Men's Basketball Travels To Ohio State

Jan. 26, 2007

EAST LANSING, Mich. -
Michigan State (17-4, 4-2)
vs. #5/5 Ohio State (17-3, 5-1)

January 27, 2007
9 p.m. EST
Columbus, Ohio
Value City Arena

Radio: Spartan Sports Network - Will Tieman (Play by Play), Gus Ganakas (Color). Flagship - WMMQ 94.9 FM/WJIM 1240 AM
TV: ESPN2 - Dan Shulman (Play by Play), Dick Vitale (Color), Erin Andrews (Sidelines)

Michigan State Game Notes
Download Free Acrobat Reader

The Opening Tip
Michigan State brings a four-game winning streak to Columbus. Overall, the Spartans lead the league in rebounding and defensive statistics, while Ohio State leads the Big Ten in scoring. Plagued by injuries for most of December, MSU is starting to get back its cohesiveness on offense, as the Spartans lead the league in field-goal percentage in conference games and rank among the top scoring squads.

The Starting Five
1. Spartans From The Buckeye State - Michigan State's roster features two players from the Buckeye State, sophomore co-captain Travis Walton and freshman Raymar Morgan. Walton was the 2005 Northwest Ohio Player of the Year and a first-team all-state honoree, leading Lima Senior High School to a 19-4 record. Morgan earned The Associated Press Division I Player of the Year honors as a senior at Canton McKinley High School. He led McKinley to back-to-back Division I state championships, as his school became the first Division I team to accomplish that feat since 1974. Canton McKinley is the same school that produced former Spartan and All-Big Ten performer Eric Snow, who now stars with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Other Spartans from Ohio under coach Tom Izzo include Andre Hutson (Trotwood), A.J. Granger (Findlay), Jamie Feick (Lexington), Quinton Brooks (Akron), Jason Andreas (Sugarcreek), Adam Wolfe (Westerville) and Doug Davis (Columbus). (For more on Walton and Morgan, see page 5).

2. Spartan Defense Among Big Ten's Best - Michigan State ranks among the top defensive teams in the Big Ten. The Spartans lead the league in field-goal percentage defense (.374) and scoring defense (55.8 ppg), while ranking second in 3-point field-goal percentage defense (.306) and fourth in blocked shots (5.29 bpg). Maryland shot a season-high 54.8 percent from the field, and is the only one of MSU's 20 opponents to shoot better than 46 percent from the field, as 15 opponents have shot below 40 percent and 17 below 42 percent. The Spartans have held four opponents (Brown, The Citadel, Bradley and IPFW) below 30 percent shooting. MSU's defense is also among the nation's best, ranking eighth in scoring defense (56.3 ppg), ninth in field-goal percentage defense (37.7%) and 28th in blocked shots (5.3 bpg), according to the most recent NCAA stats (Jan. 22).

3. On Target - Michigan State ranks second in the Big Ten in field-goal percentage (.481). In conference games, the Spartans are shooting a league-leading 51.4 percent from the field. Individually, Marquise Gray is shooting a conference-best 87.0 percent, having made 20-of-23 shots in Big Ten play. In all games, Gray ranks third (59.8%). Over the last five games, MSU is shooting 53.8 percent from the field.

4. Spartans On Four-Game Win Steak - After opening Big Ten play with a pair of road losses, Michigan State has won its last four games. During the win streak, MSU is shooting 54.8 percent from the field, while allowing opponents to shoot just 37.1 percent. The Spartans also boast a +13.5 rebounding margin in the last four games. Drew Neitzel is averaging 19.5 points, followed by Goran Suton (11.5 ppg).

