Guards Could Decide Outcome Between Spartans, Syracuse
3/23/2000 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 23, 2000
By HARRY ATKINS
AP Sports Writer
AUBURN HILLS, Mich.- While Syracuse shot-blocker Etan Thomas has been the topic of conversation, tonight's game between the Orangemen and Michigan State could hinge on the battle of the guards.
Top-seeded Michigan State (28-7), seeking a return to the Final Four, have generally gone as far as Mateen Cleaves could take them. The No. 4 Orangemen (26-5) get a lot of mileage out of Thomas, but they generally go as Jason Hart goes.
Sixth-seeded UCLA (21-11) takes on No. 2-seed Iowa State (31-4) in the second game of the Midwest regional semifinals at The Palace.
"Mateen and Jason are similar because they both like to push the ball and both like to keep the ball in their hands," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. "They are both guys who definitely are cogs in the wheel as far as running their team.
"I think they are both coaches on the floor. I think both of them can play good defense."
Hart has 198 assists and is averaging 12 points. Cleaves has a school-record 802 assists. And in the past few games, Cleaves regained his scoring touch. He scored 21 points in a comeback win over Utah to get the Spartans to this point.
"I don't think it's going to come down to a 1-on-1 matchup," Hart said after Wednesday's practice. "I'm just looking forward to playing a good player and a good Michigan State team.
"I think it's going to be a battle, and no one is going to back down."
Cleaves, of course, is on a mission. He has said repeatedly that he returned for his senior season mainly because he wanted to win a national championship.
Cleaves knows Hart could break his heart.
"The first thing we do is a good job of running our teams," Cleaves said. "He does a good job of running his. He does a great job of getting guys open shots, getting guys easier shots. He plays good defense.
"I think he's one of the best defensive guards in the country. He's a competitor."
How the Spartans handle Thomas remains to be seen. Thomas blocked 105 shots during the regular season and had seven in last week's first two Midwest games in Cleveland.
"In our league (the Big East), there have been a lot of great shot-blockers," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said. "But our guy is as good as any I've ever seen.
"He blocks left-handed, and he blocks a lot of shots on good players, big-guy shots. He blocks shots from a lot of guys that aren't used to getting blocked."
Michigan State's other concern is the Orangemen's zone defense. Boeheim, trying to guide Syracuse to the Final Four for the second time in five years, has used the zone for as long as anyone can remember.
"I don't know why it's so effective," Boeheim said. "It's just a defense we've used a lot and it's been good for us.
"Why is our defense good? Why is Michigan State's defense good? I don't know. It's just something these teams work on. We know Michigan State can play defense, too."
The fourth-seeded Orangemen, who opened with a 19-game winning streak, held opponents to 63.2 points per game during the regular season, keeping four, including Wisconsin, under 50.
Michigan State, a scrappy and physical defensive team, also plays some zone. The Spartans have held opponents to an average of 58.9 points. They held eight opponents under 50, and beat Valparaiso 65-38 in their first Midwest Regional game at Cleveland.
The Spartans, who won their third straight Big Ten championship, appear to be peaking at the right time. They are on a seven-game winning streak. Since a 53-49 upset loss at Wright State on Dec. 30, they are 19-3 and playing as well as any team in the country.
But that doesn't scare Syracuse at all.
"If anybody wants to sleep, we'll be right there to put it to them," Hart said.