Men's Basketball Travels To Ohio State
2/6/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 6, 2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
Michigan State (11-8, 6-2)at Ohio State (11-10, 3-5)
February 7, 2004Noon ESTColumbus, OhioValue City Arena (19,200)
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), Steve Lavin and Tim McCormick (Color)
Michigan State Game Notes
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The Opening Tip
Michigan State travels to Columbus having won six of its last seven games and two of its last three on the road. Ohio State is also sporting a winning streak, having won its last two games, including a road win at Purdue last Saturday. Through the first half of the Big Ten season, the Spartans find themselves one-half game behind Wisconsin in the conference standings. This will be the only meeting of the year between the two teams.
The Starting Five
Spartans From The Buckeye State - Senior Jason Andreas (Sugarcreek) hails from the Buckeye state. Last season, he grabbed a season-best and team-high seven rebounds in MSU's 72-58 win at Columbus. 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).
Izzo Collects No. 200 - With MSU's 89-72 victory over Iowa on Feb. 4, 2004, Tom Izzo recorded the 200th victory of his Spartan career, becoming just the third coach in MSU history to accomplish that feat, joining Jud Heathcote (340 wins) and Benjamin VanAlstyne (232 wins). Izzo became the eighth head coach in NCAA history to record 200 wins in his first nine seasons (among coaches with half their seasons at Division I), joining Roy Williams (247), Everett Case (241), Denny Crum (219), Jerry Tarkanian (218), John Calipari (210), Tubby Smith (210) and Jim Boeheim (204).
Spartan Success At VCA - Michigan State has won two straight games at Value City Arena. On Feb. 26, 2002, MSU defeated No. 18 OSU, 81-76, thanks in large part to 32 points from Marcus Taylor. Last season, the Spartans defeated the Buckeyes, 72-58, on March 8, 2003. Michigan State shot 63.2 percent from the field in the victory and converted on all 12 free throw attempts in the final five minutes. Chris Hill led the Spartan attack with 20 points.
Spartans Share The Ball - Michigan State's potent offense can be attributed to many things, including taking good shots created by great passing. In Big Ten games, the Spartans lead the conference with 15.88 assists per game.
Spartans Clicking On Offense - Since returning from the holiday break, the Michigan State offense is starting to click. In the last 10 games, MSU is averaging 76.7 points while shooting 53.4 percent from the field, 45.9 percent from three-point range and 76.7 percent from the free throw line. In addition, MSU is also averaging 16.5 assists per contest.
Hot Second Half Shooting - Michigan State is shooting 58.4 percent (104-of-178) from the field in the second half of Big Ten games. Over the last seven games, MSU is shooting 60.1 percent (95-of-158) in the second half, shooting over 60 percent in five of the last seven games.
Game 19 Notes - MSU 89 - Iowa 72 - Feb. 4, 2004
* Tom Izzo became the third Spartan coach to record 200 career victories and the eighth coach in Division I history to win 200 games in his first nine seasons.
* Michigan State's 50-point first half was its largest first half output of the season; the previous high was 43 points against Kentucky (12/13). The 50-point first half also marked the second straight half in which the Spartans scored 50 points as they did so in the second half against Indiana.
* Michigan State's 89 points tied the season high; MSU also scored 89 against DePaul on Nov. 30, 2003.
* Michigan State's assist-to-turnover ratio of 19-to-11 marked the largest differential (+8) of the season between assists and turnovers; MSU's previous best was 20-to-13 (+7) vs. Syracuse on Jan. 3, 2003.
* Jason Andreas tied his career high with eight points on 4-of-6 shooting.
* Michigan State's 11 turnovers were the second fewest it had committed in a game this season.
* Kelvin Torbert scored 14 of his 18 points in the first half.
* Michigan State's defense limited Iowa to 41.1 percent shooting, including 28.6 percent from three-point range; entering the contest, the Hawkeyes were shooting 50.3 percent from the field and 47.0 percent from behind the arc in Big Ten games.
