Michigan State Faces Purdue In 2003 Big Ten Tournament
3/11/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 11, 2003
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
2002-03 Michigan State BasketballBig Ten TournamentMichigan State (18-11, 10-6)vs. Purdue (18-9, 10-6)
March 14, 20032:30 P.M. ESTUnited CenterChicago, Ill.
Big Ten Tournament Bracket
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Radio: Spartan Sports Network - Will Tieman (Play by Play), Gus Ganakas (Color). Flagship - WJIM (1240 AM/97.5 FM)
TV: ESPN - Dave Barnett (Play by Play), Tim McCormick (Color)
The Opening Tip
Spartans Roll Into Chicago For Big Ten Tournament - Michigan State heads into the Big Ten Tournament on a roll, having won eight of its last 10 conference games. The Spartans will face Purdue in Friday's quarterfinal matchup. The two squads split the season series, with each team winning on its homecourt, and have never met in the Big Ten Tournament.
Game 29 Notes - Michigan State 72 - Ohio State 58
* Michigan State's 63.2 percent field-goal shooting was its best percentage of the season and the fifth-best in Tom Izzo's eight seasons as head coach.
* The Spartans made 20-of-26 field goal attempts from two-point range.
* Ohio native Jason Andreas grabbed a season-best seven rebounds to lead Michigan State to a 28-23 advantage on the boards in a battle of the Big Ten's two-best rebounding teams.
* Ohio State grabbed nine offensive rebounds, but just one in the second half.
* In a sign of maturity, when MSU's 12-point lead was cut to two in the second half, the Spartans responded with a 10-2 run.
* MSU became just the second team to win twice at Value City Arena.
* Adam Ballinger scored all 11 of his points in the final 6:26 of the game.
MSU In The Big Ten Tournament - The Spartans are looking to capture their third Big Ten Tournament championship in six years. In five years of the Big Ten Tournament, MSU has a record of 6-3. The Spartans won the tournament in 1999 and 2000, and lost in the quarterfinals in 1998, 2001 and 2002. (For complete results, records and box scores for Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament, see pages 244-248 in the MSU Media Guide.)
Best On The Boards For Sixth Straight Year - With a rebounding margin of +4.6 in conference games, Michigan State led the Big Ten in rebounding margin for a sixth-straight season. In fact, Michigan State has led the conference in rebounding margin in Big Ten games in seven of Tom Izzo's eight years as head coach, finishing second in 1996-97. This is the first time in the history of the Big Ten that a school has led the conference in the same statistical category for six straight seasons.
MSU's Month - Over the last five seasons, including this year, Michigan State has a record of 27-5 in the month of March. For his career, Tom Izzo is 34-12 in March.
Coach Izzo - In his eighth year, Tom Izzo (Northern Michigan, '77) is 185-76 (.709), 92-40 (.697) 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 In Postseason Play - Tom Izzo has a 24-9 record in postseason play, including a 6-3 record in the Big Ten Tournament.
Izzo Joins Elite Company - With Michigan State's 69-61 win over Purdue, Tom Izzo became just the third coach in Big Ten history to compile 90 or more conference wins in his first eight seasons. Indiana's Bob Knight earned his 90th triumph in season seven and current-Purdue mentor Gene Keady reached his 90th win in season eight. For his career, Izzo is 92-40 in conference games.
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.
Izzo Vs. Ranked Opponents - Tom Izzo is 47-36 against foes ranked in The Associated Press Top 25. This includes wins in 35 of MSU's last 50 games against ranked opponents. This year, MSU is 4-3 against the AP Top 25.
Purdue Notes
Coach Keady - Gene Keady (Kansas State, '58) is in 23rd season as head coach at Purdue with a record of 487-233. Overall, he is in his 25th season as a head coach with a record of 525-252. He spent his first two seasons at Western Kentucky. Coach Keady is the only Big Ten coach with a longer coaching tenure than Tom Izzo.
Spartans Vs. Boilermakers - Purdue leads the all-time series with Michigan State, 58-36. After losing four of his first five games vs. Purdue, Tom Izzo has won six of the last eight games vs. the Boilermakers. The two teams have never met on a neutral court.
Boilermaker Notes - Purdue is a perfect 18-0 when scoring 69 points or more, but 0-9 when it fails to hit the 69-point mark ... the Boilermakers are the best free-throw shooting team in the Big Ten, shooting 75.7 percent overall and 78.9 percent in the Big Ten ... guard Willie Deane ranks third in the Big Ten in scoring at 18.3 ppg.
