Category: Student Work

By Zach Wagner | @zachwagner22 Sports Capital Journalism Program INDIANAPOLIS — Coming out of Thursday’s 79-75 second-round Big Ten Tournament win over Penn State, Ohio State coach Thad Matta looked and sounded as if he had just finished playing in the game. His face was cherry red. His shirt was covered in perspiration. His voice …

By Jennifer Brugh |@JenniferRBrugh Sports Capital Journalism Program INDIANAPOLIS – He called it a fresh start. After an often challenging season at the University of Illinois, that’s how John Groce, coach of the Fighting Illini, defined the step that began this week. “Sometimes I think we can overcomplicate things,” Groce said. “And I wanted to …

By Zach Wagner | @zachwagner22 Sports Capital Journalism Program INDIANAPOLIS — With Michigan’s NCAA tournament hopes hanging in the balance, Zak Irvin went up for a jumper to keep his team’s dream alive. Irvin’s 16-foot shot with 3.3 seconds to go in overtime became the difference in Michigan’s 72-70 victory over Northwestern that preserved its …

By Emily Kennedy | @Emily_AKennedy Sports Capital Journalism Program INDIANAPOLIS — As confetti began to cover the court at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, the embraces had already begun. Maryland Terrapins Malina Howard and Brionna Jones hugged. Tierney Pfirman and Kristen Confroy had locked hands in celebration. In the championship game of the 2016 Big Ten Women’s …

By Alaa Abdeldaiem | @Abdeldaiem_Alaa Sports Capital Journalism Program INDIANAPOLIS — For the second half of Sunday night’s 60-44 Big Ten title game loss against fifth-ranked Maryland, Michigan State’s Suzy Merchant had no answers. She thought her team had it. For the game’s first two quarters, the coach of the Spartans watched her team limit …

By Alaa Abdeldaiem | @Abdeldaiem_Alaa Sports Capital Journalism Program INDIANAPOLIS — Shocking, disappointing, heartbreaking — ­all words Ohio State’s Cait Craft could have used to describe her Buckeyes’ 82-63 Big Ten Tournament loss to third-seeded and nineteenth-ranked Michigan State Saturday night, but none would have been enough to express the senior guard’s true emotions after …

By Emily Kennedy | @Emily_AKennedy Sports Capital Journalism Program INDIANAPOLIS — There is a reason that the Maryland Terrapins became the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament and lifted a trophy signifying the regular-season championship. Maryland’s depth, a signature throughout what could be a second consecutive Big Ten championship season, became …

By Emily Kennedy | @Emily_AKennedy Sports Capital Journalism Program INDIANAPOLIS — Aerial Powers scored 26 points and Branndais Agee added 13 to lead the Michigan State Spartans to a 65-64 victory over the Purdue Boilermakers in a quarterfinal of the Big Ten Women’s Tournament Friday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The No. 3 Spartans (23-7) …

By Alaa Abdeldaiem | @Abdeldaiem_Alaa Sports Capital Journalism Program INDIANAPOLIS — It was only a matter of time until Kelsey Mitchell found her stride. Coming into the day as Ohio State’s leading scorer, the sophomore guard was held to just 2-of-9 shooting in the first quarter of Friday’s Big Ten Tournament matchup against Rutgers. Her …

By Emily Kennedy | @Emily_AKennedy Sports Capital Journalism Program INDIANAPOLIS — The energy is so high and the smiles are so contagious. Off to the side in the Northwestern locker room, Lydia Rohde is singing as she gets her leg wrapped. Christen Inman describes the feeling at the end of this game perfectly: “Hell Yeah!” …