No. 14 Men's Basketball Travels To Oklahoma
1/3/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 3, 2003
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
2002-03 Michigan State Basketball#14/14 Michigan State (8-3)vs. #10/11 Oklahoma (7-2)January 4, 20039:00 P.M. ESTFord Center (17,908)Oklahoma City, Okla.
Radio: Spartan Sports Network - Will Tieman (Play by Play), Gus Ganakas (Color). Flagship - WJIM (1240 AM/97.5 FM)
TV: ESPN - Bob Carpenter (Play by Play), Jimmy Dykes (Color)
Michigan State Game Notes
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The Opening Tip
Similar Styles - Both Tom Izzo and Kelvin Sampson coached for Jud Heathcote and the Spartans and Sooners are very similar teams as they each pride themselves on rebounding, defense and toughness. Oklahoma is holding opponents to 41.3 percent shooting, while Spartan opponents are shooting 40.6 percent from the field. Michigan State has a +7.5 rebound margin, compared to +8.9 for the Sooners.
Game 11 Notes - Toledo 81 - Michigan State 76
* Chris Hill knocked down a career-best 10 free throws in a career-best 13 attempts.
* Kelvin Torbert scored a season-best 16 points vs. the Rockets.
* Toledo's victory snapped a 36 game homecourt winning streak for the Spartans against non-conference opponents.
* Toledo's 51.9 percent field goal shooting (27-of-52) was the highest by any Spartan opponent this season.
* Toledo outscored Michigan State 33-9 from three-point range.
* Trailing by 13 points with 10:13 remaining, MSU went on a 19-6 run to tie the game at 71 with 2:00 minutes remaining.
Coach Izzo - In his eighth year, Tom Izzo (Northern Michigan, '77) is 175-68 (.720), 82-34 (.707) 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 167 wins in his first seven years give him the fifth most by a coach in his first seven seasons of coaching in college basketball history. In his seven seasons of coaching, Izzo has won National Coach of the Year honors three times, including NABC honors in 2001. 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.
Izzo's Two Decades - The 2002-03 season marks Tom Izzo's 20th with the Spartan basketball program. Now in his eighth year as a head coach, Izzo spent 12 years as an assistant under Jud Heathcote.
Oklahoma Notes
Coach Sampson - Kelvin Sampson (Pembroke State, '78) is in ninth season as head coach at Oklahoma with a record of 194-76. Overall, he is in his 20th season as a head coach with a record of 370-224, with head coaching stints at Montana Tech (1981-85) and Washington State (1988-94). He was named National Coach of the Year in 1995 and 2002.
Spartans Vs. Sooners - Michigan State leads the all-time series with Oklahoma, 4-1, including a 3-0 advantage on neutral courts. None of those games, however, were played in Oklahoma City. Michigan State's lone game with Oklahoma in the Sooner state was a 88-86 OU victory in Norman, Okla., on March 17, 1993, in the first round of the NIT.
Spartan Roots - Kelvin Sampson was a graduate assistant under Jud Heathcote at Michigan State for two seasons (1978-79 & 1979-80). He worked as an assistant on the Spartan junior varsity squad while completing his master's work in coaching and administration.
Oklahoma Notes - Oklahoma followed a 45-point effort vs. Mississippi State (12/28) with a 100-point effort vs. UNC Asheville (12/30) ... senior guards Ebi Ere and Hollis Price are averaging a combined 35.4 points per game ... point guard Quannas White has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 4.3-to-1 ... Oklahoma has appeared in The Associated Press Top 25 for 19 consecutive weeks, dating back to Jan. 5 ... after allowing opponents to shoot .480 in the first four games of the season, Oklahoma has held opponents to 36.0 percent shooting over the last five contests, with no Sooner foe shooting better than 38.3 percent.
MSU Basketball Notes
Spartan-Sooner Battles - As two of the most physical teams in the nation, Michigan State and Oklahoma have had two grueling matchups since Tom Izzo and Kelvin Sampson took over at their respective schools. In the 1999 NCAA Tournament, the Spartans and Sooners battled in a Sweet Sixteen matchup. That game is best remembered for the horrific collision between OU's Eduardo Najera and MSU's Mateen Cleaves. After Cleaves' forehead smacked Najera's chin, both players lay on the court for several minutes. They would both leave the game, only to quickly make heroic returns. MSU won the game by holding OU to 33 percent shooting from the field. Last season, the two squads met in East Lansing in the second round of the Preseason NIT. MSU shot 56.1 percent from the field, while holding OU to 32.3 percent. Still the game was tied at 39 with 14:26 remaining and Marcus Taylor having just picked up his fourth foul. Rather than crumble, an inexperienced Spartan squad rebuilt a lead and held a 55-44 advantage with 6:55 remaining. Adam Ballinger (13 points), Marcus Taylor (12), Aloysius Anagonye (10) and Adam Wolfe (10) each scored in double figures.
