Men's Basketball Opens NCAA Tournament Against Delaware
3/18/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 18, 2014
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
| #4 Michigan State (26-8, 12-6) vs. #13 Delaware (25-9, 14-2) | |
| Date | Thursday, March 20, 2014 |
| Time | 4:40 p.m. ET |
| Location | Spokane, Wash. | Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena |
| Television | TNT (Spero Dedes, Doug Gottlieb, Jamie Maggio) |
| Radio | Spartan Sports Network (Will Tieman, Gus Ganakas, Matt Steigenga) |
| Game Notes | Michigan State | Delaware |
| Statistics | Michigan State | Delaware |
| Social Media | @MSU_Basketball  | Facebook  |
THE OPENING TIP
Michigan State enters the 2014 NCAA Tournament as the No. 4 seed in the East Region. The Spartans claimed the automatic bid out of the Big Ten Conference, capturing the tournament title for the fourth time in program history and the second time in three seasons. MSU will open with its first-ever contest against Delaware.
THE STARTING FIVE
1. MSU's NCAA Streak
Michigan State is making its 17th straight NCAA Tournament appearance in 2014. It is the longest current streak among Big Ten schools and third longest in the nation. Only Kansas (25) and Duke (19) have longer current streaks. In fact, it is the fifth-longest of all-time. It is also the second-longest streak in Big Ten history. Indiana appeared in 18 consecutive tournaments between 1986 and 2003.
2. MSU In The NCAA Tournament
Michigan State is making its 28th appearance in the NCAA Tournament with a record of 56-26 (.683) in its previous 27 tournaments. MSU has made eight trips to the Final Four (1957, 1979, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2010) and captured the NCAA Championship in 1979 and 2000.
3. Spartan NCAA Magic In Spokane
In its only previous NCAA Tournament appearance in Spokane, Wash., Michigan State went 2-0 as the No. 5 seed in the Midwest Regional in 2010. The Spartans defeated No. 12 seed New Mexico State, 70-67, in the first round. In the second round against fourth-seeded Maryland, Korie Lucious hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to propel the Spartans past the Terrapins, 85-83. MSU went on to beat Northern Iowa and Tennessee in St. Louis en route to the 2010 Final Four in Indianapolis. Since the 2010 tournament, MSU returned to Spokane for a regular-season contest, winning at Gonzaga (74-67) on Dec. 10, 2011.
4. At His Best When It Counts
Tom Izzo ranks seventh among active coaches for the best NCAA Tournament winning percentage at .722 (39-15). Duke's Mike Krzyzewski ranks first at .766 (82-25), followed by Louisville's Rick Pitino (.750, 48-16), North Carolina's Roy Williams (.747, 62-21), Florida's Billy Donovan (.738, 31-11), SMU's Larry Brown (.737, 14-5) and Kentucky's John Calipari (.725, 29-11). Of those seven, Izzo and Krzyzewski are the only coaches to appear in the last 17 NCAA Tournaments. In NCAA Tournament wins, Izzo (39) ranks fifth among active coaches, trailing just Krzyzewski (82), Williams (62), Syracuse's Jim Boeheim (52) and Louisville's Rick Pitino (48).
5. Izzo's NCAA Streak
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo is making his 17th straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. It's the second-longest active streak in the nation, trailing only Mike Krzyzewski, who is making his 19th straight trip this season. The 17-year streak is the longest in Big Ten history by a head coach (15, Bobby Knight, Indiana, 1986-2000).
NCAA TOURNAMENT NOTES
MSU In Opening Games
In its 27 NCAA Tournaments, Michigan State has a record of 21-6 in its first game of the tournament. Since the field expanded in 1985, the Spartans are 17-6 in the round of 64. Tom Izzo is 12-4 in the round of 64. (Note: The round of 64, which used to be the first round, is now the second round.)
Spartan Opponents In NCAA Tournament
Ten Michigan State opponents are in the field of 68 for the 2014 NCAA Tournament, including Big Ten foes Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State and Wisconsin, and non-conference opponents Kentucky, Oklahoma, Mount St. Mary's, North Carolina and Texas. The Spartans are a combined 9-6 against the 10 teams, playing 15 of their 34 games against tournament teams. What's more impressive is that five of those 10 opponents earned a Top 6 seed. MSU played a combined nine games against the Top 6 seeds, posting a 4-5 record.
Big Ten Conference In The NCAA Tournament
The Big Ten Conference has six of its 12 schools in the 2014 NCAA Tournament. Joining the Spartans are No. 2 Michigan, No. 2 Wisconsin, No. 6 Ohio State, No. 11 Iowa, and No. 11 Nebraska.
Exclusive Company
Michigan State ranks seventh among all schools in NCAA Tournament winning percentage for teams with at least 20 tournament games. MSU's .683 winning percentage (56-26) trails only Duke (.750, 99-33), UCLA (.725, 95-36), North Carolina (.722, 109-42), Florida (.714, 35-14), Kentucky (.707, 111-46), and Kansas (.699, 95-41). MSU's 56 tournament wins rank ninth in NCAA history and second among Big Ten schools, behind Indiana (64).
