Men's Basketball Holds Annual Media Day
10/13/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 13, 2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
Media Day Notes
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Hometown Hoops Starts 2004-05 Season - The Michigan State men's and women's basketball teams will hold their annual midnight mania event, entitled "Hometown Hoops," on Friday night, Oct. 15, in conjunction with the opening of the 2004-05 season. Doors to the Breslin Center will open at 10:30 p.m. Admission is free. Events include autographs, player introductions and team scrimmages.
Returning Talent - Michigan State's returning players have 312 career starts (most in the Big Ten) and 601 career appearances (second most in the Big Ten). The trio of Alan Anderson, Chris Hill and Kelvin Torbert has 235 career starts, making them the most experienced trio in the Big Ten.
Returning Talent, Part II - Michigan State returns 93.7 percent of its scoring, 85.6 percent of its rebounding and 88.3 percent of its minutes from last season.
Spartans On The Attack - Michigan State returns its top six scorers from a 2003-04 squad that became the first team ever to lead the Big Ten in league games in field-goal percentage (.522), 3-point field-goal percentage (.434), free-throw percentage (.777) and scoring offense (71.3 ppg) (conference games only). Additionally, the Spartans were the only team to rank in the top 10 nationally in field-goal percentage (5th, .492), free-throw percentage (4th, .771) and 3-point field-goal percentage (8th, .401).
Torbert Hits The Mark - Kelvin Torbert was the only player in the Big Ten last season to rank in the top 10 in field-goal percentage (8th, .534), 3-point field-goal percentage (1st, .484) and free-throw percentage (6th, .800). His .588 3-point percentage in conference games is the second highest mark in conference history.
Chris Hill On The Court - Chris Hill enters his senior season with a chance to finish his career among the most productive players in MSU history. With 1,249 career points, Hill ranks 18th on the all-time scoring list, needing just 292 points to move into the top 10. With 311 career assists he stands just three assists out of 10th place and 60 away from the top seven. With 245 career 3-point field goals, he needs 86 to become the career leader at MSU and 87 to become the Big Ten's all-time leader. Over the last two seasons, he has averaged 89.5 3-pointers.
Chris Hill Off The Court - Chris Hill has been named the 2004 Playboy Magazine Anson Mount Scholar-Athlete of the Year. In recognition of this honor, Michigan State University will receive a $5,000 check for its general scholarship fund in Hill's name. Now in its 17th year, the purpose of the award is to call attention to the importance of scholarship combined with excellence in collegiate athletics and to honor an individual who personifies the best qualities of both. (See page 2 for a complete list of winners.) In 2003-04, Hill earned first-team Academic All-America honors, becoming the first Spartan to accomplish that feat since Greg Kelser in 1979.
Playing The Best - Since 1998-99, Michigan State has played a nation's best 26 regular-season games against ranked non-conference opponents.
Coming Up On 100 - Michigan State enters the season with 97 regular-season sellouts at the Breslin Center, where the Spartans have won 85 of their last 91 games.
Winning The Right Way - In addition to excelling on the court, the Spartans are standouts in the classroom. Fourteen Spartans have received their undergraduate degrees over the last five years, including five each in 2001 and 2003.
Another Difficult Slate - Michigan State has put together another challenging schedule in 2004-05. It includes six teams that appeared in the 2004 NCAA Tournament (Duke, Illinois, Florida A&M, Maryland, Stanford and Wisconsin) and five that appeared in the NIT (George Mason, George Washington, Iowa, Michigan and Purdue).
New Faces - Michigan State's 2004-05 roster features five new names, including freshmen Marquise Gray, Idong Ibok, Drew Neitzel, Goran Suton and junior Jason Aerts. Netizel is an ambidextrous point guard who won the 2004 Hal Schram Mr. Basketball Award. Gray is a 6-8 athletic power forward who was named The Associated Press Class C Player of the Year. Ibok is a Nigerian native, who attended school in Florida last season. He features a 7-foot-5 wingspan and is a dangerous shot blocker. Suton is a 6-10 post player with solid ball skills who can score in the post or on the perimeter. He moved to Lansing from Bosnia-Herzegovina prior to high school. Aerts is a walk-on who played two seasons at Aquinas College.
Spartans On TV - This season, 26 of Michigan State's 27 regular-season games will be televised, including seven on ESPN, one on ESPN2 and three on CBS. In addition, MSU could have one more game on either ESPN or ESPN2.
2004 Men's Basketball Media Day Quotes.
Head Coach Tom Izzo
I'm excited to be back and I think we are as a staff. It has helped that we have gotten a chance to know each other. I think it is going to really help us. I think that we have a more experienced staff and a more experienced team. I think those two teams are going to benefit our basketball.
Our schedule has changed a little bit, but not a lot. What's changed about is that we're not putting three or four games back-to-back-to-back. We still have a very strong schedule, but have spread it out a little bit. Hopefully, that will help us in a lot of areas. We're excited about our schedule and we have the opportunity to play a lot of great teams in a lot of great places.
The off-season has been great. I think that it was good for me not to have anything going on basketball-wise other than recruiting. Some players that could have gone places stayed and some guys that needed to go places, like Delco Rowley, went. I think our guys have gotten better over the summer.
Paul Davis did what he had to do in order to improve over the summer months. He had to live in the gym and he had to live in the weight room. I think he did both of those things and some other players followed suit. It was a good summer for our guys being here close together. Everybody was here all summer and I think that is going to help this team out as we embark on the season.
A program should have depth, it should have players competing against players and players should determine the playing time. The guys in the past have had not a lot of competition and competition really makes you better. You have 120-130 practices and only 30 games so it's important to get better. The better the competition shows the better that you can be.
This year we're going back to putting round pegs in the round holes and the square pegs in the square holes in getting guys back into their normal positions. I think that was one of the factors last season that caused us some problems where there was not a comfort level all the time.
We moved a lot of guys around different positions, most by necessity, but also some because we have some guys that are versatile. If you're not comfortable, I don't think you going to be as aggressive on the court. If you're not aggressive for us, you're not going to rebound or defend well enough, and heaven only knows we didn't do any of those things very well.
It's going to be easy to question this senior class, but we've got to figure out what we're questioning. They've played one of the toughest schedules and we've played more ranked non-conference opponents in the last six or seven years than anybody in the country. They have played the best people in the country and they have won a lot of games. They haven't won the championships and haven't been to the Final Fours that we've been accustomed to. They really have done some good things. Last year was the best offensive productivity in the Big Ten and we led in four different areas. If you look at last year, we were ranked fifth in the country in our offense as far as field goal percentage. In their three-year career, they are still winning 20-plus games a year, they've maintained the seven straight NCAA appearances and the sellout crowds.
What's wrong and what needs to improve? I think there are three areas that we're going to make our model for the year. I think the only person that got away from that wasn't the new assistants, the assistants or the players, it was the coach. Gene Keady said this to me once and I kind of agree with him is `Whatever you don't do, you want to be known for something that you don't do.'
We have to defend and we will defend this year. We're going to defend or those guys will not play because it's the only way you're winning a championship. We are going to rebound and we have not done a good job in that area. Our seventh or eighth-place finish last year was an embarrassment to me, the program and the players. If you don't rebound well enough, it's one way you can to judge your team. Take a look at some of the best teams in the country year in and year out, and see that 90% of those teams are strong in those two areas. If you don't rebound and you don't defend then you don't run as much, and you've got to have good point guard play to do that.
That is what we need to improve on if we're going to get back playing later on in March and hanging something in pride above the ceiling.
The thing that I've been a little proud of from a program standpoint is our appearances on national television, which is good for our program and Michigan State. The fact that we are three games from 100 consecutive sellouts at the Breslin Center. There was a time when I wasn't sure that would ever happen.
We've graduated 14 players since 2000, which just gets lost, but it is an impressive stat. We have 17 players in the last five years that are playing some type of professional basketball, whether it's in the NBA or in Europe.
We have still maintained our Top-20 ranking for seven straight years in the preseason. I think those things talk about stability and about continuity because we've had that. They talk about guys living up to expectations somewhat and not maybe the expectations that were set through those three years which were probably as unrealistic as the ones that will be set on Drew Neitzel this year that
I am very proud of the fact that the program is still growing. I think the program has elevated and maintained itself in a lot of areas, and I think that is the mark of a good program. It is important to win championships, but I think it's more important to be knocking on the door of championships because you're not going to win them every year. That being said, it is time that we win another one.
Paul Davis Jr. C (Rochester, Mich.)
On how the Spartans expect to excel in this new season ... I think that we can be a lot better. We were good last year, but I don't think that we were near as good as we could have been. We were very close to being very good. This year is it for a lot of guys. It should be a very telling year, if we have learned from years past. If we don't get it done this year then we have no excuses. This is the year, all of the focus has been put on it as it should be.
On the drive of this year's squad, coming off of last season's ending ... My freshman year we went into the tournament and we won a lot of respect from a lot of people. Being done in the first-round just leaves a bad taste in your mouth all summer. I didn't have the best year or nearly as close to as close to a year as I wish I could have had. Being up here all summer in the weight room has really driven me to make this year my best year.
On his typical summer day ... I was only taking one class, and that was in the afternoon. So I was in the gym at eight in the morning working out for about an hour, hour and a half. Then I would go to a tutor and class, then the weight room for another hour, hour and a half. I wasn't just working on strength but working on agility things too with our strength coach and with the team. At night, come in and get some shots up, work on ball-handling. I worked on the little things that are going to separate me from the hundreds of other 6-11 guys out there.
On freshman Goran Suton ... He has come a long way since he's been here. We still have a long way to go but he has made some good strides. I'm looking forward to working with him even more. Surprising as it is for him being so big, he does have a little bit of finesse to him and I think that we can definitely get that out of him. He will turn into a great player.
On the pressure being placed on freshman Drew Neitzel ... I think that the point-guard position may be the hardest position to play, especially in the college game. There is a lot of pressure. You have to know the plays, run them and basically be the coach out there. For a freshman that's really hard. Me, personally, I am going to be out there, working with him and I know that Alan (Anderson), Chris (Hill) and KT (Kelvin Torbert) are going to be right there along his side, trying to get him ahead as fast as possible.
Drew Neitzel Fr. G (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
On his new role with the team ... Yeah, definetly I am ready. In high school I scored a lot, but coming here to Michigan State, I'm just focused on getting the guys the ball in the right situation and helping them improve, because they haven't had a point guard getting it to them in the right position. Hopefully it will work out.
I am pretty comfortable with it. I have worked pretty hard over the years and all of the guys have accepted me and have helped me out in every part of the game. I just want to step in and do my best and try to help the team out.
On all of the hype surrounding him ... I don't know. The season hasn't even started. I haven't even played in one college game, so it's just hype. I haven't proved anything. Until we start playing games it's all just hype.
On putting on his MSU jersey for the first time ... It felt good. I committed as a sophomore, so it's been a long time coming for me to get to this position. It feels good finally being here. But we have a lot of goals as a team that we want to accomplish.
On a possible starting position with the team ... I haven't really thought about starting much. Every college basketball player wants to start, but being a starter as a freshman that's not my main concern. Whether I start or I come off the bench, any way that I can help the team out and do anything I am happy to do.
On last season's point guard struggles ... They had guys playing out of position a little bit, but they had a great season last year for what they had. I am just looking to step in and help any way that I can. I'm sure they were frustrated last year because they weren't playing their natural positions. So hopefully I can take some pressure off of them and get them back to where they are comfortable playing.
It was a little tough to have to sit and watch. I felt I was coming here and wanted to be successful and win. I have played with those guys and I know it's frustrating when you can't do the things you want to do.
On how the team is working together ... There have been lots of times in open gym or pick-up games where a certain five will just click; everybody at their natural position and it's pretty exciting.
Alan Anderson Sr. G/F (Minneapolis, Minn.)
On the pressures put on the shoulders of the seniors ... I wouldn't call it pressure. I mean the years have gone by fast. We haven't done what we wanted to do when we got here yet, but I wouldn't say that there is pressure. I would say that our time isn't up yet. We still have a couple hours left on our card. We can swipe that card and we aren't done.
On the expectations the players have placed on themselves ... The expectations are high. The guys before us won Big Ten Championships, some even national championships. You know the expectations are going to be high coming into an elite team like this. You have to win some type of championship and that's what we haven't done yet. So our team goal is that we want to win a championship, whether it's the Big Ten, Big Ten tournament or the NCAA.
On team leadership roles ... We are going to have to share the leadership together, as a team, but it is also going to have to be more of the older guys taking more of the responsibility. We all have to make one fist and make a big blow.
Chris Hill Sr. G (Indianapolis, Ind.)
On teammate Paul Davis' hard work and progress in the off-season ... He has worked hard in the weight room during the summer and he's solid. I think that's going to pay off a lot this year. You have to give him credit, that's not always something fun to work on. He did work hard and he had to get better and he did. I think that he will have a huge year. He's one of the most important parts of our team. He's our most solid force. He has gotten a lot stronger and he's worked on his leadership abilities, which I think will really help.
On how the seniors have an added benefit of time ... That is one of the things that has helped, playing together for two-three years. We have to use that to our advantage. We have played together for so long that some of these things have kind of become a second nature.
On how the Pistons' Championship can be a tool to model the team after ... The Pistons win was great for the game of basketball. People can see from that situation that you might have better individual players, but you put a team like Detroit together and they play together so well, and you can see what they can accomplish. I think it is something that this team can really appreciate. We do have really good players and we know that the only way for all of us to be successful is to go out and play as a team.
On how the team may not be desperate, but they are feeling some urgency this year ... I wouldn't use the word "desperation," but I would say that there is a more of a sense of urgency this year. For some of us, it's our last shot at it. Our goal since we have been here is to win a Big Ten Championship and make it to the Final Four, and that's what we haven't been able to do yet. We have been very close, but for some of us it will be our last chance.
Kelvin Torbert Sr. G (Flint, Mich.)
On how the ups and downs of the past few years can help the seniors ... There have been a lot of ups and downs, not only for myself, but for all of the seniors. We have been through a lot these past three-four years together, we are sort of like family now. We know each other well. I think that is going to help out a lot. Having guys you have been around for a long time and that you've played with and had those experiences. That is going to help out not only yourself, but your team.
On the added bonus of playing longer together can benefit this team ... I think so. I think even with all of us, (myself, Chris, Alan, Paul, Tim...) we know where each other is at on the floor almost all of the time. We never have had a real trouble. Even in pick-up games we know where each other is at. I think that is a good asset to have, playing with guys that you have played with for the past three years. Now guys have a feel for each other and that is going to help this team out a lot. Now we just have to bring the young guys along and help their learning curve, speeding it up and giving them leadership.
On leadership roles ... I think that we (the seniors) enjoy it a lot. It's a big responsibility. Being the seniors on the team that have been through the ups and downs, I think that those kinds of things will help us a lot teaching guys like Drew or Goran and helping them pick up things a lot quicker. We know in the long run that is going to help us a lot.
On how head coach Tom Izzo pushes his players for the better ... I think the players are always going to think that the coach is too hard on them. You never realize until you get home that day and you realize that man, that was a long day. We know when we are doing things wrong now and when things just aren't right. I think now, we are just trying to help the young guys and get them ready.
Anthony Hamo So. G (Flint, Mich.)
On how the players on the bench push the team ... I think that all of us (Hamo, Harvey and Aerts) are in the same or very similar situation. We'll all be playing on the scout team and we have to contribute everyday. We have to give out some hard competition everyday to help these guys throughout the games, to help them win.
On the excitement of the beginning of the season and Midnight Mania ... I'm ready and everybody is probably just like me. We are really excited to get this thing started. It's been awhile and I think we are ready to have a good season this year and to do some big things.
Maurice Ager G, Jr. (Detroit, Mich.)
On team expectations this season ... Right now we're just focused on just being a lot tougher that we have been in the past two years in terms of defending and rebounding. We want to pick up our stats in those areas and I think that's the most important thing right there.
On working on toughness ... It's something that's got to be within you as far as working on toughness. Coach Izzo is very good motivator and I give him a lot of credit because he has helped me become a tougher player since I've been here. His way of doing that is really talking to people and getting inside their heads and I think he does a good job of that.
On working on defense in the offseason ... That's one thing that we need to have a set mindset for every game. We've got to hold a team to a certain amount of points because defense still wins championships. Most championship teams in the last eight years have been defensive-minded teams and we've got to focus on defending well this year.
On meshing on the court with freshman guard Drew Neitzel ... I don't think it will take long for us and I've known Drew for a while. I like the way he plays, he knows where I want the ball, and I think that he is a good point guard. He thinks pass first and I feel he is a true point guard.
Tim Bograkos Sr. G (Flint, Mich.)
On returning for final collegiate season ... This means a lot with the talent coming back this season. Hopefully, we're looking forward to doing big things this year.
On goals for the season ... Hopefully, we'll look to go out on top with a championship and to win every game we play this season. The chance to win a Big Ten championship and a national championship is something that we strive for and that is everybody's goal.
On the Big Ten schedule ... I think the Big Ten is going to be real tough this year. A lot of teams have a lot of great players this year and there will be a lot of nationally-ranked teams in our conference this year. It's going to be tough to compete night in and night out.
On keys to the season ... We shot the ball pretty well last year, but we were unable to come up with the big stops or rebounds that we needed to close out games. It's some thing that we tried to focus on and something that we will continue to work on at the end of the season.
Drew Naymick So. C (Muskegon, Mich.)
On team expectations this season ... Hopefully this year I will be able to contribute some more to the team. I kind of had a rough summer with my shoulder problems that went back to last year, but hopefully I can overcome that.
On his health ... Physically I feel pretty good. My strength might be down a little bit, but hopefully that's something I've got to work on for practice.
On contributing in the frontcourt ... Guys like me and Delco, and hopefully the freshmen are the key elements. One of us has to step up because we can't play a point, three swingmen and Paul in there all the time which is the way we played all the time last year.
Shannon Brown So. G (Maywood, Ill.)
On personal goals for this season ... My goal is to come out relaxed and play like I know how to play. Last year, I put a lot of pressure and expectation on myself for numerous reasons.
On non-conference schedule ... The schedule is not as hard as last year, but it's still up there as one of the top schedules in the country. We're still going to face tough competition like we're in the Big Ten.
On rebounding and defense ... You just have to do it since toughness comes from within. I don't think you can be taught toughness. You've got to go get rebounds, lock your man up defensively and play tough.
On getting ready for his second season ... I wanted to come in and play last year. This year, I know a little bit more about the system, what to expect and what's going on.
Delco Rowley So. F (Indianapolis, Ind.)
On team rebounding ... Our rebounds weren't as high last year and we have to work on that. It's something that can be taught, but you've got to have a will for it.
On improving his game in Europe this summer ... It gave me a great experience to get in and play some games because I didn't get to play that much last year due to my injuries. It gave me a great opportunity to give people something to look forward to this year.
On non-conference schedule ... We know what to expect this year with these teams and there are some teams that we haven't played before. We've got to play tough in order to get the job done.
Marquise Gray Fr. F (Flint, Mich.)
On personal expectations this season ... The main thing that I'm going to do this season is rebound. I want to be a rebounding machine and work hard in everything I do on the court
On working with the veteran frontcourt players ... Watching Paul, Delco and Drew in practice kind of gave me a little hint on things to do like how to get my shot off. Paul and I would sometimes stay after open gym to work on post moves and challenge each other. He has taught me a lot in terms of footwork and getting up on my shot.
On the Big Ten schedule ... I know that everyone has to be on top of their game by January. We have four seniors here and I know they don't want to leave here empty handed. If everyone on the team does what they're supposed to or how they are supposed to do it, then there is no way that we shouldn't win the Big Ten championship.
Jason Aerts Jr. F (Pentwater, Mich.)
On his role as a practice player ... During practice we (myself, Hamo and Harvey) have to be able to push them and we have to be giving all of our energy to push them all the way, so that they are getting the workout to prepare for a game.
Andy Harvey Sr. F (Escanaba, Mich.)
On the bench's job during a game ... During the game we are focused on our job, which is to watch and call out all of their plays, see what the other team is doing since we have been doing it all week in practice. Our job is to yell it out during the games, so we have to be attentive at all times. We just have to stay focused and be able to push the guys who are out there a little bit more and make them better. If we do that, we'll get our due at the end of the day.
On his final season at State ... Personally this is my last go-around. I will never going to be able to do it again. Since I have been here our class has worked hard, but haven't been able to win any rings or anything. So we want to be able to get this program back to winning championships. We want to get out of here with some hardware.
Goran Suton Fr. C (Lansing, Mich.)
On his chances of redshirting ... So far there has been no talk of red-shirting this year. It might come at the last minute. It's all up to the coaches and how I do in practice.
I don't want to redshirt. I want to play. I think that I can help the team. If that is the case, then it might be better for me in one way.
On learning from teammate Paul Davis ... I have been learning all summer long. Just looking at him, teaching and learning his game, watching his moves.
On how the team pushes each other ... There is so much talent on this team, so many good players that you can't be tired right now. You can't quit. You have to keep going and step your game up.
