Super Bowl Sunday Brings In-State Rivalry

1/31/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Jan. 31, 2015

Michigan State (14-7, 5-3) vs. Michigan (13-8, 6-3)
Date	Sunday, February 1, 2015
Time	1 p.m. ET
Location	Piscataway, N.J. \| Rutgers Athletic Center
Television	CBS (Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery)
Radio	Spartan Sports Network (Will Tieman, Gus Ganakas, Matt Steigenga)
Tickets	Buy Tickets
Game Notes	Michigan State \| Michigan
Statistics	Michigan State \| Michigan
Live Stats	\| Live Stats (Mobile Users)
Social Media	@MSU_Basketball \| Facebook \| Instagram
Promotions	Vote For Coach Izzo

THE OPENING TIP
Intrastate rivals Michigan State and Michigan square off in a Super Bowl Sunday showdown. Both squads are coming off decisive victories, as the Spartans defeated Rutgers by 20 points Thursday, while the Wolverines beat Nebraska by 14 points Tuesday.

THE STARTING FIVE
1. Spartan Defense
On the season, MSU is limiting teams to 62.1 points on .382 FG%, including .304 from 3-point range. The Spartans lead the Big Ten in FG pct. defense, while ranking second in 3-point FG pct. defense, and fifth in scoring defense. In conference games, MSU ranks second in FG pct. defense (.390), fourth in scoring defense (65.1 ppg), and seventh in 3-point FG pct. defense (.336). The all-time lows of the Izzo era were a .379 FG% in 2011-12 and .298 3FG% in 2001-02.

2. Spartans On Super Bowl Sunday
Michigan State is 3-3 all-time on Super Bowl Sunday, including 2-1 at Breslin Center. This is the third time the Spartans and Wolverines have played on Super Bowl Sunday. The Wolverines won a 60-58 meeting on Jan. 26, 2003, in Ann Arbor. Three years ago, MSU defeated UM, 64-54, in East Lansing on Feb. 5, 2012. In that contest, Draymond Green posted a double-double with 14 points and 16 rebounds, while Michigan as a team grabbed 16 boards. The Spartans also played on Super Bowl Sunday in 2000 (W), 2002 (W), 2009 (L) and 2011 (L). When MSU plays on Super Bowl Sunday, the NFC is 4-2.

3. Rare Company For Dawson
With current season averages of 11.6 points and 10.1 rebounds, Branden Dawson is averaging a double-double. Under Tom Izzo, Draymond Green is the only Spartan to record a double-double for an entire season, averaging 16.2 points and 10.6 rebounds in 2011-12. Antonio Smith averaged 10.6 rebounds in 1996-97, but just 8.5 points.

4. Valentine's Versatility
Denzel Valentine is arguably the most versatile player in the Big Ten and the numbers provide the evidence. The Spartan junior is the only player to rank in the Top 16 in the Big Ten in scoring (16th), rebounding (13th) and assists (8th). He also ranks in the Top 15 in 3-point field-goal percentage (8th), 3-point field goals made (8th), assist-to-turnover ratio (13th), and defensive rebounds (9th).

5. Dawson's Defense
Branden Dawson is among the best defensive players in the conference, as his strength and athleticism give him the versatility to guard nearly any position on the floor. Consider what some of the best players in the Big Ten have done against Dawson: Maryland's Jake Layman (Dec. 30) (Avg. 15.8 ppg entering the game - 4 pts., 2-4 FG, 0-2 3FG, 9 rebs., 36 min.), Indiana's Troy Williams (Jan. 5) (13.6 ppg - 0 pts., 0-2 FG, 1 reb., 17 min.), Iowa's Aaron White (Jan. 8) (17.2 ppg - 8 pts., 2-4 FG, 1-1 3FG, 28 min.). He is the only player to rank in the Top 15 in the Big Ten in steals (13th), blocks (14th) and defensive rebounds (1st).

MSU VS. MICHIGAN NOTES
Series History
Michigan leads the all-time series with Michigan State, 97-77, although the Spartans own a 47-37 advantage in games played in East Lansing. MSU has won 21 of the last 30 games overall. Tom Izzo is 21-14 in his career against the Wolverines.

