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Tag: Northwestern

  • Michigan State looks like a well oiled machine in their 81-55 take down of Northwestern

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    Couch: 3 quick takes on Michigan State basketball’s drilling of Northwestern Lansing State Journal
    Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch gives his initial thoughts on the Spartans 81-55 win over Northwestern on Wednesday night at Breslin Center.

    Michigan State destroys Northwestern behind hot-shooting first half mlive
    Michigan State’s offense, in theory, should have slowed down on Wednesday. The Spartans were stepping up the competition level with the resumption of Big Ten play. They were also playing without their third-leading scorer in Joshua Langford, who is out with an ankle injury. But instead of slowing down, they resumed Big Ten play with an unexpected offensive explosion.

    Nick Ward, Michigan State dominate Northwestern State News
    Nick Ward took a chance with a long jumper Wednesday night. The shot? Not so pretty from 17-feet out, for the player known primarily for shots around the rim. Michigan State coach Tom Izzo shouted his displeasure with the shot from the sideline, but it was about the only thing the forward couldn’t do. Until the second half, at least.

    MSU pummels Northwestern in return to Big Ten play Detroit News
    Michigan State wanted to make a statement as Big Ten play resumed this week. Consider the Spartans off to a good start after its offense took off midway through the first half and allowed No. 8 Michigan State to cruise to an 81-55 victory over Northwestern Wednesday at the Breslin Center. The Spartans (12-2, 3-0 Big Ten) hit the road to take on No. 14 Ohio State on Saturday in an early conference showdown, but first they had to get past the Wildcats.

    Michigan State cruises by Northwestern in Big Ten restart Spartan Tailgate
    Northwestern played more than 15 minutes with no timeouts remaining after head coach Chris Collins burned the last one early in the second half Wednesday at Breslin Center. Collins’ team was down 25 points with 15:30 left on the clock. Less than a minute later, the Wildcats would trail by 27, the same margin MSU erased in a thrilling comeback during last year’s matchup at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

    Michigan State basketball hammers Northwestern as Big Ten play resumes Detroit Free Press
    Michigan State took some time to adjust without Joshua Langford in the lineup for the first time in three seasons. But when the Spartans’ shots started falling, they came in abundance. No. 8 MSU went on a 21-2 run midway through the first half, making 21 of their final 30 shots before halftime to build an insurmountable lead in an 81-55 victory over Northwestern on Wednesday at Breslin Center.

    Five in Double Figures as Michigan State Beats Northwestern, 81-55 MSU Official
    Junior forward Nick Ward (Gahanna, Ohio/Lincoln) scored 21 points and junior guard Cassius Winston (Detroit, Mich./University of Detroit Jesuit) had a double-double with 13 points and 12 assists as No. 8 Michigan State opened up a 20-point halftime lead en route to a 81-55 win over Northwestern in a Big Ten Conference game on Wednesday night.

    Spartans Are Locked In – Rout Of NU Sign Of Things To Come Spartans Wire
    Michigan State exploded against Northwestern in the Spartans’ return to Big Ten play at the Breslin Center Wednesday night. Izzo has his team’s attention and the Spartans look like a team that has no interest in being stopped by anyone.

    No. 8 Michigan State tops Northwestern, Langford sits out with injury The Only Colors
    No Joshua Langford, no problem. The starting guard sat out with an ankle injury as No. 8 Michigan State (12-2, 3-0 Big Ten) beat Northwestern (9-5, 0-3 Big Ten), 81-55 to win its seventh-straight game. The Spartans were led by their frontcourt: Nick Ward finished with 21 points and 7 rebounds; Xavier Tillman tied a career-high 14 points coming off the bench.

    MSU embarrases Northwestern Spartan Nation
    The Spartans were led by Nick Ward who had 21 points and seven rebounds. Xavier Tillman had 14 points and eight rebounds. Kenny Goins was stellar with eight points and 12 rebounds and Cassius Winston had 13 points and 12 assists. Matt McQuaid had 10 points and five rebounds and finally, Kyle Ahrens had 11 points to round out the guys with double-digit points or rebounds.

