Top Ranked Illini Invade The Breslin Center
1/31/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 31, 2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
#10/12 Michigan State (14-3, 5-1)vs. #1/1 Illinois (21-0, 7-0)
Feb. 1, 20057 p.m. ESTEast Lansing, Mich.Breslin Center (14,759)
Radio: Spartan Sports Network - Will Tieman (Play by Play), Gus Ganakas (Color). Flagship - WJIM (97.5 FM/1240 AM)
TV: ESPN - Dan Shulman (Play by Play), Dick Vitale (Color), Doris Burke (Sidelines)
The Opening Tip
Michigan State and Illinois face off in a showdown of Big Ten powers. The Illini bring a perfect 21-0 record and a No. 1-ranking into the Breslin Center, where the Spartans are 10-0 this season and have won 95 of the last 101 games. Michigan State and Illinois lead the Big Ten in 11 of 19 statistical categories and feature the league's top two offenses.
MSU Game Notes
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The Starting Five
Spartans Off To Strong Start - Michigan State's current 14-3 record is its best 17-game mark since the 2000-01 squad posted a 16-1 record in its first 17 contests. By comparison, the Spartans started 10-7 in 2001-02 and 2002-03 and 9-8 in 2003-04. The 2001 squad was also the last one to open the Big Ten with a 5-1 record. Through the first six conference games, MSU was 2-4 in 2002 and 2003 and 4-2 in 2004.
MSU Vs. No. 1 - Michigan State is 1-13 all-time against teams ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll. The Spartans' lone win over a top-ranked team was a 75-64 victory by No. 3 MSU over Indiana State in the 1979 NCAA Championship game. MSU's last game against a No. 1-ranked team came in the 1999 Final Four, when the No. 2 Spartans fell to No. 1 Duke, 68-62.
Number One In East Lansing - This game marks just the fourth time that the No. 1-ranked team in the Associated Press poll has played against Michigan State in East Lansing, and the first time in 29 years. On Jan. 12, 1976, No. 1 Indiana defeated Michigan State, 69-57. Ohio State made two trips to East Lansing as the No. 1-ranked team in the early 60s, defeating MSU 83-62 on Feb. 11, 1961 and 80-72 on Feb. 17, 1962.
Ager's Explosion - Maurice Ager is currently playing the best basketball of his Spartan career. Over the last four games, he is averaging 18.5 points and shooting 54.0 percent from the field. Finally healthy for the first time in his three seasons, Ager is having a very good junior campaign. He leads the team in scoring, averaging 14.5 points per game, and ranks third 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 49.1 percent from the field and 41.3 percent from 3-point range. In home games, he is averaging 16.1 ppg.
Breslin Success - Michigan State has sold out 107 consecutive regular-season games at the Breslin Center. Since the start of the 1998-99 season, Michigan State has won 95 of its last 101 regular-season games in Breslin, a winning percentage of .941. This season, MSU is 10-0 at home, averaging 85.5 points, shooting 51.4 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from 3-point range at the Breslin Center.
Game 17 Notes - MSU 92 - Oakland 75 - Jan. 29, 2005
* With center Paul Davis out of action resting a left ankle injury, Michigan State attempted a season-high 31 3-point field goals.
* Michigan State converted 20 Oakland turnovers into 34 points, while the Golden Grizzlies scored just five points off 14 Spartan turnovers.
* MSU's 92 points were the most since Dec. 29, 2004 (92 vs. UNC Asheville), but the 75 points it allowed were the most since Dec. 4, 2004 (96 vs. George Washington).
* After being out-rebounded 20-17 in the first half, Michigan State out-rebounded Oakland, 21-11, in the second half.
* In addition to tying his season high with 22 points, Maurice Ager established a career best with four assists.
* Chris Hill snapped a string of seven-straight single-digit games with 13 points.
