Michigan State Hosts Florida Saturday
12/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
| #1/1 Michigan State (10-0) vs. Florida (6-2) | |
| Date | Saturday, December 12, 2015 |
| Time | 6 p.m. ET |
| Location | East Lansing, Mich. | Breslin Center |
| Television | ESPN2 (Jason Benetti, Jim Calhoun) |
| Radio | Spartan Sports Network (Will Tieman, Gus Ganakas, Matt Steigenga) |
| Game Notes | Michigan State | Florida |
| Statistics | Michigan State | Florida |
| Live Stats | |
| Social Media | @MSU_Basketball  | Facebook  | Instagram |
The Opening Tip
Michigan State hosts Florida Saturday in the final non-conference home game of the season for the Spartans. The game will also serve as a reunion for the 2000 NCAA Championship team, just over 15 years after the Spartans defeated the Gators in the title game in Indianapolis. The returning team members will be honored at halftime.
The Starting Five
1. Great Start
At 10-0, Michigan State is off to one of the best starts in school history. It matches the second-best start in school history, as the 1991-92 squad opened at 10-0 before taking a loss. Only the 2000-01 Spartans posted a better start, opening at 12-0 before falling at Indiana.
2. 2000 Championship Reunion
Saturday's game marks a reunion for the 2000 NCAA Championship team, just over 15 years after the Spartans defeated Florida, 89-76, in the 2000 title game on April 3. The 2000 Spartans were led by All-Americans Mateen Cleaves and Morris Peterson, both of whom would later have their numbers retired. Senior A.J. Granger, and juniors Charlie Bell and Andre Hutson would round out a very experienced starting five. Freshman Jason Richardson provided a spark off the bench and would eventually join Cleaves, Peterson, and Bell as NBA players from the championship team, while Hutson was selected in the 2001 NBA Draft. Michigan State posted a 32-7 record, winning a third-straight regular-season Big Ten Championship and a second-straight Big Ten Tournament title before its run through the NCAA Tournament, winning every tournament game by double-figures. The Spartans led the nation in rebound margin (+11.7) and ranked No. 8 nationally in scoring defense (58.9 ppg).
3. MSU At No. 1
Michigan State is currently No. 1 in both the Associated Press and the USA Today Coaches Polls for the third time under head coach Tom Izzo. This is just the fourth time in school history and the eighth week overall that MSU has held the top spot in the AP Top 25. After opening the season at No. 13 in the preseason poll, MSU's rise to No. 1 is the largest by week five since 1987-88 when Arizona opened at No. 17 and rose to No. 1 in week five. The Spartans were No. 1 for two weeks during the National Championship season of 1978-79, holding the top spot on Jan. 3 and Jan. 9. In 2000-01, MSU reached the top spot on Dec. 26 and Jan. 2. Most recently, MSU held the No. 1 spot for three weeks in 2013-14 (Nov. 18-Dec. 2), posting a 4-1 record. The Spartans have an all-time record of 10-4 at No. 1.
4. Valentine Lends A Helping Hand
Denzel Valentine leads the Big Ten and ranks fifth in the nation, averaging 7.7 assists per contest. With 475 assists for his career, he ranks ninth in MSU history, 16 behind Earvin Johnson (491). Valentine has either made or assisted on 47.6 percent of MSU's field goals, as he boasts a career-best 3.2 assist-to-turnover ratio.
5. Offensive Rebounding
Michigan State ranks third in the Big Ten with 12.5 offensive rebounds per game, while ranking second in offensive rebound percentage, grabbing 38.9 percent of its missed shots. The Spartans are averaging 11.8 second-chance points per contest, outscoring opponents by a +5.3 margin.
MSU vs. Florida Notes
Series History
The all-time series between Michigan State and Florida is tied 3-3. MSU captured the only prior meeting in East Lansing, 99-83, on Dec. 6, 2000, as five Spartans scored in double-figures, led by Zach Randolph with 27 points and seven rebounds. The Gators won the last meeting, 77-74, in the 2009 Legends Classic in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Tom Izzo is 3-2 all-time against Florida, with the first win coming in the 2000 NCAA Championship game.
