Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State Battles For First Place At Purdue
2/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 26, 2010
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
#14/14 Michigan State (21-7, 11-4)
vs. #3/3 Purdue (24-3, 12-3)
Feb. 28, 2010
4 p.m. EST
West Lafayette, Ind.
Mackey 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: CBS - Verne Lundquist (Play by Play), Clark Kellogg (Color)
Michigan State Game Notes
Purdue Game Notes
The Opening Tip
Michigan State plays at Purdue Sunday with first place in the Big Ten standings on the line. A Spartan victory would put MSU back into a tie for first place entering the final week of the regular season. Michigan State has been successful on the road this season, winning seven games on an opponent's home court, including six in conference play, ranking the Spartans tied with Purdue and Ohio State for most in the conference.
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 four games are any indication, MSU is getting better in that area of the game, committing 10 turnovers or fewer in each of the last four games, averaging 9.0 per contest. In fact, Michigan State has committed nine turnovers or fewer in five of the last seven contests.
2. 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 74.0 points per game. It's a team effort as just one player (Kalin Lucas, 9th-15.4 ppg) ranks in the top 20 in scoring.
3. 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 five games, he's made four triples three times, connecting on 17-of-30 (.567) attempts from behind the arc. In league play, Allen ranks second in the Big Ten in 3-point field-goal percentage (.450).
4. 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 2010 road games, Lucas has picked up where he left off last season, averaging a team-best 16.1 points. For his career, Lucas is averaging 14.4 points in 25 conference road games. Over the last two seasons, that average jumps to 17.3 points per contest.
5. Spartans On The Road
Michigan State is tied with Ohio State and Purdue for the Big Ten lead with six road victories, posting a 6-2 mark in league road games to date, a year after going 8-1 on the road. One reason for MSU's success on the road has been its ability to shoot the ball, hitting .499 from the field on the road, compared to .413 in league home games. The success extends out to 3-point range, where MSU is hitting .375, including three games at better than 43 percent. The Spartans have also hit the boards on the road, boasting a +8.6 rebounding margin. Kalin Lucas is averaging 16.1 points on the road, shooting .524 from the field, including .435 from 3-point range.
MSU vs. Purdue Notes
Series History
Purdue leads the all-time series with Michigan State, 63-44, including a 39-14 advantage in games played in West Lafayette. MSU has won 15 of the last 23 games in the series. Tom Izzo is 15-11 in his career against Purdue.
Coach Painter
Matt Painter (Purdue, `94) is 132-58 in his sixth season as a collegiate head coach, including 107-53 in his fifth season at Purdue. After one year as head coach at Southern Illinois, he served as associate head coach at Purdue in 2004-05 in Gene Keady's final year as Boilermaker coach.
The Last Meeting
Purdue snapped a nine-game losing streak at the Breslin Center with a 76-64 win over Michigan State on Feb. 9, 2009. MSU led 17-15 with 12:33 left in the first half, when Purdue went on a 13-0 run over the next five-plus minutes, en route to taking a 47-33 lead at the half. The Boilermakers shot 65.2 percent in the first half, compared to 39.3 percent for MSU. In the second half, MSU fought to cut the deficit to 65-62 with 4:34 remaining on a Chris Allen 3-pointer. E'Twaun Moore followed with a 3-pointer of his own to spark a 9-0 run and clinch the Purdue victory. For the game, Purdue shot 56.8 percent from the field, compared to just 32.1 percent for MSU. Moore led all scorers with 25 points, while Allen led MSU with 21.
The Last Meeting In West Lafayette
Purdue defeated Michigan State, 72-54, on Feb. 17, 2009, in West Lafayette. The Spartans shot just 26.7 percent in the first half, but trailed by just three points at halftime. The Boilermakers opened the second half on a 7-0 run to take control of the game. In the second half, MSU committed 13 turnovers, compared to just three for Purdue. Kalin Lucas led MSU with 14 points, while JaJuan Johnson paced Purdue with 17. For the game, MSU shot a season-low 32.7 percent from the field.
Boilermaker Notes
JaJuan Johnson has seven double-doubles on the season ... In league games, Johnson leads the conference in blocked shots (1.9 bpg) ... E'Twaun Moore has scored 20 or more points in eight games this season, and has scored in double figures in 26 straight games ... Purdue is forcing opponents to average 15.6 turnovers per contest ... In league games, Purdue leads the conference in scoring offense (68.8 ppg) ... Overall, the Boilermakers pace the conference in free-throw percentage (.742) ... The Boilermakers' No. 3 ranking is the highest since the final poll of the 1993-94 season.
Game 28 Recap - Ohio State 74 - MSU 67
* Raymar Morgan grabbed a season-high 14 rebounds, marking the most he has ever grabbed in a conference game.