5. Hitting The Boards - Michigan State has made a commitment to rebounding in 2006-07, as the Spartans boast a Big Ten-best +9.9 rebounding margin, out-rebounding 17 of their 21 opponents, while tying two other teams. According to the most recent NCAA statistics (Jan. 22), the Spartans rank fourth in the nation (+9.7). MSU's greatest margin came against Northwestern (+24, 37-13), while Indiana (30-26) and Boston College (37-36) are the only teams to out-rebound the Spartans. MSU's rebound margin has been at least +14 in nine games. In four games, the Spartans have grabbed more offensive rebounds than their opponents totaled defensive boards. MSU accomplished this feat against Youngstown State (MSU - 15 off. reb.; YSU - 9 def. reb.), Maryland (MSU - 17 off. reb.; UMD - 16 def. reb.), Northwestern (MSU - 16 off. reb.; NU - 7 def. reb.) and Penn State (MSU - 10 off. reb.; PSU - 7 def. reb.). Three different Spartans have grabbed 10 or more rebounds in a game, including Marquise Gray (12 vs. Oakland & BYU, 11 vs. Chicago State & Loyola), Drew Naymick (10 vs. Bradley) and Goran Suton (15 vs. UW-Green Bay, 12 vs. Youngstown State & 11 vs. BYU).

MSU vs. Ohio State Notes
Series History - Michigan State leads the all-time series with Ohio State, 59-47. The Buckeyes, however, own a 32-21 advantage in games played in Columbus. Overall, the Spartans have won 19 of the last 23 games in the series and four straight at Value City Arena. Tom Izzo is 14-4 in his career against the Buckeyes.

Coach Matta - Thad Matta (Butler, `90) is 165-52 in his seventh season as a collegiate head coach, including 63-21 in his third season at Ohio State. Prior to his arrival in Columbus, he served as the head coach at Xavier for three seasons and at Butler for one year.

Buckeye Notes - Ohio State leads the Big Ten in scoring offense (77.6 ppg), field-goal percentage (.489) and 3-point field goals made (8.60) ... Freshman Greg Oden leads the Buckeyes in scoring (15.4 ppg) and rebounding (10.1 rpg) ... Freshman Mike Conley Jr. ranks No. 4 nationally in assists (6.7 apg) and leads the Big Ten in steals (2.60 spg).

The Last Meeting - Ohio State defeated Michigan State, 79-68, in East Lansing, on Feb. 22, 2006. OSU jumped out to an early 19-7 lead, as the Buckeyes made their first four 3-pointers. MSU battled back, however, and held a 37-34 halftime advantage. With 3:55 left in the game, OSU led, 67-66. The Buckeyes then scored the next 10 points and closed the contest on a 12-2 run. Maurice Ager led MSU with 26 points, while Shannon Brown added 17 points and eight rebounds. Terence Dials posted a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds to lead five Buckeyes in double figures. For the game, OSU shot 11-of-24 from 3-point range.

The Last Meeting In Columbus - Michigan State defeated Ohio State, 62-59, in double overtime on Jan. 15, 2006, in Columbus. The Spartans led 46-42 with 7:20 left in regulation. MSU, however, did not score another point in the half, but allowed just four as the Buckeyes forced overtime. MSU did not score in the first 2:30 of the extra frame, but four straight points from Shannon Brown gave the Spartans a 50-48 lead. Matt Sylvester's layup with 12 seconds left in the first extra period tied the game at 50, forcing a second overtime. Matt Trannon scored four early points in the second extra frame as MSU jumped out to a 54-51 advantage, but OSU fought back to tie the game at 56 with 1:18 left. Drew Neitzel had been held scoreless for the first 49 minutes of the game, but hit a running right-handed shot with 45 seconds left to give MSU a 58-56 lead. With 17 seconds remaining, he calmly knocked down two free throws. The win was MSU's fourth straight at Value City Arena. Shannon Brown led MSU with 20 points, while Paul Davis (18 pts., 12 reb.) and Matt Trannon (14 pts., 11 reb.) each tallied a double-double.

Game #21 Notes - Michigan State 70 - Minnesota 46
* Michigan State out-scored Minnesota in the paint, 32-4.
* Leading 24-17 with 8:20 left in the first half, Michigan State closed the period on a 16-3 run. The Spartans then opened the second half on a 19-9 spurt.
* Minnesota scored seven points in the first 2:30, and just 13 for the rest of the period.
* Travis Walton dished out a career-best 11 assists while committing just two turnovers.
* Michigan State recorded 25 assists on 29 baskets.
* Goran Suton tied his career high with five assists.
* MSU turned 15 Minnesota turnovers into 19 points, while the Gophers managed just eight points off 12 Spartan turnovers.
* Michigan State attempted a season-low nine free throws, making just five.

