Spartans Look To Give Coach Izzo Career Win No. 200
2/3/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 3, 2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
Michigan State (10-8, 5-2)vs. Iowa (11-7, 4-3)
February 4, 20048 p.m. ESTEast Lansing, Mich.Breslin Center (14,759)
Radio: Spartan Sports Network - Will Tieman (Play by Play), Gus Ganakas (Color). Flagship - WJIM (1240 AM/97.5 FM)
TV: ESPN Plus Local - Larry Morgan (Play by Play), Greg Kelser (Color)
Michigan State Game Notes
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The Opening Tip
Michigan State looks to extend its winning streak to three games as it hosts Iowa on Wednesday night. The Spartans have won five of their last six games and stand just one-half game out of first place in the Big Ten standings. In what should be an entertaining game between the league's top two offenses in conference play, MSU will be looking to give head coach Tom Izzo his 200th career victory.
The Starting Five
Izzo Aims For 200 - With a career record of 199-86, head coach Tom Izzo will record career victory No. 200 with MSU's next win. Jud Heathcote (340 wins) and Benjamin VanAlstyne (232 wins) are currently the only two coaches to record 200 victories at Michigan State. Izzo recorded his 100th career win on Jan. 11, 2000, with a 77-71 overtime win over Indiana in East Lansing. He could also become just the eight coach in NCAA history to win his 200th game in his first nine years.
Spartans Clicking On Offense - Since returning from the holiday break, the Michigan State offense is starting to click. In the last nine games, MSU is averaging 75.3 points while shooting 53.6 percent from the field, 46.2 percent from three-point range and 75.6 percent from the free throw line. In addition, MSU is also averaging 16.2 assists per contest.
Strong Start In Big Ten - With a 5-2 record in the Big Ten, Michigan State is off to its best start in the conference since 2001 when it also opened with a 5-2 mark. The Spartans finished 2001 with a 13-3 record and a fourth straight Big Ten title.
Hot Second Half Shooting - Michigan State is shooting 60.4 percent (90-of-149) from the field in the second half of Big Ten games. Over the last six games, MSU is shooting 62.8 percent (81-of-129) in the second half, shooting over 60 percent in five of the last six games.
Davis Dominates - Paul Davis was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Feb. 2, after averaging 25.5 points in Spartan victories over Minnesota and Indiana. Davis opened the week by scoring seven of his team-high 19 points in overtime at Minnesota, as the Spartans rallied from a 23-point deficit to defeat the Golden Gophers. He converted two free throws with 5.2 seconds remaining to give MSU a one-point victory. Against Indiana, Davis scored a career-best 32 points, shooting 11-of-16 from the field and 10-of-12 from the foul line. This marks the second time in three weeks that Davis has won the Big Ten weekly award. He won the first award on Jan. 19 after averaging 16.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in two Spartan victories over Penn State and Michigan. Davis has scored in double-figures in 15 of 18 games this season. He scored in double figures in the first two games of the season, but was held under 10 points in the three games that followed. In the last 13 games, he has recorded solid performances, averaging 18.2 points and 6.3 rebounds. Over the last five games, he is averaging 21.0 points.
Game 18 Notes - MSU 84 - Indiana 72 - Jan. 31, 2004
* Paul Davis scored a career-high 32 points, becoming the first Spartan to score 30 points since Chris Hill recorded 34 points against Syracuse on Feb. 23, 2003.
* Michigan State played great defense in the second half, as Indiana made just 4-of-18 field-goal attempts over the first 15 minutes of the half.
* Michigan State closed the first-half on a 7-0 run over the final 2:23 and opened the second half on a 30-11 run over the first 13:54 to turn a 35-27 deficit into a 64-46 lead.
* Michigan State has now won two straight games when trailing at the half, after losing its first eight games of the year when trailing at the break.
* Michigan State has won 11 straight home games against Indiana.
* Matt Trannon saw his most extensive action as a Spartan, scoring five points, grabbing four boards and playing good defense.
* Three different Spartans (Alan Anderson, Chris Hill and Kelvin Torbert) each recorded five assists.
Iowa Notes
Coach Alford - Steve Alford (Indiana, '87) is 240-142 in his 12th season as a collegiate head coach. Alford owns a 84-65 mark in five years at Iowa. Prior to his arrival in Iowa City, Alford spent four seasons as head coach at Manchester, followed by four years at Southwest Missouri State.
Michigan State Vs. Iowa Series Notes - Michigan State leads the all-time series with Iowa 53-47. This includes a 34-17 advantage in games played in East Lansing, where the Spartans have won nine straight contests. Overall, MSU has won 10 of the last 12 games against Iowa. Tom Izzo is 11-3 in his career against Iowa, including 7-0 at the Breslin Center.
