Men's Basketball Opens Big Ten Play At Penn State
1/4/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 4, 2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
#19/20 Michigan State (8-2, 0-0)vs. Penn State (6-7, 0-0)
Jan. 5, 20057 p.m. ESTState College, Pa.Bryce Jordan Center (15,261)
Radio: Spartan Sports Network - Will Tieman (Play by Play), Gus Ganakas (Color). Flagship - WJIM (97.5 FM)
TV: ESPN Plus Local - Mike Adamle (Play by Play), Brian Allen (Color) - (Lansing - WLAJ; Flint/Saginaw/Bay City - WFUM; Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo/Battle Creek - WXSP)
The Opening Tip
Michigan State opens its 55th season of Big Ten basketball on the road at Penn State. The Spartans will be playing just their fifth game since Dec. 6. MSU enters league play on a five-game winning streak, having held its last five opponents to just 56.3 points. Last season, the Spartans won both games against Penn State, including a 67-42 win at State College.
Michigan State Game Notes
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The Starting Five
Big Ten Openers - In its 54 seasons playing basketball in the Big Ten Conference, Michigan State has compiled a 23-31 record in Big Ten openers, including a 9-22 record away from East Lansing. Tom Izzo is 5-4 in Big Ten openers, 1-4 on the road. The Spartans are 2-0 in Big Ten openers against Penn State, defeating the Nittany Lions in East Lansing in the first games of the 2000 and 2001 conference seasons.
Torbert Approaches 1,000 - With 994 career points, Kelvin Torbert needs just six points to become the 32nd player in Michigan State history to score 1,000 in his career. This season, he is averaging a career-best 10.9 points. Teammate Chris Hill (1,358 points) already has more than 1,000 career points, while Alan Anderson (881) and Paul Davis (880) also are likely to reach 1,000 points this year.
Hill's Ratio - Chris Hill currently leads the Big Ten with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.29-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 - As the Big Ten season opens, the Spartans find themselves atop the conference in four statistical categories, including scoring offense (84.2 ppg), scoring margin (+21.0), free-throw percentage (.795) and rebounding margin (+7.6). Individually, Chris Hill leads the league in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.29-to-1, while Shannon Brown paces the conference in free-throw percentage (.909). In fact, Brown and teammates Kelvin Torbert (.875) and Alan Anderson (.846) rank first, second and tied for third in the league in free-throw percentage.
The Turnover Story - Taking care of the basketball continues to be a point of emphasis for the Spartans. Michigan State is 7-0 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 14.7 turnovers per game. In the last four games, the Spartans are averaging 12.8 turnovers per game, including just 4.8 in the second half.
Game 10 Notes - MSU 92 - UNC Asheville 63 - Dec. 29, 2004
* MSU's point guards, Chris Hill and Drew Neitzel, combined for 15 assists and no turnovers.
* Michigan State shot 71.0 percent from 2-point range, but just 37.5 percent from behind the arc, in shooting a season-best 56.4 percent from the field.
* Michigan State established a season high with 26 assists.
* Delco Rowley scored a career-best eight points.
* MSU's defense held UNC Asheville to 30.0 percent shooting in the first half, but allowed the Bulldogs to shoot 54.8 percent in the second half.
* Matt Trannon grabbed a career-best seven rebounds in just 10 minutes of action.
* Michigan State recorded a season-best nine dunks.
Penn State Notes
Coach DeChellis - Ed DeChellis (Penn State, '82) is 15-26 in his second year at Penn State. Overall, he is 120-119 in nine seasons as a collegiate head coach. He served as head coach at East Tennessee State from 1996-2003.
Nittany Lion Notes - Penn State leads the Big Ten in offensive rebounds, averaging 13.5 per game ... Aaron Johnson is the only player in the Big Ten averaging a double-double (15.6 points and 10.8 rebounds) ... The Nittany Lions have played just six of their 13 games at home ... Like MSU, PSU has made more free throws (210) than its opponents have attempted (208) ... Penn State has four players that have attempted at least 49 3-pointers.
Series History - Michigan State leads the all-time series with Penn State, 20-3, including a 7-2 edge in games played in State College. The Nittany Lions' three wins in the series have been by a combined seven points. The Spartans have won four straight games in the series and 12 consecutive regular-season meetings, including the last six games at the Bryce Jordan Center.
MSU Basketball Notes
Getting To The Charity Stripe - As a team, MSU is shooting a nation's best 79.5 percent from the foul line (through Dec. 31), 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 22.4 attempts per game. For the season, the Spartans have made more free throws (178) than their opponents have attempted (171). Among players with at least 10 attempts, Shannon Brown paces the way, connecting on 90.9 percent of his attempts (30-of-33). In fact, Brown, Kelvin Torbert (87.5 percent) and Alan Anderson (84.6 percent) rank first, second and tied for third in the Big Ten in percentage.
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 +7.6 margin. They are also hitting the offensive glass, grabbing 12.7 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 7-0 when it out-rebounds its opponent, 1-2 when it is out-rebounded.
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 three games this season. In his last two games, he is averaging 6.5 rebounds in 10.5 minutes per contest. He grabbed a career-best seven rebounds against UNC Asheville. 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 eight out of 10 games. In fact, Spartan subs have scored 98 more points (9.8 per game). In four of the 10 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 14.0 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 10 games, five different Spartans have led the team in scoring this season. Paul Davis has led the team four times. Maurice Ager has led it three times and Kelvin Torbert has done it twice. Alan Anderson and Chris Hill have each 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 10 games this year, the Spartans are even better, shooting 50.1 percent from the field, 41.2 percent from 3-point range and 79.5 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).
Spartans Share The Ball - One of the greatest traits of this Michigan State team is its unselfishness. Through 10 games, MSU is averaging 19.1 assists per game. The Spartans have recorded assists on 191 of their 290 baskets (65.9 percent).
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 leads the team in scoring, averaging 14.0 points per game, and ranks second in rebounding with 4.9 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 47.3 percent from the field and 45.5 percent from 3-point range.
Hill Moves Up Career Scoring List - Chris Hill currently stands at 1,358 points, in 16th place on the MSU all-time scoring list. He needs 20 points to pass Julius McCoy (1,377 points) and move into 15th place. With 183 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 (273) and career attempts (629) and sixth in career 3-point field-goal percentage (.434). Hill has made at least one 3-point field goal in 102 of 106 games in his career. His 273 career 3-point field goals rank sixth in Big Ten history, 59 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 357 career assists, 14 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 10 games, 10 Michigan State Spartans are averaging at least 9.7 minutes of action, with six players playing more than 20 minutes. No single player is averaging more than 26.0 minutes per contest.
Torbert Hits The Mark - After shooting 41.1 percent from the floor in his first two seasons, Kelvin Torbert is shooting 54.2 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 56.3 percent from the floor, 44.4 percent from 3-point range and 87.5 percent from the free-throw line.
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 12.3 points and 4.3 rebounds, shooting 57.5 percent from the field. Prior to this season, he had never averaged 10 points in any season or shot better than 50.3 percent.
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 3.3 boards in 23.7 minutes per contest.
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.
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 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.
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 362 starts in their careers, including 255 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.
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.
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.
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): 31 GP, 23.2 mpg, 8.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.1 apg Zach Randolph (Portland): 28 GP, 38.4 mpg, 20.5 ppg, 10.7 rpg, 2.1 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): 28 GP, 20.4 mpg, 3.7 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 3.2 apg Kevin Willis (Atlanta): 21 GP, 12.4 mpg, 3.2 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 0.3 apg