MSU In The Round Of 32
Since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, Michigan State has advanced to the round of 32 (new third round) 17 times. MSU has a 13-4 record in round of 32 games since 1985, including winning 11 of its last 12.
Quick Turnaround Success
Michigan State's deep NCAA Tournament runs can be attributed to its success with quick turnarounds. Under Tom Izzo, the Spartans are a remarkable 18-3 in the second game of an NCAA Tournament weekend. All three losses have all come to No. 1 seeds.
Two Titles Not Too Shabby
Michigan State is one of just 14 schools to have won two or more NCAA Championships. Cincinnati, Florida, North Carolina State, Oklahoma State and San Francisco join MSU with two titles. Only UCLA (11), Kentucky (8), Indiana (5), North Carolina (5), Duke (4), Connecticut (3), Kansas (3) and Louisville (3) have won more titles.
MSU BIG TEN TOURNAMENT NOTES
* Michigan State captured its fourth Big Ten Tournament title (1999, 2000, 2012, 2014), improving to 4-0 in Big Ten title games.
* Michigan State shot .503 from the field, while holding opponents to .384 from the field. Entering the tournament, MSU had allowed opponents to shoot .480 from the field in its previous five games.
* MSU committed just 9.3 turnovers per game, after averaging 15.3 in the four games leading into the tournament.
* Branden Dawson was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament, after leading the team in scoring (15.0 ppg) and rebounding (7.3 rpg). He was joined on the All-Tournament team by Gary Harris (13.3 ppg) and Adreian Payne (13.7 ppg).
* Keith Appling was the only Spartan to average more than 30 minutes per game (32.7 mpg).
* MSU held a +10.0 rebounding margin, and averaged 6.0 blocks and 5.7 steals.
MSU BASKETBALL NOTES
Spartan Defense
Michigan State is holding opponents to .400 shooting from the floor, ranking first in the Big Ten and 30th in the nation (NCAA stats through March 16), including .332 from 3-point range, ranking eighth in the conference. In conference games, MSU ranked first in blocks (5.0 bpg), fourth in field-goal percentage defense (.419), and fifth in steals (6.7 spg) and scoring defense (66.2 ppg). In the Big Ten Tournament, MSU held opponents to 60.3 points on .384 shooting (.333 from 3-point range), after allowing 71.2 points on .480 shooting from the field, including .420 from 3-point range, in the previous five games.
Rotating Starting Lineup, Part 1
Michigan State has used 15 different starting lineups this season, as 11 different Spartans have started at least one game. Six different players, and each one of MSU's top four scorers, have missed multiple games due to injury or illness, for a total of 29 games missed. In 19 of 34 games, and 13 of 18 Big Ten contests, MSU has been without its full allotment of players due to injury. In nine games, the Spartans have been without at least two of their regular rotation players. The only game lost due to an injury suffered in practice was Branden Dawson missing the Dec. 28 game vs. New Orleans with a shin bruise, as he sat out just as a precaution. The good news for Michigan State is that every Spartan was available for the March 1 game vs. Illinois, marking the first time that has happened since Jan. 4. In the last two games of the regular season and the Big Ten Tournament, MSU started the same lineup (Keith Appling, Gary Harris, Denzel Valentine, Branden Dawson, Adreian Payne) that it started in the first two games of the Big Ten season, before a foot injury forced Payne out of the lineup vs. Ohio State. It marks the first time all season that MSU has started the same lineup in five straight games.
Outside Shooting
Michigan State is shooting .391 from 3-point range (274-of-700), ranking second in the Big Ten. Six Spartans (Gary Harris-73 (2.4), Travis Trice-48 (1.5), Kenny Kaminski-35 (1.3), Adreian Payne-34 (1.3), Keith Appling-34 (1.1), and Denzel Valentine-37 (1.1)) each average at least one made 3-pointer per game. Individually, Kaminski leads the conference in 3-point field-goal percentage (.493), while Trice ranks fourth (.440), Payne ranks fifth (.420) and Appling ranks 14th (.374). The Spartans have made 10 or more 3-pointers in 13 games (after doing it just once last season) ranking second in the Big Ten in 3-point field goals per game (8.1). In conference games, MSU shot a Big Ten-best .410, while also pacing the Big Ten with 8.6 makes per contest. The Spartans established a school single-game record with 17 made 3-pointers at Purdue, tying the Big Ten record for a conference game. On the season, MSU's 274 made 3-pointers have already established the school single-season record. Last season, the Spartans shot .338 from 3-point range, hitting 177-of-523. The 2003-04 squad was the best shooting team of the Tom Izzo era, shooting .401, while the 1989-90 squad shot a school-record .431.
The Complete Package
Gary Harris gets a lot of notoriety for his scoring, as he ranks sixth in the Big Ten (17.1 ppg). But what makes him special is his ability to be a difference maker on both ends of the court, leading the Spartans with 60 steals, ranking third in the conference (1.9 spg). In Big Ten action, he ranked fourth in scoring (17.2 ppg) and second in steals (2.3 spg).