Hawkeye Briefs - Iowa ranks second in the Big Ten in scoring offense in overall games and leads the conference in league games ... The Hawkeyes are second in the Big Ten in field goal percentage, ranking only behind the Spartans ... Iowa is 1-2 on the road in Big Ten action, but has lost its two games by just six points each ... Pierre Pierce is averaging 18.7 points per game in conference action, ranking second in the league, while Jeff Horner is second in assists per game in Big Ten action (5.00 apg).
Last Meeting - MSU 82 - Iowa 54 - March. 5, 2003
* 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.
* 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, completing a recovery from a career-threatening hamstring injury suffered in Jan. 2002.
MSU Basketball Notes
MSU In Offensive Rankings - The latest Big Ten statistics show that Michigan State is one of the best offensive teams in the conference. The Spartans lead the conference in field goal percentage (.482) and three-point field goal percentage (.391) in all games. In conference games, the numbers are even more impressive as MSU is shooting a league best 54.2 percent from the field, including a conference best 47.8 percent from behind the arc. In addition, MSU leads the league in free throw percentage in all games (.764) and conference games (.760).
Spartans At 10-8 - For the second straight season, Michigan State owns a 10-8 overall record. Last season, the Spartans won 12 of their last 17 games and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight. Having won five of their last six games, this year's Spartan team is showing signs of making a similar run.
Breslin Success - This year, MSU is 8-1 at home. Since the start of the 1998-99 season, Michigan State has won 81 of its last 86 regular-season games in Breslin, a winning percentage of .942. In addition, the Breslin Center has been sold out for 92 consecutive games. In Big Ten play, MSU is 41-2 (.953) since 1998-99.
Hill Heating Up - One of the best shooters in the game, Chris Hill has been in a zone recently. Over the last nine games, Hill is shooting .553 (47-of-85) from the field and .509 (29-of-57) from three-point range. On the season, he is leading the Big Ten in three-point percentage shooting (.473) and ranks 11th in the nation according to the most recent NCAA statistics (.474 as of 1/26).
Ager Explodes - Maurice Ager erupted for a career-best 24 points against Northwestern, including 22 in the first half, shooting 9-of-13 from the field and 6-of-6 from three-point range. Those close to the program knew it was just a matter of time before Ager had a big game. In the second game of the season, Ager scored 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting at Kansas. That game, however, was Ager's only double-figure scoring effort of the first 10 games, as he was shooting just 28.4 percent from the field. Over the last eight games, he has shown improvement, shooting 42.9 percent and averaging 10.8 points. In addition to his 24 points vs. Northwestern, Ager scored 14 at Syracuse, 10 against Penn State and nine against both Wisconsin and Michigan. Ager has also improved other areas of his game, averaging 3.9 rebounds in his last eight games (second best on the team), including a team-best eight boards vs. Michigan, while also being one of MSU's most improved defensive players. Although he scored just seven points against Minnesota, his deep three-pointer as time expired, sent the game into overtime.
Hill For Three - Chris Hill is among the best three-point shooters in MSU history. He ranks second in career three-point field goals made (213) and career attempts (493) and sixth in career three-point field-goal percentage (.432). Hill has made at least one three-point field goal in 80 of 84 games in his career. He has made at least three three-pointers in nine of his last 12 games.
Torbert's Improved Shooting - Kelvin Torbert entered his junior season as a career 41.1 percent shooter. This season, his shooting is much improved, as he is shooting 54.6 percent from the field. In conference games, he ranks third in the Big Ten at 62.2 percent. On the year, he is shooting 42.9 percent from three-point range, up from 31.8 percent over his first two years.
Hill Tops 1,000 - With 17 points against Penn State, Chris Hill became the 31st player in Michigan State history to score 1,000 points in his career. Hill currently stands at 1,081 points in 27th place on the MSU all-time scoring list. With 16 points against Minnesota, he passed Earvin Johnson (1,059 points) and John Green (1,062 points) in career scoring. Hill needs 19 more points to surpass Bill Kilgore (1,099 points).
Cleaves On Silver Anniversary Team - Three-time MSU All-American Mateen Cleaves was selected to ESPN's Big Ten Silver Anniversary Team. ESPN, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, is honoring players who have played since the network started televising college basketball during the 1979-80 season. Minnesota's Kevin McHale, Ohio State's Jim Jackson, Purdue's Glenn Robinson and Indiana's Steve Alford round out the squad. Cleaves led MSU to the NCAA Championship in 2000 and finished his career with 1,541 points (10th all-time at MSU) and a Big Ten-record 816 assists.
Hitting The Glass - Michigan State has recently improved its rebounding efforts. On the season, MSU is seventh in the Big Ten in rebounding margin at +2.4, but in Big Ten play, the Spartans rank second at +4.9.