Ohio State Notes
Coach O'Brien - Jim O'Brien (Boston College, '71) is 365-299 in his 22nd season as a collegiate head coach. O'Brien owns a 130-82 mark in seven years at Ohio State. Prior to his arrival in Columbus, O'Brien spent four seasons as head coach at St. Bonaventure, followed by 11 years at Boston College.
Michigan State Vs. Ohio State Series Notes - Michigan State leads the all-time series with Ohio State, 56-46. The Buckeyes, however, own a 32-19 advantage in games played in Columbus. Michigan State has won 16 of the last 19 games in the series, dating back to 1993, including two in a row and seven of the last nine in Columbus. Tom Izzo is 11-3 in his career against Ohio State, including 4-2 in Columbus.
Buckeye Briefs - Senior Velimir Radinovic is No. 1 in the Big Ten in field goal shooting percentage (.651) ... Ohio State leads the Big Ten in conference games with a +5.0 rebound margin ... Tony Stockman leads the conference in league games with 2.57 steals per game ... Ohio State's top two scorers, Tony Stockman (Clemson) and J.J. Sullinger (Arkansas), sat out last season after transferring from other programs.
MSU Basketball Notes
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 16 of 19 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 14 games, he has recorded solid performances, averaging 18.3 points and 6.4 rebounds. Over the last six games, he is averaging 20.7 points.
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 (.484) and three-point field goal percentage (.394) in all games. In conference games, the numbers are even more impressive as MSU is shooting a league best 53.8 percent from the field, including a conference best 47.3 percent from behind the arc. In addition, MSU leads the league in free throw percentage in all games (.769) and conference games (.774).
Strong Start In Big Ten - With a 6-2 record in the Big Ten, Michigan State is off to its best eight-game start in the conference since 2001 when it also opened with a 6-2 mark. The Spartans finished 2001 with a 13-3 record and a fourth straight Big Ten title.
Hill Heating Up - One of the best shooters in the game, Chris Hill has been in a zone recently. Over the last 10 games, Hill is shooting .547 (52-of-95) from the field and .516 (32-of-62) from three-point range. On the season, he is leading the Big Ten in three-point percentage shooting (.478) and ranks seventh in the nation according to the most recent NCAA statistics (.473 as of 2/2).
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 (216) and career attempts (498) and sixth in career three-point field-goal percentage (.434). Hill has made at least one three-point field goal in 81 of 85 games in his career. He has made at least three three-pointers in 10 of his last 13 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 55.0 percent from the field. In conference games, he ranks third in the Big Ten at 61.7 percent. On the year, he is shooting 45.2 percent from three-point range, up from 31.8 percent over his first two years.
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 +3.8.
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 1,096 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 four more points to surpass Bill Kilgore (1,099 points) and 14 to pass Al Ferrari (1,109 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.
Spartans Look To Tighten Up Defense - This season, Spartan opponents are shooting an uncharacteristically high 46.9 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 11 wins, the Spartans are averaging 14.2 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 .769. Six different Spartans have attempted at least 40 free throws this season, and each one is shooting at least 72.5 percent from the line. On the season, MSU ranks fifth in the nation in free throw shooting (.764 as of 2/2).
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 14 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. Davis is the only Spartan to start all 19 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 8-0 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 16.6 ppg, followed by Chris Hill (13.8) and Kelvin Torbert (10.8). To contrast, Hill was the only Spartan who finished last season averaging double figures at 13.7.
Bench Production - Through 19 games, Michigan State is taking advantage of its depth as the Spartan bench has scored 408 of MSU's 1403 points (29.1 percent). MSU's bench has outscored its opponents' reserves in 15 of 19 contests, posting an 11-4 record in those games.
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.
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.
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. He scored five points and grabbed four rebounds in 11 minutes vs. Indiana.
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 286 games (81.8 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.
Breslin Success - This year, MSU is 9-1 at home. Since the start of the 1998-99 season, Michigan State has won 82 of its last 87 regular-season games in Breslin, a winning percentage of .943. In addition, the Breslin Center has been sold out for 93 consecutive games. In Big Ten play, MSU is 42-2 (.955) since 1998-99.
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 7.5 minutes or more per contest. Six average 22.9 minutes or more, while Chris Hill (32.6 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.