Spartan Spurtability
Michigan State's dynamic offense has shown the ability to score points in bunches. In 17 games, the Spartans have posted at least a 10-0 run. Some of MSU's best spurts include 21-0 vs. New Orleans, 18-0 vs. McNeese State, and 15-0 against Minnesota. MSU has had a run of 8-0 or better in 25 games.
Appling Ranks Among MSU Career Leaders
Entering the final postseason run of his career, Keith Appling is poised to leave his name throughout the MSU career leader record book. He ranks 18th in career scoring (1,499 points), seventh in made free throws (387), tied for fifth in career starts (119), tied for seventh in games played (138), eighth in 3-point field-goal attempts (410), ninth in starts (119), ninth in steals (149), tied for ninth in assists (453) and 10th in free throw attempts (510). He is also just eight made 3-point field goals (138) from moving into the MSU career Top 10 in that category.
MSU In March
Michigan State is 77-32 (.706) in March since the 1998-99 season. For his career, Tom Izzo is 84-39 (.683) in March. Over the last five-plus years (2009-present), MSU is 31-12 (.721) in what Coach Izzo calls his favorite month of the year.
Spartans Away From Home
Michigan State is 14-4 away from home this season, including 7-3 on an opponent's home court, and 7-1 on a neutral court. This year marked the first time in school history that MSU won at least its first seven games away from East Lansing, opening with wins in its first 10 games away from home. MSU won its first five true road games by 14 points or more, marking the first time in school history it has accomplished that feat during a single season, and won six of its 10 road games by 14 or more points. MSU's 14 wins away from home are tied for seventh most in the nation.
Payne Returns With A Bang
After missing seven games with a right foot sprain, Adreian Payne has been a force in his return, averaging 15.3 points and 6.9 rebounds in 12 games. He's started the last 11 contests, averaging 15.6 points and 7.3 rebounds, including scoring 24 points against Wisconsin, 20 against Northwestern (adding 14 rebounds against the Wildcats), 23 points at Purdue, and 23 against Ohio State. In 12 games, he's shooting .496 from the field, and .400 from 3-point range, averaging 26.4 minutes. He's posted a double-double in two of the 12 games.
Big Ten Stat Champs
Michigan State finished Big Ten play as the statistical leader in four different team categories, pacing the conference in 3-point field-goal percentage (.410), 3-point field goals made (8.6), assists (15.9 apg), and blocked shots (5.0 bpg). It marks the first time that MSU has led the conference in blocks (since 1982). It's the second time MSU has led the Big Ten in 3-point field goals made, and the fourth time it's led in 3-point field-goal percentage.
Dawson's Return
Branden Dawson returned to action against Illinois after missing nine games with a broken hand suffered on Jan. 23. The Spartans are 21-3 with Dawson, averaging 76.5 points on .477 shooting, while holding opponents to 64.4 points and a .394 field-goal percentage. MSU is also averaging 7.4 steals and 5.3 blocks with Dawson in the lineup. In his 19 starts, MSU has posted a 17-2 record. Without Dawson, MSU is averaging 74.7 points on .470 shooting, while allowing 67.6 points on .416 shooting, as the Spartans average just 5.8 steals and 3.8 blocks. During the nine games that Dawson missed with a broken hand, MSU allowed 69.8 points on .433 shooting. In the five games since his return, Dawson is averaging 10.8 points and 6.8 rebounds, shooting .617 from the field.
Lending A Helping Hand
Michigan State is averaging 17.0 assists on the season, pacing the Big Ten and ranking sixth in the nation. With 578 assists on 927 made field goals, the Spartans are recording an assist on 62.4 percent of their baskets. MSU ranks third in the Big Ten and 12th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5) (NCAA stats through March 16). Keith Appling is third in the conference in assists (4.6 apg) and second in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.2). Four Spartans average two or more assists as Denzel Valentine (3.9 apg), Gary Harris (2.7 apg), and Travis Trice (2.4 apg) join Appling.
Payne From Deep
Through the first 87 games of his career, Adreian Payne shot just 1-of-4 from 3-point range. Over the last 44 games, he is 50-of-122 (.410), averaging more than one made 3-pointer per contest. On 14 occasions, including 11 times this season, he's made more than one in a game.
Rotating Starting Lineup, Part 2
Michigan State has used 15 different starting lineups this season. A large part of the rotating door has been the various injuries/illnesses to strike the Spartans. In fact, MSU's five primary starters (Keith Appling, Gary Harris, Branden Dawson, Adreian Payne, and Matt Costello) have all played in just 16 of 34 games. It began with Gary Harris missing three games (Mount St. Mary's, Oakland, North Florida) in a four-game stretch with an ankle injury and also coming off the bench at Texas. Matt Costello started six of the first eight games of the season, but then missed four straight with mononucleosis before returning for conference play. Branden Dawson sat out the New Orleans game with a shin bruise and Travis Trice missed the North Florida game with foot blisters and the Ohio State game due to illness. In addition, Adreian Payne (plantar fasciitis) and Keith Appling (hip pointer) missed significant amounts of practice in early/mid December. The Spartans have been hit especially hard in Big Ten play as Payne recently returned from a right foot sprain which forced him to miss seven contests before returning vs. Penn State. Dawson suffered a broken bone in his right hand on Jan. 23 and missed nine games, and Appling had a sore right wrist, first suffered against North Carolina, which forced him to miss three games in February.
