Men's Basketball Travels To Wisconsin
1/14/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 14, 2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
#12/15 Michigan State (10-2, 2-0)at Wisconsin (11-3, 2-1)
Jan. 16, 20051:30 p.m. ESTMadison, Wis.Kohl Center (17,142)
Radio: Spartan Sports Network - Will Tieman (Play by Play), Gus Ganakas (Color). Flagship - WJIM (97.5 FM/1240 AM)
TV: CBS - Verne Lundquist (Play by Play), Billy Packer (Color)
The Opening Tip
Michigan State takes a seven-game winning streak on the road to Wisconsin. The winning streak is the school's longest since opening the 2000-01 season with a 12-0 record. The Spartans own a 2-0 Big Ten record for the first time since 2000. Wisconsin owns a 37-game homecourt winning streak, although the Spartans are 3-3 all-time at the Kohl Center.
Michigan State Game Notes
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The Starting Five
Hill's Ratio - Chris Hill currently leads the Big Ten and ranks second in the nation with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 4.0-to-1. That number ranks first among Spartan point guards of the last 20 years, ahead of solid point guards like Mateen Cleaves (1.9 in his last three years); Mark Montgomery (2.3 as a junior), Scott Skiles (2.0 as a senior) and Eric Snow (2.5 as a junior and senior).
Spartan Point Guards Value The Ball - Michigan State's two point guards, Chris Hill and Drew Neitzel, have done a remarkable job taking care of the basketball during the Spartans' seven-game winning streak. In that stretch, the two have combined for 53 assists and just 11 turnovers (Hill - 36 assists, 8 turnovers; Neitzel - 17 assists, 3 turnovers). In the last three games, Hill has recorded 19 assists and no turnovers, while Neitzel has recorded 13 assists and just one turnover in his last five games. Hill's last turnover came with 6:51 left in the UCLA (12/21) contest.
Getting To The Charity Stripe - As a team, MSU is shooting a nation's best 80.7 percent from the foul line (79.5 pct. in NCAA stats through Jan. 3), including seven Spartans who are shooting better than 80 percent. Michigan State has done a good job getting to the foul line this season, averaging 21.6 attempts per game. For the season, the Spartans have made almost as many free throws (209) as their opponents have attempted (223). Among players with at least 15 attempts, Shannon Brown paces the way, connecting on 90.9 percent of his attempts (30-of-33). In fact, Brown, Kelvin Torbert (89.7 percent) and Alan Anderson (86.0 percent) rank first, second and fourth in the Big Ten in percentage.
Getting Defensive - Michigan State has won seven straight games, thanks in large part to its defense. In the last seven contests, Spartan opponents are averaging just 57.3 points, with no single opponent scoring more than 64 points. Opponents are also shooting just 41.7 percent from the field and 31.8 percent from 3-point range, while averaging 17.3 turnovers.
MSU In NCAA Stats - According to the most recent NCAA statistics (through games of 1/10), MSU ranks in the top 10 in four categories nationally and in the top 20 in six categories. The Spartans lead the nation in free-throw percentage (.807), rank fifth in scoring margin (22.1), sixth in assists per game (18.9), seventh in scoring offense (84.4), 15th in field-goal percentage (.507) and 16th in rebound margin (+7.7).
Game 12 Notes - MSU 87 - Northwestern 58 - Jan. 8, 2005
* Michigan State improved to 36-19 in Big Ten home openers, including 8-2 under Tom Izzo.
* Michigan State committed a season-low eight turnovers against Northwestern.
* Michigan State made more field goals (33) than Northwestern attempted (32).
* The Spartans grabbed 13 offensive rebounds, compared to just three for the Wildcats.
* The Spartan defense forced more turnovers (19) than it allowed field goals (18).
* Michigan State outscored Northwestern, 50-22, in the paint.
Wisconsin Badgers
Coach Ryan - Bo Ryan (Wilkes College, '69) is 78-31 in his fourth year at Wisconsin. Overall, he is 461-134 in 20 seasons as a collegiate head coach. He opened his career with 15 years at UW-Platteville, followed by two years at UW-Milwaukee.
