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In ‘redemption year’ Michigan State women’s basketball playing for plenty in stretch run

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In ‘redemption year’ Michigan State women’s basketball playing for plenty in stretch run


EAST LANSING — Tory Ozment knows what it’s like to be playing for something during a season’s stretch run.

She has been part of successful NCAA tournament chases with the Michigan State women’s basketball program as a true freshman in 2019 and then again in 2021.

And now with the calendar hitting February, the sixth-year guard/forward is experiencing that feeling once again with the Spartans playing for the postseason.

With eight games remaining in the regular season starting with Monday’s home date against Minnesota (6 p.m., Big Ten Network), MSU is firmly in the NCAA tournament picture and has a chance to earn one of the top four seeds for the Big Ten tournament.

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“It’s kind of like a redemption year,” Ozment said. “We’ve missed out on the tournament. We haven’t really been where we would like to be. These are the games that matter the most. Everyone is tired, everyone is a little down and people have injuries, but we just have to stay consistent with our identity and I think everyone has bought into that.”

The Spartans (16-5, 6-4 Big Ten) enter play in February projected to be a No. 8 seed in the latest bracketology put together by ESPN’s Charlie Creme. They have a chance to improve their seeding and standing in the Big Ten during a big stretch of games.

Monday’s matchup against Minnesota kicks off a challenging seven-day stretch that includes a road test against No. 10-ranked Indiana on Thursday and a home game with No. 8 Ohio State on Sunday, Feb. 11. The Spartans are chasing both Indiana and Ohio State in the standings.

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MSU has a chance to avenge road losses from last month to the Gophers and the Buckeyes.

“Halfway through the league we’ve put ourselves in a position to play for something,” said first-year MSU coach Robyn Fralick, whose team has matched its win total from last season and is on a three-game winning streak.

“We still have a lot of opportunities in front of us. In this league, night in and night out, what’s in front of you matters. Every night the game has an impact on what we’re shooting for. We have to compete and prepare with that in mind.”

Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on X @brian_calloway.



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Michigan State Police patrol car damaged in hit-and-run on Lodge Freeway in Detroit

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Michigan State Police patrol car damaged in hit-and-run on Lodge Freeway in Detroit



The Michigan State Police is looking for the driver of a Jeep that the agency said hit one of its patrol cars on Lodge Freeway in Detroit Sunday night.

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According to officials, the incident happened at 7:50 p.m. on the northbound side of the freeway near Shaefer Highway. The agency said a trooper was investigating a crash and had the patrol car parked on the right shoulder of the freeway with its emergency lights on when it was rear-ended by the Jeep. 

“The impact forced the patrol car to strike the concrete wall on the right shoulder,” according to the agency.

A damaged Michigan State Police patrol car on the side of Lodge Freeway in Detroit on March 1, 2026, after it was hit by a Jeep. 

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The Jeep then went across three lanes of the freeway and hit a median wall, officials said. The driver, identified by law enforcement as a 29-year-old Detroit woman, left the vehicle and fled the scene. 

Michigan State Police First Lieutenant Mike Shaw said that while the trooper was evaluated and cleared at the scene by medical personnel, he was still taken to the hospital as a precaution. 



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Indiana extends Big Ten streak to five as the Michigan women win for the first time since 2018

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Indiana extends Big Ten streak to five as the Michigan women win for the first time since 2018


The Indiana men didn’t just win, they secured a fifth straight conference championship, continuing a swimming and diving dynasty in Bloomington. Michigan’s women surged to the top of the league, capturing the title with authority and balance across the lineup.

Records fell left and right throughout the week as this year’s Big 10 championships featured some of the best performances in conference history in the pool.

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Here are the main takeaways from this year’s Big 10 swimming and diving championships:

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Indiana breaks away from Michigan to win fifth straight title

The Indiana men continued their dominance in the pool in 2026, extending their Big 10 dynasty.

From start to finish, the Hoosiers demonstrated experience and elite talent. Indiana won ten different events, including two relays and eight individual wins from six different athletes.

Indiana dominated the distance events this week, winning the 400-yd IM, the 500-yd freestyle, and 1,650-yd freestyle. Senior Zalan Sarkany won both distance freestyle events while freshman Josh Bey started off his Big 10 career with a win in the 400-yard IM.

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Owen McDonald was the second highest scorer in the meet behind Michigan senior Tyler Ray, who was named Big 10 Swimmer of the Championships. The senior won the Big 10 title in the 100-yd backstroke and 200-yd IM.

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Senior Kai Van Westering and junior Dylan Smiley closed on the week with wins on the last night of competition for the Hoosiers. Van Westering grabbed the win in the 200-yd backstroke and Dylan Smiley won the 100-yd freestyle before leading Indiana to a win in the 400-yd freestyle relay to close out the meet.

Beyond individual stars, the Hoosiers stacked swims in the top eight of each event, showcasing balance across not only distance, but sprint and mid-distance events as well. Indiana’s performance combined consistency and poise, placing swimmers in the establishing control from the first event individual event to the final relay.

The win marks Indiana’s 32nd Big 10 title overall, which is second all time behind Michigan. Head coach Ray Looze won his ninth men’s Big Ten title, moving him into the top five all time in conference history.



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Woman accused of driving at the bottom of an Oakland County ski hill near guests

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Woman accused of driving at the bottom of an Oakland County ski hill near guests



A 58-year-old woman is accused of driving a vehicle at the bottom of a ski hill near skiers and snowboarders in White Lake Township, Michigan, the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office said Saturday.

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Prosecutors allege the Bingham Farms, Michigan, woman drove near guests of Alpine Valley Ski Area, including children, on Tuesday. 

According to the prosecutor’s office, witnesses said they saw the woman smoking what appeared to be marijuana before the incident and wearing ski boots while driving. Officers attempting to perform sobriety tests reported that she “exhibited poor balance, slurred speech, and open hostility.”

Online court records show the woman is charged with operating while impaired for the third time. If convicted, she faces up to five years in prison, a maximum fine of $5,000 and “mandatory vehicle immobilization” for one to three years, the prosecutor’s office said.

“This defendant endangered children with her irresponsible actions,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said in a written statement. “There is no excuse to drive impaired, even once. If you’ve had too much to drink or are under the influence of marijuana or other drugs, call a friend, call an Uber, just don’t drive.”

The woman is scheduled to appear at a probable cause conference on March 12.

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