Coach Beilein
John Beilein (Butler, `90) is 714-420 in his 37th season as a collegiate head coach, including 163-102 in his eighth season at Michigan. His coaching career also includes stints at West Virginia, Richmond, Canisius, LeMoyne, Nazareth and Erie Community College.

The Last Meeting
Michigan State defeated Michigan, 69-55, on March 16, 2014, in the championship game of the 2014 Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis. Michigan held an early 9-4 lead, but MSU responded with a 12-0 run and never led by fewer than four points the rest of the game. Leading 38-29 at the half, MSU scored the first eight points of the second half to push its lead out to 17 points at 46-29. Michigan never got closer than 10 points after that. MSU held an 18-2 edge in points off turnovers, after Michigan had held a 14-0 edge in the previous contest. Branden Dawson hit 7-of-8 shots en route to scoring 15 points, earning Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors. Adreian Payne led all scorers with 18 points and added nine rebounds, while Gary Harris added 15 points. Nik Stauskas led Michigan with 17 points. The Spartans made just 2-of-17 shots behind the arc, but made 25-of-37 2-point shots. The game marked the first-ever neutral site contest between the Spartans and Wolverines, as MSU improved to 4-0 all-time in the Big Ten Tournament finals history.

The Last Meeting In East Lansing
Michigan defeated Michigan State, 80-75, on Jan. 25, 2014, in East Lansing. UM hit its first four shots in jumping out to a 10-2 lead. Michigan State then cranked up the defense, allowing the Wolverines to hit just two of their next 12 shots, as the Spartans used a 19-6 run to take a 21-16 lead, eventually taking a 36-30 lead into halftime. In the second half, Michigan tied the score at 53 with 7:47 remaining. Just over three minutes later, Keith Appling gave MSU a 60-58 lead, but Michigan tied it with two free throws. Appling then drove for another layup, but Jon Horford blocked his shot and Nik Stauskas hit a transition 3-pointer. On MSU's next possession, Horford once again blocked Appling's layup, resulting in a three-point play for Derrick Walton Jr. The Wolverines sealed the win by hitting 14-of-16 foul shots in the final two minutes. Gary Harris scored a career-high 27 points to lead all scorers and Keith Appling recorded his first double-double with 10 points and a career-high 10 assists. Stauskas and Walton Jr., led the Wolverines with 19 points each.

Wolverine Notes
Michigan ranks second in the Big Ten overall in scoring defense, allowing 61.2 points per contest, while allowing a conference-best 59.8 ppg in Big Ten games ... Conference opponents are shooting a Big Ten-low .303 from 3-point range ... The Wolverines rank second in the conference in 3-point field goals made (8.0 pg) ... Spike Albrecht ranks third in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.0).

GM. 21 RECAP • MICHIGAN STATE 71 - RUTGERS 51
Michigan State produced a dominating 71-51 win at Rutgers. MSU opened with a 9-2 run and never trailed in the contest. The Spartans did open a 15-point lead briefly at 34-19 late in the first half, but the Scarlet Knights narrowed the margin to eight points at the half, 42-34. The two teams traded baskets to open the second half before the Spartans exploded for an 18-0 run, holding Rutgers without a point for nearly 10 minutes.

MSU VS. RUTGERS NOTES
* The game was originally scheduled for Jan. 27, but was postponed until two days later due to inclement weather in the area.
* Branden Dawson posted his fifth double-double (17 points, 11 rebounds) in eight Big Ten games, while also dishing out four assists, a personal high against a Big Ten opponent.
* Bryn Forbes matched his season high with 18 points, and also grabbed a season high-tying four rebounds. His 10 field-goal attempts also matched his season high.
* Lourawls "Tum Tum" Nairn Jr. scored a season-high eight points.
* MSU opened the second half on a 20-2 run, including an 18-0 spurt.
* The game marked the first contest between MSU and Rutgers as Big Ten foes.
* The 20-point win was MSU's largest margin of victory on the road since a 72-40 win at Eastern Michigan on Nov. 27, 2011, and its largest in a conference road game since a 91-70 win at Northwestern on Jan. 2, 2010.

MSU BASKETBALL NOTES
Izzo's 20th Season
In his 20th season as Michigan State head coach, the 2014-15 campaign is 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 482 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 19 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).