Double-Double Trouble
Six different Spartans have collected a total of 17 double-doubles this season. Adreian Payne leads the team with six, including two since his return from injury, while Branden Dawson has five. Denzel Valentine has three, while Gary Harris, Keith Appling and Matt Costello each have one. Payne ranks tied for second in the Big Ten, while Dawson is tied for fifth. No other Big Ten team has more than four different players with a double-double. (Complete list of Spartan double-doubles on page 10.)
Taking Care Of The Ball
Michigan State is on pace to shatter the mark for fewest turnovers during the Tom Izzo era. MSU is currently averaging 11.4 turnovers, and just 11.6 in conference. The previous low during the Izzo era was 13.0 in 2011-12. The Spartans are 14-3 when committing fewer turnovers than their opponent. MSU ranks seventh in the Big Ten in turnover margin (+0.8), out-scoring opponents by +1.7 points per game (14.8-13.1) in points off turnovers. In the Big Ten Tournament, MSU averaged 9.3 turnovers, after averaging 15.3 in the previous four games.
Trice Runs The Point
Travis Trice filled in admirably at the point in place of an injured Keith Appling, as Trice started five of the last seven games, with Appling missing three of them. In those five starts, he averaged 9.2 points, 4.4 assists and 2.6 rebounds, totaling 22 assists and just two turnovers in 150 minutes. The seven assists he totaled against Penn State were a personal high against a Big Ten opponent, while his 13 points at Wisconsin were the most he had ever scored against a Big Ten team at the time. Over his last 12 games, Trice is averaging 8.4 points and 3.1 assists with a 4.1-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Against Iowa, he scored a season-high 17 points, establishing a new personal best against a conference foe.
Valentine's Versatility
Denzel Valentine is one of just two Spartans to appear in all 34 games, and the only one to appear in every contest averaging more than 10 minutes (29.3 mpg - third on the team). He is the only player in the Big Ten to rank among the top 12 in both rebounding (t-12th, 6.0 rpg) and assists (7th, 3.9 apg). In conference games, he ranked second in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.3) and seventh in rebounding (6.4 rpg). He's even elevated his play as of late, scoring in double figures in 11 of the last 17 games, averaging 9.6 points and 6.4 rebounds. He's led MSU in assists in 14 games and in rebounding 11 times.
Spartans In Overtime
Michigan State is 3-0 in overtime this season, including 2-0 at home. In fact, MSU has won its last seven overtime games, with its last OT loss coming to Minnesota in the 2010 Big Ten Tournament. The Spartans last had three overtime games in Big Ten play during the 2011 campaign.
Payne's Senior Season
After opting to bypass the NBA Draft and return to Michigan State, Adreian Payne is determined to make the most of his senior season. A preseason first-team All-American as selected by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, Payne ranks second on the team in scoring (15.8 ppg) and rebounding (7.4 rpg), ranking seventh in the conference in scoring and third in rebounding. He's posted a double-double in six games this season. Against Texas, he scored a career-high 33 points. He's captured Big Ten Player of the Week honors twice this season (Nov. 18 and Dec. 23). He returned to action against Penn State (Feb. 6), scoring 12 points in 18 minutes, after missing the previous seven games while resting a sprained foot. Prior to the Penn State game, his last action came against Ohio State on Jan. 7, nearly one month earlier. Since his return, he's posted the first back-to-back 20-point games of his career with 24 points vs. Wisconsin and 20 vs. Northwestern, and with his 23 points at Purdue and 23 at Ohio State, he has scored 20 or more points in four of his eight starts since injury, with two double-doubles.
Next Man Up
There's no secret that the Spartans have been forced to deal with several injuries this season, but they understand that their opponents won't ease up, nor are they looking for any sympathy. Just as the Spartan football team employed the "Next Man Up" motto, with reserve linebacker Kyler Elsworth making the game-clinching fourth-down stop in the Rose Bowl, so too has the Spartan basketball team. For instance, in the seven games that Adreian Payne missed, Matt Costello averaged 7.0 points and 5.4 rebounds, compared to 2.6 points and 3.0 rebounds before that. Denzel Valentine also elevated his production, averaging 8.6 points and 7.4 rebounds in Payne's absence. Over the last 19 games, Costello is averaging 5.2 points and 3.8 rebounds and Valentine is averaging 9.1 points and 6.6 rebounds. When Branden Dawson went down Jan. 23, more opportunities opened in the Spartan lineup. First, Alvin Ellis III doubled his career high with 12 points against Michigan. Against Iowa on Jan. 28, Russell Byrd stepped up and hit a game-clinching 3-pointer in overtime after not playing in five of the first six Big Ten games, and not hitting a 3-pointer since Dec. 17.
Different Ways To Win
With its 54-40 win at Northwestern, Michigan State proved it could win a low-scoring contest with its defense. But MSU has also shown it can win with a potent offense. MSU has won games when scoring in the 50's (1), 60's (4), 70's (8), 80's (7), 90's (5), and 100's (1). Wisconsin and Michigan State are the only teams to accomplish this feat in the Big Ten.