Jan. 14, 2003 - Purdue 72 - Michigan State 60
(Box Score and Recap on page 13 of notes)
* After allowing Purdue to shoot 51.9 (15-of-29) percent in the first half, MSU's defense held the Boilermakers to 26.3 percent (5-of-19) shooting in the second half.
* Purdue's 31 free throws and 35 free throw attempts were the most by any Spartan opponent this season.
* Purdue took control of the game with a 19-2 run through the middle of the first half to turn a five-point deficit into a 23-11 lead.
* Michigan State held Purdue to 1-of-11 shooting from three-point range, the lowest number of makes and percentage (.091) by an opponent this season.
March 1, 2003 - Michigan State 69 - Purdue 61
(Box Score and Recap on page 16 of notes)
* Michigan State outrebounded Purdue, 38-23, marking its largest rebound margin of the Big Ten season. In the second half, MSU outrebounded Purdue, 16-6. In the first meeting of the year, the Boilermakers tied the Spartans on the boards at 35.
* Over the final 12:53 of the game, Michigan State shot 73.3 percent (11-of-15) from the field, 100 percent (3-of-3) from three-point range and more than 92 percent (12-of-13) from the free throw line, outscoring Purdue, 37-21. The stretch started with MSU making eight straight shots. This was after not scoring for the first 7:06 of the second half.
* MSU closed the first half on a 16-6 run to tie the score at 32 at the break.
* 11 of Kelvin Torbert's game-high 13 points came as the Spartans were struggling to score in the first half, while all 10 of Chris Hill's points came in the final 10 minutes of the game to seal victory.
MSU Basketball Notes
Strength Of Schedule - According to Collegerpi.com, Michigan State boasts the 14th-toughest schedule in the nation and the best in the Big Ten. The Spartans also have an RPI ranking of No. 34. MSU opponents ranked in the RPI top 70 include No. No. 2 Kentucky, No. 4 Oklahoma, No. 9 Syracuse, No. 19 Oklahoma State, No. 21 Illinois, No. 22 Wisconsin, No. 29 Purdue, No. 43 Indiana, No. 59 Michigan, No. 63 Minnesota, No. 66 Villanova and No. 70 Ohio State. (Updated as of March 10.)
Finishing Strong - Since the way a team finishes its season is supposed to be a part of the criteria for the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee, Michigan State is making a strong case for itself. The Spartans have won eight of their last 11 games overall and eight of their last 10 in the Big Ten. Wisconsin is the only other team to win eight of its final 10 conference games.
Spartans Benefit From Balanced Scoring - In each of the last four games four different Spartans have scored in double figures, and not surprisingly, Michigan State won all four games. In each game, a different combination of Spartans hit double-figures. In the first 12 conference games of the season, no more than three different Spartans scored in double-figures. MSU is 8-1 this season when four or more Spartans score in double-figures. Spartans Scoring More - Over the last five games, Michigan State's offense is doing a better job producing points. In a loss to Syracuse, and wins over Minnesota, Purdue, Iowa and Ohio State, the Spartans are averaging 73.8 points, scoring at least 69 points in each game. Michigan State had not scored 69 points or more in a game since a Jan. 22 victory over Penn State. In the five games, the Spartans are shooting 47.9 percent from the field, and are making 41.3 percent of their three-point attempts. In addition, the Spartans are getting to the free throw line 25.0 times per game and making 77.6 percent of their attempts. Another factor is that MSU is maximizing its scoring opportunities, committing just 12.4 turnovers per game.
A Critical Pair - Sophomores Alan Anderson and Kelvin Torbert are critical to MSU's success. When both players have strong games, MSU is very tough to beat. In fact, the Spartans are 11-0 in 2002-03 when both Anderson and Torbert score in double figures.
In The Classroom - Besides being accomplished athletes, the Michigan State basketball team excels in the classroom. The Spartans boast a cumulative team grade-point average of 3.07. Nine different Spartans own a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or better, while seven different players posted a 3.0 or better in the Fall 2002 semester. Five different Spartans, including Aloysius Anagonye, Adam Ballinger, Brian Westrick, Adam Wolfe and undergraduate assistant Mat Ishbia will receive their bachelor's degrees in May 2003.
A Class Act - Chris Hill earned third-team Verizon Academic All-America honors with a 3.90 grade-point average. The Spartan guard is one of just two sophomores to be honored. Hill becomes the fourth Spartan to be honored, joining Ralph Simpson (1970), Greg Kelser (1979) and Matt Steigenga (1990, Third Team). He has also been named to the NABC All-District 11 Second Team and earned Verizon Academic All-District honors.
