Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State And Penn State Battle On Sunday
2/27/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
| #6/7 Michigan State (23-5, 10-5) vs. Penn State (15-13, 6-9) | |
| Date | Sunday, February 28, 2016 |
| Time | 12 p.m. ET |
| Location | East Lansing, Mich. | Breslin Center |
| Television | BTN (Kevin Kugler, Stephen Bardo) |
| Radio | Spartan Sports Network (Will Tieman, Gus Ganakas, Matt Steigenga) | Sirius 84/XM 84 |
| Game Notes | Michigan State | Penn State |
| Statistics | Michigan State | Penn State |
| Live Stats | |
| Social Media | @MSU_Basketball  | Facebook  | Instagram |
The Opening Tip
Michigan State hosts Penn State in the second meeting of the season between the Spartans and Nittany Lions. Both teams enter the contest with positive momentum as MSU has won three straight games and seven of its last eight, while PSU has won its last three and four of its last five.
The Starting Five
1. Valentine's Historic Season
Denzel Valentine is in the middle of a historically great season. According to ESPN Research, Valentine is on pace to become the first player to average 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists since the NCAA first started keeping assists as an official stat in 1983-84.
2. Spartans Playing Well
In late January, Michigan State snapped a three-game losing streak with a 74-65 win over No. 7 Maryland. Beginning that night, the Spartans have won seven of their last eight games, with the only loss being a one-point overtime loss (81-82) at No. 18 Purdue. Over the eight games, MSU is shooting .486 from the field, .503 from 3-point range and .770 from the foul line, with a scoring margin of +17.4. Not surprisingly, MSU is playing well because Denzel Valentine has taken his game to another level, averaging 22.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 8.8 assists in the last eight contests. Bryn Forbes is averaging 18.3 points, including shooting .567 (34-60) from behind the arc.
3. Forbes For Three
Senior Bryn Forbes leads the nation in 3-point field-goal percentage, shooting .494 (88-of-178). For his career, he's made 300-of-690 attempts from behind the arc, good for a .435 shooting percentage. He's made a 3-pointer in 117 of 131 career games, including in 25 of 28 contests this season. Forbes has made three or more 3-pointers in 17 games and ranks second in the Big Ten and 18th nationally in 3-point field goals made (3.1).
4. 3-Point Attack On Record Pace
Michigan State has made 252 3-pointers this season, averaging 9.0 per contest. Should the Spartans maintain their current pace they will shatter the current record of 8.1 3-pointers per game established in 2013-14. The 252 3-pointers already rank as the fourth-highest total in school history, trailing only 1999-2000 (253), 2014-15 (294) and 2013-14 (307).
5. Potent Offense Best Of Izzo Era
Michigan State averages 79.5 points per game, which currently stands as the highest average in Tom Izzo's 21 seasons. The 2004-05 season holds the Izzo-era mark for a full season at 78.5 ppg. It's the highest scoring team at MSU since the 1985-86 Spartans averaged 83.1 points in Scott Skiles' senior season.
MSU vs. Penn State Notes
Series History
Michigan State leads the all-time series with Penn State, 35-7, including a 21-1 advantage in East Lansing. The Spartans have won 19 of the last 23 games in the series, including the last six. Tom Izzo is 28-6 in his career against Penn State.
Coach Chambers
Patrick Chambers (Philadelphia University, '94) is 113-116 in his seventh season as a collegiate head coach, including 71-88 in his fifth season at Penn State. Before his arrival in University Park, Chambers spent two seasons at Boston University, making the 2011 NCAA Tournament.
The Last Meeting
Michigan State defeated Penn State, 92-65, on Jan. 10, 2016, in University Park. The Spartans led from start to finish, using an early 11-0 run to claim a 23-7 advantage midway through the first half. MSU led by 13 points at the half and pushed its advantage up to 20 points less than five minutes into the second half. Bryn Forbes scored 20 points, all of which came in the first half, hitting 6-of-8 from 3-point range. Denzel Valentine saw his first action after missing four games following minor knee surgery, recording 10 points, five rebounds and four assists. Shep Garner led the Nittany Lions with 19 points. As a team, Michigan State shot .500 (10-20) from 3-point range, compared to just .214 (3-14) for Penn State.