Coach White
Mike White (Mississippi, `00) is 107-42 (.718) in his fifth year as a college head coach, including 6-2 (.750) in his first season at Florida. Previously, White spent four seasons at Louisiana Tech, leading the Bulldogs to three postseason appearances in the NIT, advancing to the quarterfinals in 2014 and 2015. He was named the 2015 Conference USA Coach of the Year, and captured three straight conference championships. His career also includes stints as an assistant coach at Jacksonville State (2000-04) and Ole Miss (2004-11)
Gator Notes
Florida averages 15.3 offensive rebounds per game ... Florida became the third major conference team in the past 20 years to have three players grab 13+rebounds in a game - vs. Richmond ... Florida has already played one Big Ten team, falling to Purdue, 85-70, on a neutral court ... Dorian Finney-Smith became the first Gator since Joakim Noah (2/22/06) to total 20 points, eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks in a game - vs. FGCU.
The Last Meeting
Florida defeated Michigan State, 77-74, on Nov. 27, 2009, in the Legends Classic in Atlantic City, New Jersey. MSU committed 23 turnovers leading to 28 Florida points. The Spartans trailed by seven points in the first half, and two at the break, but would lead by as many as seven points in the second half. MSU was clinging to a 71-69 lead until Erving Walker hit an NBA-range 3-pointer as the shot clock expired to give UF a 72-71 lead with 1:55 left. He followed with two free throws 21 seconds later to give the Gators a 74-71 advantage. Florida scored just three field goals in the final 5:59, but hit 13-of-14 free throws over the same stretch. Kalin Lucas led all scorers with 20 points and Draymond Green posted a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, as the Spartans held a 42-24 edge on the glass. Chandler Parsons led five Gators in double figures with 14 points, while Walker added 12, hitting 7-of-8 foul shots.
MSU Basketball Notes
Denzel Valentine â€" America's Most Versatile Player
Denzel Valentine made an early statement with his triple-double vs. Kansas in the Champions Classic. Tallying a career-high 29 points, a career-high 12 assists and 12 rebounds, he became just the fourth player in MSU history to record a triple-double. Nine days later, he recorded a second triple-double against Boston College (29 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists), and followed the next day with a career-high 32 points vs. Boise State.
He currently leads the Big Ten in assists (7.7 apg), while ranking second in scoring (18.8 ppg) and rebounding (8.9 rpg). He is the only player to rank in the Top 10 in the Big Ten in all three categories. Valentine also leads the Big Ten in defensive rebounds (8.0 drpg), and ranks second in 3-point field goals made (3.0 pg). Last season, he was the only Big Ten player to rank in the Top 15 in scoring, rebounding and assists.
Valentine's numbers are arguably the best in recent college basketball history. Since 1995-96, no player has averaged 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for a season.
For his career, Valentine has totaled 11 double-doubles, including the two triple-doubles.
Basketball-Football Balance
Michigan State is one of six schools to be ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 in both football and men's basketball as the Spartans are currently ranked No. 1 in basketball and No. 3 in football. Oklahoma (No. 7 BB, No. 4 FB) and North Carolina (No. 3 BB, No. 10 FB) are the only other schools with both programs ranked in the Top 10. Baylor, Oregon and Utah are the other schools with both programs ranked. (Football AP Top 25-Dec. 6; Basketball AP Top 25-Dec. 7). MSU is the only school in the nation to have won four straight bowl games and appear in four Sweet 16s in the last four seasons.
Spartans Share The Ball
Unselfishness is a trademark of all Tom Izzo teams. Michigan State is averaging a nation's-best 23.2 assists, and recording an assist on 232 of 290 field goals (80.0 percent). Last season, MSU established a school single-season record with 646 assists, leading the Big Ten and ranking fifth in the nation with 16.6 per contest. In 2013-14, MSU tallied 637 assists, a total that was a school record at the time, until last year's squad surpassed it. The Spartans led the Big Ten and ranked sixth in the nation in 2013-14 with 16.8 per contest. Last year, MSU recorded an assist on 63.7 percent of its baskets.
It's All About Boardwork
Michigan State owns a remarkable +17.5 rebounding margin, leading the Big Ten and ranking second in the nation, as the Spartans have out-rebounded every opponent by at least a +7 margin, including Louisville by +10, after the Cardinals entered the game with a +21.4 margin. In the Tom Izzo era, MSU has out-rebounded 542 of 704 opponents (.770), posting a 430-112 (.793) mark in those games. The Spartans have led the nation in rebounding in four of the last 16 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 12 of the last 18 years and in 13 of 20 seasons under Tom Izzo.
Forbes For Three
Senior Bryn Forbes is proving to be one of top shooters in the country. For his career, he's made 240-of-569 attempts from behind the arc, good for a .422 shooting percentage. He's made a 3-pointer in 101 of 113 career games, including in nine of 10 contests this season. He's opened 2015-16 by making 28-of-57 (.491), making three or more 3-pointers in seven games. Last year, Forbes ranked fourth in the Big Ten in 3-point field-goal percentage (.427).
