Michigan State University Athletics
MSU Back On The Road At Iowa
1/8/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 8, 2010
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
#10/11 Michigan State (12-3, 2-0)
vs. Iowa (5-10, 0-3)
Jan. 9, 2010
5:30 p.m. EST
Iowa City, Iowa
Carver-Hawkeye Arena
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), Kenyon Murray (Color)
Michigan State Game Notes
Iowa Game Notes
The Opening Tip
Michigan State travels to Iowa looking to maintain its position at the top of the Big Ten standings. The Spartans are coming off back-to-back wins over ranked opponents to open league play and have won three straight games overall. Although Iowa enters the contest on a three-game losing streak, all five of the Hawkeyes' wins have been at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
The Starting Five
1. Spartans On The Big Ten Road
After opening the 2009-10 Big Ten season with a win at Northwestern, Michigan State has won nine of its last 10 Big Ten road contests. In 2008-09, the Spartans were 8-1 on the road, establishing a school record for most number of league road victories. The last time the Spartans won nine of 10 league road contests came in 1998-99 and 1999-2000, when MSU won its last seven road games in 1999 and opened the 2000 campaign by winning three of its first four, good for 10 of 11 overall.
2. Picking Up Where He Left Off
One of the main reasons Kalin Lucas was named 2009 Big Ten Player of the Year was his ability to lead the Spartans to victory on the road in conference play, averaging 18.0 points in league road games. In the 2010 Big Ten opener at Northwestern, Lucas picked up where he left off last season, scoring a team-best 21 points. For his career, Lucas is averaging 14.1 points in 19 conference road games.
3. Winning In Different Fashions
A sign of a great team is the ability to win different kinds of basketball games. Michigan State has already shown some of that trait in its first two Big Ten games, winning at Northwestern with a 91-point offensive outburst, and defeating Wisconsin, 54-47, with a stifling defensive effort, holding the Badgers to 33.3 percent shooting. It's reminiscent of the 2000 NCAA Championship team that defeated Wisconsin, 53-41, in the National Semifinal and then sprinted by Florida, 89-76, in the title game. Just last year, MSU defeated Louisville in the Elite Eight with 64 points, and beat Connecticut in the Final Four with 82 points.
4. Spartan Depth
Nine different Spartans are averaging 8.0 minutes or more, including seven at 20.7 minutes or more. Kalin Lucas leads Michigan State with 30.6 minutes per contest after averaging a team-best 31.9 minutes per game last season. The Spartans have also used 10 different starting lineups through the first 15 games, as 10 different Spartans have started a game, and no one has started every game. Last season, MSU used 14 different starting lineups, including nine in the first 12 games.
5. On The Mark
As a team, MSU is shooting .501 from the floor, leading the Big Ten and ranking seventh in the nation (as of Jan. 8). Individually, seven Spartans are connecting on better than 50 percent of their shots, led by Tom Herzog at .800 (8-of-10). Among players with more than 30 attempts, Draymond Green paces the way at .626 (59-95), ranking second in the league.
MSU vs. Iowa Notes
Series History
Michigan State leads the all-time series with Iowa, 60-52, although the Hawkeyes own a 33-20 advantage in games played in Iowa City. The Spartans have won 17 of the last 24 meetings. Tom Izzo is 18-8 in his career against Iowa.
Coach Lickliter
Todd Lickliter (Butler, `79) is 164-107 in his ninth season as a collegiate head coach, including 33-46 in his third season at Iowa. He led Butler to four post-season tournament berths, including trips to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2003 and 2007. Lickliter was named the 2006-07 Division I Coach of the Year by the NABC.
