Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State Hosts Ohio State Saturday
2/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
| Michigan State (16-8, 7-4) vs. #23/21 Ohio State (19-6, 8-4) | |
| Date | Saturday, February 14, 2015 |
| Time | 12 p.m. ET |
| Location | East Lansing, Mich. | Breslin Center |
| Television | ESPN (Bob Wischusen, Dan Dakich) |
| Radio | Spartan Sports Network (Will Tieman, Gus Ganakas, Matt Steigenga) |
| Tickets | Buy Tickets |
| Game Notes | Michigan State | Ohio State |
| Statistics | Michigan State | Ohio State |
| Live Stats | | Live Stats (Mobile Users) |
| Social Media | @MSU_Basketball  | Facebook  | Instagram |
| Promotions | Vote For Coach Izzo |
THE OPENING TIP
Michigan State hosts Ohio State in the only meeting of the season between the Spartans and Buckeyes. MSU and OSU are two of four conference teams with four Big Ten losses. The Spartans lead the Big Ten in FG% defense and 3-point FG% defense, while the Buckeyes rank second in both categories.
THE STARTING FIVE
1. Spartan Defense
On the season, MSU is limiting teams to 61.4 points on .385 FG%, including .300 from 3-point range. The Spartans lead the Big Ten in FG pct. defense and 3-point FG pct. defense, while ranking fourth in scoring defense. In conference games, MSU ranks second in FG pct. defense (.394), first in 3-point FG pct. defense (.314), and third in scoring defense (62.7 ppg). The all-time lows of the Izzo era were a .379 FG% in 2011-12 and .298 3FG% in 2001-02.
2. Dawson Climbs Rebounding Chart
Branden Dawson is on pace to finish among the all-time leaders in Michigan State career rebounding. With 792 career boards, he needs 11 to tie Lindsay Hairston (803 rebounds) for 10th place in MSU history.
3. Valentine Regains The Outside Touch
In 13 non-conference games, Denzel Valentine shot .500 (35-70) from 3-point range. In the first eight conference games, he shot just .289 (13-45), making two or more 3-pointers in just four games, including just two with more than two. Beginning with the Michigan contest, he's shown signs of regaining the early season form, shooting .462 (12-26) over the last three games, hitting four 3-pointers in each contest.
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 15 in the Big Ten in scoring (12th), rebounding (15th) and assists (7th). He also ranks in the Top 15 in 3-point field-goal percentage (7th), 3-point field goals made (3rd), assist-to-turnover ratio (11th), and defensive rebounds (6th). Ohio State's D'Angelo Russell is the only other player in the conference in the Top 16 in scoring (2nd), rebounds (16th) and assists (2nd).
5. Dawson's Double-Doubles
Branden Dawson has posted double-doubles in six of 11 Big Ten games (Indiana, at Iowa, at Maryland, Penn State, at Rutgers, Michigan). Against Nebraska, he grabbed 18 rebounds, a personal best against a Big Ten opponent. Dawson has grabbed double-figure rebounds in nine of 11 conference games, averaging a Big Ten-best 11.2 rebounds per game in Big Ten play (9.9 rpg overall). He has seven double-doubles this season and 19 for his career.
MSU VS. OHIO STATE NOTES
Series History
Michigan State leads the all-time series with Ohio State, 67-57, including a 42-17 advantage in games played in East Lansing. The Spartans have won 27 of the last 41 games in the series. Tom Izzo is 22-14 in his career against the Buckeyes. The last 10 games in the series have each been decided by 10 points or less. Six of the last seven games, including the last three in East Lansing, have been decided by four points or less.
Coach Matta
Thad Matta (Butler, `90) is 396-120 in his 15th season as a collegiate head coach, including 294-89 in his 11th season at Ohio State. Prior to his arrival in Columbus, he served as the head coach at Xavier for three seasons and at Butler for one year.
The Last Meeting
Ohio State defeated Michigan State, 69-67, on March 9, 2014, in Columbus. The Spartans shot 51.9 percent from the field in the first half, including 60 percent from 3-point range to hold a 38-36 lead at the break. Midway through the second half, Adreian Payne scored seven straight points during a 7-2 run to give the Spartans a 65-60 lead with 6:56 remaining. For the rest of the contest, however, MSU was 1-of-6 from the field and committed five turnoves in the final 6:27. The Spartans shot 90 percent from the foul line, but attempted just 10, compared to 31 attempts for the Buckeyes. MSU committed 16 turnovers as OSU held a 21-12 edge in points off turnovers. Payne led MSU with 23 points, while LaQuinton Ross led OSU with 22 points.