The Last Meeting In East Lansing
Michigan State defeated Penn State, 66-60, on Jan. 21, 2015, in East Lansing. With the score tied at 51, Denzel Valentine scored on a mid-range jujmper. On Penn State's next possession, the Nittany Lions were called for an offensive foul, and PSU coach Patrick Chambers received a technical foul. Valentine made 1-of-2 free throws and Bryn Forbes hit a 3-pointer to push MSU's lead out to 57-51. Branden Dawson (12 points, 10 rebounds) and Gavin Schilling (11 points, 10 rebounds) each posted a double-double and were two of five Spartans in double-figures. Penn State's D.J. Newbill led all scorers with 27 points. For the game, MSU grabbed 16 offensive rebounds, leading to a 14-5 edge in second-chance points.
Nittany Lion Notes
Brandon Taylor leads the Nittany Lions in both scoring (16.6 ppg) and rebounding (6.6 rpg), ranking sixth in the Big Ten in scoring ... Taylor earned co-Big Ten Player of the Week honors on Feb. 22, averaging 17.5 points and 11.5 rebounds in wins over Iowa and Rutgers ... Jordan Dickerson ranks sixth in the Big Ten in blocked shots (1.5 bpg), and ranks third in Penn State history with 125 career rejections ... Shep Garner ranks tied for ninth in the Big Ten in 3-point field goals made (2.2), and sixth in minutes per game (34.8 mpg) ... Garner is averaging 20.0 points and 4.7 3-pointers during Penn State's three-game winning streak ... With six Big Ten wins, Penn State has matched its high in five seasons under Patrick Chambers.
Spartan 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.
Valentine leads the Big Ten in assists (7.3 apg) and scoring (19.6 ppg), while ranking seventh in rebounding (7.6 rpg). He is the only player to rank in the Top 10 in the Big Ten in all three categories. Valentine also ranks tied for first in defensive rebounds (6.7 drpg), first in 3-point field goals made (3.4 pg), fourth in FT percentage (.855), sixth in 3-point field goal percentage (.451), and tied for third in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.8). Nationally, Valentine ranks fifth in assists, eighth in 3-point field goals made and 13th in 3FG%.
Valentine's numbers are arguably the best in recent college basketball history. Since assists became an official NCAA stat in 1983-84, no player has averaged 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for a season.
For his career, Valentine has totaled 15 double-doubles, including the two triple-doubles.
Izzo Named Hall Of Fame Finalist
On Feb. 12, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced 14 finalists from the North American and Women's committees, including MSU head coach Tom Izzo. Other first-time finalists include 27-year NBA referee Darell Garretson, eleven-time NBA All-Star Allen Iverson, the first African American coach in a professional league John McLendon, three-time NBA Finals MVP Shaquille O'Neal, four-time WNBA Champion Sheryl Swoopes and 10-time AAU National Champions Wayland Baptist University. Previous finalists included again this year for consideration are the only coach in NCAA history to win 100 games at four different schools Charles "Lefty" Driesell, the all-time winningest high school coach Leta Andrews, the all-time winningest boys high school coach Robert Hughes, three-time NBA All-Star Kevin Johnson, three-time Consensus National College Coach of the Year Muffet McGraw, four-time Division III national champion coach Bo Ryan and four-time National Coach of the Year Eddie Sutton. The Class of 2016 will be announced on Monday, April 4 at a press conference in Houston, prior to the NCAA Men's Championship game.
Defensive Effort
Michigan State has proven to be a strong defensive team in 2015-16. The Spartans rank in the Top 25 nationally in scoring defense (15th, 63.5), field-goal percentage defense (2nd, .372), 3-point field-goal percentage defense (6th, .296) and blocked shots (25th, 5.3 bpg). Just 11 teams have shot better than 40 percent from the field and just 10 have bettered 35 percent behind the 3-point arc.