Appling Paces The Big Ten
Keith Appling has elevated his all-around play as a senior and is proving to be among the most dominating performers in the Big Ten, and, in fact, the country. Appling leads the conference with four games in which he's tallied at least 20 points and seven assists. The rest of the conference has just five occasions combined. The Spartan senior also paces the Big Ten with three games of at least 20 points, 7 assists and five rebounds.
Kaminski For Three
Redshirt freshman Kenny Kaminski is quickly establishing himself as one of the top shooters in the conference. On the season, he is shooting .493 (35-71) from 3-point range, pacing the Big Ten. He's been equally prolific in conference play, connecting on 25-of-54 attempts (.463) from behind the arc, ranking third in the conference. In two games (vs. Minnesota and Penn State) Kaminski hit five 3-pointers, connecting on his first five attempts in both contests.
All-Big Ten Spartans
Four Spartans were honored when the All-Big Ten Teams were announced on March 10. Gary Harris was selected to the first team, while also being selected to the All-Defensive Team. Adreian Payne earned a spot on the second team, despite missing six Big Ten games, while both Keith Appling and Denzel Valentine were honorable mention selections. Valentine was the MSU recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
Costello With The Rejection
Since returning from missing four games with mono in December, Matt Costello is proving his worth in the Spartan lineup, especially on the defensive end. In 18 conference games, he totaled 24 blocks (1.3 bpg), ranking eighth in the Big Ten. Overall, he ranks 10th in the conference at 1.3 bpg (39 blocks). He's also showing some offense, averaging 5.2 points in the last 19 games, including scoring 11 vs. Iowa, 10 vs. Penn State, nine vs. Michigan and Northwestern, and eight at Illinois.
Izzo Moves Up Big Ten Coaching List
With MSU's 78-62 win at Illinois, Tom Izzo passed Illinois' Lou Henson for sole possesion of fourth place on the Big Ten career victories list with 215 wins. Izzo currently stands at 221 career Big Ten wins. In MSU's 73-56 win at Indiana, Izzo moved past IU's Branch McCracken for fifth place on the career Big Ten victories list with 211. Indiana's Bob Knight is the all-time leader with 353 Big Ten wins. Ward Lambert ranks third with 228 wins, while Gene Keady is second at 265.
Spartans Hit The Mark
Michigan State ranks second in the Big Ten in field-goal percentage at .475. The Spartans have shot 50 percent or better in 12 games, including a season-high .631 against Mount St. Mary's. Against North Florida, MSU shot 70.8 percent in the first half. MSU has shot better than its opponent in all but six games this season, losing all six of those contests.
20-Point Spartans
Four different Spartans have scored 20 points or more in a game this season. Gary Harris leads the way with 10 20-point efforts, while Adreian Payne has eight and Keith Appling has seven. Branden Dawson joined the club with 20 points at Penn State in the Big Ten opener. (Complete list of Spartan 20-point efforts on page 10.)
On The Run
Michigan State is eager to get out in transition this season, even more so than normal. Speaking at MSU's annual media day, Tom Izzo told the assembled media "I think we should be a team that can run, run, run and run." MSU is averaging 75.9 points per game, ranking second in the Big Ten. It's MSU's highest scoring team since averaging 78.5 in 2004-05, and the third-best scoring average of the Izzo era.
Guard Rebounds
For the Spartans to maintain their reputation as a strong rebounding team, they need a strong effort from their guards. In fact, three of MSU's four leading rebounders play on the perimeter. Branden Dawson is averaging a team-best 8.3 rebounds from the wing. Denzel Valentine (6.0 rpg) ranks third on the team, and Gary Harris (4.2 rpg) ranks fourth. Either Dawson or Valentine has led the Spartans in rebounding in 24 of 34 games.
Spartans At The Charity Stripe
MSU is shooting .693 from the foul line this season. The three Spartans that attempt the most free throws (Appling-138 attempts, .659; Harris-131 attempts, .802; Payne-111 attempts, .748) are shooting a combined .734 (279-380) from the free throw line.
Appling Runs The Team
Senior Keith Appling is in his third season as Michigan State's starting point guard, gaining more confidence each season. He's finished in the Top 10 in the Big Ten in assists in each of the last two seasons, but he spoke this offseason about becoming better at running his team, gaining praise from Coach Izzo for his development. He's averaging a career-best 4.6 assists per game and owns a 2.2 assist-to-turnover ratio, ranking third in the Big Ten in assists and second in assist-to-turnover ratio. In a win over No. 1 Kentucky, Appling dished out eight assists, in addition to his 22 points and eight rebounds. Coach Izzo described Appling's 25-point, seven-assist effort vs. Portland "one of the greatest point guard performances in many, many, many years when you look at what he shot and the decisions he made. He did just an unbelievable job defensively ... He was worth the price of admission." He paced MSU with a career-high 27 points vs. Oklahoma, earning Coaches vs. Cancer Classic MVP honors. He scored a team-high 21 points vs. Oakland, including 18 points in the second half. He matched his career high with 27 points against New Orleans, adding eight assists, earning co-Big Ten Player of the Week honors on Dec. 30. In an overtime win against No. 3 Ohio State, Appling led the Spartans in scoring (20 points) and assists (7) and tied for the team lead in rebounds (6). He followed with a game-high 24 points vs. Minnesota, including eight points (8-8 FT) in overtime. Against Michigan, he recorded his first career double-double with 10 points and a career-high 10 assists. Recently, he came off the bench at Purdue to dish out nine assists. He's led MSU in scoring in nine games and in assists 19 times. The Spartans are a perfect 9-0 when Appling leads the team in scoring. Due to a wrist injury he missed three games in February, and took some time to get back in the flow. His 12-point effort vs. Iowa on March 6 was his first double-figure effort since scoring 16 at Iowa on Jan. 28.