Big Ten Success
Michigan State has captured at least a share of the Big Ten Championship or a Big Ten Tournament title in four of the last six seasons. After winning the title outright in 2009, the Spartans shared the conference crown in 2010 and 2012. In 2012, MSU also added a Big Ten Tournament title to its resume. Last season, MSU won the Big Ten Tournament after finishing tied for second in the regular season. During Tom Izzo's tenure, the Spartans have won seven regular-season titles and four tournament crowns.

Breslin Advantage
Michigan State is 348-52 (.870) at home all-time since Breslin Center opened in 1989, including 180-39 (.822) in Big Ten play. Under Tom Izzo, the Spartans are 274-37 (.881) at Breslin, including a 139-26 (.842) conference record. MSU has won 55 of the last 63 (.873) games at Breslin.

Spartans On Target From Deep
Michigan State is shooting .395 (156-395) from 3-point range this season, ranking second in the Big Ten and 23rd in the nation. In conference play, however, MSU is shooting just .348. Bryn Forbes (.473) ranks second in the Big Ten, including .517 in Big Ten games, while Denzel Valentine (.417) ranks 8th. Travis Trice (.373) and Marvin Clark Jr. (.371) also shoot 37 percent or better from behind the arc.

Dawson's Double-Doubles
Branden Dawson has posted double-doubles in five Big Ten games (Indiana, at Iowa, at Maryland, Penn State, at Rutgers). In the other three games, he missed double-doubles by one point (Maryland), two points (at Nebraska) and one rebound (Northwestern). Against Nebraska, he grabbed 18 rebounds, a personal best against a Big Ten opponent. Dawson has grabbed double-figure rebounds in seven of eight conference games, averaging a Big Ten-best 12.1 rebounds per game in Big Ten play (10.1 rpg overall). He has six double-doubles this season and 18 for his career.

Keeping The 3-Pointer In Perspective
Michigan State is shooting .395 from 3-point range this season, marking the second-best percentage of the Tom Izzo era. But on-target shooting does not equal an over-reliance on the outside shot. MSU has attempted 395 3-pointers in 1209 field-goal attempts, meaning 32.7 percent of its shots are from behind the arc. That percentage ranks as the fourth-highest percentage of the Izzo era, behind 2013-14 (36.3%), 2004-05 (32.8%), and 2010-11 (32.7%). It's the sixth time in Izzo's 20 seasons that more than 30 percent of the shot attempts have been 3-pointers, joining the 2003-04 (31.2%) and 1999-2000 (31.1%) squads.

Balanced Scoring
Michigan State features a balanced scoring attack with three players averaging in double figures, four averaging 9.8 points or more, and six players averaging more than six points per game. Six different Spartans have led the team in scoring in a single game, as seven different players have scored in double figures at least once. There have been six games in which five Spartans have reached double figures, two more times than all of last season. The Spartans are a perfect 9-0 when four or more players score in double-figures, and just 5-7 when three or fewer Spartans hit double-figures.

Spartans Strong On The Glass
Michigan State owns a Big Ten-best +8.7 rebounding margin, having out-rebounded 17 of 21 opponents, ranking eighth in the nation. In the Tom Izzo era, MSU has out-rebounded 522 of 676 opponents (.772), posting a 413-109 (.791) mark in those games. The Spartans have led the nation in rebounding in four of the last 15 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 17 years.

Dawson Attacks The Glass
Branden Dawson leads the Big Ten in rebounding at 10.1 boards per contest. In conference games, he's averaging a Big Ten-best 12.1 rebounds, recording double-figure rebounds in seven of eight games. Over his last 12 games, he's averaging 11.3 boards. Twice this season, he's grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds - at Nebraska and at Notre Dame. The 18 rebounds are tied for the most by a Spartan since Goran Suton grabbed 20 vs. Oakland in 2007. Dawson's nine offensive rebounds against the Irish are tied for the third-best single-game effort in MSU history (since 1986-87). The 18 rebounds at Nebraska mark a personal best against a Big Ten opponent. Should Dawson continue to lead the Big Ten in rebounding, he'll be the first player 6-6 or shorter to do it since Wisconsin's Patrick Tompkins in 1991 (overall), and the first to do it in conference games since Minnesota's Richard Coffey in 1988.

