Spartan Basketball To Play In Jimmy V Classic
12/18/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 18, 2000
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
#2/2 Michigan State (8-0)vs. #8/11 Seton Hall (6-1)December 19, 2000 - 9:00 p.m. ESTE. Rutherford, N.J.Jimmy V Classic - ESPN
MSU-Seton Hall Game Notes
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Note Of The Game
What A Difference A Year Makes - Last year, Michigan State traveled 9,300 miles by the time the team took a few days off for holiday vacation. The Spartans' travel plans in 1999 included trips to Puerto Rico, North Carolina, Arizona and Chicago to play Kansas. Things are much different this season as the Spartans have only played one game on the road this season at Chicago (Loyola). Including this current trip to New Jersey, MSU will have logged just 1,500 travel miles.
Four More Notes No Media Person Should Be Without
1. 8-0 Start Among Best Ever - In 102 seasons of Michigan State basketball, the Spartans have opened a season with an 8-0 record just five times. The last time MSU won its first eight games was 1991-92 when the team got off to a 10-0 start, the best in school history. The Spartans won the first nine games in 1916-17 and the first eight in 1988-89 and 1984-85.
2. Offensive Explosions - In just eight games, Michigan State has topped the 90-point mark four times this season, the highest season total for a Tom Izzo-coached squad. The last MSU team to score at least 90 points four times in a season was the '94-95 unit that topped 90 points in six games.
3. But Not Against Kentucky - As mentioned above, the Spartans have one of their most potent offensive attacks in recent years. Yet against Kentucky, they were forced to rely on their defense to emerge with a victory. The 46 points for MSU were the fewest in a Spartan victory since Feb. 17, 1951, a 43-32 win over Michigan. Michigan State had not scored as few as 46 points since Jan. 4, 1997, a 68-43 loss to Minnesota. Prior to Saturday's game, the lowest point total for a Spartan victory under Tom Izzo was 51 (51-49 vs. Illinois, Jan. 16, 1999).
4. Road Warriors - Michigan State has received a lot of publicity for its home winning streak, but the Spartans are almost as impressive on the road. Since the beginning of the 1997-98 season, MSU is 48-17 away from the Breslin Center. The last loss outside of East Lansing was an 81-79 overtime loss at Indiana on Feb. 26, 2000.
Coach Izzo - In his sixth year, Tom Izzo is 128-48 (.727), 59-25 (.702) in the Big Ten, as the coach of the Michigan State basketball program. He is the third winningest coach in MSU history, trailing only Jud Heathcote (340) and Benjamin VanAlstyne (232) in total wins. Izzo's 120 wins in his first five years tied for him seventh most by a coach in his first five seasons of coaching. In 1999, Izzo was named national coach of the year by Basketball Times, while earning similar honors from Associated Press, Basketball News and the USBWA in '98. With MSU's 77-71 overtime win over Indiana on Jan. 11, 2000, Izzo became just the fourth Spartan coach to reach the 100-win mark.
Izzo vs. Seton Hall - Tom Izzo has never met Seton Hall during his tenure as head coach. He is 1-0 against the Pirates as an assistant.
Izzo vs. the Big East - Tom Izzo is 3-1 in his career against the Big East.
Much Too Young To Feel This Old - Although just in his sixth year, Tom Izzo is currently tied for the second-longest coaching tenure in the Big Ten, trailing only Purdue's Gene Keady (21st year). Penn State's Jerry Dunn is also in his sixth year.
Izzo vs. Ranked Opponents - In his five-plus seasons of coaching, Tom Izzo has posted a 33-25 record against foes ranked in the AP Top 25. This includes wins in 21 of MSU's last 25 games against ranked opponents.