    Michigan State wins first game without Joshua Langford in a rout; will he be out longer? Detroit Free Press
    Michigan State played its first game in nearly three years without Joshua Langford on Wednesday night. It may not have mattered in the short time, as the eighth-ranked Spartans played one of its most complete stretches of the season in an 81-55 win over Northwestern at Breslin Center to resume Big Ten play. But it also is not yet known whether the junior co-captain’s left ankle injury will become a long-term problem.

     

     

  • Michigan State falls to Northwestern, 29-19

    Northwestern Tops Michigan State 29-19 Michigan State Official Athletic Site
    Clayton Thorson threw for 373 yards and three touchdowns, and Northwestern recovered from another second-half slip, beating No. 20 Michigan State 29-19 on Saturday.

    Northwestern upsets No. 20 Michigan State in East Lansing MLive.com
    After falling behind by double-digits for the first time this season, Michigan State rallied to reclaim a second-half lead. However, the No. 20 Spartans (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten) were unable to hold onto it as Northwestern (2-3, 2-1 Big Ten) pulled out a 29-19 upset win in East Lansing on Saturday. The Wildcats snapped a three-game losing streak while Michigan State’s hopes of winning a Big Ten title took a major hit.

    Couch: 3 quick takes on Michigan State’s 29-19 loss to Northwestern Lansing State Journal
    Lansing State Journal columnists Graham Couch breaks down the Spartans’ performance against Northwestern.

    Michigan State has problems galore in 29-19 loss to Northwestern Detroit Free Press
    A screen pass to Alante Thomas. Minus-6 yards. A drop back by Brian Lewerke … sack. Minus-4 yards. A holding penalty on a Lewerke scramble under duress. Minus-5 yards. An attempted screen pass from in Michigan State’s own end zone. Incomplete. That fourth-quarter drive, which came after a missed Northwestern field-goal attempt, summed up the problems on offense for the 19th-ranked Spartans on Saturday.

    Wildcats ride big plays to strike down Spartans Detroit News
    Michigan State lost to Northwestern for the third straight time on Saturday, but its problems go much deeper than that. The Wildcats, who entered the game having lost three straight, used two big plays in the first half to spark a 29-19 victory over No. 20 Michigan State, its third straight in the series and the third consecutive victory in Spartan Stadium.

    MSU blows second-half comeback in loss to Northwestern The Only Colors
    For the third time in as many years, the Michigan State Spartans have lost to the Northwestern Wildcats. A sloppy game from start to finish ended with multiple wasted opportunities for Michigan State. The Spartans erased a double-digit lead and took a brief lead in the third quarter, but the offense fell flat allowing Northwestern to take complete control in the win.

    Michigan State all but detonates Big Ten title hopes. Who’s to blame? Detroit Free Press
    There were many reasons why Michigan State lost on Saturday to Northwestern, 22-19. It was the overall execution — like running a 14-yard route when they needed 15. It was blown opportunities — getting field goals when they needed touchdowns. It was the play calling — is that really the best they can do in the red zone?

    Losing the QB duel and bad O-line play doom MSU in loss to Northwestern MLive.com
    Michigan State, which has been known for making timely plays throughout the Mark Dantonio era, found itself on the opposite side of nearly every big play on Saturday. The defense gave up two touchdowns on 30-plus yard throws in the first half, the offense couldn’t maintain drives or score in the red zone and the defense gave up an uncharacteristically long drive.

    Michigan State football report card: Offense worst in already bad game Detroit Free Press
    Chris Solari rates the 19th-ranked Spartans on a scale of 1 to 10 after their 29-19 loss to Northwestern on Saturday.

    Cam Chambers has breakout moment as injuries mount Detroit Free Press
    Cam Chambers finally had his breakthrough moment with Michigan State’s football team. Chambers, who had been forced to wait his turn after being one of MSU’s most heralded recruits in the 2016 class, caught five passes for a career-high 82 yards in Saturday’s 29-19 loss to Northwestern at Spartan Stadium.

    MSU’s offensive failures will get even worse if nothing changes Detroit Free Press
    His face was heavy with frustration. About the loss, for sure. But it was deeper than that. More troubling. “I’m not sure what the answer is, or what the reason is, why we aren’t executing at the end of games,” MSU co-offensive coordinator Dave Warner said on Saturday after Northwestern’s 29-19 victory over the Spartans. “But obviously it needs to be addressed and needs to be corrected.”

