NCAA Basketball FanHouse

Michigan State Needs to Beat Indiana

Michael David Smith — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 10:09:00 EST

Filed under: Indiana Basketball, Michigan State Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, Indiana, Michigan State

At the end of January, Michigan State looked like a very good basketball team. The Spartans were 19-2, had a big win over Texas on their resume, and seemed like a group of players who were going to be an awfully tough out in March.

And now it's March, and the Spartans don't look like a good team anymore. They went 3-4 in February, with home wins against Northwestern, Penn State and Iowa -- arguably the three worst teams in the Big Ten -- and losses at Penn State, Purdue, Indiana and Wisconsin.

And that means that, to the extent that there are must-win games in the early days of March, today's game against Indiana is a must-win. The Hoosiers have actually responded very well to the Kelvin Sampson mess and are riding a five-game winning streak. An Indiana win today would make it crystal clear that there are three solid teams in the Big Ten, and the Spartans aren't one of the three.

The Spartans are still 16th in RPI, so it's not like they're in any danger of missing the Tournament. But if this team has aspirations of more than just getting to March Madness, it's time for Michigan State to start playing like it.

Michigan State Needs to Beat Indiana originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 02 Mar 2008 10:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Premature Hoops BlogPoll: No. 9, Michigan State

Michael David Smith — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 11:25:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan State Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, NCAA Basketball BlogPoll, Michigan State

This week, FanHouse is taking a way too early look at the top teams heading into 2007 with a BlogPoll decided on by our college hoops bloggers. It's a time-honored filler for the off-season, and who are we to buck tradition? Today we look at teams 10 through 6.

In terms of pure talent, Tom Izzo had one of his worst teams last season. And yet the Spartans, despite getting off to a rocky start to the Big Ten season, ended up in the tournament and even won their first-round game.

Don't expect many rocky times this season. With every major contributor to last year's team returning, there's no reason the Spartans shouldn't be a Sweet 16 team, and maybe quite a bit better than that.

The best and most important player is guard Drew Neitzel, who does everything for the Spartans. He's a good shooter, a good passer and a good leader. But he's far from all they have. With a couple of 6-foot-10 players up front in Goran Suton and Drew Naymick and a great rebounder in 6-foot-8 Marquise Gray, the Spartans will have the kind of physical inside presence that Izzo loves.
Why they should be ranked here: They were a good team last year, and everyone is back this year. That's usually a recipe for a big improvement. Combine that with Izzo, one of the best coaches in the land, and it's hard to picture anyone arguing that this isn't a Top 10 team.

Why they should be ranked higher: There's no reason the Spartans couldn't make a run to the Final Four. Every team ranked ahead of Michigan State faces at least as many questions as the Spartans do, although some of them have more NBA-type talents.

Why they should be ranked lower: Sometimes in college sports, the number of starters returning is such a convenient shorthand that we act as though it's the only thing that matters. Just because all the Spartans' players are back doesn't mean they'll be better this season than they were last season.

Premature Hoops BlogPoll: No. 9, Michigan State originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 12 Jul 2007 11:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Is Michigan State's Tom Izzo a Candidate for Kentucky Job?

Michael David Smith — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 10:17:00 EST

Filed under: Kentucky Basketball, Michigan State Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, SEC Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches, NCAA Basketball Rumors, Michigan State, Kentucky

In East Lansing, folks seem a bit concerned that Michigan State coach Tom Izzo could bolt for the vacant coaching job at Kentucky. Neither school is talking about it publicly, but GoSpartans.net is reporting that Izzo is a top candidate, and the Detroit Free Press is assessing the chances he could leave. Jeff Goodman of Fox says Izzo would be Kentucky's third choice, behind Billy Donovan and Rick Barnes, but he says there's only a 10 percent chance Izzo would take the job if it were offered to him.