Dawson Climbs Rebounding Chart
Branden Dawson is on pace to finish among the all-time leaders in Michigan State career rebounding. With 766 career boards, he needs 37 to tie Lindsay Hairston for 10th place in MSU history.

The Costello-Schilling Combination
Junior Matt Costello (7.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg) and sophomore Gavin Schilling (6.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg) have combined to give Michigan State a solid post presence. The two Spartans average a combined 14.5 points and 10.1 rebounds, shooting .626 (124-198) from the field. Costello ranks second in the Big Ten in field-goal percentage (.604)

All-Time Block Leaders
Branden Dawson ranks fifth in Michigan State history with 103 career blocks, just behind Delvon Roe (106). With three blocks against Penn State he joined Draymond Green and Adreian Payne as the only players in MSU history with 1,000 career points and 100 career blocks. Payne is the MSU career leader with 141 blocks. With 77 blocks in his two-plus seasons, Matt Costello could appear in the Top 10 later in the season. Paul Davis currently ranks 10th with 87 career blocks.

Izzo Moves Up Big Ten Coaching List
Tom Izzo ranks fourth on the career Big Ten victories list with 226. It's likely that Izzo will rank third by the end of the season, moving past Purdue's Ward Lambert (228 wins). Indiana's Bob Knight is the all-time leader with 353 Big Ten wins, while Gene Keady ranks second with 265 victories. In terms of most wins at a Big Ten institution, Izzo already ranks third with 482, trailing only Knight (661 wins) and Keady (512).

Big Ten Success, Part II
Michigan State has won 13 regular-season Big Ten Championships, including three of the last six, since joining the league prior to the 1950-51 season. The Spartans' first ever league game was at Northwestern, where MSU claimed a 67-62 victory on Jan. 6, 1951. All-time, MSU is 584-464 (.557) in league play, including 226-104 (.685) under Tom Izzo, who ranks fourth in league history with 226 conference wins. Izzo has guided MSU to seven of its 13 league crowns. Since Izzo's first season (1995-96), MSU has a Big Ten-best record of 226-104, 15.5 games better than second-place Wisconsin (210-119).

Free Basketball
Michigan State is 1-3 in overtime games this season, as the four overtime games are the most since the Spartans played four during the 2003-04 season. MSU entered the season having won seven straight overtime games dating back to a loss to Minnesota in the 2010 Big Ten Tournament. The last time MSU played more than four overtime games in a season came during the 1987-88 season when it played five.

Trice From Distance
Travis Trice is situated to end his career as one of the most prolific 3-point shooters in MSU history. Midway through his senior year, Trice sits in seventh place in career 3-pointers (159), standing just two out of sixth (Durrell Summers, 161). With a career 3-point field-goal percentage of .404 (159-394), Trice ranks ninth in MSU history.

A Thin Line Between Victory And Defeat
In five of Michigan State's seven defeats, the Spartans have either led or been within a possession in the final minute of the contest, with three of the losses coming in overtime (one in double overtime). Against Kansas, MSU trailed by just three points in the final minute with possession of the ball. At Notre Dame, MSU led by six with under eight minutes left, before falling by a single point in overtime. In an overtime upset loss to Texas Southern, MSU led by eight points with eight minutes to play, and by six with under four minutes to play. In the Big Ten opener, MSU led Maryland by five with under five minutes to play and by four with under two minutes left in overtime, before losing a two-point game in double overtime. At Nebraska, MSU rallied from a 17-point second-half deficit to pull within three points and then two points in the final minute.

Costello Playing Well
Matt Costello is averaging 8.8 points over the last 13 games, in addition to 5.1 rebounds, shooting .611 from the field in 19.2 minutes per contest. Costello started the first six games of the season, averaging 6.2 points and 7.5 rebounds in 20.2 minutes, shooting .593 from the field. He's come off the bench in the last 15 games, averaging 8.1 points and 4.8 rebounds in 18.5 minutes, shooting .608 from the field. Costello has posted two double-doubles on the season.

