Men's Basketball Back On Road At Penn State
1/13/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 13, 2009
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
#7/10 Michigan State (13-2, 3-0)
vs. Penn State (13-4, 2-2)
January 14, 2009
6:30 p.m. EST
University Park, Pa.
Bryce Jordan Center
Radio: Spartan Sports Network - Will Tieman (Play by Play), Gus Ganakas and Matt Steigenga (Color), Adam Ruff (Host) Flagship - WJIM 1240 AM/WMMQ 94.9 FM
TV: Big Ten Network - Steve Schlanger (Play by Play), Tim McCormick (Color), Mike Hall (Sidelines)
Listen To Spartan Sports Podcasts
Coach Izzo | Kalin Lucas | Raymar Morgan
Coach Izzo Radio Show - Jan. 13
The Opening Tip
Michigan State takes its nine-game winning streak on the road to Penn State. The Spartans opened Big Ten play with two road wins and are 7-2 on the season away from East Lansing. Both squads are led by dynamic point guards as MSU's Kalin Lucas and PSU's Talor Battle, rank first and second, respectively, in the Big Ten in scoring in conference games.
The Starting Five
1. Working On The Defense
In the first six games of the year, MSU's defense allowed opponents to score 72.5 points on 44.7 percent shooting. In the last nine games, the Spartans are allowing just 61.9 points on 38.9 percent shooting, including just 30.0 percent from 3-point range.
2. Lucas Dials Up His Scoring
Kalin Lucas has ranked among the league and national leaders in assists all season, but he's elevated his scoring as of late. Over the last four games, Lucas is averaging 20.8 points, leading the Big Ten in scoring in conference games at 20.3 ppg. He is shooting 49.0 percent from the field, 64.3 percent from 3-point range and 92.3 percent from the foul line, averaging 6.5 free-throw attempts per game.
3. Streaking Spartans
Since losing to No. 1 North Carolina, Michigan State has won nine straight games, including wins against No. 5 Texas in Houston and at No. 21 Minnesota. The Spartans are out-scoring opponents 78.9-61.9, while shooting .474 from the field, compared to .389 for opponents. Kalin Lucas is averaging a team-best 16.0 points to go with 5.4 assists, while Raymar Morgan is averaging 13.3 points and 8.9 boards. MSU also boasts a +13.3 rebounding margin during the streak.
4. Deadly From Distance
Over the last five games, Michigan State has been very efficient from 3-point range, shooting .464 percent (39-84). Kalin Lucas is shooting a very accurate .667 (12-18). Even Goran Suton has gotten into the action, making 4-of-7 from behind the arc. On the season, MSU leads the Big Ten in 3-point field goal percentage (.402), while ranking 11th in the nation.
5. Hitting The Offensive Glass
Michigan State leads the Big Ten in offensive rebounds, grabbing 14.53 per game. The Spartans are grabbing 40.9 percent of their missed shots, collecting 218 offensive rebounds compared to 315 defensive boards for the opponent. In three games this season (Wichita State, Minnesota, Northwestern), MSU has grabbed more offensive boards than the opponent has grabbed defensive rebounds. In Big Ten play, MSU has totaled 56 offensive rebounds compared to 55 defensive boards for the opponents. The 23 offensive rebounds MSU collected against Minnesota were the most by a Spartan team against a Big Ten opponent since 1998.
MSU vs. Penn State Notes
Series History
Michigan State leads the all-time series with Penn State, 25-4, including a 9-3 advantage in games played in University Park. The Nittany Lions' four wins in the series have been by a combined 16 points. The Spartans have won nine of the last 10 games in the series. Tom Izzo is 18-3 in his career against Penn State.
Coach DeChellis
Ed DeChellis (Penn State, '82) is 175-189 in his 13th season as a collegiate head coach, including 70-96 in six seasons at Penn State. He served as head coach at East Tennessee State from 1996-2003.
The Last Meeting
Michigan State defeated Penn State, 86-49, on Feb. 20, 2008, in East Lansing. Leading 39-27 at the half, MSU opened the second stanza on a 13-2 run and never looked back. For the game, the Spartans out-shot the Nittany Lions .583-.346, holding Penn State to 29.6 percent shooting in the second half. MSU had 12 players score, 11 players grab a rebound and 10 players dish out an assist. MSU recorded an assist on 30 of its 35 field goals. Raymar Morgan led MSU with 16 points in 20 minutes.