Incoming Spartans Named McDonald's All-Americans
Incoming Spartan recruits Miles Bridges and Joshua Langford have been selected to play in the 2016 McDonald's All-American game on March 30, 2016, at the United Center in Chicago. Bridges will play for the East, while Langford will suit up for the West. They become the 13th and 14th McDonald's All-Americans to play for Tom Izzo. It marks the third time that two Spartans have been selected, joining Marcus Taylor and Zach Randolph in 2000 and Shannon Brown and Brandon Cotton in 2003. Current freshman Deyonta Davis was a 2015 All-American.
Senior Leadership
Michigan State is the only Big Ten team to be led in scoring by three seniors as Denzel Valentine, Bryn Forbes and Matt Costello average a combined 44.4 points. Valentine and Costello are looking to make history by becoming the winningest senior class in Michigan State history, currently owning 106 victories over the last four years. The 2001 senior class ranks first with 115 wins, while the 2002 class and last year's 2015 class rank second with 112 victories.
Valentine Returns To Form
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. Coach Izzo stressed that it takes time for even the best players to return to form after missing weeks and that proved to be true with Valentine. In 12 games since returning from injury, Valentine is averaging 20.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 7.5 assists, including 22.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 8.1 assists in the last 10 contests. Before injury, he averaged 18.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists.
It's All About Boardwork
Michigan State owns an impressive +11.3 rebounding margin, ranking first in the nation, as the Spartans have out-rebounded 25 of 28 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 557 of 722 opponents (.771), posting a 442-115 (.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.
Breslin Advantage
Michigan State is 363-56 (.866) at home all-time since Breslin Center opened in 1989, including 188-43 (.814) in Big Ten play. Under Tom Izzo, the Spartans are 289-41 (.876) at Breslin, including a 147-30 (.831) conference record.
From Beyond the Arc
Michigan State currently ranks first in the nation in 3-point field-goal percentage, shooting .432 from behind the arc. In conference games, the Spartans are shooting a Big Ten-best .460, including .529 over the last seven contests (90-170). Individually, the Spartans are led by Bryn Forbes at .494, ranking first in the nation, while Denzel Valentine ranks sixth in the conference at .451. Valentine leads the Big Ten in made 3-pointers, averaging 3.4 per contest, while Forbes ranks second (3.1 pg). Ten different Spartans have made a 3-pointer. MSU ranks third in the Big Ten in 3-point field goals made (252, 9.0 pg) overall, and second in conference games (143, 9.5 pg). Defensively, MSU also ranks sixth in the nation in 3-point field-goal percentage defense (.296).
Oh So Close!
Three of Michigan State's five defeats have come by one point, including one overtime loss. MSU has not lost three games by one point since the 1981-82 season. The 1962-63 and 1919-20 Spartans also lost three games by a single point. Michigan State has never lost four one-point games in a single season.
All-Time Block Leaders
Matt Costello ranks third in MSU history with 138 blocks. Adreian Payne ranks second with 141 blocks. Branden Dawson is the MSU career leader with 142 blocks. Costello blocked 43 shots as a sophomore and 48 as a junior.
Dominating NCAA Stats
It's not surprising given their 23-5 record, but the Spartans are dominating the NCAA statistics (through games of Feb. 26), ranking in the Top Ten nationally in 10 categories, including total assists (1st, 574), assists per game (1st, 20.5), rebound margin (1st, +11.3), 3-point field-goal percentage (1st, .432), defensive rebounds per game (1st, 29.68), field-goal percentage defense (2nd, .372), scoring margin (2nd, +15.9), assist-to-turnover ratio (3rd, 1.71), 3-point field-goal percentage defense (6th, .296) and total rebounds per game (8th, 41.79).
NBA All-Star
Draymond Green played in his first NBA All-Star game on Feb. 14 as a reserve for the West squad. The 2012 NABC National Player of the Year becomes the seventh Spartan to make an All-Star Team, joining Johnny Green, Ralph Simpson (ABA), Magic Johnson, Kevin Willis, Steve Smith and Zach Randolph. Through Feb. 21, Green is averaging 14.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 7.3 assists, leading the NBA with 11 triple-doubles.
