Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State Hosts Iowa Thursday
1/13/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
| #4/4 Michigan State (16-1, 3-1) vs. #16/19 Iowa (12-3, 3-0) | |
| Date | Thursday, January 14 , 2016 |
| Time | 7 p.m. ET |
| Location | East Lansing, Mich. | Breslin Center |
| Television | ESPN (Jason Benetti, Jim Calhoun) |
| Radio | Spartan Sports Network (Will Tieman, Gus Ganakas, Matt Steigenga) | Sirius 84/XM 84 |
| Game Notes | Michigan State | Iowa |
| Statistics | Michigan State | Iowa |
| Tickets | Buy Tickets |
| Live Stats | |
| Social Media | @MSU_Basketball  | Facebook  | Instagram |
The Opening Tip
Michigan State will face Iowa for the second time in the first three weeks of the Big Ten schedule. The Spartans are coming off a 27-point win at Penn State, marking just the second game this season in which all 13 scholarship players played. Iowa is one of two undefeated teams in Big Ten play, having beaten the Spartans in the conference opener in Iowa City.
The Starting Five
1. Great Start
Despite losing for the first time this season at Iowa after setting a school record by winning the first 13 games of the season, Michigan State's 16-1 start is uncommonly good. Only the 1930-31, 2000-01, and 2013-14 teams also opened with 16 wins in their first 17 games.
2. He's Back!
After missing four games following arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on Dec. 21, Denzel Valentine returned to action at Penn State on Jan. 10, totaling 10 points, five rebounds and four assists in 23 minutes off the bench. MSU is 13-0 with Valentine in the lineup this season, averaging 80.6 points and 22.2 assists. Without Valentine, the Spartans are 3-1, averaging 79.2 points and 17.5 assists. MSU's rebounding margin is also five rebounds better with Valentine (+14.8 with, +9.8 without).
3. Schilling Starts
Gavin Schilling has started the last three games for the Spartans, averaging 9.7 points and 4.7 rebounds, shooting .750 (12-16) from the field and a perfect 1.000 (5-5) from the foul line, in 17.7 minutes per contest. In addition, he's shown the agility and footwork that allows him to guard many different positions, ranking among the best pick-and-roll defenders in the nation. With Schilling in the starting lineup, opponents are shooting .347 from the field and .204 from behind the arc. Schilling missed the first 11 games of the season due to a turf toe injury (right foot) suffered in the second exhibition contest of the season. Last year, he started 33 games as a sophomore. Coach Izzo has said that he was MSU's best big man and second-best player on MSU's summer trip to Italy where he averaged 13.3 points and 7.0 rebounds.
4. Lansing Sexton Trio
Michigan State's Bryn Forbes and Denzel Valentine and Iowa's Anthony Clemmons were all teammates at Lansing Sexton High School, graduating in 2012. Coached by Valentine's father, Carlton, the trio combined to advance to three-straight Michigan Class B state championship games, winning back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012. Over three years, Lansing Sexton posted a 74-9 record, including a 27-1 mark in 2012. A fourth member of that Sexton squad, Jalen Hayes, is currently a redshirt sophomore at Oakland University, where he starts for the Golden Grizzlies.
5. Forbes For Three
Senior Bryn Forbes is proving to be one of top shooters in the country. For his career, he's made 263-of-615 attempts from behind the arc, good for a .428 shooting percentage. He's made a 3-pointer in 107 of 120 career games, including in 15 of 17 contests this season. He's opened 2015-16 by making 51-of-103 (.495), ranking seventh in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage. Forbes has made three or more 3-pointers in 11 games and ranks second in the Big Ten for 3-point field goals made (3.0).
MSU vs. Iowa Notes
Series History
Michigan State leads the all-time series with Iowa, 71-54, including a 43-17 advantage in East Lansing, including 18 straight victories at Breslin Center. Overall, MSU has won nine of the last 10, and 14 of the last 16. Tom Izzo is 29-10 in his career against Iowa.
Coach McCaffery
Fran McCaffery (Penn, '82) is 359-255 in his 20th season as a Division I head coach, including 108-78 in his sixth season at Iowa. McCaffery came to Iowa City from Siena, where he led the Saints to three straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships and NCAA Tournament appearances. His head coaching career also includes a six-year stint at UNC Greensboro (1999-2005) and three seasons at Lehigh (1985-88).