Michigan State Notes
Lending A Helping Hand - Michigan State leads the Big Ten in assists with 17.33 per contest. In fact, MSU has recorded an assist on 364 of its 503 baskets (72.4%). That percentage ranks third in the nation, behind Sam Houston State (74.6%) and Northwestern (72.5%). In its most recent game, Michigan State recorded a season-high 25 assists on 29 baskets (86.2%). Individually, Travis Walton (2nd, 5.48 apg) and Drew Neitzel (5th, 4.57 apg) rank among the league leaders in assists.

From Way Downtown - Michigan State leads the Big Ten Conference in 3-point field-goal percentage, connecting on 38.4 percent of its attempts from behind the arc. Coach Tom Izzo credits the success in large part to the right players attempting the shots, as just five Spartans have made more than one. Drew Neitzel (62-151, .411) and Maurice Joseph (29-68, .426) are MSU's two most prolific long-range shooters.

Defending The Three - Michigan State's ability to control Ohio State's long-range shooters could play a large role in determining the outcome of the game. In conference games, MSU ranks second in the Big Ten in 3-point field-goal percentage defense (.269), holiding five of six league opponents below 31 percent. Ohio State is averaging 8.6 3-pointers per game, including 7.67 per conference contest. Indiana leads the Big Ten, making 8.67 3-pointers in league games, but MSU held the Hoosiers to just 3-of-17 (.176) from behind the arc.

Leading Scorers - Although Drew Neitzel is unquestionably Michigan State's number one scoring threat, his teammates have also contributed to the attack as six different Spartans have led MSU in scoring in a game this season. Neitzel has been the leading scorer on 15 occassions, followed by Maurice Joseph (2 games), Raymar Morgan (2), Goran Suton (2), Marquise Gray (1) and Travis Walton (1).

Nitro's New Role - Last season, Drew Neitzel ranked among the Big Ten leaders in assists, but averaged just 8.3 points per game and attempted just 7.1 shots per game as he distributed the ball to three future NBA players. This year, Neitzel is averaging a team-best 18.5 points per game. In 10 of the last 17 games, Neitzel has scored 20 or more, averaging 19.2 points over those 17 contests. He has scored 17 or more points in 15 games. On the season, he is averaging 12.7 shots and 4.4 free-throw attempts per game. Despite taking more shots, he is shooting a career-best 44.6 percent from the field. Meanwhile, he has continued to be a distributor of the ball, averaging 4.6 assists per contest. For his efforts, Neitzel was named the co-Big Ten Player of the Week on Nov. 20 and Nov. 27. He leads the Big Ten in free-throw percentage (.902), while ranking second in 3-point field goals made (2.95 pg), third in minutes played (34.71 mpg), fourth in scoring (18.2 ppg), fifth in assists (4.57 apg), sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.96) and ninth in 3-point field-goal percentage (.411).

Morgan's Contributions - After missing seven games with a stress reaction in his right shin, Raymar Morgan has appeared in the last five games, averaging 9.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 24.0 minutes. He has started the last two games, averaging 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 25.5 minutes, including leading the team with 14 points against Minnesota. Although he has returned to action, he still has to routinely sit out parts of practice as a precautionary measure. There were 35 days between games for Morgan. He opened his freshman season with six straight double-figure efforts, becoming the first Spartan freshman to open his career with six games scoring in double figures. In fact, no other Spartan freshman had scored double figures in more than their first three games. Previously, Sam Vincent (1981-82) was the only Spartan freshman to score 10 or more in his first three games. Morgan is currently the team's second-leading scorer at 10.8 ppg, and has scored in double figures in 11 of his 14 contests. He scored a game-high 18 points in MSU's win over No. 19 Texas, and also scored 18 against Bradley.