Seton Hall Notes
Michigan State Spartans (8-0) Ppg. Rpg. Apg.F - #34 Andre Hutson (Sr., 6-8, 245) 13.3 7.4 2.0F - #25 Aloysius Anagonye (So., 6-8, 255)5.9 2.9 0.8F - #11 David Thomas (Sr., 6-7, 210) 5.1 4.9 2.4G - #23 Jason Richardson (So., 6-6, 220)15.5 5.3 2.5G - #14 Charlie Bell (Sr., 6-3, 200) 15.8 5.1 6.1
Seton Hall Pirates (6-1) Ppg. Rpg. Apg.F - #33 Eddie Griffin (Fr., 6-9, 212) 21.1 12.9 5.4 blocksF - #13 Marcus Toney-El (Fr., 6-6, 197) 8.4 5.4 2.3C - #1 Samuel Dalembert (So., 6-11, 265)8.9 3.9 3.0 blocksG - #30 Darius Lane (Jr., 6-4, 208) 21.9 5.6 3.9G - #12 Andre Barrett (Fr., 5-8, 159) 10.9 4.0 7.7
MSU/Seton Hall Statistical BreakdownsCategory MSU SHUScoring Offense 86.4 86.6Scoring Defense 61.8 77.9Scoring Margin +24.6 +8.7Field Goal Pct. .517 .474Field Goal Pct. Defense .402 .4033Pt. FG Pct. .383 .370Free Throw Pct. .752 .608Rebound Margin +17.9 +2.0Turnovers per game 14.5 17.3
Scouting The Pirates - Seton Hall enters the game with a 6-1 record, having most recently defeated Pennsylvania, 80-78 on Dec. 13. The Pirates are led by fourth year head coach Tommy Amaker, who has a career record of 58-41. SHU features a tough defense that has blocked 69 shots this season (9.9 bpg), including 38 by the nation's leader, freshman Eddie Griffin.
MSU vs. Seton Hall - Michigan State and Seton Hall have just one prior meeting, an 84-73 MSU victory in the first round of the 1994 NCAA Tournament in St. Petersburg, Fla. MSU's Shawn Respert led all scorers with 25 points.
Diaper Dandies Galore - Michigan State and Seton Hall feature several of the most highly-touted freshmen in the nation. Four players on the two rosters took part in the 2000 McDonald's All-American Game. MSU's Zach Randolph and Marcus Taylor were on the West squad which defeated the East team, featuring Seton Hall's Eddie Griffin and Andre Barrett, 146-120. Randolph was named MVP of the contest with 23 points and 15 rebounds. Seton Hall's starting lineup also features true freshman Marcus Toney-El.
Are Seniors Important? - The Pirates' young roster features just two seniors (Kevin Wilkins and Reggie Garrett). They have combined to average 1.3 points and 2.7 rebounds. By contrast, MSU features five seniors, including three in the starting lineup. The quintet of Charlie Bell, Mike Chappell, Andre Hutson, Brandon Smith and David Thomas averages a combined 39.5 points, 21.0 rebounds and 12.0 assists per game.
Triple-Double Trouble - MSU's Charlie Bell and Seton Hall's Eddie Griffin are two of just a few players in college basketball this season to record a triple-double. In the Spartans' season opener against Oakland, Bell's 13-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist effort gave MSU its first triple-double since March 24, 1979, when Earvin Johnson recorded the last of his eight career triple-doubles. Griffin recorded 21 points, 12 rebounds and 10 blocks against Norfolk State to record what is believed to be the first triple-double in Seton Hall history.
Looking Ahead - Bowling Green
Happy Holidays - After the Seton Hall game, the Spartans will get a few days off to celebrate the holiday season. They will return to action on Dec. 27 against Bowling Green at The Palace in Auburn Hills. The Falcons enter the week with a 3-4 record. The game is the second contest in a doubleheader at the Palace with Oakland and Wright State battling in the first game.
More On MSU Basketball
Taylor Out Of Action - MSU freshman guard Marcus Taylor is out of action 2-4 weeks with a fractured tip of the fourth (ring) finger on his right hand. Taylor scored four points against Kentucky before suffering the injury late in the first half. He had tallied 27 assists and just seven turnovers in his last five games including UK.
Winning Streaks - Michigan State owns the nation's longest winning streak at 19 games. The last loss came Feb. 26, 2000, at Indiana, with the Spartans falling to the Hoosiers, 81-79, in overtime. The current winning streak is the second longest in MSU history. The longest winning streak in school history is 22 games, set during the 1998-99 season.
Home Cooking - Michigan State owns the longest home winning streak in Division I basketball at 35 games. Over the 35-game stretch the Spartans have won by an average of 22.2 points. Just five of the 35 games have been decided by fewer than 10 points.