The Last Meeting
Michigan State defeated Iowa, 62-54, on Feb. 25, 2009, in East Lansing. Trailing 9-8 early, MSU went on a 14-2 run that included three straight 3-pointers from Korie Lucious and another 3-pointer from Chris Allen to give the Spartans a 22-11 lead midway through the first half. After that, MSU could not extend the lead past 12 points, but also did not allow Iowa to creep any closer than five points. MSU's three freshmen (Draymond Green-4, Korie Lucious-12, Delvon Roe-16) combined to score 32 of MSU's 62 points as Roe and Lucious each tallied Big Ten-play highs. The Spartans' first-half defense was the key to victory, holding the Hawkeyes to 35.0 percent shooting, although Iowa did shoot 55.0 percent after the break. MSU out-rebounded Iowa, 33-19, grabbing 12 offensive rebounds, compared to just two for the Hawkeyes.
The Last Meeting In Iowa City
Michigan State scored the game's first eight points and never led by less than five after that, claiming a 71-56 victory in Iowa City on Jan. 29, 2009. The Spartans held a 38-25 lead at the half, thanks in large part to a dominating performance on the glass as Goran Suton (8 rebounds) and Delvon Roe (9 rebounds) out-boarded Iowa, 17-9, as MSU held a 23-9 advantage. Michigan State's 38 first-half points were two more than it scored in its trip to Iowa City in 2008. MSU's three-guard line-up out-scored Iowa's three starting guards, 52-33, as Kalin Lucas (24 points) and Durrell Summers (21 points) paced the Spartans. Michigan State led by as many as 22 points in the second half.
Hawkeye Notes
Iowa leads the Big Ten in 3-point field goals attempted (383), averaging 25.5 attempts per game ... 49.3 percent of Iowa's field-goal attempts are 3-pointers, ranking second in the nation ... Eight different Hawkeyes have attempted 10 or more, and four players average more than three attempts per contest ... Iowa's schedule ranks as the nation's 11th-most difficult schedule according to realtimerpi.com (through Jan. 6).
Game 15 Recap - MSU 54 - Wisconsin 47
* Michigan State won despite scoring a season-low 54 points and shooting a season-low .381 from the field.
* Both teams shot below 30 percent in the first half (MSU - .292, UW - .280).
* Although Wisconsin managed to tie the score five times in the second half, the Badgers were never able to take the lead.
* MSU's defense held Wisconsin to a season-low 47 points, also marking a season-low for a Spartan opponent.
* After shooting 29.2 percent in the first half, Michigan State shot 50.0 percent in the second half.
* MSU out-rebounded Wisconsin, the Big Ten's second-best rebounding squad, 41-27, limiting the Badgers to six offensive rebounds and three second-chance points.
* MSU's four guards (Allen, Lucas, Lucious and Summers) combined for 20 rebounds.
* Michigan State improved to 13-2 in Big Ten home openers under Tom Izzo.
MSU Basketball Notes
Turnovers, Defense Make A Difference
Two key factors have emerged as a difference between winning and losing for Michigan State: turnovers and field-goal percentage defense. The Spartans are averaging 18.7 turnovers in their three losses, including 23 vs. Florida and 22 vs. Texas, leading to 19.3 points for the opponent per game. In 12 wins, MSU is averaging just 13.6 turnovers, leading to just 14.1 opponent points. Defensively, MSU is 11-0 when holding teams below 40 percent shooting, but 1-3 when an opponent shoots above 40 percent. With North Carolina (.579) and Texas (.561) both shooting well above 50 percent, the Spartans are allowing opponents to shoot .514 in their losses, compared to .364 in victory.
Attacking The Offensive Glass
Michigan State is averaging 14.0 offensive rebounds per contest, leading to 16.1 second chance points per game. The Spartans are grabbing 41.4 percent of their misses. Against Florida, MSU grabbed 60 percent of its misses, collecting 18 offensive boards, compared to just 12 defensive boards for the Gators. Michigan State also grabbed more offensive boards than its opponent had defensive boards in games against Wofford and The Citadel. MSU has totaled 18 or more offensive rebounds in three games. The Spartans are paced in offensive rebounds by Delvon Roe with 2.6 per contest.