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 third in the Big Ten in blocks (2.0 bpg), second in field-goal percentage (.605) and has scored in double-figures in nine games. He's started the last 10 games, averaging 5.7 points and 6.6 rebounds in 20.0 minutes. Davis is a two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week, including capturing the honor on Feb. 1, after averaging 11.0 rebounds, 4.0 blocks and 7.0 points in a pair of wins. His first honor came on Nov. 30 after averaging 12.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in four games.
Spartans Share The Ball
Unselfishness is a trademark of all Tom Izzo teams. Michigan State is averaging a nation's-best 20.5 assists, recording an assist on 574 of 803 field goals, good for a nation's-best 71.5 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, while recording an assist on 63.7 percent of its baskets.
Basketball-Football Balance
Michigan State is one of seven schools to be ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 in both football and men's basketball as the Spartans are currently ranked No. 6 in basketball and No. 6 in football. Oklahoma, North Carolina, Iowa, Baylor, Oregon and Utah are the other schools with both programs ranked. (Football AP Top 25-Jan. 12; Basketball AP Top 25-Feb. 22).
Costello Steps Up
Senior Matt Costello is having his best season as a Spartan, averaging 10.3 points and a team-best 8.1 rebounds. More importantly, he has raised his game in the last 16 contests, beginning with the four games in which Denzel Valentine was out of action with an injury, averaging 12.5 points and 9.8 rebounds. He scored a career-best 22 points vs. Indiana, as well as scoring 18 points at Wisconsin and 17 points at both Iowa and Minnesota, while grabbing a career-best 15 rebounds at Minnesota. He's posted a double-double in six of the last 16 games. He's averaging nearly a double-double in conference games at 12.7 points, ranking third on the team, and 9.7 rebounds, ranking second in the Big Ten, as his five double-doubles in conference play rank tied for first in the Big Ten.
Rejection By Davis
In less than a year, Deyonta Davis is proving to be one of the best shot blockers in MSU history. With 55 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). The 55 blocks rank tied with Drew Naymick (2006-07) for the fourth-best single season total at MSU. He needs three blocks to tie Branden Dawson (58 blocks, 2014-15) and five to tie Drew Naymick (60 blocks, 2007-08). His six blocks at Northwestern established a Michigan State freshman single-game record.
Making The Most Of An Opportunity
Junior Eron Harris has started 15 games this season, scoring in double figures in nine of the 15. In his 15 starts, he's averaging 11.3 points, shooting .456 from the field, .489 from 3-point range, and .825 from the foul line.
Valentine's Double-Doubles
Denzel Valentine is tied for the Big Ten lead with eight double-doubles this season including two triple-doubles, three points and rebounds double-doubles and three points and assists double-doubles. He has 15 double-doubles for his career.
The Turnover Story
Michigan State is 10-1 this season when committing the same number or fewer turnovers than its opponent, with the lone loss coming in overtime vs. Purdue. The Spartans have had single-digit turnovers in 11 games. Michigan State is averaging 12.0 turnovers in its 23 wins and 12.0 in its five losses. MSU's current 12.0 turnovers per game average is the third-lowest of the Tom Izzo era, behind only the 2014-15 (11.3) and 2013-14 (11.6) squads.
Valentine In A Class Of His Own
Denzel Valentine is the only player in MSU or Big Ten history to total 1,300 career points, 700 career rebounds and 500 career assists. In 137 career games, he's totaled 1,520 points, 804 rebounds and 573 assists. Only five Spartans have ever amassed 1,000 career points and 500 career assists, as Valentine joins Mateen Cleaves, Kalin Lucas, Drew Neitzel and Scott Skiles. Since 2000 only four players are part of the 1,300-700-500 club, as Valentine is joined by BYU's Kyle Collinsworth (2010-Active), Louisville's Terrence Williams (2005-09) and DeAndre Kane (Marshall 2010-13, Iowa State 2013-14). (Source - Sports-Reference.com)
Halftime Leads
Michigan State is a perfect 20-0 when leading at the half. The Spartans have also shown the ability to bounce back when trailing at the half, overcoming halftime deficits vs. Kansas (35-41), Louisville (29-32) and Oakland (37-50).