The Last Meeting
Iowa defeated Michigan State, 83-70, on Dec. 29, 2015, in Iowa City, handing the No. 1 Spartans their first defeat of the season. Iowa used a 10-0 run midway through the first half to turn a four-point lead into a 31-17 advantage. The Spartans never got closer than 10 points after that. Eron Harris led MSU with 21 points, while Matt Costello matched his career high with 17 points. Mike Gesell led all scorers with 25 points for Iowa, as four Hawkeyes scored in double figures. The Hawkeyes turned 16 Spartan turnovers into 21 points. MSU's 42.2 field-goal percentage and 23.1 3-point field-goal percentage were its second-lowest totals of the season. The Spartans' 19 offensive rebounds were a season high.
The Last Meeting In East Lansing
Michigan State defeated Iowa, 86-76, on March 6, 2014, in East Lansing. In what proved to be the final home game for Gary Harris, as well as seniors Adreian Payne and Keith Appling, junior Travis Trice led five Spartans in double figures with 17 points. Sophomore Denzel Valentine had an all-around strong performance with 13 points, six rebounds and nine assists. Leading 53-51 with 13:23 left in the contest, MSU used a 7-0 run to spark a 24-8 spurt over the next eight minutes. For the game, MSU shot 58.3 percent from the field, including a season-best 58.8 percent from 3-point range. Roy Devyn Marble led all scorers with 24 points for the Hawkeyes.
Hawkeye Notes
Iowa features one of the nation's most experienced lineups, starting four seniors and one junior ... The Hawkeyes are led by senior Jarrod Uthoff, who leads the Big Ten in scoring at 18.6 ppg, and blocked shots with 3.3 per contest ... Mike Gesell ranks second in the Big Ten in assists at 6.9 helpers per contest ... Averaging 81.4 points per game, the Hawkeyes rank second in the Big Ten in scoring ... The 3-point shot is a strength for Iowa, both offensively and defensively, as the Hawkeyes rank third in 3-point field-goal percentage (.399) and fourth in 3-point field goals made (8.9), while standing second in in 3-point field-goal percentage defense (.302).
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 ranks third in the Big Ten in assists (6.8 apg) and scoring (17.8 ppg) and fourth in rebounding (8.0 rpg). He is one of just two players to rank in the Top 10 in the Big Ten in all three categories. Valentine also leads the Big Ten in defensive rebounds (7.2 drpg), while ranking tied for third in 3-point field goals made (2.8 pg) and third in FT percentage (.854). 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 17 points, seven rebounds and six 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 five schools to be ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 in both football and men's basketball as the Spartans are currently ranked No. 4 in basketball and No. 6 in football. Oklahoma (No. 2 BB, No. 3 FB) is the only other school with both programs ranked in the Top 10. North Carolina, Iowa and Baylor are the other schools with both programs ranked. (Football AP Top 25-Jan. 12; Basketball AP Top 25-Jan. 11). 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.
Davis' Immediate Impact
Freshman Deyonta Davis is proving to be an impact player in his first season. The 2015 Michigan Mr. Basketball Award winner ranks fourth in the Big Ten in blocks (2.1 bpg), second in field-goal percentage (.657) and has scored in double-figures in eight 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 36 blocks, Davis already has established the single-season record for a Spartan freshman, surpassing the previous mark of 29 blocks held by Delvon Roe (2008-09). Over the last five games, Davis has made 20-of-26 field goals (.769).
Making The Most Of An Opportunity
Junior Eron Harris has started the last five games for Michigan State in place of an injured Denzel Valentine. In games against Oakland, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, and Penn State, Harris is averaging 16.8 points, shooting .500 from the field and averaging 6.0 foul shots per game. In addition, Harris is averaging 4.6 rebounds in the last five contests. Valentine's high school teammate Bryn Forbes has also elevated his play, averaging a team-best 18.4 points, including hitting 20-of-35 3-pointers (.571) in the last five games. Even as Valentine returned to action against Penn State, Harris scored 13 points and Forbes tallied 20 points.
Spartans Share The Ball
Unselfishness is a trademark of all Tom Izzo teams. Michigan State is averaging 21.1 assists, ranking second in the nation, recording an assist on 358 of 493 field goals (72.8 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.