    Post-Game Notes: Northwestern Michigan State Official Athletic Site
    In the 57th meeting between Michigan State and Northwestern, the Wildcats defeated the Spartans, 29-19, Saturday in Spartan Stadium . . . MSU leads the all-time series, 37-20 . . . Mark Dantonio is 5-5 in his tenure against NU, while Pat Fitzgerald is 5-6 against MSU . . . MSU leads the series in East Lansing, 18-9.

    Vulnerability to big play hurt Spartans again Detroit News
    There has been plenty of focus on Michigan State’s offense this season, and for good reason. The running game continues to be a non-factor and the Spartans simply aren’t scoring points at a rate that will give them a chance to win most weeks. But things haven’t been perfect on the defensive side of the ball, either.

    Missed opportunities and mistakes pile up as Michigan State upset by Northwestern MLive.com
    Michigan State had the ball and a chance. Taking over 98 yards from the end zone and trailing Northwestern by three points with less than four minutes to play in the fourth quarter, the Spartans needed to mount a drive to either tie the game or take the lead. Neither happened.

  • Northwestern Wildcats vs. Michigan State Spartans Game Preview

    It’s homecoming for the Michigan State Spartans, as the Northwestern Wildcats visit East Lansing. MSU lost a triple-overtime heartbreaker to Northwestern in Evanston last year and has actually dropped two in a row to the Wildcats. Let’s preview the 2018 matchup to help us to determine what to expect on Saturday.

    Source: The Only Colors

  • Special Teams Breakdown: Northwestern

    Back to Big Ten play for the Spartans after grabbing a win against Central Michigan. It was a relatively uneventful special teams game for MSU, which is probably a good thing. Things could get a little dicey this week with the weather calling for wind and rain in East Lansing. With a new punter, and punt returner, avoiding a special teams catastrophe will be important.

    Source: The Only Colors

  • For Michigan State, Northwestern has been a total pain

    Sometimes a team just has your number. Every team seems to have one — that team on the schedule that, no matter how each is playing that season, seems to be the proverbial thorn in the side. For No. 20 Michigan State, that team over the years has been Northwestern.

    Source: Detroit News

  • View from the other side: Northwestern at MSU

    Louie Vaccher covers Northwestern football and is publisher and managing editor of WildcatReport, the Rivals site covering the Wildcats. He breaks down the Wildcats for The Detroit News, answering five questions heading into Saturday’s Michigan State-Northwestern game at Spartan Stadium.

    Source: Detroit News

  • The Only Questions: Q&A with Northwestern

    Michigan State will take the field at Spartan Stadium for the second weekend in a row against the Northwestern Wildcats. Kickoff is slated for noon EST. As usual, we are calling upon the editor-n-chief, Caleb Friedman, from Inside NU to tell our Spartan readers everything they need to know about the Wildcats.

    Source: The Only Colors

  • Spartan Speak: A discussion on Brian Lewerke, Michigan State-Northwestern preview

    Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch and Detroit Free Press beat writer Chris Solari have plenty of Michigan State sports to talk about in the latest episode of the “Spartan Speak” podcast.

  • Northwestern Defense – Opportunity For MSU To Establish Identity?

    Michigan State continues to prepare for a potential springboard game at home this Saturday against Northwestern. The opportunity to move to 4-1 and 2-0 in the Big Ten would set the Spartans up for the push they’re anxious for. What type of challenge will the Northwestern defense present to Michigan State this Saturday at Spartan Stadium?

    Source: Spartans Wire

  • The 3-2-1 Preview: 3 things we want to see, 2 key stats, 1 gambling pick vs. Northwestern

    The Northwestern Wildcats are having their underwhelming season they usually have every World Cup cycle year, but that doesn’t mean they’re not dangerous. My goodness, how could you possibly not at least be a little shook for this team that’s beat MSU two times in a row now?

    Source: The Only Colors

  • 5 things I’d like to see from Michigan State this weekend against Northwestern

    It’s Homecoming in East Lansing this weekend, and the game on the field is a tough one. The Spartans (3-1 and 1-0 in the Big Ten) take on a Northwestern team that’s been struggling but is still very dangerous.

