Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Host Ohio State On Sunday
2/19/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 19, 2010
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
#11/11 Michigan State (21-6, 11-3)
vs. #9/12 Ohio State (20-7, 10-4)
Feb. 21, 2010
12 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: CBS - Ian Eagle (Play by Play), Bill Raftery (Color)
Michigan State Game Notes
Ohio State Game Notes
The Opening Tip
Michigan State will play just its second home game in February as the Spartans host Ohio State on Sunday. MSU just completed a stretch that saw it play six of its last eight games on the road. This is the only meeting of the season between the Spartans and Buckeyes. The two teams provide a contrast as OSU has four players averaging more than 32 minutes, while MSU has seven players at more than 21 minutes but no one above 31 mpg.
The Starting Five
1. Reducing The Turnovers
Turnovers have been an issue for Michigan State for much of the year, especially in Spartan losses. But if the last three games are any indication, MSU is getting better in that area of the game, committing nine turnovers or fewer in each of the last three games, including just eight in its last game at Indiana. In fact, Michigan State has committed nine turnovers or fewer in four of the last six contests.
2. Allen Heating Up
In the first 23 games of the season, Chris Allen made four 3-pointers in a game on three occassions. In the last four games, he's made four triples three times, connecting on 14-of-24 (.583) attempts from behind the arc. In league play, Allen ranks second in the Big Ten in 3-point field-goal percentage (.444).
3. Spartan Depth
Nine different Spartans are averaging 7.7 minutes or more, including seven at 21.4 minutes or more. Kalin Lucas leads Michigan State with 31.0 minutes per contest after averaging a team-best 31.9 minutes per game last season. The Spartans have also used 14 different starting lineups, 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.
4. MSU's Ohio Connection
Michigan State's roster features three players from the Buckeye State: senior Raymar Morgan, sophomore Delvon Roe and freshman Garrick Sherman. Morgan earned The Associated Press Division I Player of the Year honors as a senior at Canton McKinley High School. He led McKinley to back-to-back Division I state championships, as his school became the first Division I team to accomplish that feat since 1974. Canton McKinley is the same school that produced former Spartan and All-Big Ten performer Eric Snow. Roe was a prep All-American at St. Edward High School as a junior before a knee injury forced the Euclid native to miss all but one game of his senior season. Sherman was The Associated Press 2009 Division II Co-Player of the Year at Kenton High School, finishing his prep career as the state's all-time second-leading rebounder. Other Spartans from Ohio under coach Tom Izzo include Travis Walton (Lima), Andre Hutson (Trotwood), A.J. Granger (Findlay), Jamie Feick (Lexington), Quinton Brooks (Akron), Jason Andreas (Sugarcreek), Adam Wolfe (Westerville) and Doug Davis (Columbus).
5. Home Sweet Home
During Tom Izzo's career as head coach, the Spartans are 206-25 (.892) at home, including 183-16 (.920) 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.
MSU vs. Ohio State Notes
Series History
Michigan State leads the all-time series with Ohio State, 63-51, including a 40-15 advantage in games played in East Lansing. Overall, the Spartans have won 23 of the last 31 games in the series. Tom Izzo is 18-8 in his career against the Buckeyes.
Coach Matta
Thad Matta (Butler, `90) is 249-84 in his 10th season as a collegiate head coach, including 147-53 in his sixth season at Ohio State. Prior to his arrival in Columbus, he served as the head coach at Xavier for three seasons and at Butler for one year.
The Last Meeting In East Lansing
Michigan State used a 12-0 run late in the first half to take a 31-20 lead and cruise to a 67-58 victory in East Lansing on Jan. 6, 2009. Ohio State led 20-19 with 6:50 remaining, but six points each from Kalin Lucas and Raymar Morgan, including three 3-pointers allowed MSU to take control of the game. After that, the Buckeyes never crept closer than seven points. Lucas led MSU with 20 points and Morgan added 13 points and 10 rebounds. William Buford led the Buckeyes with 17 points, but the Spartan defense held Jon Diebler to seven points on 2-of-8 shooting, including 1-of-6 from 3-point range.
The Last Meeting
Ohio State defeated Michigan State, 82-70, in the 2009 Big Ten Tournament semifinals on March 14, 2009. The Buckeyes led 34-29 at the half, and extended their lead out to 16 midway through the second half. Evan Turner led all scorers with 18 points, all in the second half, and 10 rebounds, while Jon Diebler added 17 points. Kalin Lucas led MSU with 17 points, while Korie Lucious scored 16 off the Spartan bench. For the game, Ohio State shot 53.2 percent, compared to just 38.0 percent for Michigan State. The large disparity came in 3-point shooting, as the Buckeyes connected on 9-of-16 attempts, while the Spartans hit just 3-of-21 from behind the arc.