Defensive Effort
Although Coach Izzo would like to see improvement, statistically, Michigan State has proven to be a strong defensive team in 2015-16. MSU is allowing an average of 57.3 points, while opponents are shooting just .353 from the field and .270 from 3-point range. No opponent has shot better than .473 from the field and .412 from behind the arc. The final step of a defensive possession is securing a defensive rebound, an area which MSU excels, grabbing a conference-best 80.8 percent of opponents' missed shots.
The 500 Win Club
Tom Izzo recorded his 500th-career win in MSU's 99-68 victory over Boston College in the Wooden Legacy. Izzo became the 91st coach in history to record 500 career wins, with at least 10 seasons in Division I, and just the eighth coach to accomplish the feat in his first 21 seasons. Izzo also became the 18th coach to win 500 career games in his first collegiate head coaching stop, and was the eighth-fastest coach to reach 500 wins among those who did it all at one school, accomplishing the feat in 699 career games. (Note: Two days later, Bob McKillop recorded career win No. 500 in 27 seasons - all at Davidson.)
Wooden Legacy Recap
Michigan State captured the 2015 Wooden Legacy championship with three double-digit victories. Denzel Valentine was named Most Outstanding Player after averaging 26.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 7.0 assists, while also setting an event mark with 15 3-pointers in three games (.536). He recorded his second-career triple-double vs. Boston College, and scored a career-high 32 points vs. Boise State. Deyonta Davis averaged 11.3 points, shooting .850 from the field. Tum Tum Nairn Jr. averaged 7.7 points, including a career-high 13 points vs. Boston College, and totaled 18 assists and just two turnovers in two games. MSU recorded an assist on 69 of 88 baskets (78.4 percent) and held a +11.0 rebounding margin. The Spartans shot 52.1 percent from the field and 42.4 percent from 3-point range.
Playing The Best
Since the 1997-98 season, the year of Michigan State's first of 18 straight trips to the NCAA Tournament, the Spartans have played 200 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 (183), Texas (174), Duke (173) and Kentucky (170).
Spartan Depth
Nine Spartans have played in every game, with eight of those players averaging double-figure minutes. In addition, Gavin Schilling has missed all 10 contests, while Marvin Clark Jr. has played just 74 minutes in eight games due to injury. Once healthy, both Schilling and Clark will only add to the Spartan depth, as both could potentially work themselves into the starting lineup.
Valentine's Big Week(s)
Following a week in which he averaged 18.0 points, 9.5 rebounds and 11.5 assists in wins over No. 4 Kansas and Arkansas-Pine Bluff, including posting a triple-double vs. Kansas, Denzel Valentine was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Nov. 23. It marked the first weekly honor of his career. Valentine was also named National Player of the Week by ESPN.com, CBS Sports and NBC Sports. He followed by averaging 22.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 7.0 assists in four games, earning Big Ten Player of the Week and NBC Sports National Player of the Week honors for the second-straight week on Nov. 30.
From Beyond the Arc
Michigan State figures to have one of its best 3-point shooting teams in school history. The Spartans made 294 3-pointers last year, which ranked second in school history, behind only the 2013-14 squad (307 3-pointers). While the Spartans will miss Travis Trice and his 90 3-pointers, they add junior transfer Eron Harris (89 3-pointers in 2013-14), and freshman Matt McQuaid who was rated as one of the best shooters in his class. Michigan State currently ranks third in the Big Ten, shooting .406 from behind the arc, led by Bryn Forbes at .491, as nine different Spartans have made a 3-pointer.
Double-Double Threats
Three different Spartans have recorded a double-double this season. Denzel Valentine has two triple-doubles (vs. Kansas and Boston College), and two double-double (vs. Binghamton and UMES), while Deyonta Davis (vs. Florida Atlantic) and Matt Costello (vs. UAPB) each have one double-double.
Davis' Impressive Debut
Freshman Deyonta Davis is proving to be an impact player in his first season. The 2015 Michigan Mr. Basketball Award winner became just the third Spartan freshman to post a double-double in his debut, totaling 13 points and 11 rebounds, joining Derrick Nix and Matt Steigenga. Davis also blocked five shots, the most ever in a Spartan freshman debut. The 11 rebounds are the second most ever in an MSU freshman debut. Davis ranks third in the Big Ten in blocks (2.4 bpg), third in field-goal percentage (.632) and has scored in double-figures in five games. He was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Nov. 30 after averaging 12.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in four games. With 24 blocks, Davis already has tied the fourth-best effort for a Spartan freshman, and needs six more to hold sole possession of the MSU freshman record.