Badger Bits - Wisconsin owns the nation's longest home winning streak at 37 games ... The Badgers lead the Big Ten in 3-point field-goal percentage defense (.287) and scoring defense (59.5) ... Alando Tucker leads the Badgers in scoring at 16.0 ppg, after sitting out all but four games last year with a medical redshirt.
MSU-UW Notes
Series History - Michigan State leads the all-time series with Wisconsin, 63-52. The Badgers, however, have a 37-22 advantage in Madison. Wisconsin has won the last five games in the series. Prior to that, the Spartans won eight in a row and 12 of 13. Tom Izzo is 12-8 in his career against Wisconsin.
Success At Kohl - Wisconsin owns an impressive 36-game winning streak at the Kohl Center, but Michigan State has had its fair share of success there as well, being one of just two Big Ten teams to win three games at Kohl. A 56-47 win on Feb. 21, 1998, ensured MSU a share of the first of four straight Big Ten Championships under Coach Izzo. On Feb. 12, 2000, MSU defeated UW, 61-44. A 51-47 Spartan victory on Feb. 27, 2001, allowed MSU to grab a share of its fourth straight Big Ten title in the next game of the year.
MSU Basketball Notes
The Turnover Story - Taking care of the basketball continues to be a point of emphasis for the Spartans. Michigan State is 9-0 this season when committing fewer turnovers than its opponents, but just 1-2 when committing an equal number or more than the opposition. On the season, MSU is averaging 14.0 turnovers per game. In the last six games, the Spartans are averaging 12.0 turnovers per game. MSU committed a season-low eight turnovers against Northwestern. MSU ranks second in the Big Ten in turnover margin (+4.08) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.35).
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 +7.7 margin. They are also hitting the offensive glass, grabbing 12.58 offensive boards per game. MSU leads the conference in rebounding margin and ranks second in offensive rebounds. Rebounding is also a good indicator of the team's success. MSU is 9-0 when it out-rebounds its opponent, 1-2 when it is out-rebounded.
Big Ten Leaders - The Spartans lead the conference in five statistical categories, including scoring offense (84.4 ppg), scoring margin (+22.1), free-throw percentage (.807), rebounding offense (36.4) and rebounding margin (+7.7). MSU ranks in the top three in 13 of 19 categories. Individually, Chris Hill leads the league in assist-to-turnover ratio at 4.0-to-1, while Shannon Brown paces the conference in free-throw percentage (.909). In fact, Brown and teammates Kelvin Torbert (.897) and Alan Anderson (.860) rank first, second and fourth in the league in free-throw percentage.
The 1,000 Club - With 11 points against Penn State, Kelvin Torbert (1,017 points) became the 32nd player in Michigan State history to score 1,000 in his career. He joins teammate Chris Hill (1,374) as current Spartans with more than 1,000 career points, while Alan Anderson (911) and Paul Davis (905) also are likely to reach 1,000 points this year.
Off The Gridiron, Onto The Hardwood - Matt Trannon is back with the basketball team after playing football in the fall. This year, he ranked second on the team in receptions (36) and yards (405), while also scoring two touchdowns in 11 games. He returned to practice on Monday, Dec. 13. He has appeared in five games this season. In his last four games, he is averaging 4.7 rebounds and 3.0 points in 10.5 minutes per contest. He grabbed a career-best seven rebounds against UNC Asheville and scored a career-best six points against Northwestern. Last season, he averaged 6.9 minutes in 17 games, recording 1.2 points and 1.6 rebounds.
Using The Bench - Michigan State's bench has outscored its opponent's bench in 10 out of 12 games. In fact, Spartan subs have scored 122 more points (10.2 per game). In six of the 12 games, MSU's bench advantage has been greater than 10 points, including three of 19 or more.
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 at 14.2 ppg. By comparison, just three Spartans averaged in double figures last year, after Chris Hill was the only player to do so in 2002-03.