Although I wrote yesterday that I thought basketball coaches consider Kentucky an extremely attractive job, I'm not sure Izzo would want to leave. Michigan State pays Izzo a ridiculous amount of money (Izzo made more than $7 million in 2006), so it's hard to imagine he'd leave for financial reasons. And Izzo has turned the Spartans into one of the sport's elite programs. And the incoming recruiting class is strong. I understand why Michigan State fans are concerned, but I don't think Izzo is going anywhere.

Previously at FanHouse:
Ohio State AD Says Thad Matta Can Talk to Kentucky
How Nuts are the Expectations at Kentucky?
Why Did Tubby Smith Choose Minnesota?
Who Will Succeed Tubby Smith at Kentucky? Pt. I
Who Will Succeed Tubby Smith at Kentucky? Pt. II
Who Will Succeed Tubby Smith at Kentucky? Pt. III

Tubby Smith Jumps Before Being Pushed?

Is Michigan State's Tom Izzo a Candidate for Kentucky Job? originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 25 Mar 2007 10:17:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Tyler Hansbrough Goes All 'Pyscho T' On Michigan State

Shiloh Carder — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 22:28:00 EST

Filed under: UNC Basketball, Michigan State Basketball, ACC Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, March Madness, Michigan State, North Carolina

Tyler Hansbrough put another page in the book which will be his North Carolina legend. The sophomore center ditched his face-mask in the 1st half of Carolina's game with Michigan State ... then went on to score 33 points and grab 9 rebounds to lead his Tar Heels to a 81-64 victory and a spot in next week's Sweet 16.

Hansbrough began the game with the mask on and made two of his first three shots of the game. He took his normal time to sit for a second, but re-entered the game with about 12 minutes left in the first half sans mask. He immediately went to work, hitting his first shot attempt, then attacked the rim with a few missed shots that he'd rebound and then was fouled. That really set the tone for this game. Hansbrough would hit 7 of his last 10 shots, hit 13 of his 17 free throws and kept Michigan State rotating foul-ridden big men to try to hold him down.

And it isn't all just stat stuffing he did. The Spartans were running Drew Neitzel off screens to great effect early on. Well, Hansbrough did an outstanding job showing on those screens and forcing Neitzel from putting up a good shot [if he even attempted one]. He also was a key member of a front line that limited easy baskets for the Spartans.

All that was made all the more bigger with frontcourt mate Brandan Wright hobbled with foul problems and just bad play.

The Tar Heels will play the winner of the tomorrows Texas-USC game next Friday.

Tyler Hansbrough Goes All 'Pyscho T' On Michigan State originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 17 Mar 2007 22:28:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Michigan State To Invoke 'Jordan Rules' On UNC

Shiloh Carder — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 18:46:00 EST

Filed under: UNC Basketball, Michigan State Basketball, ACC Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, March Madness, Michigan State, North Carolina

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo's defense is patterned after another Michigan team. Former Detroit Pistons' coach Chuck Daly used the 'Jordan Rules' defense in the late 1980s-early 1990s en route to back-to-back NBA Championships. The defense was designed to limit Chicago Bulls star [and UNC alumn] Michael Jordan from driving the ball on them by physically beating him up. If it worked on Jordan, imagine what it did to the rest of the league's top wingmen.

From Charlotte.com:

Michigan State uses a strategy called "six eyes" to "shrink the gaps" in its defense and prevent dribble penetration. Izzo will leave shooters open on the perimeter because he believes a dribbler in the heart of the defense creates more havoc than an open jump shooter.

The Spartans have used this method to be one of the best defensive teams in the nation. They've allowed more than 70 points just twice this season and held Marquette to just 5 two-point baskets on Thursday night. It will be interesting to see if Michigan State can use this to slow down the high flying Tar Heels, who are one of the highest scoring teams in the nation.

The Tar Heels have struggled at times in the half court sets, despite having a point guard who can break nearly anyone down, premiere shooters in Wayne Ellington and Reyshawn Terry, plus a tall, deep frontcourt. One key for Michigan State will be their own offense. If they let UNC leak out and use their lethal fast break ... Michigan State will have no chance in winning.