Offensive Balance
Through 15 games, Michigan State has proven it has several different offensive weapons as five Spartans currently average in double figures. Kalin Lucas paces the Spartan offense at 15.7 points per game, followed by Draymond Green (11.1 ppg), Chris Allen (10.9 ppg), Durrell Summers (10.7 ppg) and Raymar Morgan (10.4 ppg). MSU has had four or more players score in double figures in 11 of the 15 games, as eight different players have scored 10 or more points at least once this season, and six different players have led the team in scoring in a single game.
Better At The Foul Line
Michigan State has struggled at the foul line this season, converting at a .677 percentage. The Spartans, however, are showing improvement recently, hitting .733 percent of their attempts in the last five games, raising the team's average from .644 to its current mark. Individually, Durrell Summers ranks second in the league at .897.
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. For the most part, however, the Spartans have responded early, limiting opponents to 39.3 percent on the season, as only two opponents (UNC and Texas) have shot better than 44 percent. MSU has been equally stingy on its 3-point defense, holding teams to 31.3 percent shooting behind the arc, holding six opponents to 25 percent or lower.
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. Including 2009-10, MSU has led the Big Ten in rebounding margin in 11 of the last 13 years. In the Tom Izzo era, MSU has out-rebounded 382 of 488 opponents (.783), posting a 304-78 (.796) mark in those games. This season, MSU has out-rebounded its opponents by a margin of +10.5, ranking fifth in the nation (as of Jan. 8), bettering 13 of 15 teams, and tying one. The Spartans are 12-1 when out-rebounding an opponent, but 0-2 when failing to do so.
Go Green
Sophomore Draymond Green is proving to be one of the most versatile players in the Big Ten and one of the conference's premier sixth men, coming off the bench in 12 of 15 games. Through 15 games, he is averaging a team-best 7.7 boards per game, recording double-figure rebounds in four games. Further demonstrating his versatility, he ranks first in steals (22) and field-goal percentage (.626), second in blocks (12), and scoring (11.1 ppg), and third in assists (3.2 apg). He's recorded three double-doubles on the season. And despite coming off the bench in a majority of the contests, he ranks third on the squad in minutes per game (24.7 mpg).
Summers, Allen Bounce Back
Durrell Summers is averaging 12.0 points in his last four games, shooting .450 from the floor, including three double-figure scoring efforts. Against Wisconsin, he was held scoreless, but still contributed a game-high eight rebounds. In the previous four games, Summers failed to score in double figures, averaging just 4.3 points and shooting .222 from the field. He opened the season with six double-figure scoring efforts in the first seven games. On a similar note, Allen is averaging 12.8 points in the last four games on .531 shooting, including .600 (9-of-15) from behind the arc.
Lucas On Target
Kalin Lucas has elevated his shooting accuracy as a junior. Having entered the season with a career field-goal percentage of .410, Lucas is shooting .488 from the field this year, including .391 from behind the 3-point arc.
Lending A Helping Hand
According to the most recent NCAA statistics (as of Jan. 8), Michigan State ranks fifth in the nation in assists. With a current average of 18.9 assists per game, the Spartans have recorded an assist on 63.7 percent of their baskets. It's a team effort as five different Spartans average more than two assists per game.
Double-Double Trouble
At least one Spartan has recorded a double-double in eight games, as five different Spartans have posted a double-double. Draymond Green (vs. FGCU, 11 pts., 10 reb.; vs. Florida, 15 pts., 11 reb.; vs. Oakland, 19 pts., 12 reb.) leads the way with three, while Delvon Roe (vs. Toledo, 10 pts., 11 reb.; vs. Valparaiso, 10 pts., 17 reb.) and Raymar Morgan (vs. Wofford, 19 pts., 11 reb.; vs. The Citadel, 11 pts., 10 reb.) each have two. Derrick Nix (vs. FGCU, 11 pts., 14 reb.) and Durrell Summers (vs. Gonzaga, 21 pts., 11 reb.) each have tallied one.