Illinois Fighting Illini
Coach Weber - Bruce Weber (Wisconsin Milwaukee, '78) is 150-61 in seven seasons as a collegiate head coach, including 47-7 at Illinois and 20-3 in the Big Ten. Prior to his arrival in Champaign, Weber posted a 103-54 mark at Southern Illinois, leading the Salukis to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2002 and 2003.
Fighting Illini Notes - Illinois' 21-0 start is the best in school history ... The Illini have won a school-record tying 17 consecutive Big Ten games, including nine straight on the road ... Illinois has trailed for just 66:34 of 845 minutes this season ... Deron Williams leads the Big Ten with 6.95 assists per game, including 7.86 in Big Ten play ... Illinois leads the Big Ten in eight statistical categories, including scoring offense, scoring margin, field-goal percentage, 3-point field-goal percentage, assists, turnover margin, assist-to-turnover ratio and 3-point field goals made.
MSU-UI Notes
Series History - Illinois leads the all-time series with Michigan State, 49-47. The Spartans, however, own a 30-17 advantage in games played in East Lansing. The Illini have won the last two games, both of which have been played in Champaign. MSU has won seven of the last 11 games in the series. Tom Izzo is 10-7 in his career against Illinois, including 5-2 at the Breslin Center.
The Last Meeting - Illinois 75 - MSU 51 - Feb. 10, 2004 - Champaign, Ill.
With 5:41 left in the first half, Illinois held a 23-20 lead. Neither team scored for the next two-and-a-half minutes, but the Illinois closed the half on a 12-0 run over the final 3:09 on three-point plays from Deron Williams and James Augustine and 3-pointers by Luther Head and Dee Brown. The Illini put the game away with the first two baskets of the second half to take a commanding 39-20 lead. Illinois native Shannon Brown was the only Spartan to score in double figures, posting 12 points.
The Last Meeting In Breslin - MSU 68 - Illinois 65 - Feb. 2, 2003
Illinois jumped out to an early 15-2 lead less than six minutes into the contest. With two minutes remaining in the half, Illinois led by 14 points, but MSU cut the deficit to six points at the half, thanks in part to an Alan Anderson 3-pointer at the buzzer. MSU opened the second half on an 11-4 run to take its first lead of the game at 14:28 on a Maurice Ager 3-pointer. Trailing 62-59 with five minutes remaining, the Spartans scored six straight points to take a 65-62 lead they would not surrender. Illinois cut the lead to 65-64, but a Chris Hill 3-pointer with 59 seconds left gave MSU all the points it needed. Anderson and Paul Davis paced the Spartans with 15 points each.
No, We Are Not Related - Shannon Brown and Illinois junior Dee Brown were teammates at Proviso East High School in the metro Chicago area. In 2001-02, Dee averaged 25.6 points as a senior to earn Illinois Mr. Basketball honors. That season, Shannon averaged 24 points as a junior as Proviso East advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the Illinois state tournament. One season later, Shannon averaged 27.9 points, earning Illinois Mr. Basketball honors. Other prominent Proviso East alumni include former NBA player and current NBA coach Glenn "Doc" Rivers and current NBA star Michael Finley.
One Meeting Not Uncommon - This season marks the fourth time in the last six seasons that Michigan State and Illinois have met just once during the regular season. The Spartans and Illini also met just once in 2000, 2001 and 2004. In all three previous seasons, the home team won the lone meeting. MSU won easily at the Breslin Center in 2000, 91-66, on its way to the NCAA title. In 2001, Michigan State and Illinois shared the regular-season Big Ten title, with the Illini winning the lone meeting, 77-66, in Champaign. Last year, Illinois won the only meeting (75-51 in Champaign) as Michigan State finished one game behind the Illini in the Big Ten standings. When MSU and UI met twice in 2002 and 2003, the two teams split the season series.
Two High Powered Offenses - Michigan State and Illinois feature the two top offenses in the Big Ten. The Illini lead the league in scoring offense (81.5), scoring margin (+18.7) and field-goal percentage (.498), while the Spartans rank second in each category (80.5 ppg, +18.3, .496). Illinois leads the Big Ten in 3-point field-goal percentage (.402), while Michigan State leads in free-throw percentage (.797).