The Last Meeting In University Park
Penn State defeated Michigan State, 85-76, on Feb. 2, 2008, in University Park. The Nittany Lions attempted 51 free throws in the game, a record for a Spartan opponent, while MSU made just 21 trips to the foul line. Penn State also held an advantage from 3-point range, connecting on 9-of-22 attempts, compared to just 2-of-14 for Michigan State. Trailing 36-30 with 4:04 remaining in the first half, PSU went on a 23-7 run over the next 8:02 to take a 10-point lead. MSU responded with a 17-5 run to take a 60-58 lead. The Lions' last field goal came with 7:11 left in the contest, but PSU connected on 20-of-26 free-throw attempts in the final 5:27. Kalin Lucas led MSU with 18 points, and Stanley Pringle led all scorers with 19.
Nittany Lion Notes
Penn State is 10-1 at home this season, including 2-0 in Big Ten play with wins over Northwestern and Purdue; the Nittany Lions have won seven straight home conference games ... Talor Battle leads the Big Ten in scoring at 18.9 points per game, and ranks fourth in assists (5.53 apg) ... Penn State is the league's second-best rebounding team, out-rebounding opponents by an average of +6.4 per game ... Battle (36.65 mpg) and Jamelle Cornley (34.00 mpg) rank first and third in the conference in minutes per game, respectively ... Cornley leads all active Big Ten players with 1,285 points, while Danny Morrissey ranks second among active Big Ten career 3-point shooters with 197 3-pointers made.
Game 15 Notes - Michigan State 75 - Kansas 62
* After Kansas scored 11 points in the first 4:43 of the game, Michigan State's defense held the Jayhawks to just seven points over the final 15:17 of the half. KU's 18 first-half points were the fewest in a half by any Spartan opponent this season.
* Kalin Lucas topped the 20-point mark for the third time in four games with a team-best 22 points against the Jayhawks.
* In the decisive first half, MSU's defense held Kansas point guard Sherron Collins to five points on 2-of-4 shooting and caused him to commit six turnovers.
* Michigan State made a season-high 26 free-throws, as each team attempted 23 free throws in the second half, and four different players fouled out of the contest.
* MSU recorded its first home win over a defending national champion since beating Connecticut, 85-66, on Feb. 5, 2000.
* Kansas became the 13th of the last 14 NCAA Champions to have played in the Breslin Center during Tom Izzo's head coaching career.
MSU Basketball Notes
Spartans To Retire Peterson's Jersey
Michigan State will retire Morris Peterson's jersey in a pre-game ceremony on Jan. 17 when the Spartans host Illinois. Peterson helped lead MSU to the 2000 NCAA Championship, earning All-America and Big Ten Player of the Year honors from the league's coaches. He was a two-time Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional and was named to the 2000 NCAA All-Tournament Team and was Most Outstanding Player of the 2000 Big Ten Tournament. He ranks 10th in MSU career scoring with 1,588 points, and ranks among the school's career leaders in 3-point field goals made (8th, 146) and attempted (8th, 387), and games started (4th, 137).
Life Away From Home
Michigan State played nine of its first 13 games away from home. MSU is 3-0 in true road games, winning at No. 21 Minnesota, Northwestern and IPFW. The Spartans have also played six neutral site games, the most by a MSU squad in the regular season since the 2005-06 season. MSU is 7-2 away from the Breslin Center.
Lucas Earns Big Ten Player of the Week Honor
Kalin Lucas was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Jan. 12 after averaging 21.0 points in a pair of Spartan victories over Ohio State and defending national champion Kansas. He scored 20 points against the Buckeyes and followed with 22 against the Jayhawks. For the week, he shot .579 (11-of-19) from the field, .714 (5-of-7) from 3-point range and .882 (15-of-17) from the foul line. It is the first weekly award of the his career and the second straight for a Spartan as Raymar Morgan was honored on Jan. 5. In addition, Lucas was named National Player of the Week by ESPN.com's Andy Katz.