The Last Meeting In East Lansing
Michigan State defeated Ohio State, 72-68, in overtime, on Jan. 7, 2014, in East Lansing. Leading 37-32 with 13:50 remaining, MSU appeared to put the game away with a 13-2 run over the next 3:37, bumping the lead up to 17 points at 55-38. To that point, MSU had six turnovers for the game, but committed 10 in the final 7:14 of the second half. Ohio State closed on a 20-3 run to force overtime. The Buckeyes had a shot to win at the buzzer as Shannon Scott stole the ball and had a breakaway layup but missed due to Keith Appling's defense. In the extra stanza, back-to-back 3-pointers from Kenny Kaminski and Adreian Payne gave MSU a 65-61 lead. Still, OSU fought back and tied the game at 66 on a Sam Thompson 3-pointer with 1:10 remaining. Appling put MSU ahead for good with a 3-pointer with 29 seconds left. He then sealed the win by knocking down 3-of-4 free throws in the final 14 seconds. Appling finished with 20 points, seven assists and six rebounds, while Payne came off the bench to score 18 points, although he would miss the next seven games with a foot sprain. Sam Thompson led OSU with 18 points. MSU hit 11-of-19 3-pointers, compared to just 4-of-18 for OSU. The Buckeyes held a dominant 42-28 edge on the glass.
Buckeye Notes
In conference games, Ohio State ranks third in the Big Ten in both field-goal percentage defense (.402) and 3-point field-goal percentage defense (.322) ... In Big Ten play, freshman D'Angelo Russell leads the conference in scoring (21.3) and assists (5.7 apg), while ranking second in 3-point field goals made (2.9) ... In all games, Shannon Scott (6.2 apg) and Russell (5.5 apg) rank first and second in the Big Ten in assists.
GM. 24 RECAP • MICHIGAN STATE 68 - NORTHWESTERN 44
Michigan State used hot outside shooting and a great defensive first half to cruise to a road win at Northwestern. Leading 10-6, MSU hit the first of what would be six straight 3-pointers for the Spartans. Northwestern scored four straight to pull within three points at 13-10. Bryn Forbes hit a 3-pointer for MSU, but Tre Demps answered with a three of his own, making the score 16-13 with 10:47 left in the first half. Marvin Clark Jr. knocked down a 3-pointer, followed by back-to-back threes from Forbes and a three from Denzel Valentine. Branden Dawson scored on a jumper and Clark Jr. and Travis Trice followed with threes. When Tum Tum Nairn Jr. hit a baseline jumper, MSU's run stood at 22-0, and the Spartans held a 38-13 lead. Demps stopped the run with a free throw, as MSU led 38-14 at the break. In the second half, MSU pushed the lead out to 35 points at 58-23 with 11:27 left in the contest.
MSU VS. NORTHWESTERN NOTES
* Michigan State made a season-high 13 3-pointers.
* Northwestern's 44 points were a season low for a Spartan opponent.
* Marvin Clark Jr. hit two 3-pointers, marking his first 3-pointers since Dec. 14.
* MSU went on a 22-0 run over 10:01 in the first half.
* Officially, Northwestern went 14:06 over the span of two halves without a field goal, but the streak-breaking basket was tipped in by Branden Dawson, meaning the Wildcats actually went 17:15 without making a field goal themselves.
* The 24-point margin was MSU's largest in a conference road game since a 91-64 win at Penn State on Jan. 20, 2007.
* In the first half, MSU held a 10-3 edge in points off turnovers and a 15-3 edge in second-chance points.
* MSU grabbed nine offensive rebounds in the first half, compared to just six defensive boards for NU.
* MSU's lead grew to 35 points midway through the second half, marking its largest margin in conference play this season.
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 484 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).
Izzo Moves Up Big Ten Coaching List
Tom Izzo ranks tied with former Purdue coach Ward "Piggy" Lambert for third on the career Big Ten victories list with 228. With MSU's next Big Ten win, Izzo will take over sole possesion of third place. 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 484, trailing only Knight (661 wins) and Keady (512).
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.