Valentine's Continual Improvement
Always known for his versatility, Denzel Valentine has worked hard to become a terrific shooter. After shooting .281 (16-57) from 3-point range as a freshman and improving to .377 (43-114) as a sophomore, Valentine is one of the best shooters in the conference this season. He ranks eighth in the Big Ten in made 3-point field goals per game (2.3) and eighth in 3-point field-goal percentage (.417; 48-115).

Dawson's Injury
Branden Dawson suffered a stable, non-displaced fracture on his left wrist after taking a hard fall in the Dec. 17 contest vs. Eastern Michigan. He missed MSU's next two games vs. Texas Southern (Dec. 20) and The Citadel (Dec. 22). He returned to the lineup against Maryland (Dec. 30), totaling nine points and 11 rebounds, while wearing a brace. He had the brace removed prior to MSU's second game vs. Maryland (Jan. 17). Earlier this season, Dawson missed the game against Santa Clara with the flu, and came off the bench vs. Rider and Marquette while recovering from the same illness.

Starting Suits Trice Nicely
In his first year as a primary starter, senior Travis Trice is proving he is up to the challenge. He ranks second in the Big Ten in assists (5.5 apg) and paces the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.5), leading the Spartans in both categories. He is ninth in 3-point field goals made (2.2). Trice entered the year having started just eight games in his career, but he did average 9.3 points and 3.6 assists in those eight games last season.

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. This season, MSU is averaging 7.4 made 3-pointers per contest, ranking seventh in the Big Ten. Denzel Valentine leads MSU and ranks eighth in the Big Ten with 48 made 3-pointers (2.3 pg). The Spartans have made eight or more 3-pointers in 11 games, including six games with 10 or more.

The 1,000-Point Club
With four points against Eastern Michigan before leaving with a wrist injury, Branden Dawson became the 46th Spartan to reach 1,000 career points at MSU. With 1,103 career points, he ranks 39th in MSU history, needing seven points to pass Al Ferrari (1,109 points) and 44 points to pass Pete Gent (1,146 points). Bryn Forbes (1,106 points) has also eclipsed the 1,000-point career mark this season, although 905 of those came in his first two seasons at Cleveland State.

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. This season, MSU is averaging 17.4 assists per game, leading the Big Ten and ranking fifth in the nation, recording an assist on 63.8 percent of its baskets. In 10 games, MSU has recorded an assist on more than 70 percent of its baskets (vs. Navy 18 ast., 25 FG - 72.0%; vs. Loyola 27 ast., 36 FG - 75.0%; vs. Santa Clara 22 ast., 29 FG - 75.9%; vs. Ark.-Pine Bluff 27 ast., 30 FG - 90.0%; vs. Oakland 25 ast., 34 FG - 73.5%; vs. Eastern Michigan 17 ast., 20 FG - 85.0%; vs. The Citadel 23 ast., 32 FG - 71.9%; vs. Maryland 15 ast., 21 FG - 71.4%; vs. Indiana 21 ast., 28 FG - 75.0%; vs. Iowa 19 ast., 27 FG - 70.4%).

Bess In The Starting Lineup
Javon Bess has started three games in Big Ten play, averaging 5.0 points and 3.0 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per contest, while bringing some toughness to the Spartan lineup. After missing the first 10 games of the season while recovering from a broken right foot, Bess made his Michigan State debut against Eastern Michigan on Dec. 17. His development was further stunted by a pair of sprained ankles suffered since the return from the holiday break, limiting him to just 33 total minutes in the first four Big Ten games. He suffered a sprained ankle early this week and came off the bench at Rutgers.

Double-Double Trouble
Four different Spartans have posted a double-double this season as Branden Dawson (vs. Notre Dame-16 pts., 18 reb.; vs. Indiana-14 pts., 13 reb.; vs. Iowa-14 pts., 15 rebs.; vs. Maryland-14 pts., 10 reb.; vs. Penn State-12 pts., 10 reb.; vs. Rutgers-17 pts., 11 reb.) leads MSU with six. Matt Costello (vs. Loyola-13 pts., 11 reb.; vs. Texas Southern-17 pts., 10 reb.), Gavin Schilling (vs. Santa Clara-14 pts., 11 reb.; vs. Penn State-11 pts., 10 reb.) and Denzel Valentine (vs. Santa Clara-13 pts., 11 reb.; vs. Nebraska-21 pts., 11 reb.) each have two. For his career, Dawson has 18 double-doubles, while Valentine has totaled six.