Defensive Effort
Although Coach Izzo would like to see improvement, statistically Michigan State has proven to be a strong defensive team in 2015-16. The Spartans rank in the Top 15 nationally in scoring defense (12th, 61.1), field-goal percentage defense (2nd, .359) and 3-point field-goal percentage defense (3rd, .264). Just six teams have shot better than 40 percent from the field and just four have bettered 35 percent behind the 3-point arc. The final step of a defensive possession is securing a defensive rebound, an area which MSU excels, grabbing a conference-best 76.8 percent of opponents' missed shots.
Tum Tum Takes Care of the Ball
Michigan State point guard Tum Tum Nairn Jr. isn't known for his scoring, but he's earned the right to be the Spartans' starting point guard with his leadership, defense and ability to take care of the ball. With 78 assists and just 16 turnovers on the season, he ranks fifth in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (4.9). In the last 14 games, he has posted a 5.8 assist-to-turnover ratio (70 assists, 12 turnovers). He committed just six turnovers in seven games in the month of December.
Costello Steps Up
Senior Matt Costello is having his best season as a Spartan, averaging 8.8 points and 7.5 rebounds. More importantly, he has raised his game in the last five contests, four of which came with fellow senior Denzel Valentine on the bench, averaging 12.2 points and a team-best 11.0 rebounds. He's scored a career high-tying 17 points against both Iowa and Minnesota, while grabbing a career-best 15 rebounds at Minnesota. He posted a double-double in two of the four games Valentine missed, grabbing double-figure rebounds in three of the four contests.
Breslin Advantage
Michigan State is 359-54 (.869) at home all-time since Breslin Center opened in 1989, including 184-41 (.818) in Big Ten play. Under Tom Izzo, the Spartans are 285-39 (.880) at Breslin, including a 143-28 (.836) conference record.
It's All About Boardwork
Michigan State owns a remarkable +13.6 rebounding margin, leading the Big Ten and the nation, as the Spartans have out-rebounded 16 of 17 opponents this season, including Louisville by +10, after the Cardinals entered the game with a +21.4 margin. In the Tom Izzo era, MSU has out-rebounded 548 of 711 opponents (.771), posting a 435-113 (.794) 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.
Spartan Comebacks
Michigan State has shown the ability to overcome adversity during its 15-1 start to the 2015-16 season, as the Spartans have overcome double-figure deficits in three victories. MSU trailed Oakland by a season-high 15 points in the first half, and also trailed Kansas and Louisville by 13 points in the first half.
Izzo Third In Wins At Big Ten School
With 511 career wins, Tom Izzo is one win shy of tying Gene Keady (512 wins) for second-most victories at a Big Ten school, trailing only Bob Knight (661 wins). Izzo is also third all-time with 236 Big Ten wins, trailing just Knight (353 wins) and Keady (265 wins).
All-Time Block Leaders
Matt Costello ranks fourth in MSU history with 123 blocks. Drew Naymick ranks third with 134 blocks. Branden Dawson is the MSU career leader with 142 blocks. Costello blocked 43 shots as a sophomore and 48 as a junior. Offensive Rebounding
Michigan State ranks second in the Big Ten with 12.5 offensive rebounds per game, while also ranking second in offensive rebound percentage, grabbing 37.9 percent of its missed shots. The Spartans are averaging 12.5 second-chance points per contest, outscoring opponents by a +3.9 margin.
Dominating NCAA Stats
It's not surprising given their 16-1 record, but the Spartans are dominating the NCAA statistics (through games of Jan. 11), ranking in the Top 10 nationally in 11 categories, including leading the nation in rebound margin (+13.6) and total rebounds (739). Michigan State also ranks in the Top 10 in field-goal percentage defense (2nd, .359), total assists (2nd, 358), assists per game (2nd, 21.1), won-lost percentage (3rd, .941), defensive rebounds per game (3rd, 30.94), 3-point field-goal percentage defense (3rd, .264), assist-to-turnover ratio (4th, 1.74), scoring margin (5th, +19.2) and total rebounds per game (5th, 43.47).
Big Ten Success
Michigan State has won 13 regular-season Big Ten Championships 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 594-468 (.559) in league play, including 236-108 (.686) under Tom Izzo, who ranks third in league history with 236 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 236-108, 15.5 games better than second-place Wisconsin (221-124).