Michigan State's is 11-1 under Tom Izzo in the second game of a weekend with one day of preparation.

Michigan State To Invoke 'Jordan Rules' On UNC originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 17 Mar 2007 18:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

MSU's 'Team Full of Tylers' Have Success on the Boards

Ryan Wilson — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 13:56:00 EST

Filed under: UNC Basketball, ACC Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, March Madness, Michigan State

Here's the headline from this morning's Durham Herald Sun previewing today's Michigan State-UNC matchup: "MSU a Team Full of Tylers." Yeah, I don't know if that should worry the Tar Heels or not.

The Spartans, always known as a tenacious rebounding team under coach Tom Izzo, takes "Psycho" to a new level when it comes to cleaning the glass:

Some coaches demand that their players go hard to the glass, but Izzo leaves his players no choice. Izzo said he invented the rebounding drill as a way to help his teams compensate for poor shooting.

"You know, five guys on the perimeter and five guys underneath," [point guard Drew] Neitzel said, explaining the drill. "Basically, it's full contact. There's no fouls and no out of bounds. You just go after it, and it's every man for himself. Sometimes we strap on football pads and things like that.

This self-made toughness has served the Spartans well, and the Tar Heels have a reputation for not being tough enough during their losses this season. Izzo's not so sure about such generalizations:

[Izzo] likens his current team's "war drills" to "powder puff football" and "kiddie cartoons compared to what it used to be" in past years. And to hear him tell it, sophomore Tyler Hansbrough is "a smashmouth player" who gives the Tar Heels all the toughness they need.

Fair enough. Hansbrough's been accused of a lot of things, but lacking toughness isn't one of them. But after "Psycho T," there aren't any UNC players who can impose their will in a goon-like fashion. That said, one Hansbrough -- masked or otherwise -- has been more than enough for the Tar Heels this season.

MSU's 'Team Full of Tylers' Have Success on the Boards originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 17 Mar 2007 13:56:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Michigan State's Ibok Suffers Gruesome Injury, CBS Shows It

Michael David Smith — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 19:56:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan State Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, March Madness, NCAA Basketball Injuries, Michigan State

Michigan State sophomore Idong Ibok suffered an ugly elbow injury in the first half of the Spartans' NCAA Tournament game against Marquette. The injury had to remind anyone watching of the awful knee injury suffered by Shaun Livingston of the Clippers.

The CBS cameras stayed focused on Ibok's misshapen elbow long after it was clear what had happened. Commentator Jay Bilas had already diagnosed the injury as a dislocated elbow, and play-by-play man Dick Enberg said, "I think we've seen enough of that already," but CBS wasn't done showing it. Between closeups of the elbow and a subsequent replay, I think CBS may have made some viewers lose their dinners.

From the looks of his elbow, Ibok (pictured guarding Wisconsin's Alando Tucker in the Big Ten Tournament), who typically plays about 10 minutes a night, is almost certainly out for the rest of the tournament.

Michigan State's Ibok Suffers Gruesome Injury, CBS Shows It originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 15 Mar 2007 19:56:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Winston-Salem Will Host Some Great NCAA Coaches

Shiloh Carder — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 23:09:00 EST

Filed under: UNC Basketball, Georgetown Basketball, Marquette Basketball, Michigan State Basketball, ACC Basketball, March Madness, Michigan State

The Winston-Salem pod of the NCAA tournament will have quite the collection of teams this weekend. Whenever you can play host to North Carolina, Michigan State and Georgetown ... well, things are going pretty good. But bigger than the schools are the coaches that will be roaming the sidelines at the LJVM Coliseum.

UNC's Roy Williams, Michigan State's Tom Izzo and Texas Tech's Bobby Knight have won a combined five National Championships and 14 Final Fours. Add in Marquette's Tom Crean for another Final Four trip. Boston College's Al Skinner and Georgetown's John Thompson III are no slouches themselves. Belmont's Rick Byrd has won over 500 colliegate basketball games in his career in the NAIA and NCAA.

