Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Play For Big Ten Championship
3/5/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 5, 2010
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
#11/12 Michigan State (23-7, 13-4)
vs. Michigan (14-15, 7-10)
March 7, 2010
4 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 - Kevin Harlan (Play by Play), Dan Bonner (Color)
Michigan State Game Notes
Michigan Game Notes
The Opening Tip
Michigan State and Michigan meet in the regular-season finale. MSU needs a win over its in-state rival to claim a share of the 2010 Big Ten Championship. The Spartans will recognize the 2010 Senior Class in a post-game ceremony. In the first meeting of the season between the Spartans and Wolverines, MSU won a one-point contest in Ann Arbor when Kalin Lucas hit a mid-range jumper with 3.5 seconds remaining.
White Out Sunday
The Michigan State athletics department is asking fans to wear white to the MSU-Michigan men's basketball game on Sunday as a gesture of uniform support for the Spartans. The Spartans and Wolverines will tip off at 4 p.m. White t-shirts are available at GMC Kiosk on the Breslin Center concourse outside Section 111. Fans can receive a free t-shirt in exchange for filling out a short GMC survey.
The Starting Five
1. Spartan Seniors
Three Michigan State seniors (Jon Crandell, Isaiah Dahlman, and Raymar Morgan) will play their final home game against Michigan. Over the last three-plus seasons, the group has posted a 104-35 record, reaching three NCAA Tournaments, including two Sweet 16s and the 2009 Final Four in Detroit. They also won the 2009 Big Ten Championship.
2. Raymar Morgan
Raymar Morgan has been a starter since he stepped on campus. He opened his career by becoming the first freshman in MSU history to score 10 points or more in each of his first six games. He finished the season averaging 11.7 points, earning Big Ten All-Freshman Team accolades. As a sophomore, Morgan earned second-team All-Big Ten honors, averaging a career best 14.0 points per game. Last season, Morgan was averaging 15.2 points and 6.9 rebounds in the first 16 games of the season, when a prolonged illness allowed him to play 20 minutes or more in just nine of 18 league games. He still earned honorable mention All-Big Ten recognition and was a key cog in MSU's stretch run, securing a Big Ten title with a tip dunk at Indiana and recording 18 points and nine rebounds against Connecticut in the Final Four. This season, Morgan ranks second on the team in scoring at 10.7 points per game, and leads the Big Ten in field-goal percentage in conference games. He ranks 10th in MSU history in career starts (113), and is one of just five players in Spartan history to record 1,500 career points and 700 career rebounds.
3. Isaiah Dahlman
Isaiah Dahlman arrived at Michigan State as the all-time leading scorer in Minnesota high school history. He appeared in 26 games as a freshman, averaging 15.5 minutes and 3.7 points. As the Spartans suffered some injuries, Dahlman found his way into the starting lineup, averaging 6.1 points, 2.3 rebounds and 25.6 points in eight consecutive starts. His presence was an important part of keeping MSU's NCAA Tournament streak alive. Since then, his in-game contributions have been limited, but he's remained a key component on the Spartan scout team, and has been an unbelievable teammate. In December, Coach Izzo added him as a team captain, citing his team-first attitude. A two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, Dahlman was the recipient of MSU's Unsung Player Award in 2009 as voted on by his teammates.
4. Jon Crandell
Jon Crandell has appeared in 27 games over the course of the last three years after joining the team as a walk-on prior to the 2007-08 season. While his on-the-court game contributions have been limited, his energy and vocal encouragement on the practice court have been applauded. As a junior, he was voted by his teammates to receive the Tim Bograkos Walk-On Award.
5. MSU In March
Michigan State is 55-21 in March since the 1998-99 season. For his career, Tom Izzo is 62-28 in March. Last season, MSU was 8-1 in what Coach Izzo calls his favorite month of the year. Izzo is 15-3 at home in March as head coach.