Finding Their Shooting Touch
After shooting .454 from the field in the first three games of the season, including .278 from 3-point range, the Spartans shot better in the next three contests, connecting on 55.6 percent of its shots, including 46.9 percent from 3-point range. The Spartans are shooting 51.4 percent over the last 12 games, including 38.2 percent from behind the arc. For the season, MSU is shooting .501 from the floor, ranking first in the Big Ten.
Moving Up The Scoring Chart
With 20 points against Florida, Kalin Lucas became the 40th Spartan to record 1,000 career points. The Spartan junior ranks 31st in MSU history with 1,163 points, standing 13 behind Lee Lafayette (1,176 points), 20 behind Shannon Brown (1,183 points) and 22 behind Mike Peplowski (1,185 points). Lucas has scored in double figures in 26 straight games, dating back to last season. His teammate, Raymar Morgan, currently ranks 20th in MSU history with 1,336 points. He needs 42 points to pass Julius McCoy (1,377 points) and move into 19th place.
Taking Care of the Ball
Korie Lucious has posted impressive numbers in his role as a reserve point guard. He leads the team with 4.1 assists per game and his 2.65 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks fifth in the Big Ten. Last season, he averaged just 1.2 assists with a 1.12 assist-to-turnover ratio. Raymar Morgan has also improved his ball handling. Entering the season with a career 0.57 assist-to-turnover ratio, he has improved to 1.75 (35 assists, 20 turnovers) this season.
Spartan Quad-Captains
Senior forward Raymar Morgan and junior guard Kalin Lucas were unanimous selections for team co-captains as voted on by their Spartan teammates. Right after Christmas, the MSU coaching staff added Draymond Green and Isaiah Dahlman as captains, rewarding them for their leadership.
Big Ten Strength
Eight different league schools (Michigan State, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue and Wisconsin) have been ranked in The Associated Press Top 25 this season, including three in the current poll (PU-No. 4, MSU-No. 10, UW-No. 17). 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.
Life Away From Home
Michigan State is 3-3 away from home this season, including 2-2 on an opponent's home court, with losses at Texas and North Carolina. Three of the Spartans' road games have been against a ranked opponent. MSU has won nine of its last 10 conference road games. 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.
Another Strong Non-Conference Schedule
Michigan State was tested often during its 2009-10 non-conference schedule. The Spartans played true road games at No. 10 North Carolina and No. 2 Texas. The last time MSU played two ranked non-conference teams on the road was 2003-04 (No. 6 Kansas, No. 17 Syracuse). In addition, MSU hosted Gonzaga and played Florida on a neutral court in the Legends Classic in Atlantic City.
MSU's All-Time Leader
With MSU's 106-68 win over UMass, Tom Izzo became the winningest coach in Michigan State history with his 341st career victory, passing his mentor Jud Heathcote. 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. Following the game, Izzo said "I do feel like, because Jud has been so instrumental on my behalf and got me the job, that I'll just look at it as we have 681 wins between us."
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 15 games, the trio is averaging a combined 37.3 points (Lucas-15.7, Summers-10.7, Allen-10.9). Korie Lucious adds 5.7 points off the bench.
Home Sweet Home
During Tom Izzo's career as head coach, the Spartans are 202-24 (.894) at home, including 179-15 (.923) over the last 13 years (1997-98 to present). MSU has defeated 47 consecutive non-conference opponents at the Breslin Center, dating back to a Dec. 3, 2003, loss to Duke.
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.
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 348-140 (.713), and 162-72 (.692) in the Big Ten, as the coach of the Michigan State basketball program. He ranks as the winningest coach in Michigan State history, having passed his mentor Jud Heathcote with a 106-68 win over UMass for his 341st career victory. 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 .692 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 162 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.
