Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Hit The Road For First Time
11/25/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 25, 2009
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
2009 Legends Classic
Michigan State (4-0)
vs. Florida (4-0)
November 27, 2009
8 p.m. EST
Atlantic City, N.J.
Boardwalk Hall
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: HDNet - Kenny Rice (Play by Play), Tim McCormick (Color), Seth Davis (Sidelines); Also on SUN/FSN Florida (DirecTV channel 656; Dish Network 422).
HDNet is available on Dish Network (9422) and DirecTV (306) with an HD receiver. Visit www.hd.net/subscribe.html to check if HDNet is available on your cable carrier.
Michigan State Game Notes
Florida Game Notes
The Opening Tip
In the 10th anniversary season of Michigan State's 2000 NCAA Championship, the Spartans will face their title-game opponent in the semifinal of the 2009 Legends Classic. The MSU/UF winner will face the Rutgers/UMass winner in the championship game. With his next victory, Tom Izzo will pass Jud Heathcote as MSU's all-time winningest coach.
The Starting Five
1. Countdown To 341
Tom Izzo is currently tied with his mentor Jud Heathcote as Michigan State's all-time winningest coach with 340 wins. Izzo began working for Heathcote in the 1983-84 season, and was elevated to associate head coach in July 1990. On March 30, 1993, Izzo was named Heathcote's hand-picked successor following the 1994-95 season. Now early in his 15th season, Izzo has a career mark of 340-137 with an impressive list of accomplishments including the 2000 NCAA Championship, five Final Fours, five Big Ten regular-season championships, two Big Ten Tournament titles and 12 straight NCAA Tournaments. A four-time National Coach of the Year, Izzo has coached 12 NBA Draft picks and six All-Americans.
2. Chasing 1,000
Kalin Lucas has 995 career points in just over two seasons at Michigan State. The Spartan junior needs just five points to become the 40th player in MSU history to score 1,000 career points. Lucas has scored in double figures in 15 straight games, dating back to last season. His teammate, Raymar Morgan currently ranks 23rd in MSU history with 1,215 points. He needs 28 points to pass Stan Washington (1,242 points each) and move into 22nd place on MSU's all-time scoring list.
3. Life Away From Home
After playing its first four games at the Breslin Center, Michigan State plays its next three games and four of its next five away from home. Last season, MSU was 19-5 away from East Lansing, including 10-4 on a neutral court, while also establishing a school record with eight Big Ten road wins.
4. Spartan Defense
One of Tom Izzo's early concerns about his team was the defense, having lost 2009 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Travis Walton and outstanding post defender Goran Suton. But the Spartans have responded early, limiting opponents to 36.0 percent on the season, as not a single opponent has shot better than 38.7 percent. MSU has been equally stingy on its 3-point defense, holding teams to 25.0 percent shooting behind the arc, holding three of four opponents below 23 percent.
5. Double-Double Trouble
At least one Spartan has recorded a double-double in each of MSU's four games. Delvon Roe has posted back-to-back double-doubles in MSU's last two games vs. Toledo (10 pts., 11 reb.) and Valparaiso (10 pts., 17 reb.), while Draymond Green (vs. FGCU, 11 pts., 10 reb.), Derrick Nix (vs. FGCU, 11 pts., 14 reb.) and Durrell Summers (vs. Gonzaga, 21 pts., 11 reb.) have each tallied one.
MSU vs. Florida Notes/Legends Classic Notes
Coach Donovan
Billy Donovan (Providence, '87) is 349-146 in his 16th season as a collegiate head coach, including 314-126 in 14 seasons at Florida. He opened his career by serving as head coach at Marshall for two seasons. He is one of just six men to coach and play in the Final Four.
Series History
Michigan State leads the all-time series, 3-2, including a 2-1 advantage in games played on a neutral court. The two squads have met four times in the last decade under the current head coaches with MSU winning three of the four contests.
The Last Meeting
Michigan State defeated Florida, 68-46, on March 23, 2003, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Tampa, Fla. The seventh-seeded Spartans sprung the upset on the second-seeded Gators in their home state.