All this has to make Jeff Neubauer, the 36-yr old coach of Eastern Kentucky, in a bit of awe as a relative newbie on the scene. However, Neubauer was an assistant coach with West Virginia when they made their magical trek to the Elite Eight in 2005.

With Bobby Knight, you have the winningest coach of all time. With Roy Williams you have the coach with the highest active winning percentage and his teams have won at least one NCAA tournament games in 18 straight seasons. Wtih Tom Izzo, you have the guy who is 23-8 all time in the NCAA tournament, 3rd among active coaches. With Tom Crean, you have an Izzo disciple who is building something pretty great at Marquette.

It also sets up some great coaches newconferences that you could only get in a Final Four type setting. Imaging clearing out the room as the "aw shucks" Roy Williams leaves and the, well, let's say fiesty Bobby Knight moves in? And how will the Izzo-Crean love fest go as they've worked together before and recruit in the same area?

Winston-Salem Will Host Some Great NCAA Coaches originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 11 Mar 2007 23:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

NCAA Previews: Recognize the Michigan State Spartans

Michael David Smith — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 17:26:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan State Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, March Madness, Michigan State

Conference: Big Ten
Record: 22-11, 8-8 in conference
RPI: 23
How They Got In: At large.

Mascot: Spartans. Sparty the Spartan appears at weddings and bar mitzvahs, and he was voted "buffest mascot" by Muscle & Fitness magazine.

Big Wins: It was the Spartans' victory over Wisconsin last month that clinched their spot in the tournament. They also beat Texas on a neutral floor in November.

Notable Loss: A 62-60 loss at Iowa in the Big Ten opener is the only particularly bad loss on the Spartans' schedule.

Player You Should Know: Junior guard Drew Neitzel does everything for the Spartans. He's a good shooter, a good passer and a good leader.

Outlook: In terms of talent, this is one of Tom Izzo's worst teams. But Izzo is a good enough coach that even in down years, he manages to get his team to play well. The Spartans have a good chance of winning their first-round game, but advancing to the Sweet 16 is probably more than we can expect.

NCAA Previews: Recognize the Michigan State Spartans originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 11 Mar 2007 17:26:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Is Michigan State on the Bubble?

Michael David Smith — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 06:59:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan State Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, March Madness, Michigan State

We've all just been assuming that Michigan State is a lock to make the tournament ever since the Spartans beat Wisconsin in February. But look a little closer at the Spartans' season and try to get into the heads of the members of the selection committee. Can you say for certain that Michigan State is in?

Consider, for instance, that the Spartans went just 8-8 in the Big Ten this year and lost in the second round of the Big Ten tournament. The Big Ten was a good but not great conference this season. Is a .500 record and a second-round tournament exit in a good but not great conference a guarantee of a spot in the NCAA Tournament? Purdue and Illinois both went 9-7 in the Big Ten and are both still alive in the tournament, and they're both considered on the bubble, although Michigan State drew a tougher Big Ten schedule than either Illinois or Purdue.

Also consider that after yesterday's loss to Wisconsin, Michigan State has now lost seven of its last 12 games, while Illinois and Purdue are both playing their best basketball at the right time. And Purdue crushed Michigan State in the one game the teams played head-to-head.

Michigan State played a good non-conference schedule, and the Spartans' RPI, at 21, is solid. That's why no one is talking about Michigan State as a bubble team. But maybe we should.

Is Michigan State on the Bubble? originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 10 Mar 2007 06:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Tom Izzo Made More Than $7 Million in 2006

Michael David Smith — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 12:37:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan State Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches, Michigan State

OK, I understand the concept of supply and demand and I know big-time sports can bring in a lot of money to universities, but still, this is insane: After doing a detailed study of coaching contracts, USA Today reports that Michigan State University paid Tom Izzo more than $7 million in 2006. And he's due to make plenty more:

Izzo, for example, will pocket a $4 million bonus if he stays on as the Spartans' coach through April 2010. That's on top of the $5.8 million in bonuses he received in 2006, when his take for the season exceeded $7 million - the highest single-season payout in the study.