KT's Breakout - Over the last two games, Kelvin Torbert has shown flashes of the skills that made the national high school player of the year coming out of Flint Northwestern High School. Averaging a team-best 31.5 minutes per game, he is scoring 14.5 points per contest, while shooting 61.9 percent (13-of-21) from the field. He is also averaging 6.0 rebounds over the last two games.
Rebounding And Defense Key In Victories - Michigan State's defense and rebounding are two keys to its performance in any game. In MSU's eight wins, the Spartans are holding opponents to 38.6 percent shooting and own a rebound margin of +9.6. In the three losses, MSU opponents are shooting 46.4 percent, including 43.1 percent from long range. On the boards, the Spartans only own a +1.7 advantage in the defeats.
Spartans Hit Hard By Injuries - Injuries are a part of sports, but they usually don't hit a squad as hard they have attacked the Spartans this season. In fact, Michigan State has not had all 13 scholarship players healthy for a single practice or game this year. Maurice Ager (8), Rashi Johnson (4) and Adam Wolfe (8) have combined to miss 20 games, while several other Spartans have missed multiple practices throughout the year. While people understand the effect that missing games has on the team, the effect of missed practices is not as easy to comprehend. With a young Spartan team, practices are essential to developing continuity among teammates.
Anagonye's Emergence - As one of Michigan State's two scholarship seniors, Aloysius Anagonye is counted on for solid contributions in the post. Over the last two games, he is averaging 14.5 points. He leads the Spartans with 6.3 rebounds per game, including averaging 6.9 boards in the last eight contests. Just as important, Anagonye is staying out of foul trouble. With the exception of the Villanova contest, where he fouled out in just 10 minutes, Anagonye has not picked up more than three fouls in any contest.
Wolfe's Return - Adam Wolfe appeared in the season opener vs. UNC Asheville in his first action since a Jan. 19 hamstring injury that left doubt as to whether he would ever play again. Due to inconsistency in his ability to practice in the days following the game, Wolfe underwent further rehabilitation, missing eight straight games. He returned to practice following the holiday break and played 12 minutes vs. Jacksonville State, scoring four points. Two days later, he scored five points vs. Toledo. Last season, Wolfe averaged 20.9 minutes, 9.4 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in 17 contests.
Fast Starts - Michigan State has made a habit of jumping out to early leads over its opponents. Consider these game opening runs by the Spartans this season: 11-0 vs. UNC Asheville, 16-3 vs. Montana, 12-3 vs. Oklahoma State, 12-4 vs. Kentucky, 22-4 vs. South Florida, 12-3 vs. Jacksonville State.
Hill Ranks Among Big Ten Leaders - The Big Ten Conference recognizes individual statistics in 12 categories, nine of which do not include rebounding. Chris Hill ranks in the top 10 in seven of them, including tied for seventh in scoring (16.4 ppg), sixth in assists (4.45 apg), seventh in free throw percentage (.829), tied for third in steals (2.00 spg), tied for fourth in field goal percentage (.444), second in three point field goals made (3.27) and seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.48).
Ager's Impact - Freshman Maurice Ager missed the first six games of the year with a stress fracture in his right foot. He made his regular-season debut in front of 23,145 people against Kentucky in Lexington. He played 14 minutes off the bench and hit his first shot, a floating jumper in the lane after dribble penetration. He also added a three-pointer in the second half. That performance was followed by a six-point, five-rebound effort vs. Loyola, including a spectacular dunk in transition that showed just a glimpse of his athleticism that had Coach Izzo singing his praises during the first weeks of practice. Ager also adds a perimeter threat as he has already attempted eight three-pointers in three games, ranking tied for fourth on the team. During practice on Christmas Day, Ager fainted and was taken to the hospital for two days of tests. He missed the Jacksonville State and Toledo contests, but should be available to play vs. Oklahoma. This season, Ager has participated in about one-third of MSU's practices.
Too Many Turnovers - Turnovers have been a problem for Michigan State all season long. The Spartans are averaging 16.3 turnovers per game and have a negative turnover margin at -0.36. In two games this year, MSU has committed at least 20 turnovers, including 20 vs. Cleveland State and 21 vs. Jacksonville State. Considering that the Spartans are shooting .488 from the field, it is easy to see that they are costing themselves several points per game.