    Source: Saturday Tradition

  • Michigan State football too familiar with Northwestern offense

    Two years ago, Northwestern ruined Michigan State football’s homecoming by scoring 54 points at Spartan Stadium – the most points ever given up in the Mark Dantonio era. One year later, the Wildcats prevailed in a 39-31 triple-overtime thriller.Now, MSU welcomes Clayton Thorson and the Wildcats for a yet another homecoming date on Saturday (noon, Fox Sports 1).

    Source: Detroit Free Press

  • Get to Know the Opponent: Northwestern

    The non-conference season is officially over, and it is all Big Ten opponents from here on out for Michigan State. The Spartans are already 1-0 in conference play thanks to their win at Indiana a few weeks back. This week, Northwestern comes to East Lansing for homecoming weekend. The Wildcats have been a thorn in the Spartans side during the Pat Fitzgerald era, including knocking off MSU in triple overtime last year in Evanston. Let’s get to know a little more about our opponents from the Chicago area.

    Source: The Only Colors

  • Sparty Party Podcast: Central Review and Northwestern Preview

    Talking about whether the screws were tightened or not against Central and what to expect on Homecoming against Northwestern.

  • No. 20 Spartans Face Northwestern on Homecoming

    No. 20/19 Michigan State hosts Northwestern on Saturday, Oct. 6 at noon in Spartan Stadium in MSU’s 103rd Homecoming game. The contest will be televised on FS1, with Tim Brando, Spencer Tillman and Holly Sonders on the call. The Spartans improved to 3-1 overall after defeating Central Michigan in East Lansing last Saturday, 31-20, to wrap up nonconference play, while the Wildcats (1-3, 1-1 B1G) fell at home to No. 14/15 Michigan, 20-17.

    Source: Michigan State Official Athletic Site

  • Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald wary of digging another hole early vs. Michigan State

    Michigan State holds a healthy margin over Northwestern in the series, but the Wildcats have gotten the best of the Spartans over the past few years.

    Source: Detroit News

  • Michigan State opens as nine-point favorite over Northwestern

    The Spartans opened on Sunday as nine-point favorites in their home game against the Wildcats, according to Vegas Insider.

    Source: MLive.com

  • Up next: Northwestern takes three-game losing streak to Michigan State

    Each week, we’ll take an inside look at Michigan State’s upcoming opponent by gathering all the information and links you need to get to know the opposition. The Spartans host Northwestern at noon on Saturday against at Spartan Stadium.

    Source: MLive.com

  • The Final Four Is Not On The Schedule: Northwestern Review + Illinois Rd. 2 Preview

    Sam and Rod talk MSU’s historic comeback win against Northwestern and look ahead to Tuesday’s potential conference-title clincher against Illinois

    Source: The Final Four Is Not On The Schedule

  • Michigan State needs biggest comeback in Big Ten history to beat Northwestern

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    Road warriors: 24-0 run spurs Spartans in comeback win Detroit News
    Michigan State was done. With less than a half to play Saturday afternoon against Northwestern, the second-ranked team in the nation, one that was suddenly in a position to win a Big Ten championship, was dead in the water. The Wildcats dominated for the first 20 minutes, and just 70 seconds in the second half, the Spartans trailed by 23.
     

    Couch: 3 quick takes on Michigan State’s 65-60 win at Northwestern Lansing State Journal
    Lansing State Journal columnist Graham Couch gives his initial thoughts on the Spartans’ 65-60 win Saturday over Northwestern in Rosemont, Illinois.
     

    Michigan State comes back from 27 down to beat Northwestern on the road MLive.com
    When Northwestern hit a pair of free throws with 16:20 left to go up by 21 points, Michigan State was playing its worst basketball of the year and appeared poised to squander an unexpected opening in the Big Ten title race. What followed was a remarkable eight minutes of basketball in which Michigan State went from lethargic to dominant and saved the game.
     

    Takeaways from Michigan State Basketball’s win over Northwestern
     isportsweb
    What a game this was. At one point, Michigan State was down by 27 points. However, the Spartans fought back in the second half and squeaked out a 65-60 win. The win keeps the Spartans in good position for a Big Ten Title
     

    Michigan State uses huge second half to knock off Northwestern isportsweb
    In a game filled with serious Big Ten title implications, No. 2 Michigan State (26-3, 14-2 B1G) overcame one of its worst first halves and used an incredible second half to knock off Northwestern (15-13, 6-9 B1G) 65-60.
     

