Men's Basketball Travels To Duke In Top 10 Showdown
11/29/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 29, 2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
Michigan State (3-0)at Duke (3-0)
November 30, 20049 p.m. ESTDurham, N.C.Cameron Indoor Stadium (9,314)
Radio: Spartan Sports Network - Will Tieman (Play by Play), Gus Ganakas (Color). Flagship - WJIM (1240 AM/97.5 FM)
TV: ESPN - Dan Shulman (Play by Play), Dick Vitale (Color), Doris Burke (Sidelines)
The Opening Tip
Michigan State and Duke meet for the second consecutive season in the sixth annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge. This will be the first road game in the challenge for the Spartans since they won at North Carolina in the first year of the challenge in 1999. Both the Spartans and Blue Devils bring high powered offenses into the game, averaging 103.3 and 86.7 points, respectively. After playing its first three games at home, this is the first of four straight games away from the Breslin Center for the Spartans.
Michigan State Game Notes
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The Starting Five (And A Sixth Man)
MSU In The Big Ten/ACC Challenge - Michigan State is 3-1 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, including 1-0 in road games. In the inaugural challenge in 1999, the Spartans used 31 points from Morris Peterson to defeat No. 2 North Carolina, 86-76, in Chapel Hill. One year later, MSU defeated UNC in East Lansing, 77-64, behind 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists from Charlie Bell. In the 2001 challenge, MSU's game against Virginia in Richmond, Va., was cancelled due to unplayable floor conditions. In 2002, the Spartans used a 17-0 first half run to propel them to an 82-75 win over Virginia in the Breslin Center. Last year, Duke defeated MSU, 72-50, in East Lansing.
Spartans Share The Ball - One of the greatest traits of this Michigan State team is its unselfishness. Through three games, MSU is averaging 22.0 assists per game. The Spartans have recorded assists on 66 of their 110 baskets (60.0 percent).
Hitting The Boards - Michigan State is doing a much better job rebounding the basketball this season than it did last year. The Spartans are out-rebounding their opponents by a +17.3 margin. They are also hitting the offensive glass, grabbing 19.0 offensive boards per game. In fact, MSU has more offensive rebounds (57) than its opponents have defensive boards (51).
The Century Mark - Michigan State has scored 100 points in three consecutive games for just the second time in school history and the first time since the first three games of the 1963-64 season. Prior to this season, Tom Izzo's Spartans had topped 100 points just twice in his nine full seasons.
Balanced Scoring - Michigan State's impressive offensive performance has been the result of a team effort. Six Spartans are averaging in double figures, led by Maurice Ager and Kelvin Torbert at 17.3 ppg. Prior to this season, the last time six Spartans scored in double figures was Dec. 9, 2001, against Nicholls State. In two of the first three games this year, six Spartans scored in double figures.
Spartan Depth - Through three games, 10 Michigan State Spartans are averaging at least 10 minutes of action, with five players playing more than 20 minutes. No single player is averaging 25 minutes per contest. This trend is likely to continue in the regular season, as MSU hopes to use its depth to its advantage.
Game 3 Notes - MSU 102 - Nicholls State 52 - Nov. 27, 2004
* Michigan State scored more than 100 points for the third straight game, marking just the second time in school history and the first since the first three games of the 1963-64 season.
* Michigan State outscored Nicholls State, 42-15, in points off turnovers.
* Nine Spartans recorded at least one steal, with Shannon Brown and Maurice Ager getting three apiece.
* Tom Izzo coached in his 300th game as Spartan head coach, making him just one of three coaches in school history to coach 300 games.
* Michigan State held Nicholls State to just 16 first-half points, a season low for Spartan opponents. The Colonels also shot just 32.2 percent from the field and 9.5 percent from 3-point range, establishing season lows for MSU opponents.
* Delco Rowley scored a career-best seven points.
Duke Notes
Coach Krzyzewski - Mike Krzyzewski (Army, '69) is 697-240 in 30 years as a college head coach. He is in his 25th year at Duke with a mark of 624-181.
