BASKETBALL
Program seeks stability
A lot of basketball teams can look good in stretches, hitting a few shots in a row or stopping their opponents for a couple of minutes.
BASKETBALL
NCAA Tournament time for point guards to take over
As the No. 10 seed MSU men’s basketball team tries to rally in the NCAA Tournament, it will look to its point guard for a spark - a position teams traditionally turn to in March.Great point guards have typically led the teams that make runs in the tournament’s history.
BASKETBALL
Reckers clutch performance is March at its best
March is nearly every sports fan’s favorite month - and despite what the shameless self-promoters at ESPN will tell you, it’s not because “A Season on the Brink” aired. And while the “total sports network” ventures in Brian Dennehy movies, I’ll try to find something a little more worthwhile to write about. I have to resist any urge to write a “65 things I love about March” column, because it’s in the best interest of you, the reader, and my reputation to avoid any and all gimmicky columns - i.e.
BASKETBALL
Expectations still high despite loss to Indiana
Indianapolis - The shadows of three consecutive Final Four appearances loom over the MSU men’s basketball team as it enters the NCAA Tournament as a No.
BASKETBALL
Life lessons learned on long and winding road
Experiences can take someone a lot of different places. They’ve taken Hawkeye guard Ryan Hogan from Illinois to Kentucky to Iowa, with stops all along the way.
BASKETBALL
U to wrap up regular season at home
A Spartan win Saturday would guarantee the men’s basketball team a first-round bye in the Big Ten Tournament. MSU (18-10 overall, 9-6 Big Ten) needs to win its final regular-season game against Iowa (16-13, 5-10) at Breslin Center to earn the No.
BASKETBALL
Spartans hitting stride as tournament approaches
Optimism and excitement have surrounded the Spartans’ late-season success. But a few months back, the MSU faithful could only look to what lay well ahead for excitement. The future seemed to be at least one year away for the Spartans (18-10 overall, 9-6 Big Ten) not too long ago. Opening the Big Ten season with three straight back-breaking losses, MSU’s youth and inexperience quickly became a stumbling block and postseason hopes seemed to spell NIT. The first was a 70-67 loss at Minnesota on Jan.
BASKETBALL
Indianapolis nightlife prepares for Big Ten
With the move to Indianapolis, Big Ten Tournamentgoers won’t be able to rely on the familiar nightlife of Chicago for their entertainment. The intensity of Big Ten basketball promises to be the same.
BASKETBALL
MSU mens basketball report card
Record: 18-10 overall, 9-6 Big Ten 2001-2002 Report Card: Shooting: B+ The Spartans have shot the ball especially well lately, most recently hitting 59 percent from the field in an 81-76 win at No.
BASKETBALL
First, but not last Big Ten Tournament not held in Chicago
Goodbye Windy City. Hello Hoosier hospitality. The fifth annual men’s Big Ten Tournament will call Indianapolis its new home, after a four-year run in Chicago.However, the 11 teams that compete in the Big Ten shouldn’t make themselves comfortable.Scott Chipman, associate director of communications for the Big Ten, said the move this year is just the first in a series of moves between the two cities.“The tournament is going back to Chicago next year, then back to Indiana,” Chipman said.
BASKETBALL
Tournament time
As the court inside Breslin Center was taken apart piece by piece, one couldn’t help but think of MSU’s 2000 National Championship won on that very floor. It stands as a foundation for the entire program - the NCAA title, the Big Ten championships, the 53-game home-court winning streak.
BASKETBALL
Freshman returns home for Big Ten Tournament
Playing in front of the hometown fans is always difficult. The desire to rise to the challenge and represent is unavoidable, but so are the distractions.As an Indianapolis native, freshman guard Chris Hill has more to think about than just the Big Ten Tournament.
BASKETBALL
Big Ten breakdown get fans ready for tournament
Illinois (10-5 Big Ten, 22-7 overall) Key Players: Frank Williams, junior guard - 16.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg and 4.0 apg; Brian Cook, junior forward - 12.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg and 1.3 bpg; Williams can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, from wherever he wants on offense.
BASKETBALL
Ganakas to be honored at bust
Former Spartan head coach Gus Ganakas will receive the 2002 Men’s Basketball Distinguished Alumnus Award, the university announced Tuesday. Ganakas, who is currently the team’s color commentator on the Spartan Radio Network, is the sixth recipient of the award.
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.
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.
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.
BASKETBALL
Hoosiers top Big Ten with defense
When Spartan men’s basketball fans look back to MSU’s 83-65 loss to Indiana on Jan.
BASKETBALL
Spartans entering final stretch
The Spartan men’s basketball team begins a crucial five-day span tonight, when it hosts Minnesota. MSU (15-10 overall, 6-6 Big Ten) plays three games against the Big Ten’s best - beginning with surprising fifth-place Minnesota (14-9, 7-5) at 7 p.m. Spartan head coach Tom Izzo said the upcoming week will play a major role in determining MSU’s NCAA Tournament fate. “It’s no question that this week will pretty much determine our NCAA Tournament future,” Izzo said.
BASKETBALL
Freshman surprises Big Ten
College basketball players aren’t normally adored by hometown fans when they’re 13 years old.But Rick Rickert is an exception.