    Michigan State holds Northwestern to 11 second-half points, wins 65-60 Land of 10
    Michigan State was ranked as the No. 2 team in the country going into the game on Saturday at Northwestern, but the Wildcats showed early that they did not care how good the Spartans are supposed to be. By halftime, the Wildcats led, 49-27. With the 22-point deficit, a Spartans comeback at the time seemed to be doubtful. Within just 12 minutes of play in the second half, however, the game was tied at 53.
     

    MSU tops Northwestern 65-60 with biggest comeback in B1G history Spartan Tailgate
    Trailing by 27 points at one point in the first half, Michigan State went on a 24-0 second-half run to take the lead and eventually steal a 65-60 win over Northwestern on Saturday at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill.
     

    No. 2 Michigan St. Rallies to Beat Northwestern MSU Official
    Cassius Winston scored 17 points and No. 2 Michigan State erased a 27-point deficit on Saturday to beat Northwestern 65-60, extending its winning streak to 10 games. Nick Ward added 15 points and 10 rebounds. Miles Bridges hit four free throws in the final minute, and the Spartans (26-3, 14-2 Big Ten) used a huge second half to pull out the win
     

    No. 1 Michigan State completes incredible comeback, beats Northwestern, 65-60 Detroit Free Press
    Everything was rounding into form for Michigan State. A No. 1 ranking. Upsets in the Big Ten. A chance for a championship. And then Northwestern erupted for a first half that looked like all of those dreams would be vaporized, putting the Spartans down by as many as 27 points.
     

    Michigan State needs to keep Cassius Winston on the court Detroit Free Press
    Michigan State showed why it could lose on the first weekend of the NCAA tournament Saturday afternoon at Allstate Arena. And then MSU showed why it could win it all by rallying for a 65-60 victory over Northwestern.
     

    No. 2 men’s basketball beats Northwestern despite 27-point deficit State News
    Northwestern lost two straight games and three out of its last five coming into Saturday’s matchup with the second-ranked Spartans and was without senior point guard Bryant McIntosh. The Wildcats suited up only eight scholarship players. But for most of Saturday’s game, it looked like none of that was going to matter.
     

    One basket at a time, Michigan State records the biggest comeback in Big Ten history MLive.com
    As Michigan State players left the court at Allstate Arena on Saturday afternoon, they did so to a throng of Spartans fans cheering them on after the game had already ended. Tom Izzo left minutes later to a hearty applause in what was technically a visiting arena.
     

    Michigan State goes from shaken to stirring in historic comeback win Detroit Free Press
    This was not the kind of history Michigan State expected to make. Not this season, with its championship chances and dreams. Not ever, but especially not after becoming the No. 1-ranked team (No. 2 AP) in the nation. But less than 16 minutes into Saturday’s game with Northwestern, the Spartans were getting bombed by 27 points. And they looked shell-shocked.
     

    Couch: Epic comeback shows Michigan State is peaking again as March looms Lansing State Journal
    If Michigan State tries to pull this off again in the NCAA tournament, it might be headed home early. But, man, there aren’t many teams in college basketball that can do what MSU did on Saturday against Northwestern. Another sign of a gifted team becoming great.
     

    Winston cashes in during MSU’s momentous run Detroit News
    Miles Bridges might be Michigan State’s best player. Jaren Jackson Jr. might be the player that gets drafted higher than any other. But when it comes to who is Michigan State’s most important player, it’s getting hard to not believe that player is Cassius Winston.
     

    MSU vs Northwestern: What just happened The Only Colors
    Northwestern couldn’t miss in that first half, starting the game 8 of 12 from three-point land and taking an 18-16 lead with 4:18 left in the first half… Oh sorry about that, Northwestern was winning 43-16 and it was Vic Law on his own who was leading the Spartans 18-16.
     

    Winston, defense leads historic comeback in Spartans’ win at Northwestern Impact Sports
    The No. 2 Michigan State men’s basketball team looked all but defeated at halftime on Saturday afternoon in front of what may have been close to a pro-MSU crowd at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL. After one of their worst-played halves in recent memory, the Spartans found themselves down 49-27 after 20 minutes to a Northwestern team that had lost three of its last five games.