Number One Meetings - This is the second Michigan State-Illinois game featuring a team ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll. On Jan. 11, 1979, No. 4 Illinois defeated No. 1 Michigan State, 57-55, in Champaign. In that game, Eddie Johnson scored 16 points to lead the Illini, while Greg Kelser's 23 points paced the Spartans. Prior to Illinois knocking off No. 1 Wake Forest on Dec. 1, 2004, that was the Illini's only victory over a top-ranked squad.
MSU Basketball Notes
Getting Defensive - In the last 12 contests, Spartan opponents are averaging just 59.2 points, with just one opponent scoring more than 64 points. Opponents are also shooting just 42.8 percent from the field and 34.3 percent from 3-point range, while averaging 16.6 turnovers. In conference games, MSU leads the Big Ten in scoring defense, allowing just 58.3 points per contest.
The Free Throw Story - According to the most recent NCAA statistics, Michigan State leads the nation in free-throw percentage (80.7 pct. through Jan. 24). The Spartans are currently shooting 79.7 percent from the foul line, including seven players who are shooting at least 80 percent. Among players with at least 15 attempts, Shannon Brown paces the way, connecting on 90.4 percent of his attempts (47-of-52). In fact, Brown, Kelvin Torbert (87.2 percent), Alan Anderson (86.2 percent) and Maurice Ager (81.0 percent) rank first, second, third and fourth in the Big Ten in free-throw percentage. MSU is shooting 81.5 percent in games which it won and 71.2 percent in games which it lost.
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 12.29 offensive boards per game. MSU leads the conference in rebounding margin and ranks third in offensive rebounds. Rebounding is also a good indicator of the team's success. MSU is 13-1 when it out-rebounds its opponent, 1-2 when it is out-rebounded. In its last three games Michigan State has a +10.7 rebounding margin.
Balanced Scoring - Michigan State's impressive offensive performance has been the result of a team effort. Five Spartans are averaging in double figures, led by Maurice Ager at 14.5 ppg. Chris Hill had been averaging in double figures all year, but has slipped to 9.4 points per game after scoring in single digits in seven of the last eight games. Michigan State had been the only team in the nation with six guys averaging in double figures. By comparison, just three Spartans averaged in double figures last year, after Chris Hill was the only player to do so in 2002-03.
The Turnover Story - Taking care of the basketball continues to be a point of emphasis for the Spartans. Michigan State is 11-0 this season when committing fewer turnovers than its opponents, but just 3-3 when committing an equal number or more than the opposition. On the season, MSU is averaging 14.2 turnovers per game. The Spartans have struggled in the last three games, committing 17.3 per game, after averaging just 10.4 in the previous nine games. However, Michigan State has forced its last three opponents to average 19.0 turnovers, including 21.5 for its last two. MSU ranks second in the Big Ten in turnover margin (+3.12) and third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.26).
MSU In NCAA Stats - According to the most recent NCAA statistics (through games of 1/24), MSU ranks in the top 10 in three categories nationally and in the top 15 in six categories. The Spartans lead the nation in free-throw percentage (.807), rank fifth in scoring margin (+18.9), 10th in rebound margin (+7.6), 11th in assists per game (17.7), 14th in field-goal percentage (.499) and 15th in scoring offense (80.8).
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 over the last 12 games. In that stretch, the two have combined for 90 assists and just 27 turnovers (Hill - 59 assists, 17 turnovers; Neitzel - 31 assists, 10 turnovers). In the last eight games, Hill has recorded 42 assists and nine turnovers, while Neitzel has recorded 27 assists and just eight turnovers in his last 10 games.
Hill's Ratio - Chris Hill currently leads the Big Ten with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.43-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).
