http://statenews.com Stories from The State News en-us Gryphon 2.2.3b-tsn (woodward)/Foundry5 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:24:33 -0500 webmaster@statenews.com http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/11/great_expectations Every good group needs a set of leaders with a differing set of skills. In an episode of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” the characters labeled one another as “The Looks,” “The Brains,” “The Muscle” and “The Wild Card” to reflect the different skills each brought to the gang’s latest escapade. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:22:33 -0500 http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/11/great_expectations http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/11/spartans_wont_cruise_to_indys_2010_final_four The MSU men’s basketball team is the consensus No. 2 team in the country. The Spartans are expected to repeat as Big Ten Champions, go to their sixth Final Four in the last 12 years and are heavy favorites to make their second straight trip to the NCAA Championship game. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:24:33 -0500 http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/11/spartans_wont_cruise_to_indys_2010_final_four http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/11/gophers_indefinitely_suspend_2_players Minnesota men’s basketball players Royce White and Devron Bostick were suspended indefinitely Tuesday by head coach Tubby Smith for a violation of team rules, according to the Associated Press. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:30:41 -0500 http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/11/gophers_indefinitely_suspend_2_players http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/11/msu_hoops_lands_first_verbal_for_2011 Detroit Southeastern guard Brandan Kearney became Tom Izzo’s first verbal commitment for the 2011 recruiting class, signaling his intentions to attend MSU on Tuesday. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:25:05 -0500 http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/11/msu_hoops_lands_first_verbal_for_2011 http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/11/green_has_his_dayday Draymond Green did a little bit of everything in the No. 2 MSU men’s basketball team’s 76-45 exhibition win Sunday against Northwood. Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:08:17 -0500 http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/11/green_has_his_dayday http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/11/msu_overcomes_sloppy_start_in_preseason_opener It started out ugly. Very ugly. Missed layups, ice-cold shooting and lacking two starters because of injury contributed to a slow and sloppy first half in the No. 2 MSU men’s basketball team’s preseason opener Sunday afternoon. Sun, 01 Nov 2009 21:28:11 -0500 http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/11/msu_overcomes_sloppy_start_in_preseason_opener http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/11/injury_bug_already_biting_spartans_key_players_sit_out_exhibition The No. 2 MSU men’s basketball team dealt with its share of injury-related adversity last season. One exhibition game into the 2009-10 season, that unwanted trend is back again. Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:20:30 -0500 http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/11/injury_bug_already_biting_spartans_key_players_sit_out_exhibition http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/10/green_team_wins_intrasquad_game Saturday’s men’s basketball Green and White game meant ditto in the win and loss column, but provided fans with a first-hand look at some of the team’s biggest story lines entering the season. Sun, 25 Oct 2009 19:25:38 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/10/green_team_wins_intrasquad_game http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/10/lighter_nix_could_be_force_inside_for_msu What would have happened if Derrick Nix hadn’t taken this summer seriously? Nix, a freshman center on the MSU men’s basketball team, knows exactly what would have happened if he hadn’t dropped 30 pounds — and counting — since his arrival in East Lansing. Or if he hadn’t done extra cardio on his own after working out with teammates. Or if he had consumed more than just cereal, Nutrigrain bars and liquids after 6 p.m. in an effort to get into shape. Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:21:51 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/10/lighter_nix_could_be_force_inside_for_msu http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/10/creating_a_moment Images of MSU basketball’s past, present and future were on display for the 14,000-plus in attendance at Friday’s annual Midnight Madness for the MSU men’s and women’s basketball teams. Sun, 18 Oct 2009 21:18:34 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/10/creating_a_moment http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/10/purdue_starter_suspended_2_games Purdue guard Lewis Jackson has been suspended by the team for two games and the NCAA for one game to start the season. Sun, 18 Oct 2009 19:33:06 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/10/purdue_starter_suspended_2_games http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/10/madness_to_hit_basketball_teams_today The MSU men’s and women’s basketball teams will hold their annual Midnight Madness event at 9:30 p.m. today at Breslin Center. Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:27:55 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/10/madness_to_hit_basketball_teams_today http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/10/big_ten_tournament_tickets_go_on_sale_monday_ Tickets for the 2010 Big Ten men’s and women’s basketball tournaments will go on sale Monday at 10 a.m., the Big Ten announced Thursday. Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:17:42 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/10/big_ten_tournament_tickets_go_on_sale_monday_ http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/09/izzone_campout_allows_for_interaction_between_team_fans Students looking to get access to Tom Izzo and talk to their favorite players about last season’s Final Four run had the opportunity to do just that at this weekend’s Izzone Campout. Sun, 27 Sep 2009 21:51:15 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/09/izzone_campout_allows_for_interaction_between_team_fans http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/09/basketball_legend_smith_recognized_for_philanthropy Steve Smith was watching the MSU football team take on Central Michigan on Saturday from his personal luxury box at Spartan Stadium when third-year MSU women’s basketball head coach Suzy Merchant walked in and began to chat with him. Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:40:54 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/09/basketball_legend_smith_recognized_for_philanthropy http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/04/izzo_takes_new_stage_with_izzo_goes_to_broadway During his 14 years as head coach of the MSU men’s basketball team, Tom Izzo has participated in his share of pressure-inducing activities. He’s coached in three Final Fours, thrown out the first pitch of a Detroit Tigers game and even rapelled from the ceiling of Breslin Center. Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:05:29 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/04/izzo_takes_new_stage_with_izzo_goes_to_broadway http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/04/lucas_puts_off_nba_to_finish_work_at_msu Not only does Kalin Lucas plan on returning to school for his junior season, but according to his coach, the star guard never even gave much thought to entering the 2009 NBA Draft. Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:05:30 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/04/lucas_puts_off_nba_to_finish_work_at_msu http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/04/spartans_tar_heels_to_meet_again_in_big_tenacc_challenge The MSU men’s basketball team will take the floor with North Carolina for the third time in a calendar year and for the second consecutive year in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The two teams will meet in Chapel Hill, N.C. on Dec. 1 in the 11th rendition of the weeklong event that pits teams from each conference against one another. Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:30:36 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/04/spartans_tar_heels_to_meet_again_in_big_tenacc_challenge http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/04/iowa_state_loss_still_troubles_msu_coach About 10 minutes after her team’s season-ending loss to Iowa State, MSU women’s basketball head coach Suzy Merchant located a TV backstage at Haas Pavilion. For the first of what would prove to be many times, Merchant relived the anguishing final 87 seconds of the game. Since the March 28 loss, Merchant estimates she’s replayed the conclusion of the game at least 500 times. Sun, 12 Apr 2009 20:19:14 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/04/iowa_state_loss_still_troubles_msu_coach http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/04/looking_back After an underwhelming first month of the season, sophomore guard Kalin Lucas emerged as MSU’s best player right in time for the Big Ten regular season. Thu, 09 Apr 2009 21:51:56 -0400 http://statenews.com/index.php/article/2009/04/looking_back