Second Chances - Through eight games, Michigan State owns an impressive 125-65 advantage on the offensive glass. The Spartans are making the most of these rebounds, having outscored their opponents, 130-66, in second chance points. In fact, MSU has almost as many offensive rebounds (125) as its opponents have defensive boards (140).
Stat Sheet Stuffer - Charlie Bell continues to contribute to the team's success in a variety of ways. He ranks among the leaders in the Big Ten in scoring (9th, 15.8 ppg), assists (1st, 6.13 apg), field-goal percentage (t-13th, .523), three-point field-goal percentage (9th, .455), free throw percentage (15th, .826) and assists-to-turnover ratio (4th, 2.45). In addition, he is averaging 5.1 rebounds, fourth-best on the team. In the season opener against Oakland, Bell joined Earvin Johnson as the only two Spartans to record a triple-double with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. (Big Ten statistics through games of Dec. 17.)
Production Off The Pine - With nine players averaging over 10 minutes per game, Michigan State is one of the deepest teams in the nation. Not only are the Spartan subs logging minutes, they are also very productive. Through seven contests, players off the bench are averaging 31.8 points and 15.9 rebounds per game.
1,000 - 500 Club - With six rebounds against Florida, Charlie Bell (1,148 points, 510 rebounds) became the 17th player in school history to record 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in his career. Teammate Andre Hutson (1,058 points, 650 rebounds) reached the milestone against North Carolina when he topped the 1,000-point mark.
1,000, 500, 200 - Six rebounds also gave Charlie Bell admission into a more exclusive club. He became just the fourth Spartan to record 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 200 assists for his career. Steve Smith, Matt Steigenga and Ken Redfield are the three previous players to reach the mark. For his career, Bell has 1,148 points, 510 rebounds and 251 assists.
High Flying J-Rich - Everyone has heard the stories of Jason Richardson's dunks. He's on Dick Vitale's All-Dipsy-doo Dunk-a-roos Team and leads MSU with 11 dunks, but there is much more to his game. He is second on the team with a 15.5 points-per-game scoring average. He is shooting 59.5% from the field, including 50.0% from three-point range.
Defensive Stopper - While Bell's triple-double got most of the publicity after the Oakland contest, his defensive effort was equally impressive. He held Oakland's Jason Rozycki, who scored 32 against Michigan on Friday, to three points in 32 minutes. "I would almost call it a quadruple-double because I really think the defense he played might have been what won the game," said Tom Izzo. "If there's a better defensive guard, I want to see him." ESPN's Dick Vitale has called Bell the best defensive guard on the perimeter in the nation.
Charlie Bell Getting Defensive - Look for Charlie Bell to regularly defend the opponent's top scorer. Also look for Bell to regularly hold the opposition's leading scorer under his normal scoring average. The chart below demonstrates Bell's defensive prowess, showing the opponent's points in the game before playing Bell, points in the game being guarded by Bell and points the game after playing Bell. It's important to note that MSU's defensive system employs a lot of switching.
Bell's Defense Against Kentucky - Charlie Bell struggled from the field against Kentucky, but played excellent defense. Bell opened the Kentucky game guarding Saul Smith who scored three points on 1-7 shooting. In the second half, he guarded Keith Bogans who was 2-8 for six points in the second half after a 4-6 first half (nine points). Closer examination shows that Bell was not scored upon during the game with Smith's and Bogans' points coming against other Spartan defenders.
The 70-Point Barrier - Through eight games, Michigan State has scored more than 70 points in every game but one, while holding its opponents to fewer than 70 points in all but two games. Last season, MSU posted a 22-2 record when scoring more than 70 points. This has also led to some happy Spartan fans who receive a free crunchy taco if MSU scores 75 points or more, courtesy of a promotion on the ticket stubs.
Reaching A Milestone - Andre Hutson became the 30th player in Michigan State history to reach the 1,000-point plateau for his career with 14 points against North Carolina. Hutson (1,058 career points) needs two points to pass Earvin Johnson (1,059 points) and become MSU's 27th-leading scorer and five points to pass Johnny Green (1,062 points) for 26th place. Teammate Charlie Bell has also reached 1,000 career points, with a current total of 1,148, good for 23rd place. With eight more points, Bell can become MSU's 21st-leading all-time scorer, passing Lindsay Hairston (1,155).