Getting to the Elite Eight ensures you a big payday. Six of last year's Elite Eight coaches got raises, with the average raise being about $332,000. It would have been even more than that, but Florida's Billy Donovan declined to negotiate a new deal because he figured the Gators would have another great season this year and that he'd have even more bargaining power.

Read USA Today's entire report, written by Steve Wieberg and Jodi Upton, then try not to let your head explode when you realize that many of these guys aren't even the highest-paid coaches on campus: At most big-time sports schools, the basketball coach makes less than the football coach. Someone is going to have to explain to me how this is still amateur athletics.

Tom Izzo Made More Than $7 Million in 2006 originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 08 Mar 2007 12:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Badgers Looking at Top Seed, Spartans Looking at Bubble

Michael David Smith — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 14:11:00 EST

Filed under: Wisconsin Basketball, Michigan State Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, Michigan State, Wisconsin

Wisconsin's 52-50 victory over Michigan State this afternoon means the Badgers may still be a No. 1 seed even without Brian Butch, and it means the Spartans aren't in the tournament just yet.

I still think the Badgers' long-term prognosis, like Butch's, is bleak. But they've had a good enough season that if they either win the Big Ten tournament or lose in the final to Ohio State, they'll have a good case for being a top seed.

On the other hand, I think Michigan State is a team that could scare people if it gets the opportunity, but I'm not certain the Spartans are going to get that chance. Their RPI is strong (20th heading into today), but they're 4-6 in their last 10, and an 8-8 Big Ten finish isn't particularly impressive. If 9-7 Big Ten teams like Illinois and Iowa aren't getting in, the Spartans had better at least win a Big Ten tournament game.

It was a hard-fought game all day, and it ended with Wisconsin's Kammron Taylor hitting a three-pointer with 3.9 seconds left, followed by Michigan State's Drew Neitzel airballing a three-pointer at the buzzer.

Badgers Looking at Top Seed, Spartans Looking at Bubble originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 03 Mar 2007 14:11:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Michigan Beats Michigan State, Both Teams on Bubble

Michael David Smith — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 20:55:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan State Basketball, Michigan Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, Michigan, Michigan State

Michigan beat Michigan State 67-56 in Ann Arbor tonight, and if any one game could completely change the complexion of the Big Ten race, this one was it.

And when I say "the Big Ten race," I'm not talking about the race to win the Big Ten. We've known for months that either Ohio State or Wisconsin would do that, and it became official that Ohio State won the Big Ten on Sunday. I'm talking about the race to be part of the one or two or three or four Big Ten teams that will make the NCAA tournament after the Big Two get their berths.

Throughout tonight's game, ESPN's Brent Musberger talked as if both teams were playing for a spot in the NCAA tournament. I think we've all been operating under the assumption that Tom Izzo had done a great job and Michigan State is definitely in, while Tommy Amaker had failed and Michigan is definitely out. But I'm no longer sure.

After all, Michigan State ends the season at Wisconsin, meaning the Spartans are likely to finish 8-8 in the Big Ten. That might not be seen as tournament-quality by the selection committee. Michigan ends the season at home against Ohio State, and although a win is highly unlikely, if they somehow pulled it off it would at least put the Wolverines in the conversation for an at-large berth.

I think the Big Ten tournament teams are Ohio State, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan State and Illinois. But I could be very wrong. Indiana, Michigan State and Illinois could all still miss it. Purdue, Michigan and Iowa could all still make it. The last week of the season and the conference tournament don't mean much of anything for Wisconsin and Ohio State, but they mean a lot for the six Big Ten bubble teams.

Michigan Beats Michigan State, Both Teams on Bubble originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 27 Feb 2007 20:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Indiana, Purdue, Illinois Bring Big Ten Bids to Six?