About Florida
Florida is holding opponents to just 51.2 points per game, allowing them to shoot just 32.6 percent from the floor ... Florida is out-rebounding opponents by an average of +8.8, and is averaging 16.0 offensive rebounds per contest ... Junior center Vernon Macklin is averaging 9.0 points and 6.3 rebounds in his first season with the Gators after transferring from Georgetown ... Florida is led in scoring by freshman Kenny Boynton (19.0 ppg) ... Dan Werner is 6-of-7 from 3-point range in the last two games.
MSU vs. UMass
Michigan State won the only prior meeting between the two teams, defeating UMass, 93-45, on Dec. 27, 1985, at the Lobo Classic in Albuquerque, N.M.
MSU vs. Rutgers
Michigan State won the only prior meeting between the two teams, defeating Rutgers, 81-71, on Dec. 19, 1970, at the Lobo Classic in Albuquerque, N.M.
Game 4 Recap - MSU 90-Valparaiso 60
* Chris Allen scored a career-high 22 points.
* Delvon Roe established a career high with four blocks, while Raymar Morgan tied his career high with three.
* Roe recorded his second consecutive double-double with 10 points and a career-best 17 rebounds.
* MSU shot a season-best 55.2 percent from the field and 41.2 percent from 3-point range.
* MSU grabbed 14 offensive rebounds, while Valparaiso collected 16 defensive boards.
* Michigan State's bench out-scored Valpo's reserves, 32-5.
* The Spartans used an early 15-2 run to turn a 5-5 game into a 20-7 MSU lead.
* Raymar Morgan made his first start of the season after coming off the bench in the first two games, and missing the third.
MSU Basketball Notes
It's All About Boardwork
Last season, Michigan State led the nation in rebounding margin at +9.3, marking the third time in the last 10 years the Spartans have paced the nation. MSU has led the Big Ten in rebounding margin in 10 of the last 12 years. In the Tom Izzo era, MSU has out-rebounded 373 of 477 opponents (78.2 percent), posting a 296-77 (.794) mark in those games. MSU has out-rebounded each of its first four opponents by a margin of +11.0.
Kelser Honored As Legend Of The Game
In conjunction with the 2009 Legends Classic, Michigan State recognized Greg Kelser as its Legend of the Game at halftime of MSU's 90-60 victory over Valparaiso. Kelser was a member of the Michigan State basketball team from 1975-79. An All-American and Academic All-American in 1979, Kelser was a key member on Michigan State's first NCAA Championship team. To this day, he is one of just three players in Big Ten history with over 2,000 career points (2,014) and 1,000 career rebounds (1,092). Over the course of his career he averaged 17.5 points, including a career-best 18.8 points as a senior, and 9.5 rebounds, including 10.8 boards as a sophomore. He currently ranks fourth in career scoring and remains MSU's all-time leading rebounder.
Hall of Famers
Former Michigan State coach Jud Heathcote and Spartan All-American Earvin "Magic" Johnson were inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame on Sunday night (Nov. 22) in Kansas City. In fact, following MSU's 90-60 win over Valparaiso on Sunday, Tom Izzo boarded a private plane to fly to Kansas City for the ceremony. Heathcote finished his 19-year coaching career as Michigan State's all-time winningest coach with 340 victories, capturing three Big Ten titles and the 1979 NCAA Championship. He coached seven All-Americans, 15 All-Big Ten honorees and 23 NBA Draft picks. Overall, he posted a 420-273 record in 24 seasons as a collegiate head coach. Johnson was a member of the 1979 NCAA Championship team and a two-time All-American. Despite playing just two seasons at MSU, he totaled 1,059 points and 491 assists. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002. The event was taped by ESPNU and broadcast on Dec. 13 at 9 p.m.
