Top-Ranked Spartans Battle Bowling Green In Auburn Hills
12/26/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Dec. 26, 2000
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
Bowling Green-Michigan State Game Notes
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Michigan State Player UpdatesDownload Free Acrobat Reader
Note Of The Game
A Perfect 10 - With a win against Bowling Green, Michigan State would equal the best start in school history at 10-0. In 1991-92, MSU also opened the season with a 10-0 record. In 102 seasons of Michigan State basketball, the Spartans have opened a season with an 9-0 record just three times. Besides this year and '91-92, MSU also won the first nine games in 1916-17.
Four More Notes No Media Person Should Be Without
1. MSU At No. 1 - Michigan State is ranked number one by both major polls this week, marking the first time MSU has reached the top spot in a regular-season poll since the 1979 season. The first time that MSU held the top position in the Associated Press poll was Jan. 3, 1979. The Spartans were also the number one team on Jan. 10, 1979. Last year, Michigan State was No. 1 in the ESPN/USA Today poll released after the NCAA Tournament. MSU has an all-time record of 2-2 when ranked No. 1. Michigan State is also the number-one ranked team in college hockey.
2. Taking Boardwork To New Levels - Michigan State outrebounded Seton Hall by an impressive 60-39 margin, setting a few records in the process. The 60 rebounds were the most in the Tom Izzo era. The previous high was 55 against South Florida on Dec. 20, 1997. The last time MSU grabbed 60 rebounds was Dec. 1, 1992 vs. Morehead State. The 27 offensive rebounds are also the most recorded in school history.
3. Winning Streaks - Michigan State owns the nation's longest winning streak at 20 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.
4. Winning With Defense - After opening the season by posting large offensive outputs, the Spartans have won the last two with tough defense. In the last two games, MSU has held its opponents to 35.5% field-goal shooting (38-107) and 23.3% three-point field-goal shooting (10-43).
Coach Izzo - In his sixth year, Tom Izzo is 129-48 (.729), 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. Bowling Green - Tom Izzo has never met Bowling Green during his tenure as head coach. He is 2-2 against the Falcons as an assistant.
Izzo Vs. The MAC - Tom Izzo is 6-1 in his career against the MAC.
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.
MSU vs. Unranked Opponents - Michigan State has won 16-straight games against unranked opponents with the last loss coming at Purdue, 70-67, on Feb. 8, 2000. The Spartans have not lost a home game to an unranked opponent since Dec. 13, 1997, when they fell to Detroit, 68-65, a span of 30-straight wins.
Bowling Green Notes
Probable Starting LineupsMichigan State Spartans (9-0) Ppg. Rpg. Apg.F - #34 Andre Hutson (Sr., 6-8, 245) 12.8 8.0 2.0F - #25 Aloysius Anagonye (So., 6-8, 255)6.3 3.9 0.7F - #11 David Thomas (Sr., 6-7, 210) 4.6 5.3 2.4G - #23 Jason Richardson (So., 6-6, 220)15.6 5.2 2.4G - #14 Charlie Bell (Sr., 6-3, 200) 15.9 5.8 6.0
Bowling Green Falcons (4-4) Ppg. Rpg. Apg.F - #10 Trent Jackson (Sr., 6-4, 205) 11.1 3.3 1.3F - #45 Kevin Netter (Fr., 6-10, 205) 11.1 3.4 0.0C - #14 Len Matela (Jr., 6-9, 240) 17.4 8.5 1.1G - #20 Keith McLeod (Jr., 6-2, 185) 14.9 3.7 3.1G - #32 Brandon Pardon (Jr., 6-1, 200) 11.5 3.8 7.8
Michigan State/Bowling Green Stat ComparisonsCategory MSU BGScoring Offense 84.8 86.5Scoring Defense 61.2 82.0Scoring Margin +23.6 +4.5Field Goal Pct. .497 .513Field Goal Pct. Defense .393 .4783Pt. FG Pct. .365 .420Free Throw Pct. .750 .751Rebound Margin +18.2 +2.6Turnovers per game 15.0 17.0
Scouting The Falcons - Hailing from the MAC, Bowling Green enters the game with a 4-4 record. The Falcons are led by fourth-year head coach Dan Dakich, who owns a career record of 54-38. Prior to taking over as head coach at BGSU, Dakich served as an assistant coach for 11 years at Indiana University.
MSU Vs. Bowling Green - Michigan State leads the all-time series with Bowling Green by a 7-3 count. The Spartans won the last meeting between the teams, a 62-49 victory in East Lansing in Dec. 28, 1993.
The Spartans At The Palace - Michigan State owns a record of 3-1 in games played at The Palace of Auburn Hills, Mich. Most recently, the Spartans won two games in the Midwest Regional of the 2000 NCAA Tournament, defeating Syracuse, 75-58, and Iowa State, 75-64. MSU defeated Arkansas, 75-72, in the 1995 Great Eight Tournament. On Dec. 15, 1990, Michigan State lost to UNLV, 95-75.
Looking Ahead - Wright State
Holiday Shocker - On Dec. 30, 1999, Wright State defeated Michigan State, 53-49, in what was one of the biggest upsets of last season. This year, the Raiders are off to a fast start, entering the week with a 9-1 record. They will play Oakland in the game preceeding MSU-Bowling Green at the Palace, beginning at 5 p.m. They are led in scoring by 6-11 junior center Israel Sheinfeld, averaging 17.4 points.
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.
MSU Rebounds vs. Opponent Points - Against Seton Hall, the Spartans had more rebounds (60) than the Pirates had points (57). Michigan State accomplished the same feat vs. Illinois-Chicago, with 54 boards compared to 53 points for the Flames. 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.).
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, 15.9 ppg), assists (1st, 6.00 apg), rebounding (19th, 5.8), three-point field-goal percentage (t-10th, .436), free throw percentage (t-9th, .839) and assists-to-turnover ratio (8th, 2.08). 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. 23.)
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. Five of the 35 games have been decided by fewer than 10 points.
Offensive Explosions - In just nine 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.
Production Off The Pine - With nine players averaging over 9 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 nine contests, players off the bench are averaging 31.5 points and 15.1 rebounds per game.
1,000 - 500 Club - With six rebounds against Florida, Charlie Bell (1,165 points, 521 rebounds) became the 17th player in school history to record 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in his career. Teammate Andre Hutson (1,067 points, 663 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 1,165 points, 521 rebounds and 256 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 13 dunks, but there is much more to his game. He is second on the team with a 15.6 points-per-game scoring average. He is shooting 56.3% 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.
The 70-Point Barrier - Through nine 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 (1,067 career points) needs 33 points to pass Bill Kilgore (1,099 points) and become MSU's 25th-leading scorer. Teammate Charlie Bell has also reached 1,000 career points, with a current total of 1,165, good for 21st place. With 12 more points, Bell can become MSU's 20th-leading all-time scorer, passing Lee Lafayette (1,176).
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 +18.2 through nine contests.
Poll Cats - Michigan State has spent the last 51 weeks ranked in the Associated Press Top 25, including 44-straight weeks in the top 15. This includes the Spartans' number-one ranking in the current AP 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 (6), Florida (7), Seton Hall (12), Wisconsin (14), North Carolina (16) and Iowa (22).
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.