Men's Basketball Closes Out Regular Season At Ohio State
3/7/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 7, 2003
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
2002-03 Michigan State BasketballMichigan State (17-11, 9-6)vs. Ohio State (14-12, 7-8)
March 8, 200312:17 P.M. ESTValue City Arena (19,200)Columbus, Ohio
Radio: Spartan Sports Network - Will Tieman (Play by Play), Gus Ganakas (Color). Flagship - WJIM (1240 AM/97.5 FM)
TV: ESPN Plus Regional - Larry Morgan (Play by Play), Eddie Fogler (Color)
Michigan State Game Notes
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The Opening Tip
Spartans Travel To Ohio State For Regular-Season Finale - Fresh off a Senior Night victory over Iowa, Michigan State travels to Ohio State, where the Buckeyes will be celebrating their seniors. Ohio State is 11-4 at the Value City Arena this year, including 4-3 in the Big Ten. The Spartans have experienced success on the road this year, winning at Kentucky and Indiana this season, making them the only team to win in either of those venues this season. The Spartans and Buckeyes met in the first game of the conference season, with MSU taking a 66-55 victory.
Game 28 Notes - Michigan State 82 - Iowa 54
* Michigan State opened the game on a 16-0 run, holding Iowa to 0-of-7 shooting and forcing eight turnovers in the first 6:19 of the game.
* Michigan State's 56.5 percent field-goal shooting was its second-highest percentage of the year and the best in Big Ten action.
* The Spartans recorded a season-high 14 steals, led by Paul Davis who tied a career high with five.
* Adam Ballinger stole the show on Senior Night by scoring a career-high 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting, including 4-of-5 from three-point range.
* Adam Wolfe earned his first start of the season on Senior Night, symbolizing the courage he's shown in a recovery from a career-threatening hamstring injury suffered in Jan. 2002.
MSU's Month - Over the last five seasons, including this year, Michigan State has a record of 26-5 in the month of March. For his career, Tom Izzo is 33-12 in March.
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 seven of their last 10 games overall and seven of their last nine in the Big Ten.
Spartans Benefit From Balanced Scoring - In each of the last three games four different Spartans have scored in double figures, and not surprisingly, Michigan State won all three games. In the first 12 conference games of the season, no more than three different Spartans scored in double-figures. MSU is 7-1 this season when four or more Spartans score in double-figures.
Coach Izzo - In his eighth year, Tom Izzo (Northern Michigan, '77) is 184-76 (.708), 91-40 (.695) 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 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 90-40 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.
Ohio State Notes
Coach O'Brien - Jim O'Brien (Boston College, '71) is in sixth season as head coach at Ohio State with a record of 116-69. Overall, he is in his 21st season as a head coach with a record of 351-286, with head coaching stints at St. Bonaventure (1982-86) and Boston College (1986-97). He was named National Coach of the Year in 1999.
Spartans Vs. Buckeyes - Michigan State leads the all-time series with Ohio State, 55-45. Ohio State, however, owns a 32-18 advantage in games played in Columbus. Dating back to 1993, the Spartans have won 15 of the last 17 games. Tom Izzo is 10-2 against the Buckeyes, including 3-2 in the Columbus.
Buckeye Notes - Ohio State may be the only Big Ten team with more injuries than Michigan State this season as the Buckeyes have lost a combined 42 games due to injuries ... Brent Darby is the Big Ten's second-leading scorer at 18.1 points per game ... Darby (38.0 mpg) and Sean Connolly (36.0 mpg) rate No. 1 and 2 respectively in average minutes played per game among Big Ten players.
Finding Success At VCA - Ohio State is 69-12 at Value City Arena since it opened in 1998-99. The Spartans, however, own one of the 12 victories by an opponent and are one of just six Big Ten teams to win at VCA. Last year, MSU defeated OSU, 81-76, on Feb. 26, 2002, as Marcus Taylor scored 32 points to lead the Spartans over the No. 18 Buckeyes. With the victory, the Spartans became one of just four teams to win a game in front of a sold-out crowd at VCA.
Jan. 9, 2003 - Michigan State 66 - Ohio State 55
* Michigan State connected on its first 26 attempts from the free throw line and finished 29-of-30 from the line, just missing the Big Ten record of 25-of-25 set by Purdue in 1976 and again in 2001.
