Michigan State University Athletics
Spartans Open Season At Navy
11/12/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
| #18/18 Michigan State (0-0) vs. Navy (0-0) | |
| Date | Friday, November 14, 2014 |
| Time | 9 p.m. ET |
| Location | Annapolis, Md. | Alumni Hall |
| Television | CBS Sports Network (Carter Blackburn, Steve Lappas, Reggie Miller, Jamie Erdahl) |
| Radio | Spartan Sports Network (Will Tieman, Gus Ganakas, Matt Steigenga) |
| Game Notes | Michigan State | Navy |
| Statistics (2013-14) | Michigan State | Navy |
| Live Stats | |
| Social Media | @MSU_Basketball  | Facebook  |
| Press Conference Video | Coach Tom Izzo |
THE OPENING TIP
No. 18 Michigan State opens Tom Izzo's 20th season as Spartan head coach at Navy in the Quicken Loans Veterans Classic. This is the third time in four years the Spartans will open the season away from home, with all three games being military appreciation events.
THE STARTING FIVE
1. For Openers
Michigan State is 91-24 all-time in openers, winning 34 of the last 37. The only three losses in the last 37 years came last year to Connecticut in the Armed Forces Classic in Germany, to No. 1 North Carolina in the 2011 Carrier Classic, on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson in Coronado, Calif., and in November 2005, when MSU fell at Hawai'i, 84-62. Tom Izzo is 16-3 in season openers.
2. MSU In November
Michigan State has an all-time record of 109-29 in games played in the month of November. This includes a 75-3 mark at home. The last team to beat MSU at home in November was a David Robinson-led Navy squad that bested the Spartans, 91-90, in overtime on Nov. 29, 1986. Tom Izzo is 53-0 all-time at home in November, 74-23 for the month.
3. Military Openers
This is the third time in four years that Michigan State's season opener will have some connection to the United States armed forces. On Nov. 11, 2011, MSU played North Carolina on the flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson, in front of a crowd of 8,111, including President Barack Obama and active US servicemen and women and Wounded Warriors. The Tar Heels posted a 67-55 victory. The following season, Michigan State played in the inaugural Armed Forces Classic, squaring off against Connecticut on Ramstein Air Base in Germany. The game was played in Hangar 5 on the Air Base following a few days of visiting military hospitals and flying in a C-17 transport plane.
4. Spartans Share The Ball
Unselfishness is a trademark of all Tom Izzo teams. That was never on display more than it was last year, as the Spartans established a school single-season record with 637 assists, leading the Big Ten with 16.76 assists per game. For the year, MSU recorded an assist on 62.2 percent of its baskets. In two exhibition games this season, MSU totaled 55 assists on 79 baskets (69.6 percent).
5. Trice's Navy Connections
Travis Trice's uncle, Matt Pritchett, was a former football player at Navy. Pritchett (Class of 2007) was a two-year starting left tackle (2005 and 2006), and helped the Midshipmen appear in two bowl games. In addition, Trice's grandfather, Bob Pritchett, was in the United States Navy from 1968-72, stationed at the 5th Naval District in Norfolk, Va. He served aboard two submarine tenders, the USS Orion (AS-18), and the USS L.Y. Spear (AS-36).
MSU VS. NAVY NOTES
Coach DeChellis
Ed DeChellis is 239-301 in his 19th season as a collegiate head coach, including 20-70 in his fourth season at Navy. DeChellis has some familiarity with the Spartans and Tom Izzo after spending eight seasons at Penn State, posting a 4-11 mark against MSU. During his stay in State College, he guided the Nittany Lions to three posteason appearances, including a berth in the 2011 NCAA Tournament. Following that season, he accepted the head coaching job at Navy. His first head coaching job was at East Tennessee State, where he led the Buccaneers to the 2003 NCAA Tournament. He was 0-3 against the Spartans at ETSU.
Series History
This is the second-ever meeting between Michigan State and Navy, with the Midshipmen winning the first contest in East Lansing. The Spartans are 10-3 all-time against current members of the Patriot League, including 1-0 vs. Army, 1-0 vs. Bucknell, 5-1 vs. Colgate, 1-1 vs. Holy Cross, 1-0 vs. Lehigh, 1-0 vs. Loyola (Md.), and 0-1 vs. Navy.
The Last Meeting
Navy won the only prior contest, 91-90, in overtime, on Nov. 29, 1986, in East Lansing in the championship game of the Spartan Cutlass Classic. David Robinson led the Mids with 43 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks, while Doug Wojcik dished out 12 assists. Darryl Johnson paced MSU with 27 points and nine assists. Carlton Valentine, father of current Spartan Denzel Valentine, totaled four points and six rebounds.