It's All About Boardwork - In the 1999-2000 season, Michigan State led the nation in rebounding margin at +11.7 rebounds per game. If early games are any indication, the Spartans are at it again in 2000-01, posting a rebound margin of +17.9 through eight contests.
MSU Rebounds vs. Opponent Points - Against Illinois-Chicago, the Spartans had more rebounds (54) than the Flames had points (53). Last year, Michigan State posted similar efforts on seven occasions, including games against Wisconsin (4/1 - 42 reb., 41 pts.), Valparaiso (3/16 - 39 reb., 38 pts.), Minnesota (3/2 - 45 reb., 43 pts.), Wisconsin (2/12 - 50 reb., 44 pts.), Northwestern (1/27 - 42 reb., 29 pts.), Howard (12/3 - 54 reb., 45 pts.) and Toledo (11/22 - 45 reb., 33 pts.).
Poll Cats - Michigan State has spent the last 49 weeks ranked in the Associated Press Top 25, including 42-straight weeks in the top 15. This includes the Spartans' number-two ranking in the current AP poll. (Does not include Dec. 18 poll.)
A Floor Fit For A Champion - The Spartans' current basketball court is the floor used at the 2000 Final Four. As the NCAA Champion, Michigan State purchased the floor for $75,000. It was placed in Breslin with the Final Four paint job on Sept. 23 for a National Championship celebration. It was then shipped to Dollar Bay in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the same place it was built, for a new paint job. It was reinstalled in Breslin in time for the Coca-Cola Classic.
Scoring Well At The Bres - Michigan State's offense is usually hitting on all cylinders when playing in front of the home crowd. In the last eight games at the Breslin Center, including the 1999-2000 home finale, the Spartans have turned in four of their top-five offensive efforts under Tom Izzo (114 vs. Michigan 3/4/00, 99 vs. Florida 12/6/00, 97 vs. UIC 12/2/00, 97 vs. Oakland 11/19/00). In those eight games the Spartans are averaging 87.8 points.
In Case You Missed The Trip To Indy Last March - MSU plays host to the other three teams from the 2000 Final Four (Florida, North Carolina and Wisconsin) in East Lansing this season. This is the first time in history that a defending NCAA Champion has played the other three Final Four participants at home the following year. The always tough schedule also includes non-conference contests at home against Kentucky and in East Rutherford, N.J., against Seton Hall. Nine of the Spartans' 2000-01 opponents made an appearance in the 2000 NCAA Tournament. In the 1989-90 season, Michigan played the other three teams from the 1989 Final Four but did not play each team in Ann Arbor.
Thirty-Something x 2 - Michigan State is the only school in the nation to record 30 or more victories in each of the past two seasons, posting a 33-5 mark in 1998-99 and 32-7 record in 1999-2000.
Thirty Something x 2 (Take Two) - MSU is just the second school in Big Ten history to record 30 or more wins in consecutive seasons. Indiana did it in 1974-75 and 1975-76. The 65 Spartan wins over the past two years are the most ever by a Big Ten school in a two-year period.
Missing Parts - Michigan State is without three starters from the 2000 NCAA Championship team. The trio of Mateen Cleaves, A.J. Granger and Morris Peterson accounted for 46 percent (1342) of the points, 32 percent (486) of the rebounds and 46 percent (276) of the assists in 1999-2000.
The Champs! Round Four - Michigan State was tabbed as the preseason favorite by the league's coaches at Big Ten Basketball Media Day. Should the Spartans capture the conference crown, they will become just the fourth team to win four-consecutive Big Ten titles, joining Chicago (1907-10), Ohio State (1960-64) and Indiana (1973-76). The league's media selected Illinois to win the league with MSU picked to finish second.
Proving The Old Saying True - Rebounding and defense really do win championships. Just ask the Spartans. During Coach Izzo's tenure, they have regularly been ranked among the nation's leaders in both categories, including the 1999-2000 season when they led the country in rebounding margin at +11.7, two full rebounds ahead of second-place Stanford, and ranked eighth in scoring defense at 58.9 ppg.