* Alan Anderson was 14-of-14 from the foul line, tying the fourth-best effort in MSU history.
* Alan Anderson finished with a career-high 18 points, while Maurice Ager also posted a career best with 15.
* Michigan State improved to 5-3 in Big Ten openers under Tom Izzo.
MSU Basketball Notes
Strength Of Schedule - According to Collegerpi.com, Michigan State boasts the 12th-toughest schedule in the nation and the best in the Big Ten. The Spartans also have an RPI ranking of No. 36. MSU opponents ranked in the RPI top 70 include No. No. 2 Kentucky, No. 4 Oklahoma, No. 6 Syracuse, No. 19 Oklahoma State, No. 21 Wisconsin, No. 23 Illinois, No. 33 Purdue, No. 35 Indiana, No. 54 Michigan, No. 60 Minnesota, No. 63 Ohio State and No. 66 Villanova. (Updated as of March 7.)
Spartans Scoring More - Over the last four games, Michigan State's offense is doing a better job producing points. In a loss to Syracuse, and wins over Minnesota, Purdue and Iowa, the Spartans are averaging 74.2 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 four games, the Spartans are shooting just 45.2 percent from the field, but are making 43.1 percent of their three-point attempts. In addition, the Spartans are getting to the free throw line 24.5 times per game and making 78.6 percent of their attempts. Another factor is that MSU is maximizing its scoring opportunities, committing just 11.8 turnovers per game.
Defensive Efforts - Ohio State and Michigan State rate No. 2 and 3 respectively in Big Ten games in field-goal percentage defense. The Buckeyes are allowing conference opponents to shoot 39.3 percent from the field, while Spartan opponents are shooting 39.5 percent. Ohio State rates third in the league in three-point field-goal percentage defense at 31.5 percent, while Michigan State rates fourth at 31.6 percent.
Battle On The Boards - Rebounding could be a deciding factor in this game as Michigan State and Ohio State rate No. 1 and 2 respectively in Big Ten games in rebound margin. The Spartans are outrebounding their opponents by a +4.6 margin, while the Buckeyes own a +3.5 margin.
Spartans From The Buckeye State - Red-shirt juniors Jason Andreas (Sugarcreek) and Adam Wolfe (Westerville) both hail from the Buckeye state. Andreas' father, Dan, was a three-year starter for the Ohio State basketball team (1968-70), while his uncle, Bill, was also a three-year starter for the Buckeyes (1973-75). Wolfe suffered a career-threatening hamstring injury last season, but has returned to the lineup with a courageous rehabilitation. He has decided to forgo his final season of eligibility next year as he will receive his undergraduate degree in telecommunication this May.
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 tied with Mateen Cleaves for sixth on the MSU career list with 143 made three-pointers. With five 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 .424 ranks sixth in MSU history. This season, Hill is 77-of-189 (.406) from three-point range and 49-of-98 (.500) from inside the arc. Hill's 77 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.
Battling Turnovers - After averaging 16.0 turnovers in the non-conference, Michigan State has done a better job of taking care of the ball in the conference, committing 13.5 turnovers per game. Recently, the Spartans committed a season-low seven turnovers vs. a pressing Minnesota squad. Overall, the Spartans are averaging 14.6 turnovers on the season, with a -0.4 turnover margin.
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 6-9 when committing more turnovers.
Defensive Stoppers - Recently, the Spartans have made a habit of holding their Big Ten opponents' top scorer in check. Michigan's LaVell Blanchard entered the MSU game averaging 17.8 points. He was held to two points on 0-of-5 shooting, with both points coming at the free throw line in the final minute when the Spartans had to foul. Indiana's Bracey Wright entered the first Indiana game averaging 19.1 points, but managed to score just four against MSU on 1-of-6 shooting in 29 minutes of action. In the first Illinois game, the Spartans got Brian Cook in foul trouble, limiting the Big Ten's leading scorer to 13 points, eight below his 21.1 scoring average. In MSU's overtime win at Indiana, although Bracey Wright scored 20, the Spartans held Tom Coverdale and Kyle Hornsby to a combined 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting. Wisconsin's Kirk Penney scored 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting, slightly below his 16.6 scoring average. Northwestern's Jitim Young scored just 10 points after averaging 15.0 ppg in Big Ten contests. At Illinois, Brian Cook scored a season-low four points. Against Minnesota, Rick Rickert scored 13 points on 5-of-14 shooting, after entering the contest averaging 17.2 points in Big Ten games. Most recently, Iowa's Chauncey Leslie scored 10 points, well below his 16 points per contest average.