Taking Turns - Through 12 games, five different Spartans have led the team in scoring this season. Maurice Ager and Paul Davis have each led the team four times. Alan Anderson and Kelvin Torbert have each done it twice. Chris Hill has led the team in one game.
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 12 games this year, the Spartans are even better, shooting 50.6 percent from the field, 40.2 percent from 3-point range and 80.7 percent from the free-throw line. MSU'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).
Ager's Explosion - Several Spartans are putting up good numbers, but Maurice Ager has been arguably the most productive player. He leads the team in scoring, averaging 14.2 points per game, and ranks second in rebounding with 4.4 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 49.5 percent from the field and 46.9 percent from 3-point range.
Spartans Share The Ball - One of the greatest traits of this Michigan State team is its unselfishness. Through 12 games, MSU is averaging 18.9 assists per game, ranking second in the Big Ten and sixth in the nation. The Spartans have recorded assists on 228 of their 353 baskets (64.6 percent).
Hill Moves Up Career Scoring List - Chris Hill currently stands at 1,374 points, in 16th place on the MSU all-time scoring list. He needs four points to pass Julius McCoy (1,377 points) and move into 15th place. With 10 points, Hill will move into 13th place. With 167 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 (276) and career attempts (640) and sixth in career 3-point field-goal percentage (.431). Hill has made at least one 3-point field goal in 104 of 108 games in his career. His 276 career 3-point field goals rank sixth in Big Ten history, 56 behind Penn State's Pete Lisicky.
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 eighth in MSU history with 367 career assists, four behind 7th-place Charlie Bell. Hill dished out a season-best nine assists against UNC Asheville and recorded eight assists against Stanford.
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 receives 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.
Spartan Depth - Through 12 games, 11 Michigan State Spartans are averaging at least 8.6 minutes of action, including nine players in double digits and six players playing more than 20 minutes. No single player is averaging more than 25.7 minutes per contest.
Torbert Hits The Mark - After shooting 41.1 percent from the floor in his first two seasons, Kelvin Torbert is shooting 54.9 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 equally impressive start this season, shooting 58.5 percent from the floor (9th), 45.2 percent from 3-point range (7th) and 89.7 percent from the free-throw line (t-2nd), once again being the only Big Ten player to rank in the top 10 of all three categories.
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 averaging 11.8 points and 3.1 boards in 23.7 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 12.8 points and 4.3 rebounds, shooting 56.3 percent from the field. Prior to this season, he had never averaged 10 points in any season or shot better than 50.3 percent.
The Century Mark - Michigan State opened the season with three consecutive 100-point games for just the second time in school history (1963-64). Prior to this season, Tom Izzo's Spartans had topped 100 points just twice in his nine full seasons.
Davis Earns Big Ten POW Honors - After scoring a season-best 20 points and grabbing a team-high eight rebounds vs. Stanford, Paul Davis was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Monday, Dec. 13. He shot 7-of-12 from the field and 6-of-7 from the foul line in recording the 10th 20-point game of his career.
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 five teams that appeared in the 2004 NCAA Tournament (Duke, Illinois, Florida A&M, Stanford and Wisconsin) and five that appeared in the NIT (George Mason, George Washington, Iowa, Michigan and Purdue).
Experience Matters - Michigan State players have a combined 372 starts in their careers, including 259 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.
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.
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.
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 seven former Spartans currently on NBA rosters: (Stats current through Jan. 2.) Mateen Cleaves (Seattle): 8 GP, 1.6 mpg, 0.3 ppg, 0.3 rpg, 0.3 apg Morris Peterson (Toronto): 36 GP, 25.2 mpg, 10.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.5 apg Zach Randolph (Portland): 33 GP, 37.4 mpg, 20.2 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 2.0 apg Jason Richardson (Golden State): 29 GP, 37.3 mpg, 20.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 3.4 apg Steve Smith (Charlotte): 22 GP, 19.8 mpg, 9.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 2.0 apg Eric Snow (Cleveland): 33 GP, 20.7 mpg, 3.8 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 3.5 apg Kevin Willis (Atlanta): 22 GP, 12.0 mpg, 3.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 0.3 apg
