Spartans Host Alcorn State
12/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 11, 2008
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
Michigan State (5-2)
vs. Alcorn State (2-6)
December 13, 2008
6 p.m. EST
East Lansing, Mich.
Breslin Center
Radio: Spartan Sports Network - Will Tieman (Play by Play), Gus Ganakas and Matt Steigenga (Color), Adam Ruff (Host) Flagship - WJIM 1240 AM/WMMQ 94.9 FM
TV: Big Ten Network - Mark Neely (Play by Play), Trent Tucker (Color)
Coach Izzo Radio Show (Dec. 8)
The Opening Tip
After a week of academic finals, Michigan State returns to action against Alcorn State. The Spartans are playing just their third home game of the season and have four non-conference games to play before opening Big Ten play on Dec. 31. MSU is looking to extend its current 36-game winning streak against non-conference opponents at home.
The Starting Five
1. Good To Be Home
Michigan State is playing just its third home game of the 2008-09 season. The Spartans have won 23 straight games at the Breslin Center, and have defeated 36 consecutive non-conference opponents at home. Chris Allen leads the Spartans in scoring at 20.0 points per home contest, while Kalin Lucas averages 9.0 assists. MSU is shooting 50.4 percent at home, including 50.0 percent from 3-point range, averaging 87.5 points. The Spartans are holding opponents to 38.4 percent shooting, including 28.6 percent from behind the arc.
2. Allen From Distance
Sophomore guard Chris Allen is shooting 47.4 percent from 3-point range in the last two games, connecting on 9-of-19 attempts. In the first five games of the season, Allen shot just 29.4 percent (5-of-17) from behind the arc. On the season, Allen is shooting 38.9 percent. His teammate Durrell Summers ranks second in the Big Ten in 3-point field-goal percentage, shooting 60.0 percent (9-of-15).
3. Hitting The Offensive Glass
Michigan State leads the Big Ten in offensive rebounds, grabbing 13.3 per game. The Spartans are grabbing 36.3 percent of their missed shots, collecting 93 offensive rebounds compared to 163 defensive boards for the opponent. Against Wichita State, MSU grabbed 19 offensive boards, while the Shockers collected just 16 defensive boards.
4. Roe On The Glass
Despite undergoing two knee surgeries in the last 12 months, including microfracture surgery last December, Delvon Roe is showing flashes of the skills that had him ranked among the elite high school players in his class nationally. In the first four games of the season, he averaged 15.0 minutes and 3.5 rebounds. In the last three games, he is averaging 7.0 rebounds in 18.0 minutes per contest.
5. Lucas Lends A Helping Hand
Through the first seven games of the season, Kalin Lucas paces the Big Ten with a 5.63-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, ranking second in the nation, while leading the conference at 6.43 helpers per contest. Against Oklahoma State, Lucas recorded his first career double-double with 12 points and a career-best 10 assists. As a freshman, Lucas ranked fifth in the Big Ten in assists (3.81 apg) and seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.88), while his 137 assists were the fourth most ever by a Spartan freshman.
MSU vs. Alcorn State Notes
Series History
This is the first ever meeting between Michigan State and Alcorn State. MSU is 2-0 against current members of the SWAC, defeating Mississippi Valley State during the 1999-2000 season and Alabama State in the first round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament.
Coach Smith
Larry Smith (Alcorn State, '80) is in his first season as head coach at his alma mater. Smith was a star for the Braves from 1976-80 and a member of the SWAC and Alcorn State Halls of Fame. He still ranks third in school history in points (1,852) and rebounds (1,234). Smith, a 6-8 forward, was Golden State's second-round draft choice in 1980 and played 13 years in the NBA, including stops in Houston and San Antonio. He has since coached in the NBA, NBA D-League and WNBA.
The Last Meeting
This is the first ever meeting between Michigan State and Alcorn State.
Brave Notes
The Braves rank 15th in the nation with 10.3 steals per game ... Nine different players have started at least two games for Alcorn State this season ... Junior guard Troy Jackson leads the Braves, averaging 21.9 points per game on 17.5 shot attempts per contest. Jackson ranks ninth in the nation with 3.0 steals per contest, recording seven in a single game against Northwestern State ... Alcorn State opened the year with six straight losses, before winning its last two games.
MSU-ASU Connection
Alcorn State head coach Larry Smith was an assistant coach for the NBA's Houston Rockets from 1993-2003, where he coached alongside former Spartan assistant Jim Boylen as the Rockets won back-to-back NBA titles in 1994 and 1995.
Game 7 Notes - Michigan State 75 - Bradley 59
* The Spartans held Bradley to 33.9 percent shooting, including 18.2 percent from 3-point range, both of which were season lows for MSU opponents.
* Chris Allen hit a career-high five 3-pointers en route to a game-high 19 points, 13 of which came in the first half.
* Michigan State owned a 45-32 advantage on the glass, including a 24-12 edge in the second half, grabbing eight offensive rebounds in the second stanza, while Bradley collected just eight defensive boards.