Big Ten Leaders - The Spartans lead the conference in three statistical categories, including free-throw percentage (.797), rebounding defense (28.6) 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 3.43-to-1, while Shannon Brown paces the conference in free-throw percentage (.904) followed closely by Kelvin Torbert (2nd, .872), Alan Anderson (3rd, .862) and Maurice Ager (4th, .810). Torbert also paces the Big Ten in 3-point field-goal percentage (.488).
Torbert Hits The Mark - After shooting 41.1 percent from the floor in his first two seasons, Kelvin Torbert is shooting 55.2 percent in his last two years. This season, he is the only Big Ten player to rank in the top 10 in all three shooting categories, ranking 1st in 3-point field-goal percentage (.488), 2nd in free-throw percentage (.872) and 5th in field-goal percentage (.588). In 2003-04, he accomplished the same feat, ranking 8th in field-goal percentage (.534), 1st in 3-point field-goal percentage (.484) and 6th in free-throw percentage (.800). His .588 3-point percentage in conference games in 2003-04 is the second highest mark in conference history.
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 Dec. 13. This season, he is averaging 4.3 rebounds and 2.9 points in 12.1 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 15 out of 17 games. In fact, Spartan subs have scored 165 more points (9.7 per game). In eight of the 17 games, MSU's bench advantage has been greater than 10 points, including three of 19 or more.
The 1,000 Club - With 11 points against Penn State, Kelvin Torbert (1,056 points) became the 32nd player in Michigan State history to score 1,000 in his career. He joins teammate Chris Hill (1,409) as current Spartans with more than 1,000 career points, while Alan Anderson (958) and Paul Davis (952) also are likely to reach 1,000 points this year.
Taking Turns - Through 17 games, five different Spartans have led the team in scoring this season. Maurice Ager has led the team in seven games, while Paul Davis and has done it five times. Alan Anderson has done it three times and Kelvin Torbert has 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 17 games this year, the Spartans are just as good, shooting 49.6 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from 3-point range and 79.7 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).
Hill Moves Up Career Scoring List - Chris Hill currently stands at 1,409 points, in 12th place on the MSU all-time scoring list. With 60 points, he will move into 11th place, passing Charlie Bell (1,468 points). With 132 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 (283) and career attempts (668) and sixth in career 3-point field-goal percentage (.424). Hill has made at least one 3-point field goal in 108 of 113 games in his career. His 283 career 3-point field goals rank tied for fifth in Big Ten history with Indiana's A.J. Guyton, 49 behind Penn State's Pete Lisicky.
Spartans Share The Ball - One of the greatest traits of this Michigan State team is its unselfishness. Through 17 games, MSU is averaging 17.88 assists per game, ranking second in the Big Ten. The Spartans have recorded assists on 304 of their 475 baskets (64.0 percent).
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 in seventh place in MSU history with 390 career assists. 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 17 games, 10 Michigan State Spartans are averaging at least 10 minutes of action, including six players playing more than 20 minutes. No single player is averaging more than 26.1 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 career highs with 11.8 points and 4.9 rebounds, shooting a career-best 54.8 percent from the field.
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 11.4 points and 3.5 boards in 24.1 minutes per contest. Recently, he posted career highs in scoring (20 points) and rebounding (9 boards) against Purdue (1/18).
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.
Experience Matters - Michigan State players have a combined 397 starts in their careers, including 269 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 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).
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. 29.)
Mateen Cleaves (Seattle): 8 GP, 1.6 mpg, 0.3 ppg, 0.3 rpg, 0.3 apg Morris Peterson (Toronto): 44 GP, 26.9 mpg, 11.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.5 apg Zach Randolph (Portland): 35 GP, 36.6 mpg, 19.9 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 2.0 apg Jason Richardson (Golden State): 35 GP, 37.9 mpg, 22.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.7 apg Steve Smith (Charlotte): 27 GP, 18.0 mpg, 8.5 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 1.9 apg Eric Snow (Cleveland): 41 GP, 22.6 mpg, 4.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 3.8 apg Kevin Willis (Atlanta): 24 GP, 11.6 mpg, 2.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 0.3 apg