About Navy
Navy returns five starters and eight additional letterwinners from last year's squad. In total, six returners started 10 or more games last season ... The Navy roster includes players representing 10 different states (California, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia) ... Senior forward Worth Smith is one of three players in Navy history (David Robinson and Sitapha Savane) that has surpassed career totals of 850 points, 450 rebounds, 80 blocks and 80 steals. He opens the season with 867 career points, 480 rebounds, 86 blocks and 80 steals.
MSU BASKETBALL NOTES
Izzo's 20th Season
In his 20th season as Michigan State head coach, the 2014-15 campaign will be Tom Izzo's 32nd year in East Lansing. An eight-time National Coach of the Year, Izzo has guided MSU to seven Big Ten Championships, four Big Ten Tournament titles, 17 straight NCAA Tournaments, six Final Four appearances, and the 2000 NCAA Championship in his stint as head coach. He is MSU's all-time winningest coach with 468 wins, and is the longest serving active men's basketball coach in the Big Ten. In addition, his 468 victories are the fourth-most by a coach in his first 18 years of coaching in NCAA history. The only high-major coaches with longer active tenures at one school are Syracuse's Jim Boeheim (39th season) and Duke's Mike Krzyzewski (35th season).
Izzo In Kuwait
One of the events that motivated Coach Izzo to play in events like the Veterans Classic, Armed Forces Classic and the Carrier Classic was an experience he had visiting US military in Kuwait. In the summer of 2005, Izzo traveled to Kuwait to take part in "Operation Hardwood - Hoops With the Troops." Izzo was one of eight coaches and sports personalities coaching 13-member military basketball teams on Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. Camp Arifjan defeated the other bases to win the championship under the direction of Coach Izzo. One of the highlights of the trip was the military fatigues the coaches were presented (including name) prior to the championship game. The event was so moving for Izzo that he made a return trip in May 2006.
Izzo Visits The Pentagon
This past May, Izzo was part of a group of seven coaches that participated in a leadership panel discussion at the Pentagon and met with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey. The group of coaches and their spouses also met with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden in the Oval Office. Other coaches included Conneticut's Geno Auriemma and Kevin Ollie, Syracuse's Jim Boeheim, Pittsburgh's Jamie Dixon, Texas Tech's Tubby Smith and Villanova's Jay Wright.
Playing The Best
Since the 1997-98 season, the year of Michigan State's first of 17 straight trips to the NCAA Tournament, the Spartans have played 186 games against ranked opponents. That total ranks first among teams that have appeared in a Final Four since then. The Spartans are followed by North Carolina (167), Kentucky (161), Illinois (160), Duke (159) and Texas (159).
Exhibition Recap
Michigan State cruised through exhibition play, winning two games by an average score of 99-51. The Spartans showed a potent offensive attack, shooting .537 from the field, including .447 from 3-point range. Denzel Valentine averaged 19.5 points and 11.5 rebounds in two games, shooting .667 from the field (9-14 from 3-point range). Valentine also posted a triple-double (15 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists) against St. Cloud State. Eight Spartans averaged 8.5 points or more in the two contests. MSU's two opponents had ties to the Spartan program, as three-year Michigan State letterwinner Russell Byrd is playing his senior season at The Master's College, and Tom Izzo's nephew, Kevin Levandoski is a senior at St. Cloud State.
Tough Start Away From Home
Michigan State opens the season with a difficult stretch of six of its first eight games away from East Lansing. In fact, MSU is the only team in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 to open with six of its first eight games away from home. Not only are the Spartans opening away from home for the third time in four years when they play at Navy, their second contest is in Indianapolis against Duke. Over Thanksgiving, the Spartans will play three games in the Orlando Classic, and close the stretch with a game at Notre Dame during the first week of December. This is the third time in Tom Izzo's 20th season that the Spartans will open with six of eight away from home, having also done it during his first season in 1995-96, when MSU opened with five games away from home, and in 2005-06.
Dawson Approaches 1,000 Points
With 894 career points, Branden Dawson is poised to become the next member of Michigan State's 1000-point club early this season. He'll become the 46th Spartan to reach that milestone. Current Spartan Bryn Forbes has 905 points through the first two years of his career, but all of those came at Cleveland State.