Taking Care of the Ball
Korie Lucious has posted impressive numbers in his role as a reserve point guard. He's averaging a team-best 5.8 assists per game and his 7.67 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks third in the Big Ten. Last season, he averaged just 1.2 assists with a 1.12 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Spartan Depth
Ten different Spartans are averaging 7.8 minutes or more, including eight at 12.8 minutes or more. Kalin Lucas leads Michigan State with 29.0 minutes per contest after averaging a team-best 31.9 minutes per game last season. The Spartans have also started a different lineup each game. Lucas, Chris Allen and Durrell Summers have started all four contests, while the two frontcourt spots have rotated among four different players. Last season, MSU used 14 different starting lineups, including nine in the first 12 games.
Enjoying The Legends
Chris Allen has been hot in the first two games of the Legends Classic, averaging 18.0 points in regional round games against Toledo and Valparaiso. He opened with 14 points against the Rockets and scored a career-high 22 against the Crusaders. Over the two games, he's shooting 13-of-24 from the field, including 5-of-10 from 3-point range.
MSU In November
Michigan State has an all-time record of 84-24 in games played in the month of November. This includes a 60-3 mark at home. The last team to beat MSU at home in November was a David Robinson-led Navy squad that bested the Spartans, 91-90, in overtime on Nov. 29, 1986. Tom Izzo is 38-0 all-time at home in November.
Go Green
Sophomore Draymond Green opened the season with his second career double-double, posting 11 points and 10 rebounds against Florida Gulf Coast. Although he scored just six points in the second game of the season, he produced another double-digit rebounding effort with 10 boards. Through four games, he is averaging 9.0 boards per game, ranking second on the team. Green is the third Spartan in the last five years to record double-digit rebounds in the first two games of the season, joining Paul Davis in 2005-06 (three games) and Raymar Morgan in 2007-08 (two games).
Strong Debut
Center Derrick Nix had one of the top freshman debuts in Michigan State history. Nix's 14 rebounds set an MSU freshman debut record, besting the previous mark of 10 held by Matt Steigenga and Ben Tower. Nix (11 points, 14 rebounds) also became just the second freshman in MSU history to debut with a double-double, joining Steigenga (15 pts., 10 reb.). Nix is the 2009 Hal Schram Mr. Basketball honoree, having led Detroit Pershing to a Michigan Class A State Championship.
MSU's Three-Guard Attack
Michigan State features one of the best backcourts in the nation. In fact, Lindy's College Basketball Magazine ranked it the best. The foundation of the backcourt is the junior trio of Chris Allen, Kalin Lucas and Durrell Summers, giving MSU one of the most athletic and offensively potent attacks in the country. Through four games, the trio is averaging a combined 44.1 points (Lucas-16.8, Summers-14.5, Allen-12.8). The three juniors rank as MSU's three leading scorers. Korie Lucious adds 6.0 points off the bench.
Big Ten Favorites
After winning the 2009 Big Ten regular-season title by four games, Michigan State was selected as the preseason conference favorite for the 2009-10 men's basketball season, as voted upon by a 24-member media panel. Purdue and Ohio State were chosen to finish second and third, respectively. Reigning Big Ten Player of the Year Kalin Lucas was tabbed as Preseason Player of the Year.
Home Sweet Home
During Tom Izzo's career as head coach, the Spartans are 197-24 (.891) at home, including 174-15 (.921) over the last 13 years (1997-98 to present). MSU has defeated 43 consecutive non-conference opponents at the Breslin Center, dating back to a Dec. 3, 2003 loss to Duke.
Unanimous Vote
Senior forward Raymar Morgan and junior guard Kalin Lucas were unanimous selections for team co-captains as voted on by their Spartan teammates.
Lofty Expectations
The Michigan State men's basketball team is ranked second in both the Associated Press Top 25 and the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll. Seven of MSU's opponents are ranked, including Texas (No. 3 AP/No. 3 ESPN), Purdue (No. 6/6), North Carolina (No. 11/12), Michigan (No. 15/15), Ohio State (No. 17/18), Illinois (No. 20/21) and Minnesota (No. 22/16). MSU's No. 2 ranking in the preseason AP Top 25 was its highest preseason ranking in school history, having previously been ranked No. 3 in 1999-2000, 2000-01 and 2003-04.