Buckeye Notes
Evan Turner, who leads Ohio State in scoring, rebounding and assists, has recorded two triple-doubles this season; Turner leads the Big Ten in scoring and rebounding overall, and ranks second in assists ... Jon Diebler has made 223 career 3-pointers, and ranks second in the Big Ten in 3-point field-goal percentage (.436) and leads in 3-pointers per game (2.93) ... Dallas Lauderdale leads the Big Ten in blocked shots (2.42 bpg) ... Ohio State leads the conference in field-goal percentage (.496).
Game 27 Recap - MSU 72 - Indiana 58
* Tom Izzo coached his 500th game at Michigan State.
* Michigan State held a 40-18 advantage on points in the paint.
* Indiana did not score a field goal in the final 10:15 of the half, but did hit 13 of 14 free throw attempts over that same stretch. For the game, IU shot 25-of-28 at the foul line, compared to just 5-of-10 for MSU, which did not attempt a second-half free throw.
* Raymar Morgan scored in double figures after five straight games in single digits.
* After hitting 1-of-20 shots in his previous two games combined, Draymond Green hit all five field goal attempts, finishing with a team-high 14 points.
* Delvon Roe dished out a career-best five assists, while committing zero turnovers.
* Michigan State recorded just eight turnovers, marking its third straight game in single digits, and a season low for a conference game.
* Michigan State shot a season-best 59.3 percent from the field, including 63.0 percent in the first half.
* Michigan State's -6 margin on the boards was its largest deficit of the season, and was the Spartans' first victory in three games being out-rebounded.
MSU Basketball Notes
A Program First
Michigan State just completed a stretch that saw it play six of eight conference games away from East Lansing for the first time in 60 years of playing Big Ten basketball. Twice before (1955 & 1975), the Spartans have played six of eight games on the road in the middle of the conference season, but in both cases, at least one of the road games was a non-conference tilt. While it's unusual to have a stretch like this, it's not unheard of, as this is the sixth occurrence by a Big Ten squad since the 1999-2000 season, joining Purdue (1999-2000), Indiana (2002-03), Ohio State (2002-03), Iowa (2003-04) and Michigan (2003-04). In 2001, MSU did play five of six games on the road during its Big Ten championship season.
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 390 of 500 opponents (.780), posting a 310-80 (.795) mark in those games. This season, MSU has out-rebounded its opponents by a margin of +8.9, ranking fourth in the nation (as of Feb. 19), bettering 21 of 27 teams, and tying two. The Spartans are 18-3 when out-rebounding an opponent, but 3-3 when failing to do so.
20-Win Seasons
With a 65-54 win at Penn State, Michigan State recorded its 11th 20-win season in the last 13 years, all under head coach Tom Izzo. Of the 19 20-win seasons in Spartan history, Izzo has been involved in 16 of them, 11 as a head coach and five as an assistant.
Green Among Best On The Boards
One year after Goran Suton paced the Big Ten in rebounding, another Spartan is dominating the boards in conference play. Draymond Green ranks second in the league with 7.9 rebounds per Big Ten contest. He's recorded double-figure rebounds in four of 14 league games, including a career-high 16 rebounds at Illinois. The 16 boards were the most by any Spartan in a Big Ten game since Andre Hutson grabbed 16 at Penn State in 2001. The last Spartan sophomore to lead the Big Ten in rebounding was Antonio Smith in 1997 (11.3 rpg).
Appling Named McDonald's All-American
Keith Appling, who signed his National Letter of Intent to attend Michigan State in Nov. 2009, was named to the 2010 McDonald's All-American Team on Feb. 11. Appling is the ninth McDonald's All-American to sign with Michigan State under Tom Izzo, and the first since 2003. Appling is currently averaging 27 points per game for Detroit Pershing High School. The game will be played on March 31 at Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
Getting To The Foul Line
Michigan State has done a good job getting to the foul line this season, averaging 20.9 attempts per game, including 19.4 attempts in Big Ten games. In league action, the Spartans have made nearly as many free throws (191) as their opponents have attempted (198).