MSU vs. Michigan Notes
Series History
Michigan leads the all-time series with Michigan State, 91-73. The Spartans, however, own a 44-35 advantage in games played in East Lansing. MSU has won 17 of the last 20 games overall, including 10 straight at the Breslin Center. Tom Izzo is 17-8 in his career against the Wolverines.
Coach Beilein
John Beilein (Butler, `90) is 521-326 in his 28th season as a four-year collegiate head coach, including 45-51 in his third season at Michigan. His coaching career also includes stints at West Virginia, Richmond, Canisius, LaMoyne, Nazareth and Erie Community College.
The Last Meeting
Michigan State escaped Ann Arbor with a 57-56 win over Michigan on Jan. 26, 2010. Kalin Lucas hit the game-winning jumper with 3.5 seconds left and DeShawn Sims' buzzer-beating layup rolled off the front of the rim, giving MSU the one-point win. In a back-and-forth game that featured 17 lead changes, neither team led by more than five points in the second half. MSU took a 53-52 lead on a Kalin Lucas 3-pointer with 3:56 remaining, but a missed shot and two straight turnovers allowed UM to hold a 56-53 lead. With just over a minute remaining, Durrell Summers missed a 3-pointer, but Draymond Green grabbed the rebound and got the ball to Raymar Morgan for a basket. On MSU's next possession, Lucas hit the game winner. Morgan led all scorers with 20 points, adding eight rebounds. Sims paced the Wolverines with 19 points. MSU held a 41-25 advantage on the glass, but committed 18 turnovers, compared to just four for Michigan.
The Last Meeting In East Lansing
Michigan State defeated Michigan, 77-62, on Jan. 27, 2008, in East Lansing. Trailing 19-14 with 9:35 left in the first half, MSU went on a 21-3 run over the next 7:53. Leading 35-27 at the half, the Spartans opened the second stanza on a 10-1 run and never led by less than 10 after that. In the second half, Michigan State shot 72.7 percent from the field, while holding Michigan to just 35.1 percent shooting. For the game, MSU out-shot UM, 58.5 percent to 35.4 percent. The Spartans recorded 25 assists on 31 baskets. Drew Neitzel tallied 18 points, seven assists and seven rebounds, while Kalin Lucas also scored 18. Anthony Wright and Manny Harris each scored 11 points to lead the Wolverines.
Wolverine Notes
Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims are the only Wolverines to average double figures in scoring and account for 53.5 percent of Michigan's offense ... Michigan ranks fourth in the nation, committing just 9.9 turnovers per game ... Sims is one of seven players in Michigan history with 1,500 career points and 700 career rebounds ... Eight of Michigan's 15 losses have been by seven or fewer points.
Game 30 Recap - MSU 67 - Penn State 65
* Michigan State out-rebounded the Big Ten's second-best rebounding team by a 39-26 margin.
* The Spartans held a 14-5 edge on the offensive glass and did not allow an offensive rebound in the second half.
* Led by 14 points from Draymond Green, Michigan State held a 26-1 edge in bench points.
* With 16 points, Raymar Morgan became the fifth player in MSU history to total 1,500 points and 700 rebounds in his career.
* After Penn State took a 58-56 lead, Raymar Morgan and Draymond Green scored MSU's next 10 points to take a 66-62 lead with 12 seconds left.
MSU Basketball Notes
Morgan Joins Elite Company
With 16 points against Penn State, Raymar Morgan became just the fifth player in Michigan State history with 1,500 career points and 700 career rebounds. Currently standing at 1,500 points and 725 rebounds, Morgan joins Steve Smith (2,263 pts., 740 reb.), Greg Kelser (2,014 pts., 1092 reb.), Jay Vincent (1,914 pts., 709 reb.) and Paul Davis (1,718 pts., 910 reb.). Additionally, Morgan is just 15 rebounds shy of Steve Smith (740) for 10th place all-time at Michigan State.
Senior Stretch Run
College athletics is full of stories of seniors putting a team on their back down the stretch run of their final season. While Raymar Morgan doesn't need to put the Spartans on his back, his play will go a long way in determining how successful the final month of his career will be. Over the last three games, Morgan is averaging 13.7 points and 11.0 rebounds. On March 1, he was named co-Big Ten Player of the Week.