Experience At Many Positions
Michigan State returns seven of its top nine scorers from last year's Final Four squad, and five players that averaged 17.9 minutes or more per game last season. Eight current Spartans enter the season having started at least one game for Michigan State.
Not So Much At One
The position of concern for the Spartans will be at center. Michigan State must replace Goran Suton, Idong Ibok and Marquise Gray, three five-year players that appeared in 380 games (starting 162), playing a combined 5,808 minutes over the course of their careers. Their void must be filled by the trio of red-shirt junior Tom Herzog, and true freshmen Derrick Nix and Garrick Sherman. Herzog enters the season with 29 games of experience (starting 1), for a combined 100 minutes of action. The trio of Gray, Ibok and Suton combined for 13.9 points and 12.1 rebounds per contest.
Another Strong Non-Conference Schedule
Michigan State will be tested early and often during its 2009-10 non-conference schedule. The Spartans will take road trips to play at No. 6 North Carolina and No. 3 Texas. The last time MSU played two ranked non-conference teams on the road was 2003-04 (No. 6 Kansas, No. 17 Syracuse). The last time MSU played two top-five non-conference teams on the road was 1999-2000 (No. 2 North Carolina, No. 2 Arizona). In addition, MSU will host Gonzaga and will play Florida on a neutral court in the Legends Classic in Atlantic City.
Big Ten Even Stronger
While MSU's non-conference slate is rough, the Big Ten schedule is even tougher, as the conference will feature its strongest lineup in the last decade or so. Six different league schools (Michigan State, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio State and Purdue) are ranked in The Associated Press Top 25. The last time that MSU played five different ranked schools during league play came during the 1999 season when the Spartans played six different ranked league opponents. In addition, all five members of the 2009 All-Big Ten First Team are back.
Individual Accolades
Junior Kalin Lucas and senior Raymar Morgan have been named preseason candidates for the John R. Wooden Award. In addition, Lucas earned a spot on Dick Vitale's Preseason All-Rolls Royce Team and was named the nation's best point guard by Lindy's College Basketball. He was also named preseason first-team All-Big Ten by Lindy's and Athlon Sports College Basketball. Morgan was named a fourth-team preseason All-American by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook. He also earned all-league accolades from Lindy's and Athlon. Delvon Roe earned all-league honors from Athlon, while Durrell Summers was recognized by Lindy's.
Honors For Spartan Backcourt
Lindy's College Basketball selected Michigan State as having the nation's best backcourt. Villanova, California, Kansas, Washington, Texas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Mississippi and Purdue round out the top 10.
Spartans In The NBA
Five former Spartans are currently on NBA rosters, including Charlie Bell (Milwaukee Bucks), Shannon Brown (Los Angeles Lakers), Morris Peterson (New Orleans Hornets), Zach Randolph (Memphis Grizzlies) and Jason Richardson (Phoenix Suns).
The Book On Tom Izzo
Coach Izzo
In his 14th year, Tom Izzo (Northern Michigan, '77) is 340-137 (.713), and 160-72 (.690) in the Big Ten, as the coach of the Michigan State basketball program. He is currently tied with his mentor Jud Heathcote as the winningest coach in school history. 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. He earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors in 1998 and 2009.
Among The Big Ten's Best
Tom Izzo's .690 winning percentage in Big Ten games ranks second all-time among league coaches with at least 10 years of service, behind former Indiana coach Bob Knight (.700) and just ahead of Purdue's Ward Lambert (.685). In all games, Knight ranks first at .734, followed by Izzo (.713), Wisconsin's Walter Meanwell (.712), and Lambert (.709). With 160 conference victories, Izzo ranks eighth all-time.
Izzo Among Best Ever
Through his first 14 seasons, Tom Izzo won 336 games, ranking seventh in college basketball history for most wins by a college coach in his first 14 years.
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 seventh 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 fifth 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 third season with Utah. Stan Joplin, an assistant during Izzo's first season, spent 12 seasons as head coach at Toledo.