From Way Downtown - In less than two years, Chris Hill has established himself as one of the finest shooters in Michigan State history. He is currently sixth on the MSU career list with 145 made three-pointers. With three more three-pointers, Hill will pass Morris Peterson (146) and Steve Smith (147) to move into fourth place. His career three-point field-goal percentage of .423 ranks sixth in MSU history. This season, Hill is 79-of-195 (.405) from three-point range and 54-of-104 (.519) from inside the arc. Hill's 79 three-pointers this season rank fifth on the MSU single-season list, trailing Kirk Manns (81; 1989-90), Morris Peterson (85; 1999-2000), Shawn Respert (92; 1993-94) and Shawn Respert (119; 1994-95). Hill also established a new school single-game record for three-point field goals made (10) and attempted (18) vs. Syracuse, as the 10 makes also set a Big Ten record.
MSU At The United Center - Michigan State owns a 7-3 record in the United Center. Outside of the Big Ten Tournament, where MSU is 6-2, the Spartans played twice at the United Center for the Great Eight, losing to Duke, 73-67, in 1998 and defeating Kansas, 66-54, in 1999.
Turnover Margin Critical - With Michigan State committing a large number of turnovers, turnover margin is a key indicator of MSU's chances of victory. The Spartans are 11-2 when committing the same number or fewer turnovers than their opponents. However, they are just 7-9 when committing more turnovers.
Battling Turnovers - After averaging 16.0 turnovers in the non-conference, Michigan State did a better job of taking care of the ball in the conference, committing 13.6 turnovers per game. Recently, the Spartans committed a season-low seven turnovers vs. a pressing Minnesota squad. Overall, the Spartans are averaging 14.7 turnovers on the season, with a -0.6 turnover margin.
Rebounding And Defense Key In Victories - Michigan State's defense and rebounding are two keys to its performance. In MSU's 18 wins, the Spartans are holding opponents to 37.9 percent shooting and own a rebound margin of +6.6. In the 11 losses, MSU opponents are shooting 44.9 percent, including 39.0 percent from long range. On the boards, the Spartans own a +4.7 advantage in the defeats.
Little Things Make A Difference - Michigan State has had a legitimate chance of winning every game but one this year. In 10 of its 11 losses, MSU has either been ahead or trailed by four points or less with three minutes or less remaining. Against Villanova, the Spartans trailed by one point with three minutes remaining. In the Oklahoma State game, MSU led by six points with 4:47 left and by one point with 1:43 left. Against Toledo, the game was tied in the final minute, while MSU trailed by just one point with less than 20 seconds remaining vs. Oklahoma. Against Iowa, the Spartans had a one-point lead with under two minutes left and had the ball in a tie game with one minute remaining. In the Purdue loss, MSU was down by just three points with 1:13 remaining. Michigan State trailed Minnesota, 69-65, with 1:48 remaining and possession of the ball. MSU and Michigan were tied with under two-and-a-half minutes remaining. Against Wisconsin, the score was tied at 48 with less than five minutes and the Spartans trailed by four points with less than a minute remaining. Most recently vs. Syracuse, the Spartans lost by a single point and had three shots at the game-winning basket in the last 10 seconds.
Ager Influences Bench Attack - When Maurice Ager is healthy and in the lineup, the Spartans have a much more potent bench. In the 21 games in which Ager has played, MSU's bench is outscoring the opponents' benches by a combined 206 points, an average of +9.8 per game. By comparison, MSU's bench was outscored by 34 points in the eight games that Ager missed, an average of -4.25 per contest.
It's All About Boardwork - Through 29 games, the Spartans have a +5.9 rebounding margin to lead the Big Ten, outrebounding 21 of their 29 opponents and tying three others. In Tom Izzo's eight seasons as head coach, Michigan State has outrebounded its opponent in 219 of 261 games (83.9 percent).
Shooting For Seventy - The 70-point barrier seems to be an important one for Michigan State's offense. The Spartans are 10-3 when scoring 70 points or more, but just 8-8 when failing to reach 70 points. The Spartans have scored 70 points just four times in the Big Ten, but have done so in three of the last four games.
The Soft Touch - Senior Aloysius Anagonye is among the top field-goal shooters in Michigan State history. Anagonye is shooting .568 for his career (269-of-474), which ranks sixth in MSU history. This season, Anagonye is leading the Big Ten with a .620 field-goal percentage.