Triple-Double Trouble
Denzel Valentine recorded a triple-double against Kansas in the Champions Classic (29 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists), joining Earvin Johnson (eight), Draymond Green (three) and Charlie Bell (one) as the only Spartans to accomplish the feat. He recorded a second against Boston College (29 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists), becoming one of three Spartans with multiple triple-doubles. Including his triple-doubles, Valentine has 11 career double-doubles.
All-Time Block Leaders
Matt Costello ranks fifth in MSU history with 114 blocks. Draymond Green ranks fourth with 117 blocks. Branden Dawson is the MSU career leader with 142 blocks. Costello blocked 43 shots as a sophomore and 48 as a junior.
Valentine On Awards Lists
Denzel Valentine is one of 10 Big Ten players on the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50. The list will be trimmed to a Midseason 25 in January. Aerial Powers from the Michigan State women's basketball team made the women's preseason list, making MSU one of just 13 schools, including just two in the Big Ten (Maryland), to have a male and female honoree. He is also on the USBWA Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch List and the Naismith Award Watch List 50. He is a candidate for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award. In the preseason, he was a unanimous selection to the Big Ten's all-conference team, and was tabbed a preseason All-American by CBSSports.com (third team) and Sports Illustrated (second team), while ESPN.com ranked him the No. 3 player in college basketball.
Coaching Stability
Michigan State has had just two basketball coaches in the last 40 seasons and three in the last 47. Tom Izzo is in his 21st season, having taking over from his mentor Jud Heathcote, who spent 19 years as head coach (1976-95). Before Heathcote, Gus Ganakas spent seven seasons as head coach. Ganakas is currently in his 30th-straight season providing commentary on Spartan radio broadcasts.
Valentine In The Record Books
Denzel Valentine has played in 123 career games, needing to play in 23 more to hold sole position of the top spot in Spartan history. Valentine ranks ninth in MSU career assists (475), needing 103 rebounds to become the only Spartan to rank in the school's career Top 10 in both categories. He ranks seventh in MSU history with 191 made 3-pointers and sixth with 490 3-point attempts.
Spartans In The NBA
Michigan State is tied for the Big Ten lead with six players on NBA opening-day rosters. Branden Dawson (Los Angeles Clippers) is in his rookie season after being selected in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft. They join former Spartans Alan Anderson (Washington), Draymond Green (Golden State), Gary Harris (Denver), Adreian Payne (Minnesota) and Zach Randolph (Memphis).
1,000-Point Scorers
Denzel Valentine ranks 29th in MSU history with 1,238 career points. He needs five points to pass Stan Washington (1,242 points) and 37 points to pass Quinton Brooks (1,275 points). Bryn Forbes has 1,365 career points, 905 of which came in his first two seasons at Cleveland State. Eron Harris will likely be the next Spartan to reach 1,000 career points, currently standing at 947 career points after totaling 873 in two seasons at West Virginia.
Prep Teammates
Michigan State's roster features three pairs of high school teammates. Seniors Denzel Valentine and Bryn Forbes teamed to appear in three-straight Michigan Class B title games from 2010-2012, capturing the state championship in 2011 and 2012. Sophomores 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 in 2013-14, while Nairn finished his high school career. Juniors 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.
Strength of Schedule
Eight of MSU's 13 non-conference contests feature 2015 postseason participants. Including Big Ten opponents, 18 of MSU's 31 regular-season games will be played against teams that completed in postseason play in 2015.
Big Ten Schedule
With a 14-team conference 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 Iowa, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers and Wisconsin. The Spartans will host Illinois, Indiana, Maryland and Nebraska, while traveling to Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern and Purdue. Seven of Michigan State's 13 Big Ten opponents appeared in the 2014 postseason, including six in the NCAA Tournament (Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Ohio State, Purdue and Wisconsin) and one in the NIT (Illinois).
Returning Depth
Michigan State returns nine of its top 11 scorers from its 2014-15 squad. The Spartans return 63.3 percent of their scoring, 66.9 percent of their rebounding, and 60.4 percent of their assists from last season. Eight different returners started at least one game in 2014-15, including four players who started 17 or more contests.
Izzo Third In Wins At Big Ten School
With 505 career wins, Tom Izzo is seven wins shy of tying Gene Keady (512 wins) for second most victories at a Big Ten school, trailing only Bob Knight (661 wins).