Bench Production
Michigan State's bench is averaging 25.9 points per game, including 21.1 points in Big Ten play. On average, MSU's bench is out-scoring Big Ten opponents' benches by a 21.1-12.1 margin, including a remarkable 27-3 edge in the first meeting with Minnesota. Draymond Green (10.1 ppg) and Durrell Summers (10.3 ppg) average in double figures off the bench, while Green is also MSU's leading rebounder.
Big Ten Defense
Michigan State's defense has been effective in league play, holding opponents to 62.3 points per game, ranking fifth in the Big Ten. MSU's conference opponents are shooting .417 from the field, ranking third in the league, including .324 from 3-point range, ranking fourth. Overall, MSU ranks fourth in the Big Ten in field-goal percentage defense (.408).
Morgan On Target
Raymar Morgan ranks second in the Big Ten in field-goal percentage in league games, shooting .558 (58-of-104). Throughout the conference, just 10 players are hitting 50 percent or better in league play.
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 16.0 turnovers in their six losses, including 23 vs. Florida and 22 vs. Texas, leading to 17.5 points for the opponent per game. In 21 wins, MSU is averaging just 13.2 turnovers, leading to just 13.5 opponent points. Defensively, MSU is 17-0 when holding teams below 41 percent shooting, but 4-6 when an opponent shoots above 41 percent. The Spartans are allowing opponents to shoot .523 in their losses, compared to .376 in victory.
Potent Offense
With its up-tempo style of basketball, it's no surprise that Michigan State is among the most productive offensive teams in the Big Ten. The Spartans currently lead the Big Ten in scoring offense at 74.3 points per game. It's a team effort as just one player (Kalin Lucas, 7th-15.7 ppg) ranks in the top 20 in scoring.
Mr. Clutch
Kalin Lucas knocked down a jumper with 3.5 seconds left to give MSU a 57-56 win at Michigan. Just three days earlier, Lucas hit a 3-pointer with 1:30 left at Minnesota to snap a 62-62 tie in MSU's 65-64 victory. This isn't the first time in his career that Lucas has hit a clutch shot in the game's final moments. In the 2009 Sweet 16 vs. Kansas, Lucas converted on a three-point play with 48 seconds left, snapping a 60-60 tie in MSU's 67-62 victory.
One-Point Victories
For the first time in Michigan State basketball history, the Spartans have recorded back-to-back one-point road victories (at Minn. 65-64, at Mich. 57-56). Previously, MSU's last one-point Big Ten win came at Minnesota in 2004. The Spartans have not won two Big Ten games by a single point since 1995. The last time MSU won consecutive one-point games came in 1937 (at Geneva, vs. Kentucky).
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 .473 from the field this year, including .369 from behind the 3-point arc.
A Touch Of Green In Big Ten Stats
Overall, Draymond Green ranks third in the Big Ten in rebounding (8.0 rpg), fourth in field-goal percentage (.547) and 11th in steals (1.33 spg). His 1.69 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks eighth in the league, and first among non-guards. He and Ohio State's Evan Turner are the only players in the league 6-foot-6 or taller to average more than three assists per game.
Go Green
Sophomore Draymond Green is proving to be one of the most versatile players in the Big Ten and one of the nation's premier sixth men, coming off the bench in 24 of 27 games. He is averaging a team-best 8.0 boards per game, recording double-figure rebounds in eight games. Further demonstrating his versatility, he ranks first on the team in steals (36), second in field-goal percentage (.547) and blocks (23), third in assists (3.1 apg) and fourth in scoring (10.1 ppg). He's recorded five double-doubles on the season. And despite coming off the bench in a majority of the contests, he ranks fourth on the squad in minutes per game (25.2 mpg).
Attacking The Offensive Glass
Michigan State is averaging a Big Ten-best 13.41 offensive rebounds per contest, leading to 13.8 second chance points per game. The Spartans are grabbing 40.5 percent of their misses. Michigan State grabbed more offensive boards than its opponent had defensive boards in games against Florida, Wofford and The Citadel. The Spartans are paced in offensive rebounds by Draymond Green with 2.56 per contest.
Offensive Balance
Michigan State has proven it has several different offensive weapons as four Spartans currently average in double figures. Kalin Lucas paces the Spartan offense at 15.7 points per game, followed by Raymar Morgan (10.3 ppg), Durrell Summers (10.3 ppg) and Draymond Green (10.1 ppg). Chris Allen is just outside that group at 9.8 ppg. MSU has had four or more players score in double figures in 14 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.
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 the Big Ten season, 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.