Spartans Look To Tighten Up Defense - This season, Spartan opponents are shooting an uncharacteristically high 47.2 percent from the field, but that total is down from 48.8 percent on Jan. 11. On the season, seven Spartan opponents have shot at least 50 percent, with two topping the 60 percent mark. By comparison, MSU held its opponents to 40.3 percent shooting last season to rank second in the Big Ten, and allowed just four opponents to shoot 50 percent.
Turnovers Critical - MSU stands a better chance of winning when it takes care of the ball. In their 10 wins, the Spartans are averaging 14.5 turnovers. In the eight losses, however, MSU has averaged 17.4.
Money At The Charity Stripe - The Spartans lead the Big Ten in free-throw percentage at .764. Six different Spartans have attempted at least 38 free throws this season, and each one is shooting at least 71.1 percent from the line.
Freshman Starters Under Izzo - Tom Izzo has shown a willingness to put a freshman in the starting lineup throughout his career. This season, Shannon Brown has started 13 straight games and redshirt-freshman Delco Rowley has started one. Other MSU freshmen who started include: 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 (5 games), A.J. Granger (7 games), Chris Hill (12 games), Andre Hutson (26 games), Jason Klein (10 games), Erazem Lorbek (16 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).
A Variety Of Lineups - Michigan State has found stability in its rotation as the Spartans have used the same lineup for the past seven contests. On the season, MSU has used seven different starting lineups through 18 games. Davis is the only Spartan to start all 18 games, as nine different players have started at least one game.
Spartan Great Earns NCAA Award - Former Michigan State All-American Greg Kelser was one of six recipients of the 2004 NCAA Silver Anniversary Award, presented annually to former student-athletes who have distinguished themselves since completing their collegiate careers. Kelser was an All-American and Academic All-American in 1979 as the Spartans won the NCAA Championship. After an NBA career, Kelser got involved in broadcasting both college basketball and the NBA. He is also heavily involved with community service projects. Kelser was honored Sunday, Jan. 11 at the NCAA Convention in Nashville, Tenn.
Halftime Lead Is An Indicator - The halftime score has been a good indicator of the outcome of MSU's games this season. The Spartans are a perfect 7-0 when entering the half with a lead, but are just 2-8 when trailing at the break. MSU, however, has won its last two games when trailing at the half, including overcoming a 16-point deficit against Minnesota, the largest halftime deficit ever overcome in recorded Spartan history dating back to 1950. MSU is also 1-0 when tied at the half.
Balanced Scoring - Michigan State's offense has many different weapons as three Spartans currently average double figures in scoring. Paul Davis leads the way with 16.4 ppg, followed by Chris Hill (13.7) and Kelvin Torbert (10.4). To contrast, Hill was the only Spartan who finished last season averaging double figures at 13.7.
Sustained Excellence - The mark of an elite program is sustaining excellence over time and doing it against top-flight competition. There are 13 programs that amassed 125 or more victories between 1998-99 and 2002-03. Michigan State is third on that list with 134 victories. However, MSU is also the team most willing to play top-notch competition, ranking first with 59 games against ranked opponents, while winning a nation's best 38. Michigan State and Kentucky are tied with 21 games in the regular-season against non-conference ranked teams. A look deeper into the numbers shows that of those 21 games for MSU, 13 were against top-10 teams. (Rankings based on The Associated Press Top 25 poll at the date the game was played.) This season, Michigan State played five ranked non-conference teams.
Bench Production - Through 18 games, Michigan State is taking advantage of its depth as the Spartan bench has scored 391 of MSU's 1314 points (29.8 percent). MSU's bench has outscored its opponents' reserves in 14 of 18 contests, posting a 10-4 record in those games.
BasketBowl Breaks Attendance Record - A world-record crowd of 78,129 attended "The BasketBowl" between Michigan State and Kentucky on Dec. 13, 2003, at Detroit's Ford Field. The attendance total shattered the previous record of 75,000 held by the Harlem Globetrotters during a 1951 exhibition game in Berlin, Germany. The previous NCAA record was 68,112 for a game between Louisiana State and Notre Dame on Jan. 20, 1990, at the Louisiana Superdome. The largest crowd ever to watch a Michigan State game prior to The BasketBowl was 45,406 at the 2001 Final Four in Minneapolis.
Trannon Joins Squad - Sophomore Matt Trannon joined the Spartan basketball team following the conclusion of the football season. A wide receiver on John L. Smith's 8-5 squad, Trannon caught 28 passes for 259 yards. As a high school basketball player at Flint Northern, he was ranked among the top 20 prep basketball players by ESPN.com, averaging 18.7 points and 10.2 rebounds as a senior. He saw his first game action against Penn State, knocking down two free throws. In MSU's overtime win at Minnesota, he scored four first-half points. Most recently, he scored five points and grabbed four rebounds in 11 minutes vs. Indiana.