Valentine And Trice Are Key Contributors
Travis Trice and Denzel Valentine were not in the starting lineup at the beginning of the season when MSU had its full complement of players, but in the eyes of Coach Izzo, they might as well have been. Izzo has regularly referred to the duo as "super subs." Valentine ranks fifth on the team in scoring (8.3 ppg) and third in minutes (29.3 mpg), while Trice ranks sixth in scoring (7.3 ppg) and minutes (22.2 mpg). Valentine (3.9 apg) is second in assist average, while Trice (2.4 apg) is fourth. Due to different injuries and ailments, Valentine ranks second on the team with 29 starts, including 26 straight, while Trice has started eight games.
MSU's Super Sophomore
Following a season that saw him earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors, Gary Harris has had an even better sophomore season. After opting to return to Michigan State for his sophomore season rather than enter the NBA Draft, Harris opened the season by recording his first career double-double with 20 points, a career-high 10 rebounds and dishing out a career-high six assists. He followed that effort with another 20-point contest against No. 1 Kentucky. He leads the team and ranks sixth in the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 17.1 points per contest, scoring 20 or more points in a team-best 10 games. During the non-conference, he missed three games (Mount St. Mary's, Oakland and North Florida) while resting an injured ankle.
Playing The Best
Since the 1997-98 season, the year of MSU's first of 17 straight trips to the NCAA Tournament, the Spartans have played 184 games against ranked opponents. That total ranks first among teams that have appeared in a Final Four in that span. The Spartans are followed by North Carolina (166), Duke (159), Kentucky (158), and Connecticut (152).
20-Win Seasons
With its 82-67 win over Penn State, MSU recorded its 14th 20-win season in the last 17 years, all under head coach Tom Izzo. Of the 22 20-win seasons in Spartan history, Izzo has been involved in 19 of them, 14 as a head coach and five as an assistant.
Payne's Block Party
Senior Adreian Payne is the MSU career leader with 137 blocks, having passed Drew Naymick (134 blocks) in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament. Payne blocked a career-best five shots in the third round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament against Memphis, en route to 46 on the season, good for the sixth-best single-season effort in school history.
Dawson's Energy On Display
Branden Dawson didn't miss a game last season despite tearing his ACL at the end of his freshman year, and yet he wasn't functioning at 100 percent. He has been a much more active player this season, exhibiting the rare combination of strength and athleticism that rank him among the Big Ten's elite. He is currently averaging a team-best 8.3 rebounds, leading the team in 16 of 24 games in which he's played, and 9.7 points. His tip-in with five seconds remaining sealed the win over No. 1 Kentucky. He has five double-doubles on the season, ranking second on the team. Dawson missed nine straight games with a broken bone in his right hand (Jan. 25-Feb. 23). He ranked second in the Big Ten in rebounding and field-goal percentage before dropping out of the rankings due to missing too many games due to injury. In six games since his return from injury, he's averaging 10.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.2 blocks, shooting .617 from the field.
Nation's Best Backcourt
Michigan State makes a strong claim for having the nation's best backcourt. Gary Harris, Keith Appling, Branden Dawson, Denzel Valentine, and Travis Trice rank among MSU's top six in scoring, while Appling, Harris, Dawson and Trice have each scored 20 or more points at least once during their career. Not only are they dynamic offensively, they also can provide lockdown defense. With Appling and Harris, MSU features the only team in the nation with two backcourt players on the 23-man midseason watch list for the Oscar Robertson Trophy and the 30-man Naismith Trophy List.
It's All About Boardwork
Michigan State has led the nation in rebounding in four of the last 14 seasons (2000, 2001, 2009, 2010), ranking in the Top 10 nine times and the Top 25 on 12 occasions. MSU has led the Big Ten in rebounding margin in conference games in 11 of the last 16 years. In the Tom Izzo era, MSU has out-rebounded 502 of 651 opponents (.771), posting a 398-104 (.793) mark in those games. Last season, the Spartans out-rebounded 32 of 36 opponents. This season, MSU owns a +5.1 rebounding margin, ranking third in the Big Ten, and has out-rebounded 25 of 34 opponents, posting a 20-5 mark when grabbing more rebounds. MSU has out-rebounded its last 12 opponents.