On The Mark
As a team, Michigan State is shooting .482 from the floor, ranking second in the Big Ten and 17th in the nation (as of Feb. 19). In league play, MSU is shooting .461, ranking third. Individually, six 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 50 attempts, Delvon Roe paces the way at .565 (65-115).
Better At The Foul Line
Michigan State has struggled at the foul line this season, converting at a .690 percentage. The Spartans, however, are showing improvement recently, hitting .714 percent of their attempts in the last 17 games, raising the team's average from .644 to its current mark. Individually, Kalin Lucas ranks ninth in the Big Ten (.790), including .815 in league play, ranking seventh. As a team, MSU is shooting .702 in conference action, ranking eighth.
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, limiting opponents to 40.8 percent on the season, as only six opponents have shot better than 44 percent. MSU has been equally stingy on its 3-point defense, holding teams to 32.2 percent shooting behind the arc, limiting nine opponents to 25 percent or lower.
Hot Start In League Play
For the first time in 60 seasons of Big Ten basketball, Michigan State opened league play with an 9-0 record. The previous best conference start was 7-0, established in 1977-78, when Earvin "Magic" Johnson was a Spartan freshman.
Allen Rounds Out His Game
Chris Allen entered Michigan State with the reputation of being a great shooter. Through his first two years, he struggled with consistency, but has elevated his level of play as a junior. Allen leads the squad in 3-point field goals made (47), attempted (114) and percentage (.412). He's also shooting .452 from the floor. His previous career high percentages were .385 from the floor and .360 from 3-point range, both established last season. As his offense improves so has the rest of his game as he is averaging career best in rebounds (3.0 rpg), assists (2.1 apg) and steals (0.5 spg). He's also emerged as one of MSU's best perimeter defenders.
Lending A Helping Hand
According to the most recent NCAA statistics (as of Feb. 19), Michigan State ranks fifth in the nation in assists. With a current average of 17.4 assists per game, the Spartans have recorded an assist on 63.3 percent of their baskets. It's a team effort as four different Spartans average at least two assists per game.
Double-Double Trouble
At least one Spartan has recorded a double-double in 13 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.; vs. Iowa, 14 pts., 11 reb.; vs. Illinois, 17 pts., 16 reb.) leads the way with five, while Raymar Morgan (vs. Wofford, 19 pts., 11 reb.; vs. The Citadel, 11 pts., 10 reb., vs. Illinois, 14 pts., 10 reb.) and Durrell Summers (vs. Gonzaga, 21 pts., 11 reb.; vs. Michigan, 10 pts., 10 reb.; vs. Northwestern, 24 points, 10 reb.) each have tallied three and Delvon Roe (vs. Toledo, 10 pts., 11 reb.; vs. Valparaiso, 10 pts., 17 reb.) has two. Derrick Nix (vs. FGCU, 11 pts., 14 reb.) has one.
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 21st in MSU history with 1,335 points, standing 42 behind Julius McCoy (1,377 points). His teammate, Raymar Morgan, currently ranks 16th in MSU history with 1,459 points. He needs 10 points to pass Charlie Bell (1,468 points).
Lucas On Watch Lists
Kalin Lucas is one of 11 finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, recognizing the nation's top point guard. He is also one of 31 midseason candidates for the John R. Wooden Award, while also being placed on the Naismith Award preseason watch list.
Taking Care of the Ball
Korie Lucious has posted impressive numbers in his role as a reserve point guard. He ranks second on the team with 3.6 assists per game and his 2.11 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks fourth 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 1.14 (48 assists, 42 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 four in the current poll (PU-No. 4, OSU-No. 9, MSU-No. 11, UW-No. 14).
Life Away From Home
Michigan State is 8-5 away from home this season, including 7-4 on an opponent's home court, with losses at Texas, North Carolina, Wisconsin and Illinois. Four of the Spartans' road games have been against a ranked opponent. MSU has won 14 of its last 17 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.
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). Shannon Brown competed in the Sprite Slam Dunk contest at the NBA All-Star Game and Zach Randolph has been selected as a Western Conference reserve for the All-Star Game.
The Book On Tom Izzo
Coach Izzo
In his 14th year, Tom Izzo (Northern Michigan, '77) is 357-143 (.714), and 171-75 (.695) 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 .695 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 ahead of Purdue's Ward Lambert (.685). In all games, Knight ranks first at .734, followed by Izzo (.714), Wisconsin's Walter Meanwell (.712) and Lambert (.709). With 171 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.