Walton's Improved Play - Sophomore co-captain Travis Walton has been asked to carry a lot of the point guard duties this season. He has responded by posting a 2.45 assist-to-turnover ratio, ranking second in the Big Ten, while also ranking second in the league in assists (5.48 apg). In the last two games, he is averaging 9.0 assists, including dishing out a career-best 11 against Minnesota. He has nine games with seven or more assists and five games scoring in double-figures, after not scoring more than seven in a game last season. In addition, Walton usually draws the opponent's top perimeter player as a defensive assignment.

Too Many Turnovers - Michigan State has struggled with turnovers this season, averaging 15.0 per game. For the most part, the turnover problem has not been due to poor guard play as MSU's starting backcourt of Drew Neitzel and Travis Walton are averaging a combined 4.57 per game, while both rank in the top six in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio.

MSU's Block Party - Michigan State has blocked 111 shots through the first 21 games, an average of 5.3 blocks per contest, ranking fourth in the Big Ten. According to the most recent NCAA stats (Jan. 22), MSU ranks 28th in the nation (5.3 bpg). By comparison, MSU blocked just 101 shots last season in 34 games, an average of 3.0 per game. Since blocked shots were first kept as an official statistic in 1977-78, MSU's greatest single-season total was 133 in 2001. The 111 blocks rank fourth in MSU single-season history, behind 2001 (133 blocks), 2003 (122) and 1998 (117). The Spartans are led in blocks by Drew Naymick with 33, followed by Idong Ibok with 26 and Marquise Gray and Goran Suton with 16 each. Naymick's 33 blocks already rank him sixth in the Spartan single-season record book. With three more blocks, Naymick will move into sole possession of fourth most in a single season.

Gray Raises Level Of Play - Marquise Gray has enjoyed the most productive stretch of his Spartan career over the last 13 games. During that stretch, Gray is averaging 10.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in just 22.2 minutes, shooting 70.9 percent (56-of-79) from the field. He is shooting 87.0 percent (20-of-23) in Big Ten games.

Neitzel's Second Halves - As a general rule, Drew Neitzel has been a more explosive scorer in the second half. Through 21 games, Neitzel is averaging 7.4 points in the first half and 10.8 after halftime. He scored 17 of his 20 points vs. Iowa in the second half. Recently, he scored 11 points in the first half against Chicago State and 21 after the break, followed by a two-point first half and 18-point second against Belmont. Earlier this season, he followed a four-point first half vs. Maryland with 17 points in the second. In five games this season, Neitzel has scored at least 10 more points in the second half than he did in the first. On the flip side, however, he has also shown a knack for some quick starts. He knocked down four first-half 3-pointers against Youngstown State and Vermont and three in the first against IPFW, Chicago State and Minnesota. In the two most recent games, Neitzel is averaging 14.0 points in the first half and 6.5 in the second.

Neitzel Among All-Time Assists Leaders - Drew Neitzel ranks eighth in MSU history with 382 career assists. Next on the list is Chris Hill who recorded 452 assists.

Dahlman On The Shelf - Isaiah Dahlman is currently out of action with an injury in his right foot. He suffered the injury during practice on Jan. 16, and will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis. While Maurice Joseph and Raymar Morgan were both out of the Spartan lineup with injuries, Dahlman saw significantly increased playing time. In the seven games without Morgan in the lineup, Dahlman averaged 8.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 31.7 minutes, shooting 20-of-40 from the field. He started the last eight games, averaging 6.1 points, 2.3 rebounds and 25.6 minutes. In the first nine games of the season, with Morgan in the lineup, Dahlman averaged just 11.1 minutes, 2.9 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.

Ibok On Offense - Idong Ibok has increased his offensive productivity over the last 12 games, averaging 3.4 points per game. He has scored 41 points in the last 12 contests after scoring just seven points through the first nine games. During the last 12 games, Ibok is shooting 17-of-18 from the field. He had made 15 straight shots until a miss against Northwestern, but he grabbed his own miss and made the put-back.