Long Range Firepower
Michigan State established a school single-season record in 2013-14 with 307 made 3-pointers, 54 more than the previous school record. The Spartans made 10 or more 3-pointers in 14 games, including a school single-game record 17 at Purdue, tying the Big Ten record for a conference game. In exhibition play, it appears the Spartans are every bit as prolific from distance this season, connecting on 21-of-47 attempts (.447). Denzel Valentine leads the way, hitting 9-of-14 (.643), after shooting .377 last season.
Double-Double Trouble
Branden Dawson and Denzel Valentine are threats to post a double-double every time they take the court. Dawson ranked tied for second in the Big Ten last season with six double-doubles, while Valentine ranked tied for 13th with three. For his career, Dawson has 12 double-doubles, while Valentine has totaled four. In exhibition play, Dawson posted a double-double in one game, while Valentine had two, including a triple-double against St. Cloud State.
Big Ten Schedule
Moving to a 14-team conference for 2014-15, each Big Ten team will play five schools twice, four schools on the road, and four schools at home. Michigan State will go home and home with Maryland, Indiana, Northwestern, Michigan, and Illinois. The Spartans will host Penn State, Ohio State, Minnesota, and Purdue, while traveling to Iowa, Nebraska, Rutgers, and Wisconsin. Eight of Michigan State's 13 Big Ten opponents appeared in the 2014 postseason, including five in the NCAA Tournament (Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State, Wisconsin), two in the NIT (Illinois, Minnesota) and one in the CBI (Penn State).
Preseason All-American
Branden Dawson was named a preseason first-team All-American by The Sporting News. He was a preseason first-team All-Big Ten selection as chosen by Lindy's Sports and Sporting News. ESPN.com ranked Dawson No. 15 in its player rankings, while ESPN.com's Jeff Goodman named him a third-team All-American.
Prep Teammates
Michigan State's roster features three pairs of high school teammates. Junior Denzel Valentine has been reunited with high school classmate Bryn Forbes, who spent his first two seasons at Cleveland State. The duo teamed to appear in three-straight Michigan Class B title games from 2010-2012, capturing the state championship in 2011 and 2012. Forbes transferred to MSU this past June, and later received a waiver from the NCAA allowing him to play this season. Freshmen Lourawls "Tum Tum" Nairn Jr. and Marvin Clark Jr. both attended Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas. They were teammates during the 2012-13 season, posting a 29-1 record, with Clark as a senior and Nairn as a junior. Clark then did a year of prep school at Sunrise Christian last season, while Nairn finished his high school career. Sophomores Alvin Ellis III and Gavin Schilling were teammates at Chicago De La Salle as juniors in 2011-12. Ellis graduated from De La Salle, while Schilling spent his final season at Findlay Prep in Nevada. In addition, although Branden Dawson (Indiana) and Travis Trice (Ohio) attended high school in different states, they were AAU teammates for SYF Players over the summer.
Returning Spartans
Michigan State returns three of its top six scorers and five of its top nine from last year's squad. Senior Branden Dawson is MSU's leading returning scorer (11.2) and rebounder (8.3). Had he played in one more contest in 2013-14 he would have qualified for the Big Ten statistics, and would have ranked second in the conference in rebounding and first in field-goal percentage (.613). He averaged 15.7 points and 8.1 rebounds in postseason play, shooting .681 from the field, and earning Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors. Senior Travis Trice ranked third in overall 3-point field-goal percentage (.434) and was second in Big Ten games (.483). In eight starts last season, he averaged 9.3 points and 3.6 assists with a 5.8 assist-to-turnover ratio. Junior Denzel Valentine was the only Spartan to appear in every game last year and was the only player in the Big Ten to rank in the Top 15 in both rebounding (t-11th) and assists (8th). Junior Matt Costello started 20 games in the Spartan frontcourt in 2013-14 and ranked 10th in the Big Ten in blocks. Sophomores Alvin Ellis III and Gavin Schilling both appeared in more than 30 contests and are slated to play a larger role in 2014-15.
New Faces
Several new Spartans will also play a major role in 2014-15. Junior Bryn Forbes is immediately eligible after two seasons at Cleveland State where he made 142 3-pointers. He averaged 15.6 points per game as a sophomore, including scoring 22 at Kentucky. Freshmen Javon Bess, Marvin Clark Jr., and Lourawls "Tum Tum" Nairn Jr., also are expected to be a regular part of the rotation. Nairn is among the fastest players in the nation and possesses great leadership skills and toughness. Bess was the 2014 Ohio Division I co-player of the year. Clark is already among the strongest players of the Tom Izzo era. Freshman walk-on Kenny Goins could see some spot minutes in the front court. Junior Eron Harris transferred in from West Virginia in the spring and must sit out the 2014-15 season due to NCAA transfer rules.