MSU In The Polls
Michigan State is currently ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25 and No. 1 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Two other Big Ten schools are ranked including Maryland (No. 6 Associated Press/No. 9 USA Today), and Purdue (No. 11/11). In addition to the conference opponents, MSU defeated Kansas (No. 2/7) in the Champions Classic, defeated Providence (No. 15/18) in the Wooden Legacy, and defeated Louisville (No. 22/19) in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
Valentine Wins Bronze with USA
Denzel Valentine was a member of the USA Basketball Pan American Games Team that captured a Bronze Medal in Canada July 21-25. He ranked sixth on the team in scoring, averaging 7.4 points, while shooting .500 from the field and .385 from 3-point range. In medal play, he averaged 11 points and 3.5 rebounds in two games.
Spartans Summer Trip: Italy
In late August, Michigan State traveled to Italy for the first summer foreign trip of the Tom Izzo era. After a decisive 98-54 victory over a club team in Florence, the Spartans took part in a four-team round-robin event featuring national teams from Russia, Italy, and Georgia. Although the Spartans dropped all three games, the games got progressively closer as MSU trailed Italy by just five points midway through the fourth quarter, and falling to Georgia by a single point. Denzel Valentine averaged a team-best 17.3 points against the three national teams, while Gavin Schilling was the team's leading rebounder (7.0 rpg) and second-leading scorer (13.3 ppg). Bryn Forbes also averaged double figures at 13.0 ppg.
Nation's Best Seven Final Fours in 17 Years
Michigan State advanced to the 2015 Final Four, marking the seventh trip to the Final Four in 20 seasons under Tom Izzo. The seven trips in the last 17 seasons rank as the most in the nation. In addition, MSU has appeared in 18 straight NCAA Tournaments, marking the nation's third-longest active streak, and matching the longest streak in Big Ten history.
Breslin Upgrades on the Horizon
A major facilities upgrade â€" focused on improving the visitor experience â€" and the construction of a Michigan State University Basketball Hall of History are on tap for the Breslin Student Events Center. The MSU Board of Trustees gave the university the go-ahead to proceed with the $50 million project. $30 million will be provided by the university and $20 million from MSU Athletics. The work is scheduled to begin in January 2016, with substantial completion expected by August of 2017 and final completion by June 2018.
2016 Recruiting Class
Michigan State and head coach Tom Izzo will be bringing in one of the nation's top recruiting classes in 2016, as it currently sits at No. 3 according to ESPN.com. During November's early signing period, the Spartans received signed letters of intent from five-star recruits Miles Bridges (G/F, 6-7, Flint, Mich.) and Joshua Langford (G, 6-5, Huntsville, Ala.), along with four stars Cassius Winston (G, 6-0, Detroit, Mich.) and Nick Ward (F, 6-9, Gahanna, Ohio). All four players have been rated in the top 50 of their class across the country by ESPN.com, Rivals.com, Scout.com and 24/7 Sports, with Bridges and Langford touted as high as No. 8 and No. 17, respectively. Bridges has averaged a double-double throughout his high school career, including 15.7 points and 10.6 rebounds at Huntington Prep last season. He'll carry on the tradition of Flint natives at MSU under Tom Izzo, including Mateen Cleaves, Morris Peterson, Charlie Bell and Antonio Smith. Langford is a four-time Alabama Class 3A Player of the Year, having first won the award as an eighth grader, while also capturing two state championships. Winston has led his squad to the state semifinals in each of the last two seasons, and averaged 22.3 points and 7.1 assists as a junior. Ward attends Gahanna Lincoln High School, where he was teammates with current Spartan Javon Bess, and averaged 18 points, eight rebounds and two blocks as a prep junior.
The Book On Tom Izzo
Coach Izzo
In his 21st year, Tom Izzo (Northern Michigan, '77) is 505-199 (.717), and 233-107 (.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 20 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 (.717), former Indiana coach Bob Knight (.700), and Ohio State's Thad Matta (.688) and ahead of former Purdue coach Ward Lambert (.685). In all games, Matta ranks first at .756, followed by Ryan (.738), Knight (.734), Izzo (.717), Wisconsin's Walter Meanwell (.712), and Lambert (.709). With 233 conference victories, Izzo ranks third all-time.
Izzo Among Best Ever
Through his first 20 seasons, Tom Izzo won 495 games, ranking fifth in college basketball history for most wins by a college coach in his first 20 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 was 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.