What A Difference A Year Makes - Prior to missing four games with a stress reaction in his right foot, MSU guard Maurice Joseph had opened his sophomore campaign on a strong note. In 17 games this season, he is averaging 7.7 points (including a career-best 16 points vs. Youngstown State) and 17.5 minutes. Joseph returned to action against Iowa, and has averaged 6.7 points and 14.8 minutes over the last six games. In 2005-06, Joseph scored 16 points for the entire season, playing just 54 minutes. Joseph is just one example of a player having made giant strides for the Spartans since last year. Drew Naymick (14 vs. YSU), Drew Neitzel (32 vs. Chicago State), Travis Walton (15 vs. Bradley), Marquise Gray (19 vs. Loyola), Goran Suton (27 vs. Loyola) and Idong Ibok (7 vs. Belmont & Indiana) are returning players who have also posted career highs in scoring this season.

For Starters - Due to a variety of factors, including injuries, Michigan State has used seven different starting lineups this season. The most popular starting lineup consists of Drew Neitzel, Travis Walton, Raymar Morgan, Marquise Gray and Goran Suton, and has been used in five contests, sporting a 4-1 record in the first five games of the season.

Looking For No. 10 - Last year, Michigan State made its ninth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. It is the longest current streak among Big Ten schools and fifth longest in the nation. Only Arizona (22), Kansas (17), Kentucky (15) and Duke (11) have longer current streaks.

Non-Conference Victories - Michigan State won 13 non-conference games, establishing a school record for regular-season non-conference victories since joinint the Big Ten in 1950-51. Last year's squad won 12 non-conference games. The 1989-90, 1998-99 and 2000-01 squads won 11 non-conference games during the regular season.

College Hoops Classic Recap - Michigan State finished second in the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic benefiting Coaches Vs. Cancer. MSU defeated Brown, 45-34, and Youngstown State, 86-61, to advance to the Championship Rounds in New York's Madison Square Garden. In the semifinals, MSU upset No. 19 Texas, 63-61, when Drew Neitzel made a driving layup with 2.4 seconds remaining. The next day, the Spartans lost a close 62-60 decision to Maryland. Neitzel was named the East Lansing Regional MVP and earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team in New York.

Spartans In The NBA - Nine former Spartans were on NBA rosters on opening day of the 2006-07 season. They include Maurice Ager (Dallas Mavericks), Alan Anderson (Charlotte Bobcats), Charlie Bell (Milwaukee Bucks), Shannon Brown (Cleveland Cavaliers), Paul Davis (Los Angeles Clippers), Morris Peterson (Toronto Raptors), Zach Randolph (Portland Trail Blazers), Jason Richardson (Golden State Warriors) and Eric Snow (Cleveland Cavaliers). The nine players on opening day rosters gives MSU the most of any Big Ten school and ranks sixth in the nation behind UConn (14), Duke (13), North Carolina (12), Arizona (10) and UCLA (10).

Backcourt Leadership - Michigan State will be led in 2006-07 by the backcourt duo of Drew Neitzel and Travis Walton, having been voted co-captains by their teammates. Walton is the third sophomore captain under head coach Tom Izzo, joining Antonio Smith in 1996-97 and Mateen Cleaves in 1997-98.

Spartans In The NBA Draft - With three Spartans selected in the 2006 NBA Draft, Michigan State has had 10 players drafted in the last seven drafts, ranking behind only Connecticut (11) and Duke (11). With Maurice Ager and Shannon Brown being selected in the first round, the Spartans have produced six first rounders in the last seven years, ranking behind only Connecticut (8) and Duke (7) and tied with North Carolina.

A Familiar Situation - While much is made of Michigan State losing three starters to the 2006 NBA Draft, it's encouraging to know that the Spartans are not in an unfamiliar setting. On the stat sheet, MSU returns just 22.4 percent of its points, 30.8 percent of its rebounds, and 40.5 percent of its minutes from last year's team. By comparison, the 2001-02 team returned just 19.0 percent of the points, 18.0 percent of the rebounds and 26.3 percent of the minutes from the 2001 team that won the Big Ten and advanced to the Final Four. In 2002, the Spartans finished just one game out of first place and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The key was that players stepped up their level of performance: Marcus Taylor went from averaging 7.4 points to being a first-team all-league selection, and Adam Ballinger increased his scoring average from 1.9 ppg to 11.2, securing third-team All-Big Ten accolades.

