Trice's mother distracting MSU's foes with catcalls

EAST LANSING — Michigan State's 60-53 win Sunday night at Illinois came with an assist from a familiar voice.

That of senior Travis Trice's mother, Julie.

As each Illini player stepped to the free-throw line, she let out her signature high-pitched catcall.

The nation's top free-throw shooting team, at 79 percent, missed six of its first 12 attempts.

"She's been doing it since high school, man," Trice said Tuesday, laughing. "She and my aunt (Amy Gibson) usually they come to the game and it's both of them, so it's worse. It's worse in a high school gym. Yeah, that's my mom.

"I'm used to it now. I'm not going to complain when it's working. They were the No. 1 free-throw shooting team in the league, up there in the country, too, and they started missing them. I'll give her credit for that one."

There's no hard evidence Julie Trice was the difference Sunday. But by the time the Illini found a rhythm at the line, hitting 15 of their final 16 free throws over the last 10 minutes, MSU held a slight lead it would never relinquish.

"I love her, but she's loud," MSU junior center Matt Costello said. "My freshman year, I was like, 'What is that?' But it's what she does."

"I told her she needs to come to the rest of the games the rest of the season," Trice said after Sunday's result. "She can't miss anymore."

Thursday's game

Minnesota at MSU

• When: 7 p.m.

• Where: Breslin Center in East Lansing

• TV/radio: Big Ten Network/Spartan Sports Network, including WJIM 1240-AM and WMMQ 94.9-FM