, but they’re also here to show these games can exist during a chaotic time. That was my feeble attempt to create a NBC-like dramatic introduction to this column.
SPORTS
Tournament dreams are fading
The MSU women’s basketball teams’ NCAA Tournament hopes have been dimming, but the dream is still alive. The Spartans (14-9 overall, 4-8 Big Ten) are looking to stop a two-game slide when Illinois (13-7, 6-4) comes to Breslin Center Saturday. To keep its tournament hopes alive, a win is almost a necessity for MSU. “The game is very important,” junior forward Syreeta Bromfield said.
SPORTS
U ignores defense
By now the air has cleared on recruiting and 19 new players have added their names to the MSU football roster for fall 2002.
BASKETBALL
Taylor still questionable
The Spartan men’s basketball team may have to gun down Big-Ten-leading No. 16 Ohio State on Sunday at Breslin Center without its most effective weapon available. Sophomore guard Marcus Taylor could still be shelved for the Spartans’ (13-9 overall, 4-5 Big Ten) 1 p.m.
SPORTS
Coach to represent U.S.
Women’s golf coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll will coach Team USA against Team Japan at the Glen Club on July 15-17 in Glenville, Ill. Slobodnik-Stoll will coach the top four female U.S.
ICE HOCKEY
Spartans hope to fight off Irish, maintain lead
Any Spartan suffering through a scoring drought probably can’t wait for the puck to drop tonight at Munn Ice Arena. Notre Dame (9-14-5 overall, 7-11-4 CCHA) is in town for the first time in almost two years, and just gave up 13 goals in a series against Alaska-Fairbanks. The Irish have given up an average of 3.43 goals per game - which ranks 10th in the CCHA.
FOOTBALL
Recruits part 3
John R. Buchtel High: Akron, Ohio 5-11, 170 pounds Cornerback Carlos Alexander is one of five Ohio natives coming to East Lansing next year. The cornerback was named to the All-Midwest Team by Prep Football Report. As a senior he had 48 tackles and five interceptions.
FOOTBALL
Williams calls speed key element in recruits
Wednesday was a big mail day for MSU head football coach Bobby Williams.Nineteen letters reached Williams’ desk signed and sealed, securing MSU’s early signees for the 2002 recruiting class.“I am very, very happy this day has come and it’s come to a close,” Williams said.
FOOTBALL
Recruits part 2
Clifton Ryan Arthur Hill High: Saginaw 6-3, 255 pounds Linebacker Ryan continues the long lineage of great athletes coming from the Saginaw Valley Conference.
FOOTBALL
Recruits part 1
Kyle Brown West Bloomfield High: West Bloomfield 6-1, 195 pounds Wide receiver Brown verbally committed in late January and said he’s looking forward to teaming up with other fast wide receivers. “It’s gonna be pretty fun,” Brown said. His senior season was cut short by a torn anterior cruciate ligament, but that didn’t stop schools from recruiting him. His junior season he rushed for 1,300 yards and passed for 300.
ICE HOCKEY
Polls get crazy; tribute in works
MSU head coach Ron Mason, a voter in the USCHO.com national poll, said he wrestled with his ballot this week after the nation’s top teams endured a weekend full of upsets. Last week’s No.
FOOTBALL
Defense hopes to fill hole
The departure of senior linebacker Josh Thornhill to the NFL leaves a big hole in the middle of the MSU football team’s defense next season.Enter a hopeful replacement for next fall - Riverside-Brookfield High (Illinois) linebacker Steve Kielp, who will sign a letter of intent to play for head coach Bobby Williams today.“I think Kielp, a top 10 player in the state of Illinois, is very important to Michigan State,” said Bill Kurelic, recruiting analyst for MidwestRecruiting.com.
SPORTS
Hoops team moving up
MSU women’s head basketball coach Joanne P. McCallie is in the midst of doing what most coaches wouldn’t be able to do. She is turning around the women’s basketball program.
BASKETBALL
Northwestern offense poses challenge to U
The MSU men’s basketball team will do its best to stay awake tonight against Northwestern at Welsh-Ryan Arena. “It’s kind of a lull-you-to-sleep offense,” MSU head coach Tom Izzo said of the Wildcats’ attack. Wildcats head coach Bill Carmody coached under the legendary Pete Carril at Princeton from 1982-96, and was the Tigers’ head coach until 2000.
FOOTBALL
Spartans stay in state, add to receiving corps
The key ingredients to a passing attack are a quarterback with a strong arm and wide receivers with speed and height.And the Spartans didn’t have to look far for the speed and height, with three Michigan wide receivers among MSU football’s 2002 recruiting class.The 6-foot-7 Matt Trannon joins Kyle Brown and Agim Shabaj, who have both been clocked 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash.Brown and Trannon are ready to sign Wednesday, but Shabaj is having second thoughts.