Leelanau Sports Guy’s World

Seriously, that was the first and only word I said when I saw this…

Read Brown staying in draft, leaving Michigan State at Yahoo! Sports

I honestly thought Shannon Brown was coming back.

At least the Spartans have the #18 recruiting class according to Rivals.com and will probably need all three to have an immediate impact after the losses of Brown, Maurice Ager and Paul Davis.

#18 Michigan State Spartans
Raymar Morgan SF 6-7, 210
Tom Herzog C 6-11, 215
Isaiah Dahlman SF 6-6, 175
Think quality and not quantity when it comes to the Spartans’ incoming freshmen. The three-man group is led by Raymar Morgan, the nation’s No. 11-ranked small forward and center Tom Herzog, one of the nation’s top shot blockers. Three-star small forward Isaiah Dahlman is a polished prospect who has the ability to earn minutes right away as well.

You can read the entire article here.

I’m not a Michigan fan, but everyone else in my family is, and so I do on occasion listen to U of M football on the radio. It was a smart move bringing back Frank Beckmann and Jim Brandstatter. They make the game easy to listen to and have lots of fun doing it.

Read U-M radio deal done; announcers will stay in the Detroit News

Suttons Bay volleyball star Holly Orban is going to the Upper Peninsula to continue her volleyball career. Orban signed a national letter of intent to play at Lake Superior State University. LSSU is a Division II program coming off a 9-22 season, 6-12 in the GLIAC conference.

Read Orban signs on with LSSU in the Record Eagle

Liz Shimek has had amazing high school and college careers and now looks to add a pro basketball career to her resume. The 2006 WNBA Draft is set for 1 PM today and Shimek is expected to go in the late first round. Shimek scored 9 points and grabbed 6 boards in 20 minutes of action at the WNBA Pre-Draft Camp on Monday.

Follow the 2006 WNBA Draft at WNBA.com
Read Liz Shimek’s Draft Profile at WNBA.com
Read Shimek awaits draft call in the Record Eagle

Shimek also was named an honorable mention All-American for the second straight year.

Read Liz Shimek Earns Honorable Mention All-America Honors at MSUSpartans.com

I don’t like Duke and I am betting Leelanau County fans don’t either, after the Lady Blue Devils eliminated Liz Shimek and the Michigan State Spartans 86-61 in the Women’s NCAA Tournament. Shimek had a rough day only taking 5 shots and scoring 5 points in her college finale. Her and Classmate Lindsay Bowen helped put MSU women’s basketball on the map and will be missed.

Shimek finished her career as MSU’s career leader in points, rebounds and field goals. Congrats to Liz on a great career, and here’s hoping it continues in the WNBA!

Read Shimek-Bowen era has come to an end in the Detroit News
Read (1) Duke 86, (4) Michigan St. 61 at Yahoo! Sports

MSU’s two senior stars Liz Shimek and Lindsay Bowen share some of their thoughts on friendship, Michigan State and the NCAA Tourney. They are getting ready to lead the #4 seeded Spartans into battle with Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Shimek is MSU’s all-time leading scorer and Bowen is second. Something I thought was great is they have both started every game (128) since they have been at East Lansing.

Read MSU’S HIGH-SCORING SENIORS: They changed the game in the Freep

On paper it looks tough, but the Michigan State women did end up in a good bracket with a chance to advance. The Spartans earned a #4 seed and a first round matchup with Horizon League champ Wisconsin-Milwaukee. A second round matchup with Kentucky looms.

If the Spartans advance to the Sweet 16, they would most likely face #1 Duke, and if they go to the Elite 8, probably UConn. A daunting road to say the least, but not impossible.

Michigan State played a tough schedule this year to prepare them for the tournament. They are healthy and should be ready to go. I know I will be watching to see how seniors Liz Shimek and Lindsay Bowen lead the Spartans and fight to get back to the Final Four!