Improved Foul Shooting
Michigan State ranks fifth in the Big Ten and 66th in the nation in free-throw percentage, shooting .727 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. Unfortunately, MSU shot a season low 57.1 percent (12-21) in a one-point loss to Nebraska.
Spartan Comebacks
Michigan State has shown the ability to overcome adversity during the 2015-16 season, as the Spartans have overcome double-figure deficits in four victories. MSU trailed Oakland by 15 points in the first half and 13 at the half, and also trailed Kansas and Louisville by 13 points in the first half, while rallying from a 10-point first-half deficit against Indiana. Against Purdue, MSU rallied from an 18-point second-half deficit to lead by four points, before eventually falling to the Boilermakers in overtime.
Home-Grown Talent
Michigan State's projected starting lineup includes four Spartans who went to high school in Michigan. This includes both the 2012 (Matt Costello) and 2015 (Deyonta Davis) Michigan Mr. Basketball winners.
Izzo Second In Wins At A Big Ten School
With 518 career wins, Tom Izzo has passed 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 243 Big Ten wins, trailing just Knight (353 wins) and Keady (265 wins).
Rotating Starting Lineup
Michigan State started the same five through the first 12 games of the season. When Denzel Valentine was injured on Dec. 20 it forced Tom Izzo to make a change in the lineup. Beginning with the Dec. 22 game vs. Oakland, the Spartans have used six different lineups in the last 16 games. Counting the Dec. 19 contest (the last of MSU's first 12), MSU has used seven different lineups in the last 17 games. MSU has used the same lineup of Valentine, Bryn Forbes, Eron Harris, Matt Costello and Deyonta Davis in the last nine contests.
Tum Tum Out Of Action
Michigan State point guard Tum Tum Nairn Jr. has played 14 minutes in the last three games after missing the prior seven games due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot. With 83 assists and just 17 turnovers on the season, he ranks first in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (4.88). In his last 18 games, he has posted a 5.8 assist-to-turnover ratio (75 assists, 13 turnovers). He committed just six turnovers in seven games in the month of December.
Offensive Rebounding
MSU ranks second in the Big Ten with 12.1 offensive rebounds per game, while ranking second in offensive rebound percentage, grabbing 36.8 percent of its missed shots. The Spartans are averaging 12.3 second-chance points per contest, outscoring opponents by a +3.6 margin.
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 601-472 (.560) in league play, including 243-112 (.685) under Tom Izzo, who ranks third in league history with 243 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 243-112, 13 games better than second-place Wisconsin (230-125).
Spartan Depth
Ten Spartans average 10 minutes per game, while 12 average seven minutes or more. MSU has needed its depth as Gavin Schilling (turf toe), Marvin Clark Jr. (foot), Denzel Valentine (knee) and Tum Tum Nairn Jr. (plantar fasciitis) have each missed time due to injury, and Kenny Goins suffered a sprained MCL against Indiana that will keep him out 2-4 weeks. The Spartans have had their full allotment of scholarship players available for just four games this season, and have lost a player to injury in or following three of those four.
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.)
20-Win Seasons
With a win over Michigan, MSU recorded its 16th 20-win season in the last 19 years, all under head coach Tom Izzo. Of the 24 20-win seasons in Spartan history, Izzo has been involved in 21 of them, 16 as a head coach and five as an assistant.
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 six double-doubles (vs. Binghamton, UMES, Maryland, Purdue, Indiana and Wisconsin), while Matt Costello (vs. UAPB, Oakland, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maryland, Rutgers and Indiana) has seven double-doubles and Deyonta Davis (vs. Florida Atlantic) has one.
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 203 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 (187), Texas (183), Duke (178) and Kentucky (172).