A Look Back At 2013-14
Michigan State advanced to the Elite Eight during the 2014 NCAA Tournament. En route, the Spartans advanced to the Sweet 16 for a nation's best sixth time in the last seven seasons. For the year, MSU posted a 29-9 record, including 12-6 in the Big Ten. In the postseason, MSU captured its fourth Big Ten Tournament title and its second in the last three seasons.
Spartans In The NBA
Michigan State leads all Big Ten schools with eight players on NBA rosters. Gary Harris (Denver) and Adreian Payne (Atlanta) are in their rookie seasons after being selected in the first round of the 2014 NBA Draft. They join former Spartans Alan Anderson (Brooklyn), Shannon Brown (Miami), Draymond Green (Golden State), Zach Randolph (Memphis) and Jason Richardson (Philadelphia) in the NBA. Kalin Lucas (Memphis) signed a free-agent contract during the first week of November.
All-Time Block Leaders
Branden Dawson ranks 10th in Michigan State history with 84 career blocks, just behind Paul Davis (87), Aloysius Anagonye (88) and Goran Suton (90). Adreian Payne is the MSU career leader with 141 blocks. With 56 blocks through his first two seasons, Matt Costello could appear in the Top 10 later in the season.
MSU In The Rankings
The 2014-15 USA Today Coaches' Preseason Poll was released on Oct. 16, with the Spartans being ranked No. 18. The Associated Preseason Top 25, released on Oct. 31, also ranked MSU No. 18, The Spartans also are ranked 18th in the Sporting News College Basketball Yearbook, and 14th by Athlon Sports.
Strength Of Schedule
Michigan State's 2014-15 schedule promises to provide another stiff test for the Spartans. MSU could play three of the top five teams in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The Spartans are guaranteed to play No. 3 Duke on Nov. 18 in the Champions Classic and will play at No. 4 Wisconsin in March. A meeting with No. 5 Kansas could take place in the Orlando Classic in late November. Including Kansas, seven different Spartan opponents are ranked in the USA Today Coaches Poll, including five Big Ten opponents (Wisconsin-4, Ohio State-20, Nebraska-21, Michigan-23, Iowa-25). Three other opponents (Illinois, Minnesota, Notre Dame) received votes in the preseason poll. In total, the Spartans will face 13 teams that competed in 2014 postseason play.
THE BOOK ON TOM IZZO
Coach Izzo
In his 20th year, Tom Izzo (Northern Michigan, '77) is 468-187 (.715), and 221-101 (.686) in the Big Ten, as the head coach of the Michigan State basketball program. He ranks as the winningest coach in Michigan State history, having passed his mentor Jud Heathcote with his 341st career victory on Nov. 28, 2009. In his 18 seasons as a head coach, Izzo has captured eight National Coach of the Year awards, including the Clair Bee Award in 2005 and NABC honors in 2001 and 2012. 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 also earned National Coach of the Year accolades from CBSSports.com in 2012. He earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors in 1998, 2009 and 2012.
Among The Big Ten's Best
Tom Izzo's .686 winning percentage in Big Ten games ranks fourth all-time among league coaches with at least 10 years of service, behind Wisconsin's Bo Ryan (.703), former Indiana coach Bob Knight (.700), and Ohio State's Thad Matta (.695) and ahead of former Purdue coach Ward Lambert (.685). In all games, Matta ranks first at .768, followed by Knight (.734), Ryan (.726), Izzo (.715), Wisconsin's Walter Meanwell (.712), and Lambert (.709). With 221 conference victories, Izzo ranks fourth all-time.
Izzo Among Best Ever
Through his first 19 seasons, Tom Izzo won 468 games, ranking fourth in college basketball history for most wins by a college coach in his first 18 years.
Izzo's Coaching Tree
Three current Division I head coaches all served as assistants to Tom Izzo, including Tom Crean (Indiana), Brian Gregory (Georgia Tech), and Mark Montgomery (Northern Illinois). Stan Heath has been a head coach for 12 seasons, with stints at Kent State, Arkansas and South Florida. Mike Garland served as head coach at Cleveland State for three seasons and Stan Joplin, an assistant during Izzo's first season, spent 12 seasons as head coach at Toledo. Jim Boylen was head coach at Utah for four years. Doug Wojcik spent nine seasons between Tulsa and College of Charleston.