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 27 of 30 games. He is averaging a team-best 8.1 boards per game, recording double-figure rebounds in nine games. Further demonstrating his versatility, he ranks first on the team in steals (39), second in field-goal percentage (.548) and blocks (23), third in assists (3.1 apg) and fourth in scoring (10.3 ppg). He's recorded a team-best six 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 (25.4 mpg).
Defense Tightens Up
The Spartans have tightened up their defense down the stretch run. After allowing three straight opponents to shoot better than 50 percent from the field in early February, Michigan State is holding opponents to .390 shooting and 59.0 points in the last five games.
Spartans On Big Ten Road
Michigan State leads the Big Ten with seven conference road wins, while Purdue and Ohio State both rank tied for second with six. Over the last two seasons, Michigan State is 15-3 away from East Lansing, good for the best two-year road record in school history. In 1997-98 and '98-99, the Spartans were 13-3 on the road.
Home Sweet Home
During Tom Izzo's career as head coach, the Spartans are 207-26 (.888) at home, including 184-17 (.915) 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 is 15-3 at home in March under Tom Izzo.
Reducing The Turnovers
Turnovers have been an issue for Michigan State for much of the year, especially in Spartan losses. MSU, however, is getting better in that area of the game, committing 10 turnovers or fewer in five of the last six games. Despite comitting 23 turnovers at Purdue, MSU is averaging 11.5 turnovers in the last six games. In fact, Michigan State has committed 10 turnovers or fewer in six of the last nine contests.
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 392 of 503 opponents (.779), posting a 312-80 (.796) mark in those games. This season, MSU has out-rebounded its opponents by a margin of +9.2, ranking second in the nation (as of March 5), bettering 23 of 30 teams, and tying two. The Spartans are 20-3 when out-rebounding an opponent, but 3-4 when failing to do so.
Attacking The Offensive Glass
Michigan State is averaging a Big Ten-best 13.4 offensive rebounds per contest, leading to 13.7 second chance points per game. The Spartans are grabbing 40.2 percent of their misses. Michigan State grabbed more offensive boards than its opponent had defensive boards in games against Florida, Wofford, The Citadel and Purdue. The Spartans are paced in offensive rebounds by Draymond Green with 2.53 per contest.
Cleaning Up On The Defensive Boards
Michigan State is well known as a great offensive rebounding team, but to be among the top teams in the nation in rebounding margin, you also have to control the defensive glass. The Spartans have taken that to the extreme in the last two games, allowing Purdue and Penn State a combined 11 offensive rebounds, including only one in the second half. For the year, Spartans opponents grab just 27.9 percent of their missed shots.
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 seven games, he's made four triples three times, connecting on 18-of-35 (.514) attempts from behind the arc. In league play, Allen ranks third in the Big Ten in 3-point field-goal percentage (.431).
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 rank second in the Big Ten in scoring offense at 73.1 points per game. It's a team effort as just one player (Kalin Lucas, 10th-14.9 ppg) ranks in the top 20 in scoring.
Spartan Depth
Nine different Spartans are averaging 7.6 minutes or more, including seven at 20.7 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 15 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.
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 third in the league with 8.0 rebounds per Big Ten contest. He's recorded double-figure rebounds in five 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.
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 20.3 attempts per game, including 18.5 attempts in Big Ten games. In league action, the Spartans have made nearly as many free throws (221) as their opponents have attempted (255), averaging 3.5 more free throw attempts per contest.
Morgan On Target
Raymar Morgan leads the Big Ten in field-goal percentage in league games, shooting .549 (73-of-133). 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 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 23 wins, MSU is averaging just 13.5 turnovers, leading to just 13.6 opponent points. Defensively, MSU is 18-0 when holding teams below 41 percent shooting, but 5-7 when an opponent shoots above 41 percent. The Spartans are allowing opponents to shoot .508 in their losses, compared to .376 in victory.