Michael David Smith — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 09:05:00 EST

Filed under: Ohio State Basketball, Wisconsin Basketball, Indiana Basketball, Michigan State Basketball, Illinois Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, Indiana, Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Illinois

It was just last weekend that I wrote that the Big Ten might get just three NCAA tournament bids. But I also said at the time, "It's not outside the realm of possibility that six Big Ten teams could make it." That's still a possibility.

Wisconsin and Ohio State are obviously in. Michigan State is in as well. Indiana has been struggling lately, losing three of the last four, including Michigan State last night. But the Hoosiers had a very good nonconference schedule, and they should win their last two, Northwestern and Penn State, easily. That's four Big Ten bids.

But what about Purdue and Illinois? The Boilermakers are 7-7 in the Big Ten and close with home games against Minnesota and Northwestern, so they're going to finish 9-7 in the conference. Given some fairly good nonconference wins (Missouri, DePaul, Virginia) that should be enough. And the Illini will go 10-6 in the Big Ten with a season finale win at Iowa. That should also be good enough.

Can the Big Ten really get six bids, though? I find it hard to believe. Most likely, either Purdue or Illinois -- will have a poor showing in the conference tournament and lose out there. But it's surprising we're even talking about six Big Ten bids at the end of February.

Indiana, Purdue, Illinois Bring Big Ten Bids to Six? originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 25 Feb 2007 09:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Does 'College GameDay' Mean More Than the Game?

Michael David Smith — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 10:58:00 EST

Filed under: Indiana Basketball, Michigan State Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, Indiana, Michigan State

As I write this, it's 10 hours before tip-off of tonight's Indiana-Michigan State game, and the Breslin Center in East Lansing is already rocking. The players aren't there yet (some of them probably aren't even awake yet), but the fans are going crazy for Reece Davis, Hubert Davis, Digger Phelps and Jay Bilas.

It's nice how ESPN's College GameDay gets the students excited about the attention drawn to their school, but I sense a somewhat troubling aspect to this, namely that the ESPN pregame show might matter more than the game. After all, Michigan State and Indiana are almost certainly in the tournament no matter what happens, but neither team is playing for anything as important as a No. 1 seed or a Big Ten championship. So this game doesn't mean a whole lot, except that ESPN is giving it a lot of attention.

And doesn't that take something away from the game on the court? Will these fans who are going so crazy at 11 a.m. still be into it at 11 p.m.? The football version of College GameDay brings us closer to the passion of college sports, but in college football, the short season and the lack of a playoff makes each individual regular-season game much more important. In college basketball it's easier for a single game to get overshadowed. I enjoy watching College GameDay, but I enjoy watching college games more. Sometimes I get the sense that the fans on campus don't feel the same way.

Does 'College GameDay' Mean More Than the Game? originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 24 Feb 2007 10:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

If Only the Spartans Could Hang on to the Ball...

Michael David Smith — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 10:56:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan State Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, Michigan State

What kind of team is Michigan State? Before the season it looked like the worst of the Tom Izzo era, and just making the tournament seemed like a stretch. But now it looks like Michigan State is in. Big Ten Wonk has an interesting post this morning about Michigan State's one flaw: the inability to avoid turnovers:

Michigan State has given the ball away on 26 percent of their possessions in Big Ten play this season. That's the highest number of turnovers I've seen in three seasons of tracking this kind of thing in the Big Ten. ...

So I say it again and I mean it literally: if Tom Izzo's team cut down on the turnovers, they would be the equal of Ohio State and Wisconsin.

I agree with that, but isn't that kind of like saying that if I were a three-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback, I'd be dating a Victoria's Secret model? The fact is, the Spartans just plain can't stop turning the ball over. They rank 296th in the country in turnover rate. I just don't think there's much chance of that changing in the next month.