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), Indiana's Troy Williams (Jan. 5) (13.6 ppg - 0 pts., 0-2 FG, 1 reb.), Iowa's Aaron White (Jan. 8) (17.2 ppg - 8 pts., 2-4 FG, 1-1 3FG), Michigan's Zak Irvin (Feb. 1) (13.6 ppg - 11 pts., 5-14 FG, 1-6 3FG). He is the only player to rank in the Top 15 in the Big Ten in steals (8th, 1.5 spg), blocks (11th, 1.3 bpg) and defensive rebounds (2nd, 6.7 drpg). In conference games, he ranks eighth in steals (1.5 spg), second in blocks (2.0 bpg) and first in defensive rebounds (7.5 drpg)
A Hall Of Fame Coach
On Thursday, February 12, Tom Izzo was formally inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame at MotorCity Casino Hotel in Detroit. The rest of the class included recently retired New York Yankees great and Kalamazoo-raised Derek Jeter (not in attendance due to flight issues), Detroit Red Wings forward Sergei Fedorov, University of Michigan All-American and Cincinnati Reds shortstop Barry Larkin, NHL All-Star and Westland native Mike Modano, Livonia's four-time Olympian, and gold-medal winning swimmer Sheila Taormina and Aleta Sill, from Dearborn, the nation's first female professional bowler to reach $1 million in winnings. Detroit Lions All-Pro defensive tackle Doug English was also named in a special selection by the Hall's Legends Council. Izzo is also a member of the Northern Michigan, Upper Peninsula and the National Italian-American Sports Halls of Fame.
Keeping The 3-Pointer In Perspective
Michigan State is shooting .398 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 462 3-pointers in 1369 field-goal attempts, meaning 33.7 percent of its shots are from behind the arc. That percentage ranks as the second-highest percentage of the Izzo era, behind 2013-14 (36.3%). 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 2004-05 (32.8%), 2010-11 (32.7%), 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 10-0 when four or more players score in double-figures, and just 6-8 when three or fewer Spartans hit double-figures.
Spartans Strong On The Glass
Michigan State owns a Big Ten-best +8.5 rebounding margin, having out-rebounded 20 of 24 opponents, ranking 10th in the nation. In the Tom Izzo era, MSU has out-rebounded 525 of 679 opponents (.773), posting a 415-110 (.790) 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 9.9 boards per contest. In conference games, he's averaging a Big Ten-best 11.2 rebounds, recording double-figure rebounds in nine of 11 games. 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.
Spartans On Target From Deep
Michigan State is shooting .398 (184-462) from 3-point range this season, ranking second in the Big Ten and 18th in the nation. In conference play, however, MSU is shooting just .371, ranking third. Bryn Forbes (.459) ranks second in the Big Ten, including .468 in Big Ten games, while Denzel Valentine (.426) ranks seventh.
Dawson Named Player Of The Week
Branden Dawson was named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week by the Big Ten Conference on Monday, Feb. 2. In a pair of Spartan victories, he averaged 18.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 steals and 2.0 blocks on the road at Rutgers and at home against Michigan. He shot 71.4 percent from the field, while recording two double-doubles, to earn the first Big Ten Player of the Week honor of his career. He shared the honor with Illinois' Malcolm Hill. It marked the third time a Spartan has been honored by the conference office this season, as Travis Trice has earned Player of the Week accolades twice (Jan. 12 and Nov. 17).
The Costello-Schilling Combination
Junior Matt Costello (7.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg) and sophomore Gavin Schilling (6.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg) have combined to give Michigan State a solid post presence. The two Spartans average a combined 13.6 points and 10.1 rebounds, shooting .604 (131-217) from the field.
All-Time Block Leaders
Branden Dawson ranks fourth in Michigan State history with 112 career blocks, five behind Draymond Green (117) in third place. 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 84 blocks in his two-plus seasons, Matt Costello could soon appear in the Top 10. Paul Davis currently ranks 10th with 87 career blocks.
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 586-465 (.558) in league play, including 228-105 (.685) under Tom Izzo, who ranks tied for third in league history with 228 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 228-105, 14 games better than second-place Wisconsin (214-119).
Free Basketball
Michigan State is 2-3 in overtime games this season, as the five overtime games are the most since the Spartans played five during the 1987-88 season. MSU entered the season having won seven straight overtime games dating back to a loss to Minnesota in the 2010 Big Ten Tournament. MSU has never played more than five overtime games in a single season.