Spartan Opponents In The Rankings - Six of Michigan State's opponents are currently ranked in The Associated Press Top 25 (Feb. 2), including five non-conference opponents. These teams include No. 1 Duke, No. 9 Kentucky, No. 14 Wisconsin, No. 18 Syracuse, No. 20 Kansas and No. 22 Oklahoma.
Preseason Favorites - Michigan State was picked as the preseason favorite to win the Big Ten Conference by both the league's media and coaches. This is the second year in a row and the fifth time in the last six years that MSU has been selected as the preseason favorite.
Playing The Best - Michigan State's 2003-04 schedule has the opportunity to go down as one of the greatest in college basketball history. Opponents on this year's slate have combined for 32 National Championships, 406 NCAA Tournament appearances, seven of the 11 all-time winningest programs, five of the six all-time winningest Final Four teams, eight 2003 conference champions and 14 2003 postseason teams (10 NCAA Tournament and four NIT).
One-Of-A-Kind Schedule - Michigan State's 2003-04 schedule is heading into uncharted waters. No team has ever played Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, Syracuse and UCLA during the same regular season. Add Oklahoma to that group and you have one of the greatest schedules of all-time.
Davis And Hill Earn Individual Honors - Junior guard Chris Hill and sophomore center Paul Davis were both selected to the preseason All-Big Ten team as selected by the league's coaches. Hill also earned a spot on the media's all-conference team. Davis is the only non-guard to earn a spot on either team, while no seniors were honored. Davis and Hill were also named John R. Wooden Award Preseason All-Americans in August and Naismith Award candidates in November.
It's All About Boardwork - Michigan State has led the Big Ten in rebounding margin for six straight seasons, including leading the nation in both 2000 (+11.7) and 2001 (+15.4). In Tom Izzo's nine years as head coach, MSU has outrebounded its opponent in 234 of 285 games (82.1 percent).
Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime - This year's Spartan schedule is just the latest in Tom Izzo's trend to play the best teams across the country. Consider the squads that have appeared on MSU's schedule under Izzo: Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Duke, Florida, Gonzaga, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Seton Hall, Stanford, Syracuse, Temple, Texas, UCLA and Virginia.
What To Wear - Michigan State has worn four different jerseys this season. In addition to their normal white home and green road jerseys, the Spartans have two alternate uniforms. This is the third straight season the Spartans have worn the 1979 throw-back-uniform featuring a script "State" across the chest and shorts with a basketball on the right leg. In honor of the Silver Anniversary of the 1979 NCAA Championship team, MSU wore a silver version of its home uniform against Duke.
U-S-A, U-S-A - Four Spartans had the opportunity to represent their country in international competition over the summer. Sophomores Maurice Ager and Paul Davis played for the USA Basketball Junior World Championship Team that posted a 7-1 mark in Greece. Davis was the squad's leading scorer (17.7 ppg) and rebounder (8.7 rpg). Junior Chris Hill was a member of the USA Basketball Pan American Games Team in the Dominican Republic with Tom Izzo serving as head coach.
Spartans Spread Minutes - Sixteen different Spartans have seen game action this season, including nine averaging 7.8 minutes or more per contest. Six average 23 minutes or more, while Chris Hill (32.9 mpg) is the only one averaging more than 30 minutes per game.
Home To Mr. Basketball - Four of the last five recipients of Michigan's 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 and Paul Davis (Rochester HS) in 2002. In 2003, Shannon Brown (Proviso East HS) captured Illinois' Mr. Basketball Award.
Statue Specifics - The statue honoring Earvin "Magic" Johnson was unveiled on Nov. 1. The structure, entitled "Always A Champion," symbolizes Johnson's championships at the high school, collegiate, NBA and Olympic levels with a statue of his body erupting from four abstract figures. The total height of the structure and base is approximately 12-feet tall, with the actual statue of Johnson less than 9-feet tall. The cost of the project is approximately $250,000 and is funded entirely through private donations. In the sculpture, Johnson is looking up the court with the basketball in one hand and is directing his teammates with the other hand, all of which were attributes that made him one of the greatest basketball players of all time and the man who made "triple-double" part of the basketball vocabulary. The statue was designed by sculptor Omri Amrany from the Fine Art Studio of Rotblatt-Amrany, based in Highland Park, Ill. Amrany's previous works include the Michael Jordan statue in front of Chicago's United Center, a Harry Caray statue at the entrance to Chicago's Wrigley Field and six statues of great Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Most recently, he's completed statues of Vince Lombardi and Earl "Curly" Lambeau at Green Bay's Lambeau Field and a statue of Al McGuire at Marquette.