Suton Back In Action
After missing six straight games with a left knee injury, Goran Suton has appeared in the last seven games, averaging 10.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in 23.7 minutes. Suton injured his knee in the second game of the season against IPFW on Nov. 19. After his knee did not respond to rest, he underwent arthroscopic surgery on Dec. 4. His first full practice came on Monday, Dec. 15. He returned to action against The Citadel on Dec. 17, scoring four points and grabbing five rebounds in 17 minutes. In a win over No. 5 Texas, Suton played 26 minutes off the bench, scoring a team-best 18 points. Against Oakland, Suton led MSU in both scoring (16 points) and rebounding (9 rebounds). He posted a double-double against Minnesota (11 points, 12 rebounds). Michigan State is 9-0 with Goran Suton in the lineup.
It's All About Boardwork
Michigan State has led the Big Ten in rebounding margin in nine of the last 11 years. This season, the Spartans lead the Big Ten at +9.7, and are 11-1 when out-rebounding their opponent. It's a group effort for MSU, as six different players have led the team or shared the team lead in rebounding in a single game. In Big Ten play, the Spartans own a +16.3 rebounding margin. MSU ranks fourth in the nation in rebound margin.
Michigan State's Balanced Attack
Through the first 15 games, Michigan State has proven to have great depth. Eleven Spartans average 8.3 minutes or more, although Kalin Lucas is the only player to average more than 30. Three players average double figures in scoring, while two more Spartans average 8.1 points or better for the highest scoring team in the Big Ten. On the boards, three Spartans average 5.3 boards per contest, as MSU paces the league in rebounding margin.
Morgan On The Glass
Raymar Morgan is averaging a team-best 8.9 rebounds in his last nine games, after averaging just 4.3 boards in the first six games of the season. Morgan has led the team or tied for the team lead in rebounding in seven of the last nine games and grabbed 10 boards against Bradley, The Citadel, Minnesota and Ohio State, and 13 at Northwestern. On the season, he ranks seventh in the Big Ten in rebounding (7.1). He is averaging a league-best 11.0 boards per conference game.
Lending A Helping Hand
Michigan State is recording an assist on 64.2 percent of its baskets (267-of-416). The Spartans average 17.80 assists per game, ranking second in the Big Ten. Against Alcorn State, MSU established a new school record with 35 assists. Individually, Kalin Lucas ranks third in the conference with 5.67 assists per contest, while freshman Korie Lucious dished out 11 against Alcorn State, the most by any Spartan this season.
Morgan Reaches 1,000
With eight points against Oakland, Raymar Morgan became the 38th player in MSU history to score 1,000 career points. Now at 1,058 points for his career, he ranks 36th on the MSU all-time scoring chart. He needs two points to pass Earvin Johnson for 35th place (1,059 points), five points to pass Johnny Green for 34th place (1,062 points) and 42 points to pass Bill Kilgore for 33rd place (1,099 points).
Morgan Among Big Ten Leaders
Raymar Morgan currently leads the Big Ten in field-goal percentage (.589), and ranks fifth in scoring (15.1 ppg), seventh in rebounding (7.1 rpg) and 13th in free-throw percentage (.700). Michigan's DeShawn Sims and Ohio State's Evan Turner are the only other players in the Big Ten to rank in the top 15 all four categories.
The Free Throw Story
Traditionally a strong free-throw shooting team, Michigan State is shooting just .665 from the charity stripe. MSU is averaging 24.3 free-throw attempts per game, compared to just 18.3 attempts for Spartan opponents.
Bench Scoring
Michigan State's bench has out-scored the opponent's bench in 12 of 15 games this season, including nine of the last 10 contests. The Spartan reserves have out-scored the opponent subs, 447-273, an average of 29.8-18.2.
Juggling The Lineup
Due in large part to Goran Suton missing six games with a knee injury and Delvon Roe continuing to improve from two knee surgeries, the Spartan coaching staff has been forced to make continual adjustments in the rotation. This has led to Michigan State starting nine different starting lineups through the first 15 games of the season. Nine different Spartans have started a game this season. Kalin Lucas and Travis Walton are the only Spartans to start all 15 games.