* Kalin Lucas dished out nine assists against just one turnover, while also scoring 12 points and grabbing a career-high tying six rebounds.
* With 10 rebounds, Raymar Morgan notched his first double-figure board effort of the season.
* In just the seventh game of the season, Michigan State started its sixth different starting lineup.
MSU Basketball Notes
It's All About Boardwork
Michigan State has led the Big Ten in rebounding margin in nine of the last 11 years. This season, the Spartans lead the Big Ten at +5.4, and are 4-1 when out-rebounding their opponent, despite missing Goran Suton, the Big Ten's leading returning rebounder, for five games. It's a group effort for Michigan State, as not a single Spartan averages more than six rebounds per game, and five different players have led the team in rebounding in a single game, including freshmen Draymond Green and Delvon Roe.
MSU's Home-Court Advantage
Michigan State has won 36 straight non-conference home games at the Breslin Center, good for the second-longest active streak in the nation. Only Duke (64; Dec. 17 vs. UNC Asheville) has a longer active streak. Since the Breslin Center opened for the 1989-90 season, Michigan State has posted a 257-37 (.874) home record, including 160-13 (.925) in the last 12 seasons. Last year, the Spartans were 17-0 at Breslin, finishing the season as the only Big Ten squad with a perfect home mark. Michigan State has won 23 straight home games, dating back to Feb. 3, 2007, a loss to No. 4 Ohio State.
The Free Throw Story
Michigan State has done a good job getting to the foul line, making nearly as many free throws (118) as its opponents have attempted (138). The comparison, however, could be even more impressive as the Spartans are shooting just .652 from the charity stripe.
Finding A Shooting Touch
Travis Walton worked hard in the offseason to improve his offensive game, but was unable to find the range during the first two games of the season, making just one of his first six shots. He quickly found the shooting touch in the first two games of the Old Spice Classic, scoring a career-high 16 points in each contest, while shooting a combined 15-of-20 (.750) from the field. On the season, Walton is shooting .514, averaging a career-best 7.6 points per game.
The Turnover Story
In the first two games of the season, Michigan State averaged 9.5 turnovers and held a combined 47-17 edge in points off turnovers. In the last five games, the Spartans are averaging 17.6 turnovers, resulting in a 93-57 deficit in points off turnovers. Last season, the Spartans averaged 13.6 turnovers, which was the lowest average of the Tom Izzo era. MSU is 3-0 when committing fewer turnovers than its opponent, but just 2-2 when committing more.
MSU's X-Factor
Marquise Gray is a real X-factor for the Spartans in the sense that when he is productive, Michigan State will most always win. Gray has scored in double figures 16 times in his career, and the Spartans are 15-1 in those games. The lone loss came against North Carolina in the 2007 NCAA Tournament, where Gray tallied 11 points. In addition, MSU is 4-0 when Gray grabs 10 or more rebounds and 3-0 when he posts a double-double.
In The Rankings
Michigan State is ranked No. 18 in The Associated Press poll and No. 20 in the USA TODAY/ESPN coaches' poll. Five Spartan opponents are also ranked, including North Carolina (#1 AP/#1 USA Today/ESPN), Texas (#6/6), Purdue (#14/17), Ohio State (#21/21) and Kansas (#25/23).
Spartans Among Big Ten's Leading Returners
Goran Suton is the Big Ten's leading returning rebounder, having averaged 8.2 boards per game in 2007-08, trailing only Indiana's D.J. White. At 14.0 points per game, Raymar Morgan ranked sixth in the conference in scoring last season, but is the second-leading returning scorer. Travis Walton (4.33 apg) and Kalin Lucas (3.81 apg) rank first and third, respectively, among all returning Big Ten players in assists.
Individual Accolades
Sophomore guard Kalin Lucas has been tabbed a preseason second-team All-American by The Sporting News. Lucas was also chosen as a second-team All-Big Ten selection by Lindy's College Basketball and Athlon Sports College Basketball. Junior forward Raymar Morgan was a first-team all-conference selection as chosen by Lindy's and Athlon. Athlon also selected senior center Goran Suton as a third-team all-league player.
Keys To Success
If recent trends continue, look for Michigan State to pace the conference in rebounding and shooting. Last season, MSU led the league in field-goal percentage (.480) for a fifth-straight season, and in rebound margin (+6.8) for the ninth time in 11 years.
Hitting The Century Mark
Michigan State opened the season with a 100-62 win over Idaho, marking the 40th time in school history the Spartans have scored 100 or more points in a game, although it is just the second time that MSU has scored exactly 100 points. It was the seventh 100-point effort during Tom Izzo's head coaching tenure.
Spartans On The Run
Michigan State ranks second in the Big Ten in scoring offense at 75.6 points per game, a sign of the up-tempo pace the Spartans hope to play in 2008-09. This year's edition of the Spartans could challenge the 2004-05 squad for the highest-scoring team of the Tom Izzo era. In '04-05, MSU averaged 78.5 points en route to a Final Four appearance.