Streak Busters - With a 72-68 win over the Harlem Globetrotters on Nov. 13, the Spartans snapped the Globetrotters' 1,270-game winning streak. The Trotters had not lost since 1995 and had not dropped a game to a college squad since 1962 when they lost 101-89 to a group of college all-stars.
For Openers - Michigan State opened its 102nd season of basketball with a 97-61 win over Oakland, marking the 24th-straight season in which MSU has opened with a win. MSU is 81-21 all-time in openers. Tom Izzo has won his six season openers by an average of 29.3 points. The win also marked the 24th-straight home opener for the Spartans, who improved to 84-18 in home openers and 70-11 in season openers at home.
The Past Is Too Good To Ignore - While past success does not guarantee future championships, some stats from the past four years (including the 2000-01 season) are worth repeating, including MSU's record in Big Ten action, 41-7, in the Breslin Center, 47-3, in postseason play, 18-3, in the NCAA Tournament, 12-2.
In Order To Be The Best, You Have To Play The Best - Once again, the Spartans boast one of the nation's most difficult schedules. Six of MSU's opponents are ranked in the ESPN/USA Today Top 25, including five in the top 16. They include Illinois (5), Florida (7), Seton Hall (11), Wisconsin (15), North Carolina (16) and Iowa (21).
Carrying On With The Flintstone Tradition - Charlie Bell was named Preseason First-Team All-Big Ten by both the league's media and coaches. Should he finish the season with first-team all-conference honors it will mark the fourth consecutive season in which a Spartan has been named first-team all-league, joining former MSU stars and Flint natives Mateen Cleaves (1998-2000) and Morris Peterson (1999-2000).
Wizards Of Westwood - Seniors Charlie Bell and Andre Hutson were named to the John Wooden Award Preseason All-American Team. Bell was also announced as a top-25 vote getter. Last year, Mateen Cleaves and Morris Peterson earned spots on the 10-man Wooden All-American Team. Bell is also one of 30 Preseason Candidates for the Naismith Award.
U-S-A, U-S-A - Three members of the MSU squad gained experience playing for Team USA over the summer. Zach Randolph and Marcus Taylor were on the 2000 USA Hoop Summit Team that defeated an International Select squad, 98-97. Randolph earned MVP honors at the Hoop Summit. Randolph and Jason Richardson were members of the silver-medal winning World Championship for Young Men Qualifying Team, where Richardson ranked second on the team in points and third in rebounds, while Randolph ranked third in points and second in rebounds. Richardson also earned a spot on the Men's Select Team that competed against the 2000 US Olympic Dream Team, scoring a team-high 20 points along with a team-best five rebounds and four assists.
Spartans Sign Another Strong Recruiting Class - While Zach Randolph and Marcus Taylor teamed last year to give MSU one of the top recruiting classes in the nation, the Spartans have once again landed a strong group of high school athletes. On Nov. 8, 2000, Tom Izzo announced three players signed their National Letters of Intent to play for Michigan State. In keeping with a tradition of tough players at MSU, all three recruits played football in high school.
Alan Anderson is a 6-5, 218-pound G/F from Minneapolis (De LaSalle HS). He averaged 21.3 points as a junior and is ranked by many to be among the top 25 seniors in the country after being named by The Sporting News as the number one surprise player of the summer.
Chris Hill is a 6-3, 175-pound combo guard from Indianapolis (Lawrence North HS). He averaged 17 points and four assists as a junior in helping his team to an 18-4 mark. He was selected to the 2000 All-Tournament Team at the AAU adidas Big Time Tournament.
Kelvin Torbert is a 6-4, 200-pound shooting guard from Flint, MI (Northwestern HS). He ranks among the top players in the nation including No. 2 by The Sporting News and Bob Gibbons. He averaged 25.1 points, 10.5 rebounds and 4 assists as a junior in helping his team to a 20-3 record, while also earning Parade Magazine third-team All-America honors.
The Golden Arches - Michigan State boasts one of the top freshman classes in the nation with McDonald's All-Americans Zach Randolph and Marcus Taylor. Randolph earned MVP honors at the 2000 McDonald's All-American game. Randolph and Taylor join sophomore Jason Richardson as McDonald's All-Americans on the Spartan roster.