Walton Moves Up Career Assists Chart
With 473 career assists, Travis Walton ranks seventh in Michigan State history. He needs 19 assists to pass Earvin Johnson (491 assists) for sixth place.
Allen From Distance
Sophomore guard Chris Allen is shooting 40.0 percent from 3-point range in the last nine games, connecting on 24-of-60 attempts, while averaging 11.2 points per game. In the first five games of the season, Allen shot just 29.4 percent (5-of-17) from behind the arc. On the season, Allen is shooting 37.7 percent from distance. His teammate Durrell Summers ranks fifth in the Big Ten in 3-point field-goal percentage, shooting 47.2 percent (17-of-36), while Kalin Lucas ranks sixth at 45.9 percent (17-of-37).
Spartans Hit The Mark
After leading the Big Ten in field-goal percentage for the last five seasons, the Spartans are taking aim at a sixth straight statistical crown. Michigan State currently ranks second in the league in field-goal percentage (.472). Individually, Raymar Morgan leads the conference, connecting on 58.9 percent of his shots.
In The Rankings
Michigan State is ranked No. 7 in The Associated Press poll and No. 10 in the USA TODAY/ESPN coaches' poll. Four Spartan opponents are also ranked, including North Carolina (#5 AP/#6 USA Today/ESPN), Texas (#11/11), Minnesota (#18/17), Purdue (#19/19) and Michigan (#25/24). MSU is 2-1 against ranked opponents this season.
Roe's Recovery
Despite undergoing two knee surgeries in the last 12 months, including microfracture surgery last December, Delvon Roe is showing flashes of the skills that had him ranked among the elite high school players in his class nationally. In the first four games of the season, he averaged 15.0 minutes and 3.5 rebounds. In the next 11 games, he is averaging 6.0 rebounds, 5.3 points and 17.3 minutes per contest, despite being limited to just five minutes against Minnesota due to a sprained left ankle.
Lucas Dishes It Out
Kalin Lucas paces the nation with a 4.72-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, while ranking third in the conference at 5.67 helpers per contest. Lucas has recorded one or no turnovers in 12 of 15 games. Against Oklahoma State, Lucas recorded his first career double-double with 12 points and a career-best 10 assists. As a freshman, Lucas ranked fifth in the Big Ten in assists (3.81 apg) and seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.88), while his 137 assists were the fourth most ever by a Spartan freshman.
Finding A Shooting Touch
Travis Walton worked hard in the offseason to improve his offensive game, but was unable to find the range during the first two games of the season, making just one of his first six shots. He quickly found the shooting touch in the first two games of the Old Spice Classic, scoring a career-high 16 points in each contest, while shooting a combined 15-of-20 (.750) from the field. On the season, Walton is shooting .446, averaging 6.4 points per game, scoring in double figures in four games.
The Turnover Story
In the first two games of the season, Michigan State averaged 9.5 turnovers and held a combined 47-17 edge in points off turnovers. In the five games that followed, the Spartans averaged 17.6 turnovers, resulting in a 93-57 deficit in points off turnovers. In the last eight games, MSU is averaging 12.6 turnovers, while opponents are averaging 13.4, resulting in a combined 123-87 advantage in points off turnovers. Last season, the Spartans averaged 13.6 turnovers, which was the lowest average of the Tom Izzo era. This year, MSU is 7-0 when committing fewer turnovers than its opponent, and 2-0 when turnovers are equal, but just 4-2 when committing more.
MSU's X-Factor
Marquise Gray is a real X-factor for the Spartans in the sense that when he is productive, Michigan State almost always wins. Gray has scored in double figures 16 times in his career, and the Spartans are 15-1 in those games. The lone loss came against North Carolina in the 2007 NCAA Tournament, where Gray tallied 11 points. In addition, MSU is 4-0 when Gray grabs 10 or more rebounds and 3-0 when he posts a double-double.
Spartans On The Run
Michigan State leads the Big Ten in scoring offense at 77.6 points per game, a sign of the up-tempo pace the Spartans are playing in 2008-09. This year's edition of the Spartans could challenge the 2004-05 squad for the highest-scoring team of the Tom Izzo era. In '04-05, MSU averaged 78.5 points en route to a Final Four appearance.