Valentine Lends A Helping Hand
Denzel Valentine leads the Big Ten and ranks fifth in the nation, averaging 7.3 assists per contest. With 573 assists for his career, he ranks fifth in MSU history. He needs 10 to pass Drew Neitzel (582) and 27 to pass Eric Snow (599). In games in which he has played, Valentine has either made or assisted on 49.2 percent of MSU's field goals, including 50.6 percent in games which he has started. Since returning to action, the percentage increases to 52.5 percent. He also boasts a career-best 2.8 assist-to-turnover ratio.
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 15 career double-doubles.
Valentine On Awards Lists
Denzel Valentine was one of 10 Big Ten players on the John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50. On Jan. 13, he was one of four Big Ten players named to the Wooden Award Midseason Top 25, and on Feb. 10 he was named to the Wooden Award Late Season Top 20. 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 Midseason Watch List and the Naismith Award Midseason Watch List 35. He is one of 10 finalists for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award and one of 10 finalists for the Senior Class 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 137 career games, needing to play in nine more to hold sole position of the top spot in Spartan history. Valentine ranks fifth in MSU career assists (573), needing 10 rebounds to become the only Spartan to rank in the school's career Top 10 in both categories. He ranks fourth in MSU history with 243 made 3-pointers and fourth with 598 3-point attempts.
Spartans In The NBA
Michigan State leads the Big Ten with seven players on NBA rosters this season. Branden Dawson (Los Angeles Clippers) is in his rookie season after being selected in the second round of the 2015 NBA Draft, while Keith Appling made his NBA debut with the Orlando Magic. They join former Spartans Alan Anderson (Washington), Draymond Green (Golden State), Gary Harris (Denver), Adreian Payne (Minnesota) and Zach Randolph (Memphis).
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). The Spartans have spent more time at No. 1 this season than any other school. 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 Weekly Honors
Denzel Valentine is a four-time Big Ten Player of the Week this season, including capturing the award twice in February (Feb. 8 & 15). Most recently, he averaged 28.5 points, 11.5 assists, 6.5 rebounds in a pair of games vs. Purdue and Indiana. The effort also earned him the national Naismith Trophy Player of the Week honor on Feb. 16. Earlier this season Valentine earned back-to-back Big Ten weekly honors on Nov. 23 and Nov. 30. 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, Valentine was also named National Player of the Week by ESPN.com, CBS Sports and NBC Sports on Nov. 23. He followed by averaging 22.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and 7.0 assists in four games, capturing NBC Sports National Player of the Week honors on Nov. 30.
1,000-Point Scorers
Denzel Valentine ranks 17th in MSU history with 1,520 career points. He needs 15 points to pass Drew Neitzel (1,534 points) , 21 to pass Chris Hill (1,540 points) and 22 to pass Mateen Cleaves (1,541 points). Bryn Forbes has 1,641 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 1,134 career points after totaling 873 in two seasons at West Virginia.
MSU In The Polls
Michigan State is currently ranked No. 6 in the AP Top 25 and No. 7 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Four other Big Ten schools are ranked including Iowa (No. 8 Associated Press/No. 8 USA Today), Maryland (No. 10/9), Indiana (No. 18/15) and Purdue (No. 20/19). In addition to the conference opponents, MSU defeated Kansas (No. 2/2) in the Champions Classic, defeated Providence (--/No. 24) in the Wooden Legacy, and defeated Louisville (No. 11/--) in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.
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.
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.
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.
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 2015 postseason, including six in the NCAA Tournament (Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Ohio State, Purdue and Wisconsin) and one in the NIT (Illinois).
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 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.
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 518-204 (.717), and 243-112 (.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 former Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan (.717), former Indiana coach Bob Knight (.700), former Purdue coach Ward Lambert (.685) and ahead of Ohio State's Thad Matta (.683). In all games, Matta ranks first at .751, followed by Ryan (.737), Knight (.734), Izzo (.717), Wisconsin's Walter Meanwell (.712), and Lambert (.709). With 243 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.