Rebounding And Defense Key In Victories - Michigan State's defense and rebounding are two keys to its performance. In MSU's 17 wins, the Spartans are holding opponents to 37.8 percent shooting and own a rebound margin of +6.7. 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 - The reason that turnovers and missed free throws are such a cause for concern is that 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's Impact - In Big Ten games, Maurice Ager is MSU's sixth-leading scorer at 6.0 points per contest. Ager missed the first six games of the year with a stress fracture in his right foot and made his regular-season debut in front of 23,145 people against Kentucky in Lexington. He played 14 minutes off the bench and scored five points. Ager adds a perimeter threat as he has attempted 47 three-pointers in 20 games, ranking second on the team. During a Dec. 25 practice, Ager fainted and underwent two days of tests forcing him to miss the Jacksonville State and Toledo contests.
Ager Influences Bench Attack - When Maurice Ager is healthy and in the lineup, the Spartans have a much more potent bench. In the 20 games in which Ager has played, MSU's bench is outscoring the opponents' benches by a combined 192 points, an average of +9.6 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 28 games, the Spartans have a +5.9 rebounding margin to lead the Big Ten, outrebounding 20 of their 28 opponents and tying three others. 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 tenure as head coach, Michigan State has never ranked worse than second in the Big Ten in rebound margin.
Shooting For Seventy - The 70-point barrier seems to be an important one for Michigan State's offense. The Spartans are 9-3 when scoring 70 points or more, but just 8-8 when failing to reach 70 points. The Spartans have scored 70 points just three times in the Big Ten, but have done so in two of the last three games.
The Soft Touch - Senior Aloysius Anagonye is among the top field-goal shooters in Michigan State history. Anagonye is shooting .565 for his career (266-of-471), which ranks sixth in MSU history. This season, Anagonye is leading the Big Ten with a .612 field-goal percentage.
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 67.
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 20 games, he is MSU's second-leading scorer at 10.2 points per game, while averaging 4.3 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 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 (454-of-621) and are averaging 22.2 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 10 games, however, the Spartans have shown improvement, making 75.3 percent (140-of-186) 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 (304-of-404) in the 17 victories.
Looking For A Second Option - Chris Hill is leading Michigan State in scoring at 14.0 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 5.7 points per game or more this season and five averaging at least 7.4 or more. In Big Ten games, however, the Spartans have better balance, as Hill (11.1 ppg) is joined by Alan Anderson (10.8) and Kelvin Torbert (10.2) 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 eighth in assists (3.68 apg), seventh in steals (1.64 spg), third in three-point field-goal percentage (.407), second in three-point field goals made (2.75) and sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.47). In conference games, he ranks tied for ninth in assists (3.40 apg), seventh in three-point field-goal percentage (.333), seventh in three-point field goals made (1.87) and sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.76).
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.
Ranked Opponents - Six Spartan opponents are ranked in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll released on March 3, including No. 2 Kentucky, No. 5 Oklahoma, No. 12 Syracuse, No. 14 Illinois, No. 18 Oklahoma State and No. 24 Wisconsin. In The Associated Press Top 25 released on March 3, six opponents including No. 2 Kentucky, No. 5 Oklahoma, No. 12 Syracuse, No. 14 Illinois, No. 20 Oklahoma State and No. 24 Wisconsin.
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 7.)
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): 58 GP, 36.6 mpg, 14.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.2 apg Zach Randolph (Portland): 58 GP, 15.8 mpg, 7.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg Jason Richardson (Golden State): 61 GP, 32.4 mpg, 15.1 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.9 apg Steve Smith (San Antonio): 39 GP, 21.6 mpg, 7.4 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.4 apg Eric Snow (Philadelphia): 60 GP, 38.7 mpg, 13.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 6.9 apg Kevin Willis (San Antonio): 51 GP, 11.9 mpg, 4.3 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.