View the 2006 NCAAW Bridgeport Regional Bracket at Yahoo! Sports
Read Dance card set in the Freep
Read Spartan women draw No. 4 seed in the Lansing State Journal

Michigan State was given a #6 seed in this year’s NCAA Tourney. I like it. Sure it could have been higher, but it’s a good spot to be, plus they are in the week half of the bracket.

I watched the win over Illinois and that’s the Spartan team that is capable of playing with anyone. They ran out of gas against Iowa, but will have a few days to recover and should be able to make a nice run in the tourney.

They should get by George Mason easily, or at least as easily as MSU gets by someone. 65-59 seems about right. That would set up a 2nd round matchup versus the North Carolina Tar Heels. The Heels are young and dangerous, but I think MSU is the perfect type of team to beat them. Well coached and led by veterans, the Spartans should advance. No teams in the other part of the bracket are scary. Tennessee is the #2 seed and in my opinion, the weakest of the 2’s. MSU will have no problems getting to the Elite 8. But that’s where the fun stops as a game against #1 seed UConn awaits.

Another run to the Elite 8 would let the seniors leave on a good note and will give Shannon Brown just enough March Madness taste that he wants to do it again next season. At least I hope so!

Eric Voison is a big part of Hope College’s success. The senior center is averaging 9.7 points and 6.8 rebounds as the Flying Dutchman have advanced to the Division III Sweet 16. Next up they play Wittenberg University today for a chance to move on. Hope is 28-2 on the season.

View Division III Bracket at NCAASports.com
Hope Men’s Basketball Official Site

Liz Shimek did all she could, but it wasn’t quite enough as Michigan State lost in the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals to Ohio State 68-64. Shimek scored 23 points on 10-17 shooting, but the rest of the team struggled. In the two Big Ten Tournament games Shimek averaged 27 points including a career-high 31 in a win over Iowa. The Spartans finished the regular season 22-9 and await the NCAA Tournament selection show to see where they are seeded for March Madness.

Read Shimek carrying load on offense in the Detroit News

Former Glen Lake Laker Liz Shimek keeps adding accolades to her hoops resume. Her latest is being named first-team All-Big Ten. She is the first player in MSU history to score over 1,500 points and grab more than 1,000 rebounds.

Read MSU women rake in Big Ten honors in the Lansing State Journal
Read Shimek is first team All-Big Ten in the Record Eagle

Former Glen Lake star Dana Westover played 16 minutes, grabbed 3 rebounds and scored 1 point in helping the Central Michigan Chippewas to a come-from-behind 59-58 Mid-American Conference win over Ball State. The Chips are now 15-10, 6-8 in the MAC. For the season Westover, a sophomore, is averaging 9 minutes per game, 1.5 rebounds and 1.4 points.

Women’s Basketball Tallies Comeback Victory Over Ball State, 59-58

Traverse City Central is set to honor one of it’s best basketball stars with a banner ceremony before the game with Traverse City West. Former Trojan Dan Majerle will be the center of attention with a pregame ceremony at 7:30 PM. A banner will be raised to the rafters and Majerle will be signing autographs at halftime and after the game. Majerle starred at Central Michigan and went on to play in the NBA and the Olympics.

Read Central to honor Majerle in the Record Eagle

Cassidy Edwards (Glen Lake) placed 5th in the Colby Carnival Classic Sprint Race to help Middlebury College to a second place finish behind Vermont. The former Laker is a freshman on the women’s nordic team.

Read Ski Teams Open Season With Second Place Finish At Colby at Middlebury College Sports

The Wolverines are on a roll and ranked for the first time since 1998. After two big wins over top 25 Michigan State and Wisconsin at home, they now travel to Penn State. This is one of those classic “trap” games that appear on your schedule after a tough game. A road trip against a struggling team can bring all the good feelings to a halt. I watched the Wolverines beat Wisconsin and I was mostly impressed, except down the stretch when they had a chance to put them away and didn’t. Michigan can’t play with that same attitude against an inferior opponent on the road or the Wolverines could find themselves upset.

Read Ranked for First Time in Eight years, Michigan Visits Penn State at CSTV