Improved Foul Shooting
Michigan State ranks fifth in the Big Ten and 79th in the nation in free-throw percentage, shooting .722 from the foul line. While that percentage isn't overly impressive, it's certainly an improvement over last season when MSU ranked 330th in the nation, shooting 63.2 percent from the charity stripe.
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.)
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 (184), Texas (176), Duke (173) and Kentucky (171).
Spartan Depth
Nine Spartans average double-figure minutes, while 11 average more than eight minutes, and 13 average more than seven minutes. MSU has needed its depth as Gavin Schilling missed the first 11 contests with a turf toe injury before returning against Northeastern. Marvin Clark Jr. has played just 126 minutes in 13 games after a foot injury kept him out of action for two months. Both Schilling and Clark were slated to be potential starters this season. MSU's practice on Dec. 17 was the first of the season where every player was cleared for full participation, however Denzel Valentine then suffered an injury in practice on Dec. 20, keeping him out of action until Jan. 10 at Penn State.
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-doubles (vs. Binghamton and UMES), while Matt Costello (vs. UAPB, Oakland and Minnesota) has three double-doubles and Deyonta Davis (vs. Florida Atlantic) has one.
Valentine Lends A Helping Hand
Denzel Valentine leads the Big Ten and ranks 11th in the nation, averaging 6.8 assists per contest. With 487 assists for his career, he ranks ninth in MSU history, four behind Earvin Johnson (491). In games in which he has played, Valentine has either made or assisted on 43.8 percent of MSU's field goals, including 45.9 percent in games which he has started. He also boasts a career-best 2.6 assist-to-turnover ratio.
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 fourth in the Big Ten, shooting .396 from behind the arc, led by Bryn Forbes at .495, as nine different Spartans have made a 3-pointer.
An Impressive Debut
Deyonta Davis 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.
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.
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. He was named a midseason All-American by NBC Sports, Jeff Goodman from ESPN.com, and the Sporting News
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 126 career games, needing to play in 20 more to hold sole position of the top spot in Spartan history. Valentine ranks ninth in MSU career assists (487), needing 88 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 198 made 3-pointers and tied for fifth with 512 3-point attempts. He needs four more made 3-pointers to tie Travis Trice and Maurice Ager for fifth all-time at MSU, and 20 more attempts to tie Ager for fourth-most attempts.
MSU At No. 1
Michigan State held the No. 1 position in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Polls for a school-record four weeks earlier this season (Dec. 7, 14, 21, 28). It marked just the fourth time in school history, including the third time under Tom Izzo, for a total of 11 weeks. After opening the season at No. 13 in the preseason poll, MSU's rise to No. 1 was 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 14-5 at No. 1.
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.
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.
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 27th in MSU history with 1,282 career points. He needs 15 points to pass Matt Steigenga (1,296 points) and 28 points to pass Branden Dawson (1,309 points). Bryn Forbes has 1,478 career points, 905 of which came in his first two seasons at Cleveland State. Eron Harris surpassed 1,000 career points with his 21-point effort at Iowa. He's totaled 1,041 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.
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).
MSU In The Polls
Michigan State is currently ranked No. 4 in the AP Top 25 and No. 4 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Fourt other Big Ten schools are ranked including Maryland (No. 3 Associated Press/No. 3 USA Today), Iowa (No. 16/19), Purdue (No. 24/24) and Indiana (--/No. 25). In addition to the conference opponents, MSU defeated Kansas (No. 1/1) in the Champions Classic, defeated Providence (No. 12/12) in the Wooden Legacy, and defeated Louisville (No. 21/20) 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.
Strength of Schedule
Eight of MSU's 13 non-conference contests featured 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.
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 511-200 (.719), and 236-108 (.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 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 .686 winning percentage in Big Ten games ranks fourth all-time among league coaches with at least 10 years of service, behind former Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan (.717), former Indiana coach Bob Knight (.700), and Ohio State's Thad Matta (.689) and ahead of former Purdue coach Ward Lambert (.685). In all games, Matta ranks first at .756, followed by Ryan (.737), Knight (.734), Izzo (.719), Wisconsin's Walter Meanwell (.712), and Lambert (.709). With 236 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.