Morgan Makes Wooden Award List
Raymar Morgan was selected one of the top 50 preseason candidates for the 2008-09 John R. Wooden Award. The John R. Wooden Award, presented by the Los Angeles Athletic Club, has been presented annually since 1976. Neitzel and Purdue's Robbie Hummel are the only Big Ten players on the preseason list for the Wooden Award.
An Impressive Streak
Michigan State made its 11th straight NCAA Tournament appearance in 2008. It is the longest current streak among Big Ten schools and fifth longest in the nation. Only Arizona (24), Kansas (19), Kentucky (17) and Duke (13) have longer current streaks. It is also the second longest streak in Big Ten history. Indiana appeared in 18 consecutive tournaments between 1986 and 2003.
Spartans In The NBA
Eight former Spartans are currently on NBA rosters, including Maurice Ager (New Jersey Nets), Charlie Bell (Milwaukee Bucks), Shannon Brown (Charlotte Bobcats), Paul Davis (Los Angeles Clippers), Morris Peterson (New Orleans Hornets), Zach Randolph (Los Angeles Clippers), Jason Richardson (Phoenix Suns) and Eric Snow (Cleveland Cavaliers).
Big Ten Favorites
Michigan State men's basketball team was picked to finish second in the Big Ten in a vote by a 22-member media panel. Purdue was named the preseason conference favorite at Big Ten Basketball Media Day in Chicago on Sunday, Oct. 26. Spartan junior Raymar Morgan was named preseason All-Big Ten. Purdue swingman Robbie Hummel was named the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year. In addition to Morgan, he was joined on the all-league team by teammate E'Twaun Moore, Michigan's Manny Harris and Wisconsin's Marcus Landry. The Badgers round out the top three in the preseason team rankings.
The Book On Tom Izzo
Coach Izzo
In his 14th year, Tom Izzo (Northern Michigan, '77) is 310-132 (.701), and 145-69 (.678) in the Big Ten, as the coach of the Michigan State basketball program. In 2005, he passed Benjamin Van Alstyne to become the second-winningest coach in MSU history, trailing only Jud Heathcote (340) in total wins. In his 14 seasons as a head coach, Izzo has won National Coach of the Year honors four times, including the Clair Bee Award in 2005 and NABC honors in 2001. In 1999, Izzo was named National Coach of the year by Basketball Times, while earning similar honors from The Associated Press, Basketball News and the USBWA in '98.
Among The Big Ten's Best
Tom Izzo's .678 winning percentage in Big Ten games ranks third all-time among league coaches with at least 10 years of service, behind former Indiana coach Bob Knight (.700) and Purdue's Ward Lambert (.685). In all games, Knight ranks first at .734, followed by Wisconsin's Walter Meanwell (.712), Lambert (.709) and Izzo (.701). With 145 conference victories, Izzo ranks 11th all-time.
Izzo Against Ranked Opponents
In his 14 years of coaching, Tom Izzo is 65-65 against ranked opponents.
Izzo Among Best Ever
Through his first 13 seasons, Tom Izzo won 305 games, ranking seventh in college basketball history for most wins by a college coach in his first 13 years.
Graduating Student-Athletes
In Tom Izzo's 13 full years directing the Spartan program, 83 percent of his players who completed their eligibility also left with a degree. In the last nine years, 29 Spartans have received their undergraduate degrees, including five each in 2001, 2003 and 2007.
Izzo's Coaching Tree
Five current Division I head coaches all served as assistants to Tom Izzo, including Jim Boylen (Utah), Tom Crean (Indiana), Brian Gregory (Dayton), Stan Heath (South Florida) and Doug Wojcik (Tulsa). Gregory is in his sixth year as head coach, after leaving MSU in the spring of 2003. Crean directed Marquette to the 2003 Final Four, while Heath directed Kent State to the Elite Eight in the 2002 NCAA Tournament. Wojcik is in his fourth season at Tulsa. Mike Garland served as head coach at Cleveland State for three seasons after leaving Izzo's staff in 2003. He is now back as an assistant coach at MSU. Most recently, Jim Boylen left MSU following the 2007 season, and is in his second season with Utah. Stan Joplin, an assistant during Izzo's first season, spent 12 seasons as head coach at Toledo.
Home Sweet Home
During Tom Izzo's career as head coach, the Spartans are 183-22 (.893) at home, including 160-13 (.925) since the start of the 1997-98 season.
Coaches Vs. Cancer
During the 2007-08 season, Tom and Lupe Izzo launched the Michigan State chapter of the Coaches Vs. Cancer program. Now in its second season, the Izzos are looking for an even better year. Signature events for 2009 include the Suits and Sneakers Fundraising Challenge, where employees donate funds for the right to wear sneakers in the work place, an NCAA Final Four Reception (April 3, 2009), and Izzo Goes To Broadway (May 6, 2009), a cabaret style show featuring special guests and professional talent, directed by Broadway director and East Lansing native Greg Ganakas at the Wharton Center on the MSU campus. For more information on any of these initiatives contact Kate Follett from the American Cancer Society at 517-664-1370.