Robertson Trophy Watch List
Senior guard Keith Appling and sophomore guard Gary Harris are two of 23 players named to the 2013-14 Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watch List. The list was selected by the board of directors of the United States Basketball Writers Association. Michigan State is one of six schools with two players on the list of 15. The award will be presented to the national player of the year by its namesake at the Devon Energy College Basketball Awards on April 14, in Oklahoma City.
MSU In The Rankings
The Spartans are currently ranked No. 11 in the Associated Press Top 25 and No. 13 in the USA Today Coaches' Poll (March 17). Six Spartan opponents are also ranked in at least one of the polls, including Michigan (7/8), Wisconsin (12/15), North Carolina (19/18), Oklahoma (21/20), Ohio State (22/24), and Kentucky (-/22).
Wooden And Naismith Award Watch Lists
After not appearing on the Midseason Top 25 list, Gary Harris is one of 15 players on the final ballot for the John R. Wooden Award. Keith Appling and Adreian Payne each earned a spot on the Midseason Top 25 list. The Wooden Award All-American Team, consisting of the nation's top 10 players, will be announced the week of the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament. Harris and Appling have also been named to the Naismith Trophy Midseason Top 30 List.
Cousy Award Finalist
Senior Keith Appling is one of 24 finalists for the 2014 Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award. The annual honor, named for Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic Bob Cousy, recognizes the top point guard in men's college basketball. This list of finalists will be narrowed down to a final five by early March. The Cousy Award winner will be presented the award on Championship Monday in Dallas at the Hall of Fame's Class of 2014 Announcement and Press Conference.
1,000-Point Scorers
With 24 points against Wisconsin, Adreian Payne become the 44th player in Michigan State history to reach 1,000 points for his career. Last season, Keith Appling became the 43rd player to accomplish the feat, and just the 29th player to reach the milestone in three seasons. With 1,499 career points, Appling ranks 18th in MSU career scoring, 18 points behind Draymond Green (1,517 points). With 1,150 points for his career, Payne is 36th, 26 points behind Lee Lafayette (1,176 points). With 969 points, Gary Harris has a chance to reach 1,000 career points this season.
MSU At No. 1
Earlier this season, Michigan State held the No. 1 spot in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Polls for three straight weeks for the first time in school history. Although the Spartans have been ranked in the Top 10 in 15 of Tom Izzo's 19 seasons, and the Top 5 in 11 seasons, this was just the second season under Coach Izzo, and just the third time in school history that MSU has held the top spot in the AP Top 25, having previously been ranked No. 1 for two weeks in both 1978-79 and 2000-01. The Spartans have an all-time record of 9-4 at No. 1.
Spartan Freshmen
Michigan State features three freshmen in its playing group, including red-shirt freshman Kenny Kaminski, and true freshmen Alvin Ellis III and Gavin Schilling. Kaminski redshirted last season following a shoulder injury he suffered last fall. He provides a big man with excellent shooting ability for the Spartans. Ellis III and Schilling were prep teammates as juniors at Chicago De La Salle High School before Schilling transferred to Findlay Prep in Nevada for his senior season. Ellis III provides a solid all-around presence on the perimeter, while Schilling provides great strength and quickness in the post. Both Ellis III and Schilling were added during the spring signing period in 2013.
MSU VS. CINCINNATI NOTES
About Cincinnati
The Bearcats tied for the inaugural American Athletic Conference regular-season title (with Louisville), with a 15-3 conference record. Cincinnati enters the NCAA Tournament with a 27-6 overall mark after falling in the AAC Tournament semifinals to Connecticut. Senior guard Sean Kilpatrick, a first-team All-AAC selection, leads the conference in scoring (20.7 ppg.) and 3-pointers made (90; 2.7 pg) and ranks third in free-throw percentage (.847).
Cincinnati vs. The Field of 68
The Bearcats are 8-5 against teams in this year's NCAA Tournament. Cincinnati went 4-2 against non-conference teams in the field, including wins over North Carolina Central, North Carolina State, Pittsburgh and Nebraska, and losses to New Mexico and Pittsburgh. In AAC play, the Bearcats swept Memphis, split with Louisville, and lost two of three to Connecticut.
Common Opponents
Michigan State and Cincinnati both played Nebraska this season. MSU lost its only matchup to the Huskers at the Breslin Center on Feb. 16 (60-51), while the Bearcats topped Nebraska at home on Dec. 28 (74-59).
Series History
Michigan State leads the all-time series against Cincinnati, 9-4. The last meeting between the two teams came in the second round of the 1992 NCAA Tournament, as the fourth-seeded Bearcats defeated the No. 5 seed Spartans, 72-65, in Dayton, Ohio; the Bearcats went on to reach the Final Four that season in Minneapolis. That game also marks the only matchup between the two schools in the postseason. The series dates back to 1930, as the Spartans won the first-ever meeting with a 22-8 victory at home on Dec. 5, 1930.