Bench Production
Michigan State's bench is averaging 25.2 points per game, including 20.4 points in Big Ten play. On average, MSU's bench is out-scoring Big Ten opponents' benches by a 20.7-10.4 margin, including a remarkable 27-3 edge in the first meeting with Minnesota. Draymond Green (10.4 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 62.1 points per game, ranking fifth in the Big Ten. MSU's conference opponents are shooting .414 from the field, ranking third in the league, including .330 from 3-point range, ranking fourth. Overall, MSU ranks fourth in the Big Ten in field-goal percentage defense (.407).
A Touch Of Green In Big Ten Stats
Overall, Draymond Green ranks third in the Big Ten in rebounding (8.1 rpg), fourth in field-goal percentage (.548) and 10th in steals (1.3 spg). His 1.7 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks seventh 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.
On The Mark
As a team, Michigan State is shooting .476 from the floor, ranking second in the Big Ten and 26th in the nation (as of March 5). In league play, MSU is shooting .453, ranking fourth. Individually, seven Spartans are connecting on better than 50 percent of their shots, led by Tom Herzog at .818 (9-of-11). Among players with more than 75 attempts, Delvon Roe paces the way at .563 (72-128).
Better At The Foul Line
Michigan State has struggled at the foul line this season, converting at a .688 percentage. The Spartans, however, are showing improvement recently, hitting .712 percent of their attempts in the last 20 games, raising the team's average from .644 to its current mark. Individually, Kalin Lucas ranks 10th in the Big Ten (.788), including .808 in league play, ranking eighth. As a team, MSU is shooting .702 in conference action, ranking eighth.
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 (51), attempted (125) and percentage (.408). He's also shooting .437 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 (3.1 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 March 5), Michigan State ranks sixth in the nation in assists. With a current average of 17.1 assists per game, the Spartans have recorded an assist on 62.8 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 14 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.; vs. Purdue, 12 pts., 11 reb.) leads the way with six, while Raymar Morgan (vs. Wofford, 19 pts., 11 reb.; vs. The Citadel, 11 pts., 10 reb., vs. Illinois, 14 pts., 10 reb.; vs. Purdue 16 pts., 11 reb.) has four, Durrell Summers (vs. Gonzaga, 21 pts., 11 reb.; vs. Michigan, 10 pts., 10 reb.; vs. Northwestern, 24 points, 10 reb.) has 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 1,361 points, standing 16 behind Julius McCoy (1,377 points). His teammate, Raymar Morgan, currently ranks 15th in MSU history with 1,500 points. He needs 35 points to pass Drew Neitzel (1,534 points).
Morgan In Career Rankings
In the final stretch of his Spartan career, Raymar Morgan finds himself among the MSU career leaders in several categories. He currently ranks seventh in free throw attempts (534), 10th in games started (113) and 15th in career scoring (1,500 points). Morgan is looking to become just the eighth player in Spartan history to score in double figures in all four years of his career. He needs just 15 rebounds and 88 points to move into the top 10 in both categories, joining Steve Smith, Greg Kelser and Jay Vincent as the only players to rank in the top 10 in both categories.
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.
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 .460 from the field this year, including .348 from behind the 3-point arc.
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 14.9 points per game, followed by Raymar Morgan (10.7 ppg), Durrell Summers (10.4 ppg) and Draymond Green (10.3 ppg). Chris Allen is just outside that group at 9.4 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.
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.
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 40.7 percent on the season, as just seven opponents have shot better than 44 percent. MSU has been equally stingy on its 3-point defense, holding teams to 32.5 percent shooting behind the arc, limiting 10 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.
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 and Naismith Awards.
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 3.4 assists per game and his 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks sixth 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 1.06 (53 assists, 50 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 (OSU-No. 6, PU-No. 7, MSU-No. 11, UW-No. 15).
Life Away From Home
Michigan State is 9-5 away from home this season, including 8-4 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 15 of its last 18 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 359-144 (.714), and 173-76 (.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 173 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.