Morgan Earns Big Ten Player of the Week Honor
Raymar Morgan was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Jan. 5 after averaging 16.0 points and 11.5 rebounds in a pair of Spartan road victories. In a win at No. 21 Minnesota, Morgan scored 10 points and collected 10 rebounds. He posted another double-double at Northwestern, leading the squad with 22 points and 13 rebounds, shooting 9-of-13 from the field. For the week, he shot 54.2 percent (13-of-24) from the field, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range and 4-of-5 from the foul line. It is the third weekly award of Morgan's career.
An Impressive Streak
Michigan State made its 11th straight NCAA Tournament appearance in 2008. It is the longest current streak among Big Ten schools and fifth longest in the nation. Only Arizona (24), Kansas (19), Kentucky (17) and Duke (13) have longer current streaks. It is also the second-longest streak in Big Ten history. Indiana appeared in 18 consecutive tournaments between 1986 and 2003.
Spartans In The NBA
Seven former Spartans are currently on NBA rosters, including Maurice Ager (New Jersey Nets), Charlie Bell (Milwaukee Bucks), Shannon Brown (Charlotte Bobcats), Morris Peterson (New Orleans Hornets), Zach Randolph (Los Angeles Clippers), Jason Richardson (Phoenix Suns) and Eric Snow (Cleveland Cavaliers).
The Book on Tom Izzo
Coach Izzo
In his 14th year, Tom Izzo (Northern Michigan, '77) is 318-132 (.707), and 148-69 (.682) 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 14 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 The Associated Press, Basketball News and the USBWA in '98.
Among The Big Ten's Best
Tom Izzo's .682 winning percentage in Big Ten games ranks third all-time among league coaches with at least 10 years of service, behind former Indiana coach Bob Knight (.700) and Purdue's Ward Lambert (.685). In all games, Knight ranks first at .734, followed by Wisconsin's Walter Meanwell (.712), Lambert (.709) and Izzo (.707). With 148 conference victories, Izzo ranks 11th all-time.
Izzo Against Ranked Opponents
In his 14 years of coaching, Tom Izzo is 67-65 against ranked opponents.
Izzo Among Best Ever
Through his first 13 seasons, Tom Izzo won 305 games, ranking seventh in college basketball history for most wins by a college coach in his first 13 years.
Graduating Student-Athletes
In Tom Izzo's 13 full years directing the Spartan program, 83 percent of his players who completed their eligibility also left with a degree. In the last nine years, 29 Spartans have received their undergraduate degrees, including five each in 2001, 2003 and 2007.
Izzo's Coaching Tree
Five current Division I head coaches all served as assistants to Tom Izzo, including Jim Boylen (Utah), Tom Crean (Indiana), Brian Gregory (Dayton), Stan Heath (South Florida) and Doug Wojcik (Tulsa). Gregory is in his sixth 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 fourth season at Tulsa. Mike Garland served as head coach at Cleveland State for three seasons after leaving Izzo's staff in 2003. He is now back as an assistant coach at MSU. Most recently, Jim Boylen left MSU following the 2007 season, and is in his second season with Utah. Stan Joplin, an assistant during Izzo's first season, spent 12 seasons as head coach at Toledo.
Home Sweet Home
During Tom Izzo's career as head coach, the Spartans are 187-22 (.895) at home, including 164-13 (.927) since the start of the 1997-98 season.
Coaches Vs. Cancer
During the 2007-08 season, Tom and Lupe Izzo launched the Michigan State chapter of the Coaches Vs. Cancer program. Now in its second season, the Izzos are looking for an even better year. Signature events for 2009 include the Suits and Sneakers Fundraising Challenge, where employees donate funds for the right to wear sneakers in the work place, an NCAA Final Four Reception (April 3, 2009), and Izzo Goes To Broadway (May 6, 2009), a cabaret style show featuring special guests and professional talent, directed by Broadway director and East Lansing native Greg Ganakas at the Wharton Center on the MSU campus. For more information on any of these initiatives contact Kate Follett from the American Cancer Society at 517-664-1370.