* Michigan State's bench contributed 18 points and 51 minutes, compared to four points and 16 minutes for Ohio State's one reserve.
* For the first time all season, Michigan State was out-rebounded in a second-straight game. Ohio State's 41 rebounds were the most by a Spartan opponent this season.
* Ohio State took control of the game with a 19-2 first-half run.
* Michigan State trailed by as many as 14 points in the second half, but rallied to take a 62-61 lead, only to watch Ohio State answer with a 7-0 run.
* Durrell Summers scored seven straight points to turn a 61-55 deficit into a 62-61 Spartan lead. Summers led MSU with 16 points for the game.
MSU Basketball Notes
Spartan Depth
Nine different Spartans are averaging 7.4 minutes or more, including seven at 21.3 minutes or more. Kalin Lucas leads Michigan State with 31.1 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.
A Program First
Michigan State recently 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 501 opponents (.778), posting a 310-80 (.795) mark in those games. This season, MSU has out-rebounded its opponents by a margin of +8.5, ranking fourth in the nation (as of Feb. 22), bettering 21 of 28 teams, and tying two. The Spartans are 18-3 when out-rebounding an opponent, but 3-4 when failing to do so.
Green Among Best On The Boards
One year after Goran Suton paced the Big Ten in rebounding, another Spartan is among the best on the boards in conference play. Draymond Green ranks fourth in the league with 7.7 rebounds per Big Ten contest. He's recorded double-figure rebounds in four of 15 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.
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.
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 20.8 attempts per game, including 19.3 attempts in Big Ten games. In league action, the Spartans have made nearly as many free throws (201) as their opponents have attempted (222), averaging 4.5 more free throw attempts per contest.
Bench Production
Michigan State's bench is averaging 25.6 points per game, including 20.9 points in Big Ten play. On average, MSU's bench is out-scoring Big Ten opponents' benches by a 20.9-11.5 margin, including a remarkable 27-3 edge in the first meeting with Minnesota. Draymond Green (10.1 ppg) averages in double figures off the bench, while he is also MSU's leading rebounder.
Big Ten Defense
Michigan State's defense has been effective in league play, holding opponents to 63.1 points per game, ranking fifth in the Big Ten. MSU's conference opponents are shooting .418 from the field, ranking third in the league, including .329 from 3-point range, ranking fourth. Overall, MSU ranks fourth in the Big Ten in field-goal percentage defense (.409).
Morgan On Target
Raymar Morgan ranks second in the Big Ten in field-goal percentage in league games, shooting .550 (61-of-111). Throughout the conference, just 11 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 15.1 turnovers in their seven losses, including 23 vs. Florida and 22 vs. Texas, leading to 16.4 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 4-7 when an opponent shoots above 41 percent. The Spartans are allowing opponents to shoot .508 in their losses, compared to .376 in victory.
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 .463 from the field this year, including .360 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 (7.9 rpg), third in field-goal percentage (.548) and ninth in steals (1.32 spg). His 1.72 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 25 of 28 games. He is averaging a team-best 7.9 boards per game, recording double-figure rebounds in eight games. Further demonstrating his versatility, he ranks first on the team in steals (37), second in field-goal percentage (.548) 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 (25.3 mpg).
Attacking The Offensive Glass
Michigan State is averaging a Big Ten-best 13.29 offensive rebounds per contest, leading to 13.8 second chance points per game. The Spartans are grabbing 39.8 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 2.46 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 15.4 points per game, followed by Durrell Summers (10.5 ppg), Raymar Morgan (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 showed that trait in the first two games of 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 .479 from the floor, ranking second in the Big Ten and 21st in the nation (as of Feb. 22). In league play, MSU is shooting .457, ranking fourth. 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 (70-124).
Better At The Foul Line
Michigan State has struggled at the foul line this season, converting at a .683 percentage. The Spartans, however, are showing improvement recently, hitting .706 percent of their attempts in the last 18 games, raising the team's average from .644 to its current mark. Individually, Kalin Lucas ranks 11th in the Big Ten (.789), including .812 in league play, ranking ninth. As a team, MSU is shooting .693 in conference action, ranking ninth.
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 40.9 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 32.4 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 (50), attempted (120) and percentage (.417). He's also shooting .448 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 (2.9 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. 22), 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 1,344 points, standing 33 behind Julius McCoy (1,377 points). His teammate, Raymar Morgan, currently ranks tied for 15th in MSU history with 1,468 points. He needs one point to pass Charlie Bell (1,468 points) and 67 to pass Drew Neitzel (1,534 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 3.5 assists per game and his 2.09 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 1.09 (49 assists, 45 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. 3, OSU-No. 9, MSU-No. 14, UW-No. 17).
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 was 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 357-144 (.713), and 171-76 (.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 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 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.