Tough Competition - Michigan State will play nine teams that appeared in the 2006 NCAA Tournament, including five league foes (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio State and Wisconsin) and four non-conference teams (Belmont, Boston College, Bradley and Texas). In addition, five other opponents appeared in the 2006 NIT (BYU, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota and Penn State), making it likely that 20 of the Spartans' 31 regular-season games will be against team that played in the 2006 postseason. For comparison, Michigan State played eight 2005 NCAA Tournament teams last season, six 2004 NCAA Tournament teams in 2004-05 and 10 2003 NCAA Tournament teams in 2003-04, a year which featured one of the most difficult schedules in recent college basketball history.

Neitzel On Cousy List - Junior point guard Drew Neitzel is one of 36 Division I candidates for the 2007 Bob Cousy Award. Presented annually by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the award recognizes the top collegiate point guard participating in NCAA Divisions I, II and III. As a sophomore, Neitzel ranked third in the Big Ten in overall assists (5.56 apg) and tied for the conference lead in league games (5.56 apg). Additionally, he led the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.78). The selection committee is comprised of college basketball experts including media members, former coaches and players. Candidates are evaluated on their ability to maximize their team's collective potential, their leadership, their core basketball skills and overall team acheivement. Wisconsin's Kammron Taylor is the only other Big Ten player on the list, which also includes two Division II and one Division III candidates.

The Book On Tom Izzo
Coach Izzo - In his 12th year, Tom Izzo (Northern Michigan, '77) is 272-113 (.706), and 129-57 (.694) in the Big Ten, as the coach of the Michigan State basketball program. In 2005, he passed Benjamin Van Alstyne to become the second-winningest coach in MSU history, trailing only Jud Heathcote (340) in total wins. In his 10 seasons as a head coach, Izzo has won National Coach of the Year honors four times, including the Clair Bee Award in 2005 and NABC honors in 2001. In 1999, Izzo was named National Coach of the year by Basketball Times, while earning similar honors from Associated Press, Basketball News and the USBWA in '98.

Among The Big Ten's Best - Tom Izzo's .694 winning percentage in Big Ten games ranks second all-time among league coaches with at least 10 years of service, behind former Indiana coach Bob Knight (.700). In all games, Knight ranks first at .734, followed by Wisconsin's Walter Meanwell (.712), Purdue's Ward Lambert (.709) and Izzo (.706). With 129 conference victories, Izzo currently ranks 13th all-time, having passed former Iowa head coach Tom Davis with a win over Northwestern

Izzo Among Best Ever - Through his first 11 seasons, Tom Izzo won 255 games, ranking ninth in college basketball history for most wins by a college coach in his first 11 years.

Graduating Student-Athletes - In Tom Izzo's 11 full years directing the Spartan program, 82 percent of his players who completed their eligibility also left with a degree. In the last seven years, 21 Spartans have received their undergraduate degrees, including five each in 2001 and 2003.

Izzo's Coaching Tree - Five current Division I head coaches all served as assistants to Tom Izzo, including Tom Crean (Marquette), Brian Gregory (Dayton), Stan Heath (Arkansas), Stan Joplin (Toledo) and Doug Wojcik (Tulsa). Gregory is in his fourth year as head coach, after leaving MSU in the spring of 2003. Crean directed Marquette to the 2003 Final Four, while Heath directed Kent State to the Elite Eight in the 2002 NCAA Tournament. Wojcik is in his second season at Tulsa. Former assistant Mike Garland served as head coach at Cleveland State for three seasons after leaving Izzo's staff in 2003. He is currently an assistant coach at SMU.

Vs. Ranked Opponents - Tom Izzo has a career record of 60-54 against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25. This includes a 53-43 record since 1997-98.