Balanced Scoring - Chris Hill is leading Michigan State in scoring at 16.4 points per game. No other Spartans, however, are averaging double-figures. Although it's too early to expect this trend to continue, Michigan State has not had just one player average in double figures since the 1955-56 season when Julius McCoy averaged 27.2 points. While Hill is currently the only Spartan in double-figures, several players are contributing to the offensive attack as MSU has seven players averaging six points per game or more this season.
Getting To The Charity Stripe - Last season, Michigan State shot 77.1 percent (442-of-573) from the free throw line, ranking fifth in the nation. The problem was that MSU attempted just 18.5 free throws per game, finishing the year with just 12 more attempts than its opponents. This season, the Spartans are shooting 73.3 percent (184-of-251). The difference is that the Spartans are averaging 26.2 attempts per game. This means the Spartans are scoring nearly five points a game more from the foul line this year. That is significant in that MSU lost five games last season by four points or less, including four in the Big Ten season.
Getting To The Charity Stripe, Part II - In a true sign of an aggressive offensive nature, the Spartans have made more free throws (211) than their opponents have attempted (202).
It's All About Boardwork - Through 11 games, the Spartans have a +7.5 rebounding margin to rank second in the Big Ten, outrebounding nine of their 11 opponents and tying one. The 2001-02 season marked the fifth-straight year in which Michigan State led the Big Ten in rebound margin, outrebounding its opponents by an average of 7.9 boards per game. In Tom Izzo's seven years as head coach, Michigan State has never ranked worse than second in the Big Ten in rebound margin.
Alan Of All Trades - Since returning from Alaska, Alan Anderson has been a steady contributor, while being asked to do a little bit of everything. The natural wing is usually asked to guard one of the opponents' top offensive perimeter players, and has also moved into duty as MSU's reserve point guard. In the last seven games, Anderson is averaging 10.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists.
From Way Downtown - In just a little over one year, Chris Hill has established himself as one of the finest shooters in Michigan State history. He currently ranks eighth on the MSU career list with 102 made three-pointers. His career three-point field-goal percentage of .445 ranks fourth in MSU history. This season, Hill is 36-of-81 (.444) from three-point range.
The Soft Touch - Seniors Aloysius Anagonye and Adam Ballinger are among the top field-goal shooters in Michigan State history. Anagonye is shooting .562 for his career (218-of-388), which ranks sixth in MSU history. Ballinger is shooting .539 (199-of-369), which ranks just outside the top 10.
One For The Thumb - Last season, Michigan State missed becoming just the second team in Big Ten history to win five straight conference championships, finishing just one game out of first place. This season, however, the Spartans still have a chance to reach elite status by winning a fifth Big Ten crown in a span of six years. Only the Ohio State squads of 1960-64 that captured five championships in a row can claim such an honor.
Block Party - Senior Aloysius Anagonye ranks tied for third on the MSU career blocked shots list with 75 rejections. With one block, he will pass Andre Hutson for sole possession of third place. Anagonye's teammate, Adam Ballinger, is 10th on the career blocks chart with 60, just one short of Anthony Miller's 61 in ninth place.
The Breslin Experience - Although MSU's 53-game homecourt winning streak was snapped in 2002, the Breslin Center continues to be one of college basketball's great homecourt advantages. Over the past four years, Michigan State has won 65 of its last 68 regular-season games in Breslin, a winning percentage of .956. Additionally, the Breslin Center has been sold out for 74 consecutive regular-season games.
Young At Heart - Depth does not always equal experience. Although Michigan State has eight players returning who averaged more than 10 minutes per game in 2001-02, just four players (Aloysius Anagonye, Jason Andreas, Adam Ballinger and Adam Wolfe) have more than one year of playing experience with the Spartans. MSU does not have a backcourt player with more than one year of experience.
Dominating The Big Ten - Over the past five seasons, Michigan State has posted a 64-16 Big Ten record, a remarkable winning percentage of .800. Illinois is the only other team to have as many as 50 conference wins over that same time period, posting a 51-29 mark.
In The Polls - Michigan State is ranked 14th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll released on Dec. 30. Four Spartan opponents are ranked, including No. 11 Oklahoma, No. 12 Illinois, No. 18 Indiana and No. 21 Kentucky. In The Associated Press Top 25 released on Dec. 30, MSU is also ranked 14th, while four opponents (No. 10 Oklahoma, No. 11 Illinois, No. 17 Indiana and No. 20 Kentucky) are ranked.