Freshmen Starters Under Izzo - Throughout his eight years as head coach, Tom Izzo has shown a willingness to put a freshman in the starting lineup. Consider the following freshmen who have all started under Izzo: Maurice Ager (4 games), Aloysius Anagonye (5 games), Alan Anderson (23 games), Charlie Bell (30 games), Mateen Cleaves (24 games), Doug Davis (1 game), Paul Davis (3 games), A.J. Granger (7 games), Chris Hill (12 games), Andre Hutson (26 games), Jason Klein (10 games), Erazem Lorbek (12 games), Morris Peterson (18 games), Zach Randolph (8 games), Jason Richardson (3 games), Antonio Smith (20 games), Marcus Taylor (9 games), David Thomas (3 games) and Kelvin Torbert (26 games).
Block Party - Senior Aloysius Anagonye ranks third on the MSU career blocked shots list with 86 rejections. Anagonye's teammate, Adam Ballinger, ranks ninth on the career blocks chart with 68.
Torbert's Breakout - Since recovering from ankle surgery that forced him to miss most of MSU's preseason practices, Kelvin Torbert has shown flashes of the skills that made him the national high school player of the year coming out of Flint Northwestern High School. Over the last 21 games, he is MSU's second-leading scorer at 10.2 points per game, while averaging 4.2 rebounds per contest, which ranks third on the squad.
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's Jan. 16 practice marked the first time this season that all 13 scholarship players participated in the same practice, only to see Paul Davis injured in that practice. The Jan. 18 Minnesota game was the first contest in which all 12 non-redshirting scholarship players participated, although Davis' ankle injury limited him to four minutes. Alan Anderson (3), Maurice Ager (8), Rashi Johnson (9) and Adam Wolfe (8) have combined to miss 28 games due to injury, while several other Spartans, including Kelvin Torbert and Paul Davis, 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.
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 73.1 percent (474-of-648) and are averaging 22.3 attempts per game.
Not Always Free - Although the Spartans are getting to the free throw line more this year, they are struggling to take advantage of the opportunities. Through the first seven games of the year, Michigan State shot 77.7 percent (122-of-157) to lead the Big Ten Conference. The Spartans then hit a skid where they shot just 69.1 percent (192-of-278) over the next 11 games. In reality, they were shooting much worse than that, but were aided statistically by a 29-of-30 effort vs. Ohio State. Over the last 11 games, however, the Spartans have shown improvement, making 75.1 percent (160-of-213) of their attempts. In the Spartans' 11 defeats, they are shooting 69.1 percent (150-of-217) from the line, compared to 75.2 percent (324-of-431) in the 18 victories.
Looking For A Second Option - Chris Hill is leading Michigan State in scoring at 14.2 points per game. No other Spartans, however, are averaging double-figures. 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 eight players averaging at least 5.4 points per game or more this season and five averaging at least 7.5 or more. In Big Ten games, however, the Spartans have better balance, as Hill (11.7 ppg) is joined by Alan Anderson (10.6) and Kelvin Torbert (10.3) in double figures.
Hill Ranks Among Big Ten Leaders - Chris Hill ranks in the top 10 in five Big Ten statistical categories (all games), including ninth in assists (3.69 apg), seventh in steals (1.62 spg), third in three-point field-goal percentage (.405), second in three-point field goals made (2.72) and sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.49). In conference games, he ranks 10th in assists (3.44 apg), tied for 10th in steals (1.38 spg), eighth in three-point field-goal percentage (.333), eighth in three-point field goals made (1.88) and sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.77).
The Breslin Experience - Although MSU's Big Ten-record 53-game homecourt winning streak was snapped in 2002, the Breslin Center continues to be one of college basketball's great homecourt advantages. Since the start of the 1998-99 season, Michigan State has won 73 of its last 77 regular-season games in Breslin, a winning percentage of .948. In addition, the Breslin Center has been sold out for 83 consecutive games.
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.
Coaching Consistency - One of the keys to MSU's success is continuity on the coaching staff. The four members of the 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.
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 through March 9.)
Mateen Cleaves (Sacramento): 12 GP, 4.6 mpg, 1.3 ppg, 0.8 apg currently on injured list Jamie Feick (New Jersey): 0 GP, currently on injured list Morris Peterson (Toronto): 60 GP, 36.4 mpg, 14.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.2 apg Zach Randolph (Portland): 59 GP, 15.8 mpg, 7.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg Jason Richardson (Golden State): 63 GP, 32.3 mpg, 15.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.0 apg Steve Smith (San Antonio): 40 GP, 21.5 mpg, 7.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.5 apg Eric Snow (Philadelphia): 62 GP, 38.7 mpg, 13.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 6.9 apg Kevin Willis (San Antonio): 52 GP, 12.0 mpg, 4.5 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.