MSU's Sunrise Connection
Freshmen Marvin Clark Jr. and Lourawls "Tum Tum" Nairn Jr., both products of Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas, are making big contributions as Spartan freshmen. Clark Jr. ranks seventh on the team in scoring at 5.4 ppg. Nairn Jr. ranks third on the team with 2.6 assists per game, and has shown remarkable leadership skills for a freshman.

MSU's M.A.S.H. Unit
Michigan State has dealt with injury issues for much of the season. Freshman Javon Bess underwent surgery in late October on a broken bone in his right foot. After missing the first 10 games, he made his debut against Eastern Michigan. Two minor ankle sprains since Christmas have further hampered his development. Sophomore Alvin Ellis III suffered a severe sprained right ankle after just three minutes against Navy and did not return to action until playing five minutes against Notre Dame. Junior Bryn Forbes did not miss any time, but he played with a brace on his left (non-shooting) hand while recovering from a broken bone for the first 10 games. Senior Branden Dawson missed MSU's game vs. Santa Clara with the flu, which also limited his minutes at the Orlando Classic. Against Eastern Michigan, he suffered a wrist injury that kept him out of action for two games. In total, MSU has lost 19 games due to illness and injury for its rotation players.

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 190 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 (173), Kentucky (165), Texas (165), Illinois (164), and Duke (163). (Through games of Jan. 29)

Trice Nominated For Good Works Team
Travis Trice is one of 158 male nominees for the 2015 Allstate NABC Good Works Team. This prestigious community service award recognizes a distinguished group of student-athletes who have demonstrated a commitment to enriching the lives of others and contributing to the greater good in their communities. From the nominees, a distinguished voting panel will select a 10-member team comprised of five student-athletes from the Division I level and five from Divisions II, III and the NAIA.

Ranked Opponents
Michigan State is currently not ranked, but is receiving votes in both the USA Today Coaches Poll and the Associated Press Top 25. Six Spartan opponents are ranked in the Top 25: Duke (No. 4 AP/No. 4 USA Today), Wisconsin (5/5), Notre Dame (8/8), Kansas (9/11), Maryland (16/13), and Indiana (22/21).

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. Dawson was also selected to the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 list and the Naismith Award Watch List.

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.

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).

Spartans In The NBA
Michigan State leads all Big Ten schools with eight players appearing on NBA rosters this season. 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 in November and appeared in his first career game on Nov. 19.

Spartans Sign Strong Recruiting Class
Michigan State signed three talented players to National Letters of Intent during the early signing period. Kyle Ahrens (G, 6-5, 195) led Versailles (Ohio) High School to the Ohio Division III state title game as a sophomore. He was averaging 22 points, seven rebounds as four assists as a junior before suffering a season-ending leg injury in the sixth game of the season. Deyonta Davis (F/C, 6-10, 215) is a five-star big man who averaged 15.0 points, 13.6 rebounds and 7.1 blocks as a junior at Muskegon High School, leading his team to a perfect 28-0 mark and a Michigan Class A state championship. He established a Michigan state high school single-season record with 199 blocks in 2013-14. Matt McQuaid (G, 6-5, 180) averaged 14.7 points and 5.7 rebounds as a junior at Duncanville (Texas) High School. He exploded during the off season, averaging 15.6 points in the 2014 Nike EYBL circuit, shooting 45.1 percent from 3-point range. ESPN.com's Jeff Goodman called him "arguably the best pure shooter in the country."

The Book On Tom Izzo
Coach Izzo
In his 20th year, Tom Izzo (Northern Michigan, '77) is 482-194 (.713), and 226-104 (.685) 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 19 full 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 .685 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 (.707), former Indiana coach Bob Knight (.700), Ohio State's Thad Matta (.692) and just ahead of former Purdue coach Ward Lambert (.685). In all games, Matta ranks first at .768, followed by Knight (.734), Ryan (.734), Izzo (.713), Wisconsin's Walter Meanwell (.712), and Lambert (.709). With 226 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.