Coaching Consistency - One of the keys to MSU's success is continuity on the coaching staff. The four member coaching staff have been at MSU for a combined 43 years. Tom Izzo is in his 20th season as a Spartan, having spent the first 12 as an assistant. Associate head coach Brian Gregory is in his 10th year at MSU and fourth year in his current stint. Mike Garland is a college teammate of Izzo's and has been an assistant for seven of Izzo's eight years as head coach. Mark Montgomery is in his second season as an assistant, after four years (1988-92) as MSU's point guard.
Hill Is Most Recent Wooden Nominee - Chris Hill is one of this year's 50 John R. Wooden Award Preseason All-Americans. He is just the latest Spartan to be nominated for the prestigious award. Last season, Marcus Taylor was a preseason honoree. In 2000-01, both Charlie Bell and Andre Hutson were preseason nominees while Bell and Jason Richardson were among the 20 finalists. At season's end, Bell was named a Wooden All-American. During the 1999-2000 season, Mateen Cleaves and Morris Peterson were both recognized as Wooden All-Americans, an honor that Cleaves also received in 1999.
Air Time - Over the last four years, Michigan State has averaged over 29 television broadcasts per year, including more than 21 per year on national television networks. In 2002-03, MSU will have 24 regular-season games televised (not including postseason). Of those 24, 16 could be broadcast by national networks, including eight on ESPN, three on ESPN2 and five more on CBS.
Home To Mr. Basketball - The last four recipients of Michigan's Mr. Basketball Award, presented to the top high school player in the state, have all gone on to wear a Spartan jersey. Jason Richardson (Saginaw Arthur Hill HS) won the award in 1999, followed by Marcus Taylor (Lansing Waverly HS) in 2000, Kelvin Torbert (Flint Northwestern HS) in 2001 and Paul Davis (Rochester HS) in 2002.
The Golden Arches - Michigan State is becoming the home for McDonald's All-Americans. Over the past four seasons, five McDonald's All-Americans have joined the Spartan squad, including Jason Richardson in 1999, Marcus Taylor and McDonald's All-American All-Star game MVP Zach Randolph in 2000, Kelvin Torbert in 2001 and Paul Davis in 2002.
Spartans In The NBA - Michigan State led the Big Ten with eight players on opening day rosters in the NBA. Listed below is an update on eight former Spartans currently on NBA rosters: (Stats current through Dec. 29.)
Mateen Cleaves (Sacramento): 2 GP, 2.0 mpg, 0.5 ppg, 0.5 apg, currently on injured list Jamie Feick (New Jersey): 0 GP, currently on injured list Morris Peterson (Toronto): 30 GP, 38.0 mpg, 15.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.1 apg Zach Randolph (Portland): 26 GP, 13.3 mpg, 7.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg Jason Richardson (Golden State): 29 GP, 34.5 mpg, 15.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.5 apg Steve Smith (San Antonio): 22 GP, 26.1 mpg, 8.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.9 apg Eric Snow (Philadelphia): 29 GP, 38.5 mpg, 10.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 7.4 apg Kevin Willis (San Antonio): 26 GP, 11.8 mpg, 5.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg
Spartans Keep Reloading - Michigan State signed three players to National Letters of Intent in the early signing period. The class is a consensus top-five class, including a No. 4 ranking from recruiting analyst Dave Telep.
Shannon Brown (G, 6-3, 190, Maywood, Ill./Proviso East) is the consensus pick as the No. 1 shooting guard in the nation. As a junior, he averaged 24 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals en route to earning first-team all-state honors. Overall, Dave Telep and Bob Gibbons have him ranked as the No. 9 player in the nation.
Brandon Cotton (G, 6-0, 170, Detroit/DePorres) averaged 28.5 points, 4.5 assists and 2.0 steals as a junior. He earned Class C All-State and All-Detroit honors from both the Detroit Free Press and The Detroit News. Cotton is ranked the No. 17 player in the nation and No. 3 point guard in the country by PrepStars.com. Cotton led DePorres to a 17-4 record and a Catholic AA Division title.
Drew Naymick (C, 6-10, 235, Muskegon/North Muskegon) averaged 21.8 points, 10.6 rebounds and 6.4 blocks as a junior, earning Class C All-State honors. He also shot a remarkable 70.6 percent from the field. Over the summer, he gained significant national experience while playing at the 2002 USA Basketball Men's Youth Development Festival (with Brown and Cotton) and participating at the Nike Camp where he was named to Dave Telep's All-Nike Camp team.