Trice From Distance
Travis Trice is situated to end his career as one of the most prolific 3-point shooters in MSU history. Trice sits in sixth place in career 3-pointers (165), 37 behind Maurice Ager in fifth place. With 411 career 3-point attempts, Trice ranks ninth, two behind Keith Appling (413), and 22 behind Durrell Summers (433).
A Thin Line Between Victory And Defeat
In six of Michigan State's eight 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. Against Illinois, MSU trailed by three points in the final minute, with four free throw attempts to take the lead, but could make just two, cutting the deficit to a single point. The Spartans then had possession of the basketball with a chance to take the lead but could not score.
Breslin Advantage
Michigan State is 349-53 (.868) at home all-time since Breslin Center opened in 1989, including 181-40 (.819) in Big Ten play. Under Tom Izzo, the Spartans are 275-38 (.879) at Breslin, including a 140-27 (.838) conference record. MSU has won 56 of the last 65 (.862) games at Breslin.
Costello Playing Well
Matt Costello is averaging 8.2 points over the last 16 games, in addition to 5.2 rebounds, shooting .605 from the field in 19.8 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 18 games, averaging 7.7 points and 4.9 rebounds in 19.1 minutes, shooting .602 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 third in the Big Ten in made 3-point field goals per game (2.5) and seventh in 3-point field-goal percentage (.426; 60-141).
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 third in the Big Ten in assists (5.4 apg) and paces the conference, and ranks seventh in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.3), leading the Spartans in both categories. He is tied for seventh 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 7.7 made 3-pointers per contest, ranking fourth in the Big Ten. Denzel Valentine leads MSU and ranks third in the Big Ten with 60 made 3-pointers (2.5 pg). The Spartans have made eight or more 3-pointers in 13 games, including seven games with 10 or more.
The 1,000-Point Club
Branden Dawson ranks 38th in MSU history with 1,141, needing six points to pass Pete Gent (1,146 points) and 15 points to pass Lindsay Hairston (1,155 points). Bryn Forbes (1,139 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 64.8 percent of its baskets. In 12 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%; vs. Michigan 19 ast., 27 FG - 70.4%; vs. Northwestern 19 ast., 23 FG - 82.6%).
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.
Ranked Opponents
Michigan State is currently not ranked in either the USA Today Coaches Poll or the Associated Press Top 25. Six Spartan opponents are ranked in the Top 25: Duke (No. 4 AP/No. 5 USA Today), Wisconsin (5/4), Kansas (8/9), Notre Dame (10/11), Maryland (19/19), and Ohio State (23/21).
Bess Out Of Action
Javon Bess missed the first 10 games of the season while recovering from a broken right foot. He made his 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 then started the next 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. But pain returned in the foot, forcing him to come off the bench in two games, and he has not played vs. Illinois or Northwestern.
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.; vs. Michigan-19 pts., 10 reb.) leads MSU with seven. 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 19 double-doubles, while Valentine has totaled six.
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. A foot injury also forced him to miss MSU's game vs. Illinois. Two minor ankle sprains since Christmas further hampered his development, and he's missed the last two games after developing futher pain in his foot. 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 21 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 (175), Texas (166), Kentucky (165), Duke (165), and Illinois (164). (Through games of Feb. 12)
Wollenman Honored For Academics
Colby Wollenman has been named to the Capital One CoSIDA Academic All-District 5 First Team. The forward from Big Horn, Wyoming, owns a 3.98 overall GPA as a physiology (pre-med) major. First-team Academic All-District honorees advance to the Capital One Academic All-America Team ballot, where first-, second- and third-team All-America honorees will be selected later this month. He is joined on the All-District 5 First Team by Butler's Alex Barlow, Western Michigan's Austin Richie, Valparaiso's Alec Peters, and Xavier's Matthew Stainbrook.
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).
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.
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 (Minnesota) 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 484-195 (.713), and 228-105 (.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 tied for fourth all-time with former Purdue coach Ward Lambert (.685) among league coaches with at least 10 years of service, behind Wisconsin's Bo Ryan (.712), former Indiana coach Bob Knight (.700), Ohio State's Thad Matta (.694). In all games, Matta ranks first at .768, followed by Ryan (.736), Knight (.734), Izzo (.712), Wisconsin's Walter Meanwell (.712), and Lambert (.709). With 227 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.