Coach Cronin
Mick Cronin (Cincinnati, 1997) is 162-106 (.604) in his eighth season as head coach of his alma mater. Cronin has led the Bearcats to four consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament (3-3 record), including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2012. Despite being picked to finish fourth in the AAC, Cronin guided the Bearcats to a share of the regular-season title, UC's first conference crown since 2004, and he was rewarded by being named the league's coach of the year. Prior to returning to UC, he spent three seasons as head coach at Murray State (2003-06) and led the Racers to two NCAA Tournament berths and a 69-24 record. Overall, Cronin owns a 231-130 (.640) record as a head coach; this marks his sixth appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Cronin served as associate head coach for two seasons at Louisville (2001-03) and was an assistant coach for four seasons at UC under Bob Huggins (1997-2001).
Bearcat Notes
Cincinnati is making its fourth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance and 28th overall in school history (43-26 all-time record) ... The Bearcats have won two National Championships (1961, 1962) and have appeared in the Final Four six times (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1992) ... UC was a No. 10 seed last season and lost to No. 7 Creighton in the second round ... The Bearcats lead the AAC in scoring defense (58.3 ppg.), which ranks fifth in the nation; however, UC ranks ninth in scoring offense with 68.7 points per game ... The Bearcats also rank second in the league in rebounding margin (+4.4) and turnover margin (+3.2) ... Senior forward Justin Jackson (11.1 ppg., 7.2 rpg., 2.9 bpg.) was named the AAC Defensive Player of the Year and was a second-team all-league pick; he leads the conference with 95 blocks ... Cincinnati started the season 22-2, including a 15-game winning streak from Dec. 17 to Feb. 6.
MSU VS. HARVARD NOTES
About Harvard
The Crimson claimed its fourth-straight Ivy League Championship with a school-record 13-1 conference mark, winning the league by four games. Harvard is riding an eight-game winning streak and enters the NCAA Tournament with a 26-4 overall record; the 26 wins match a school single-season record. Junior Wesley Saunders (14.0 ppg., 4.7 rpg., 3.9 apg., 1.7 spg.) was named the Ivy League Player of the Year and is a two-time All-Ivy League first-team selection. Harvard is the first Ivy League team to win four consecutive league championships since Penn (1993-96), and is the first program in the conference to collect five 20-win seasons in a row since Penn did it a record six times from 1970-75. The Crimson is the first Ivy League team to reach the NCAA Tournament three years in a row since Cornell (2008-2010).
Harvard vs. The Field of 68
The Crimson is 0-2 against teams in this year's NCAA Tournament. Harvard lost at Colorado Nov. 24 (70-62) and at Connecticut Jan. 8 (61-56).
Common Opponents
Michigan State and Harvard both played Columbia this season. MSU defeated the Lions Nov. 15 in the Breslin Center (62-53), while the Crimson swept Columbia in Ivy League play. (88-84 2OT and 80-47)
Series History
Michigan State and Harvard have played each other four times, with both schools winning twice; however, the last meeting was back in 1949. MSU won the first-ever matchup, a 39-28 victory at Jenison Field House on Dec. 24, 1941.
Coach Amaker
Tommy Amaker (Duke, 1987) is 138-70 in his seventh year as head coach at Harvard. He has led the Crimson to four straight Ivy League Championships - its only league titles in school history. This marks Amaker's fourth appearance as a head coach in the NCAA Tournament (record: 3-3). Prior to taking over at Harvard, he spent six seasons as the head coach at Michigan (2001-2007) and four seasons as the head coach at Seton Hall (1997-2001), which included a Sweet 16 appearance in 2000. A 2013 inductee into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame, Amaker owns an overall record of 314-209.
Crimson Notes
Harvard is making its third consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament and its fourth all-time in school history (1946, 2012, 2013, 2014) ... The Crimson is 1-4 all-time in the NCAA Tournament ... Last season as the No. 14 seed, Harvard won its first-ever NCAA Tournament game with a 68-62 win over third-seeded New Mexico in the second round; the Crimson fell to Arizona, 74-51, in the third round ... Harvard leads the Ivy League and ranks No. 13 in scoring defense, allowing just 60.5 points per game ... The Crimson also ranks first in the Ivy League in scoring offense (73.6 ppg.), field-goal percentage (.467), 3-point field-goal percentage (.387), blocked shots (5.0 pg.), steals (7.8 pg.) and turnover margin (+3.17) ... All five starters average in double-digits ... Six Harvard players earned All-Ivy League honors, setting a school record.
THE BOOK ON TOM Coach Izzo
In his 19th year, Tom Izzo (Northern Michigan, '77) is 465-186 (.714), 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 .770, followed by Knight (.734), Ryan (.725), Izzo (.714), Wisconsin's Walter Meanwell (.712), and Lambert (.709). With 221 conference victories, Izzo ranks fourth all-time.
Izzo Among Best Ever
Through his first 18 seasons, Tom Izzo won 439 games, ranking fourth in college basketball history for most wins by a college coach in his first 18 years.
Izzo's Coaching Tree
Five current Division I head coaches all served as assistants to Tom Izzo, including Tom Crean (Indiana), Brian Gregory (Georgia Tech), Stan Heath (South Florida), Mark Montgomery (Northern Illinois) and Doug Wojcik (College of Charleston). 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.