Blue Devil Briefs - Duke is averaging 28 3-point field-goal attempts per game, with Daniel Ewing and J.J. Redick averaging 8.3 attempts each ... Duke is committing just 12.0 turnovers per game, while forcing 21.7 ... The Blue Devils are 174-8 against non-conference opponents at Cameron Indoor Stadium under Mike Krzyzewski ... Blue Devil opponents are shooting just 33.9 percent from the field and 26.3 percent from 3-point range ... Duke has five players averaging 24.0 minutes per game, compared to none for Michigan State.
Series History - Duke leads the all-time series with Michigan State, 4-1. This game, however, will be the first meeting between the two teams in Durham, N.C. Last season, the Blue Devils defeated the Spartans, 72-50, in East Lansing. Prior to that game, every meeting had been played on a neutral court. MSU and Duke met twice during the 1998-99 season, including a meeting in the Final Four in St. Petersburg, Fla. Michigan State's lone win in the series was an 82-57 victory on Dec. 29, 1958 in the Dixie Classic in Raleigh, N.C.
MSU Basketball Notes
Six Starters - Tom Izzo has repeatedly said that he has six players worthy of a spot in the starting lineup (Maurice Ager, Alan Anderson, Shannon Brown, Paul Davis, Chris Hill and Kelvin Torbert). In the first three games, Torbert has come off the bench. He has responded by leading the Spartans in scoring with 17.3 points per game, averaging 22.3 minutes per game, second-most on the squad. Michigan State has a history of non-starters excelling under Tom Izzo. In 1998-99, Morris Peterson led the Spartans in scoring and earned first-team All-Big Ten honors while coming off the bench in a majority of the contests.
Fast Starts - In each of their first three games, the Spartans have used an early run to take control of the game. Consider the following game-opening runs: 16-2 vs. Florida A&M, 17-3 vs. UW-Green Bay and 17-2 vs. Nicholls State. Consequently, the Spartans have not trailed in a game this season.
Getting To The Charity Stripe - Michigan State has done a good job getting to the foul line this season, averaging 24.0 attempts per game. For the season, the Spartans have made more free throws (59) than their opponents have attempted (49).
Hitting The Mark - Last season, Michigan State was 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). Through three games this year, the Spartans are even better, shooting 52.4 percent from the field, 44.9 percent from 3-point range and 81.9 percent from the free-throw line. Michigan State's shooting should come as no surprise considering the team 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).
Torbert Hits The Mark - After shooting 41.1 percent from the floor in his first two seasons, Kelvin Torbert is shooting 54.5 percent in his last two years. In 2003-04, Torbert was the only player in the Big Ten 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. He is off to an even better start this season, shooting 63.0 percent from the floor, 50.0 percent from 3-point range and 100.0 percent from the free-throw line.
Ager's Explosion - Several Spartans are putting up good numbers in the early going, but Maurice Ager has been arguably the most productive player. He is tied for the team lead in scoring, averaging 17.3 points per game, and is tied for second in rebounding with 6.7 boards per contest. He entered the season averaging 7.5 points for his career, shooting 39.2 percent, including 36.9 percent from 3-point range. His accuracy has improved greatly this season, shooting 52.8 percent from the field and 53.3 percent from 3-point range.
No Sophomore Slump - In 2003-04, Shannon Brown earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman team, averaging 7.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in 22.9 minutes per game. This season, he is third on the team in scoring at 16.0 points per game, while grabbing 3.7 boards in 22.0 minutes per contest.
Anderson Feeling Comfortable - With the addition of Drew Neitzel to help handle the point guard duties, Alan Anderson has been able to return to his natural forward position. The change has led to increased production, as he is currently averaging 14.3 points and 6.0 rebounds. Prior to this season, he had never averaged 10 points or five rebounds in any season.
Hill Moves Up Career Scoring List - Chris Hill currently stands at 1,279 points, in 17th place on the MSU all-time scoring list. He needs 18 points to pass Matt Steigenga (1,296 points) and move into 16th place. With 262 points, he will move into the top 10.
Hill For Three - Chris Hill is among the best 3-point shooters in MSU history. He ranks second in career 3-point field goals made (252) and career attempts (583) and sixth in career 3-point field-goal percentage (.432). Hill has made at least one 3-point field goal in 95 of 99 games in his career. His 252 career 3-point field goals rank sixth in Big Ten history, 80 behind Penn State's Pete Lisicky. Over the last two seasons, he has averaged 89.5 3-pointers.
He Can Pass, Too - In addition to all of his scoring and long-range shooting, Chris Hill is positioned to finish his career among the school's all-time leaders in assists. He currently stands ninth in MSU history with 325 career assists, 24 behind 8th-place Kevin Smith.
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. In 2003-04, Hill earned first-team Academic All-America honors, becoming the first Spartan to accomplish that feat since Greg Kelser in 1979.
Getting Defensive - While Michigan State's offense has gotten most of the publicity, its defense has also shown improvement in the young season. After allowing opponents to shoot 45.6 percent last season, MSU is holding the opposition to 34.8 percent this year, including just 22.2 percent from 3-point range.
Big Ten Leaders - Michigan State leads the Big Ten Conference in 11 of 19 statistical categories, including scoring offense (103.3 ppg), scoring margin (+46.7), free-throw percentage (.819), 3-point field-goal percentage defense (.222), rebounding offense (49.3 rpg), rebounding margin (+17.3), blocked shots (7.33 bpg), steals (11.33 spg), turnover margin (+6.67), offensive rebounds (19.00 orpg) and defensive rebounds (30.33). In addition, the Spartans rank second in six other categories, including scoring defense (56.7 ppg), field-goal percentage (.524), field-goal percentage defense (.348), 3-point field-goal percentage (.449), assists (22.00 apg) and 3-point field goals made (10.33 pg).
MSU In November - Michigan State has an all-time record of 61-17 in games played in the month of November. This includes a 44-3 mark at home.
Spartans Picked Second In Big Ten Poll - In a vote of the league's media, the Michigan State men's basketball team was picked to finish second in the Big Ten. 2003-04 Big Ten Champion Illinois was selected as the preseason favorite. Wisconsin was picked to finish third.
Davis Earns Preseason Honor - Junior center Paul Davis was selected to the Big Ten preseason all-conference team. As a sophomore, Davis averaged 15.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 56.8 percent from the floor. Last year, he was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and an Associated Press honorable mention All-American. This season, he has been named a John R. Wooden Award Preseason All-American and a preseason candidate for the Naismith Award.
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.
Experience Matters - Michigan State players have a combined 327 starts in their careers, including 241 career starts for Alan Anderson, Chris Hill and Kelvin Torbert. Entering the season, MSU's returning players had 312 career starts (most in the Big Ten) and 601 career appearances (second most in the Big Ten). The trio of Anderson, Hill and Torbert had 235 career starts, making them the most experienced trio in the Big Ten. The Spartans also return 93.7 percent of their scoring, 85.6 percent of their rebounding and 88.3 percent of their minutes from last year.
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).
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.
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. Neitzel 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.
The Golden Arches - Michigan State is becoming the home for McDonald's All-Americans. Over the past six seasons, seven 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, Paul Davis in 2002 and Shannon Brown and Brandon Cotton in 2003.
Home To Mr. Basketball - Five of the last six recipients of Michigan's Hal Schram Mr. Basketball Award, presented to the top high school player in the state, have 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, Paul Davis (Rochester HS) in 2002 and Drew Neitzel (Wyoming Park HS) in 2004. While the 2003 winner did not attend MSU, Shannon Brown (Proviso East HS) captured Illinois' Mr. Basketball Award that same year.
Spartans In The NBA - Listed below is an update on six former Spartans currently on NBA rosters: (Stats current through Nov. 28.) Mateen Cleaves (Seattle): 7 GP, 1.7 mpg, 0.3 ppg, 0.3 rpg, 0.3 apg Morris Peterson (Toronto): 14 GP, 22.0 mpg, 8.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.1 apg Zach Randolph (Portland): 12 GP, 38.7 mpg, 21.5 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 2.2 apg Jason Richardson (Golden State): 12 GP, 36.8 mpg, 18.3 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 3.6 apg Steve Smith (Charlotte): 11 GP, 21.7 mpg, 10.0 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 2.8 apg Eric Snow (Cleveland): 13 GP, 23.4 mpg, 4.9 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 4.2 apg Kevin Willis (Atlanta): 8 GP, 14.4 mpg, 4.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 0.1 apg