But elsewhere in the college hoops blogosphere, the Phog Blog notes the importance of freshman Raymar Morgan and says of Michigan State, "they're going to be really surprising some people over the next month." Whether that's true or not, look out for Michigan State next year. There are no seniors on the team and Drew Neitzel (pictured) seems likely to stick around. Spartan fans are happy just to be a 2007 tournament team, but they should look forward to a 2008 Final Four team.

If Only the Spartans Could Hang on to the Ball... originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Fri, 23 Feb 2007 10:56:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Michigan State Is In, Wisconsin Still a Top Seed?

Michael David Smith — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 09:23:00 EST

Filed under: Wisconsin Basketball, Michigan State Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, Michigan State, Wisconsin

Michigan State beat Wisconsin last night, which means the Spartans are almost certainly in the tournament. Give Tom Izzo a lot of credit for that: This was supposed to be a down year for Michigan State, and if this is what their down years look like, they're firmly established as one of the elite college hoops programs.

There's been some talk this morning that Michigan State students should be above storming the court after a big win like this, but I think that's hogwash: Let them enjoy the moment. It was a big win.

As big a win as it was, though, it's interesting to note that this was an unranked team beating the No. 1 team in the country, and yet it doesn't feel like all that big an upset. I think that says a lot about the fact that Wisconsin and Ohio State were installed as the No. 1 and No. 2 team in the country basically by default: No one really thought they were the two best teams in the country, but everyone thought it was their turn to be No. 1 and No. 2 after the teams in front of them lost.

And I think the loser of this weekend's Ohio State-Wisconsin game is going to have an awfully tough time getting a No. 1 seed. The Big Ten getting two top seeds just doesn't seem likely to me. My money is on UCLA, North Carolina, Florida and one -- but not both -- of the Badgers and the Buckeyes.

Michigan State Is In, Wisconsin Still a Top Seed? originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 21 Feb 2007 09:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Michigan State Hangs on the Bubble

Charles Rich — Sat, 17 Feb 2007 18:21:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan State Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, Michigan State

Iowa didn't show up until the second half. Maybe it was all the snow that delayed their game with Northwestern one day. Whatever, the Hawkeyes were up 4-3, then 6:30 later it was 21-4 Michigan State. By halftime it was 44-17. Iowa couldn't get it to respectable in the second half as the final score was 81-49.

The game was surprisingly easy for the Spartans. They shot over 58% for the game while holding Iowa to under 35%. The Hawkeyes also committed more turnovers (17) then made baskets (15). It was just an ugly outing in East Lansing.

The win gets Michigan State to 6-6 in the Big 10, but now they really need to come up big. Their next two home games are with Wisconsin and Indiana. They end the season with road games at Michigan and Wisconsin. If they can finish 8-8 they should be in the NCAA.

Michigan State Hangs on the Bubble originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 17 Feb 2007 18:21:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

NIT or NCAA: Michigan State

Michael David Smith — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 06:29:00 EST

Filed under: Michigan State Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, March Madness, Michigan State

Throughout the season we'll look at bubble teams and assess whether they have a better chance of ending up in the NIT or the NCAA Tournament.

Team: Michigan State

Record: 17-8

Good wins: Texas, Illinois

Bad losses: Iowa, Purdue

Comments: Michigan State doesn't have a signature win or a terrible loss. Basically, the Spartans have beaten the teams they should beat and lost to the teams they should lose to, although losing by 24 at Purdue has capped an ugly stretch of recent games.

Other views: Charles Rich says the Spartans are legitimately on the bubble. Bracketology lists Michigan State as the last team in. They rank 40th in RPI, 26th in Ken Pomeroy's ratings and 41st in the Sagarin ratings.

Verdict: Their non-conference schedule was tough enough that the Spartans only need to go 9-7 in the Big Ten to make the tournament. But they're 4-6 in the Big Ten right now, and they still have to play Wisconsin twice. That means Tom Izzo is most likely going to the NIT.

NIT or NCAA: Michigan State originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 11 Feb 2007 06:29:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments