Michigan State Hosts Penn State On Super Bowl Sunday
1/31/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 31, 2009
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
#9/9 Michigan State (17-3, 7-1)
vs. Penn State (16-5, 5-3)
February 1, 2009
12 p.m. EST
East Lansing, Mich.
Breslin 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 - Tom Hamilton (Play by Play), Greg Kelser (Color)
Michigan State Game Notes
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Coach Izzo | Delvon Roe | Goran Suton
The Opening Tip
Michigan State opens Super Bowl Sunday with a showdown against Penn State in the Breslin Center. The Spartans currently lead the Big Ten and are looking to start a new home-court winning streak. The entire Spartan staff will join coaching staffs from across the nation and wear sneakers with their suits as part of the Coaches Vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers awareness weekend. MSU is 2-1 all-time on Super Bowl Sunday.
The Starting Five
1. MSU's Detroit Duo
Spartan sophomores Kalin Lucas and Durrell Summers have been playing with each other since middle school and were AAU teammates in the Detroit area. Over the last two games, they have combined for 91 points as Summers is averaging 23.5 points, and Lucas is averaging 22.0. Lucas is leading the Big Ten in scoring in league games at 18.8 ppg. Summers has elevated his play over the last three games, scoring in double figures in each game, averaging 19.3 points and shooting 61.3 percent from the field (19-of-31), including 56.3 percent from 3-point range (9-of-16).
2. Glass Cleaners
Goran Suton leads the Big Ten in rebounding in conference games at 10.0 rpg. Overall, he averages 8.2 rpg, which would rank first in the league if he had played in 75 percent of MSU's games. In conference play, Suton has recorded double-figure boards against Minnesota (12), Penn State (14), Northwestern (14) and Iowa (11). He leads the league in offensive rebounds (3.75 orpg) and ranks second in defensive boards (6.25 drpg). His efforts are a large reason MSU owns an impressive +14.6 rebounding margin in league games.
3. Coaches Vs. Cancer
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo, the Spartan assistants and the rest of the MSU basketball staff will be wearing sneakers during Sunday's game as part of the 2009 Coaches Vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers awareness weekend. Tom and Lupe Izzo invite Spartan basketball fans across the state of Michigan to follow suit and support the American Cancer Society by lacing up in the fight against cancer. The Suits and Sneakers Fundraising Challenge brings together coaches, players and fans on the same team and provides an alternative to traditional corporate sponsorship. This challenge is a pledge-based worksite fundraiser, "Wear Your Sneakers to Work Day" that combines employee contributions with corporate matched gifts. Participating worksites will select a day during the basketball season to encourage their employees to wear sneakers for a donation within their place of business. The Izzos launched the Michigan State chapter of Coaches Vs. Cancer during the 2007-08 season and have raised over $200,000 in the fight against cancer. In addition to the Suits and Sneakers Fundraising Challenge, the Izzos will host a Coaches Vs. Cancer Reception during the NCAA Final Four (April 3). The Wharton Center on the MSU campus will also put on Izzo Goes To Broadway, a cabaret style show featuring special guests and professional talent, directed by Broadway director and East Lansing native Greg Ganakas. For more information, contact Kate Follett from the American Cancer Society at 517-664-1370 or visit www.msucvc.com.
4. 70 Is The Magic Number
The 70-point mark is an important number for Michigan State's success, both offensively and defensively. The Spartans are 13-0 when scoring 70 or more points, but just 4-3 when scoring fewer than 70. Defensively, MSU is 15-0 when allowing fewer than 70 points, but 2-3 when allowing more than 70.
5. It's All About Boardwork
Michigan State leads the nation in rebound margin at +10.7 (as of Jan. 30). MSU has led the Big Ten in rebounding margin in nine of the last 11 years. This season, the Spartans are 15-2 when out-rebounding their opponent. MSU has out-rebounded 10 straight opponents. 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 +14.6 rebounding margin.
MSU vs. Penn State Notes
Series History
Michigan State leads the all-time series with Penn State, 26-4, including a 16-0 advantage in games played in East Lansing. The Nittany Lions' four wins in the series have been by a combined 16 points. The Spartans have won 10 of the last 11 games in the series. Tom Izzo is 19-3 in his career against Penn State.
Coach DeChellis
Ed DeChellis (Penn State, '82) is 178-190 in his 13th season as a collegiate head coach, including 73-97 in six seasons at Penn State. He served as head coach at East Tennessee State from 1996-2003.
The Last Meeting
Michigan State saw a 17-point second-half lead trimmed to a single point, but held on for a 78-73 victory on Jan. 14, 2009, in University Park. Raymar Morgan led Penn State with 17 points and Goran Suton added a double-double (13 points, 14 rebounds). MSU led 56-39 with 13:39 left and 69-57 with 5:29 remaining, but PSU pulled within one point at 71-70 with 1:30 left on a Talor Battle 3-pointer. Michigan State held on for the win by hitting 7-of-10 free throws in the final 52 seconds and forcing a key Battle turnover with 15 seconds remaining and PSU having an opportunity to tie or take the lead. Jamelle Cornley led the Nittany Lions with 26 points. Battle added 20, but was held without a field goal for 30:15. MSU out-rebounded PSU, the league's second-best rebounding team, by an astounding 41-24 margin, including grabbing 50 percent of its misses.
The Last Meeting In East Lansing
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.
Nittany Lion Notes
Talor Battle leads the Big Ten in scoring at 18.5 points per game, and assists (5.43 apg) ... Penn State is the league's second-best rebounding team, out-rebounding opponents by an average of +4.5 per game ... Battle (36.76 mpg) and Jamelle Cornley (34.48 mpg) rank first and fourth in the conference in minutes per game, respectively ... Penn State is riding its first three-game Big Ten winning streak since 2001 ... Cornley is the Big Ten's leading active scorer (1,369 points).
Game 20 Notes - Michigan State 71 - Iowa 56
* In the first half, Goran Suton (8 rebounds) and Delvon Roe (9 rebounds) outrebounded Iowa, 17-9, as MSU held a 23-9 advantage.
* Kalin Lucas tied his career high with 24 points.
* MSU committed just two of its 13 turnovers in the final 17:35 of the contest.
* Michigan State shot 51.9 percent from the field, snapping a streak of eight straight games under 50 percent shooting.
* MSU won at Carver-Hawkeye Arena for the first time since the 2005 season.
* MSU scored 38 first-half points, two more than it did in the entire game in its previous trip to Iowa.
* MSU's 3-guard starting backcourt outscored Iowa's three starting guards, 52-33.
MSU Basketball Notes
MSU's Home-Court Advantage Since the Breslin Center opened for the 1989-90 season, Michigan State has posted a 262-38 (.873) home record, including 165-14 (.922) in the last 12 seasons.
The Turnover Story
Michigan State is 9-0 when committing fewer turnovers than its opponent, and 3-0 when turnovers are equal, but just 5-3 when committing more. The Spartans are 12-0 when committing fewer than 15 turnovers, but just 5-3 when committing 15 or more. In their wins, the Spartans average just 13.3 turnovers per game, compared to 18.3 turnovers in losses. 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 next nine games, MSU averaged 12.6 turnovers, while opponents averaged 12.8, giving the Spartans a 135-96 edge in points off turnovers. In the next two games against Illinois and Northwestern, MSU averaged 18.0 turnovers, leading to a 27-47 deficit in points off turnovers. In the two most recent games, MSU is averaging 12.5 turnovers, including just 3.5 in the second half, resulting in a 35-20 advantage in points off turnovers. Last season, the Spartans averaged 13.6 turnovers, which was the lowest average of the Tom Izzo era.
MSU's Defensive Stopper
Travis Walton is asserting himself as the best defender in the Big Ten. A two-time All-Big Ten Defensive Team member, he plays a solid defense that, while occasionally resulting in a steal, will hardly ever allow a perimeter player an open look. Consider some of the following games by the players he has guarded: A.J. Abrams (Texas) 8 points - 3-10 FG, 0-4 3FG; Jon Diebler (Ohio State) 7 points - 2-8 FG, 1-6 3FG; Sherron Collins (Kansas) 6-14 FG, 2-8 3FG, 8 turnovers; Jake Kelly (Iowa) 6 points, 3-6 FG, 5 turnovers; Trent Meacham and Demetri McCamey (Illinois) 6 combined points, 1-16 FG, 1-14 3FG; Craig Moore (Northwestern) 11 points, 3-11 FG, 2-10 3FG. Against the Illini, Walton added three steals, including two big strips in the second half.
Morgan Battles Illness
Raymar Morgan has been fighting an upper respiratory virus for more than two weeks, limiting his playing time and production. He has started just two of the last four games, averaging 19.5 minutes and just 3.8 points on 33.3 percent shooting. A healthy Morgan is a key to MSU's long-range hopes, as he was averaging 15.2 points and 27.1 minutes prior to the Illinois contest, leading the Spartans in scoring and shooting 60.0 percent from the field.
Hitting The Offensive Glass
Michigan State leads the Big Ten in offensive rebounds, grabbing 14.60 per game. The Spartans are grabbing 42.1 percent of their missed shots, collecting 292 offensive rebounds compared to 402 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 130 offensive rebounds compared to 142 defensive boards for the opponents, averaging 16.25 offensive boards per game. The 23 offensive rebounds MSU collected against Minnesota were the most by a Spartan team against a Big Ten opponent since 1998.
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 nine games, Lucas is averaging 19.1 points, leading the Big Ten in scoring in conference games at 18.8 ppg. During the last nine games, he is shooting 46.1 percent from the field, 42.9 percent from 3-point range and 86.4 percent from the foul line, averaging 6.6 free-throw attempts per game.
Suton's Presence
After missing six straight games with a left knee injury, Goran Suton has appeared in the last 12 games, averaging 11.0 points and 7.2 boards in 26.4 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), Penn State (13 points, 14 rebounds) and Northwestern (15 points, 14 rebounds). Michigan State is 13-1 with Goran Suton in the lineup.
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 14 games, the Spartans are allowing just 62.9 points on 40.8 percent shooting, including just 31.3 percent from 3-point range.
Michigan State's Balanced Attack
Through the first 20 games, Michigan State has proven to have great depth. Eight Spartans average 12.4 minutes or more, while 11 average 7.0 minutes or more, although Kalin Lucas is the only player to average more than 29. Three players average double figures in scoring, while two more Spartans average 9.1 points or better for the highest scoring team in the Big Ten. Seven different players have led MSU in scoring in a single game this season. On the boards, three Spartans average 4.9 boards per contest, as MSU paces the league in rebounding margin.
The Free Throw Story
Traditionally a strong free-throw shooting team, Michigan State is shooting just .678 from the charity stripe. MSU is averaging 23.9 free-throw attempts per game, compared to just 17.9 attempts for Spartan opponents.
Morgan On The Glass
Raymar Morgan is averaging 7.2 rebounds in his last 14 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 eight of the last 14 games and grabbed 10 boards against Bradley, The Citadel, Minnesota and Ohio State, and 13 at Northwestern. On the season, he ranks ninth in the Big Ten in rebounding (6.4). He is averaging 6.8 boards per conference game, ranking tied for seventh in the Big Ten.
Lending A Helping Hand
Michigan State is recording an assist on 63.1 percent of its baskets (341-of-540). The Spartans average 17.05 assists per game, ranking second in the Big Ten, and 13th in the nation. Against Alcorn State, MSU established a new school record with 35 assists. Individually, Kalin Lucas ranks fourth in the conference with 5.11 assists per contest, while freshman Korie Lucious dished out 11 against Alcorn State, the most by any Spartan this season.
Beating The Best
According to the ESPN.com InsideRPI Daily (Jan. 30), Michigan State is 7-1 against the RPI top 50. Only Oklahoma (9) has more victories against the RPI top 50, while Duke and Pittsburgh have six and Connecticut, Kansas, Texas and Wake Forest have five.
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 1,090 points for his career, he ranks 34th on the MSU all-time scoring chart. He needs 10 points to pass Bill Kilgore for 33rd place (1,099 points) and 20 points to pass Al Ferrari for 32nd place.
Juggling The Lineup
Due to injuries to Goran Suton and Delvon Roe early in the year, Michigan State used nine different starting lineups in the first 12 games. Since then, MSU has used the same lineup in four of the last seven games (Suton, Roe, Lucas, Walton, Morgan), a lineup which has been used in five different games. In total MSU has used 12 different starting lineups. Ten different Spartans have started a game this season.
Walton Moves Up Career Assists Chart
With 491 career assists, Travis Walton ranks tied for sixth in Michigan State history. He needs one assist to pass Earvin Johnson (491 assists) for sole possession of sixth place.
Bench Scoring
Michigan State's bench has out-scored the opponent's bench in 15 of 20 games this season. The Spartan reserves have out-scored the opponent subs, 549-361, an average of 27.5-18.1.
Lucas Dishes It Out
Kalin Lucas paces the Big Ten with a 3.26-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, while ranking fourth in the conference at 5.11 helpers per contest. As of Jan. 30, he ranks fifth in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio. Lucas has recorded one or no turnovers in 14 of 20 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.
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 (.469). Individually, Raymar Morgan ranks second in the conference, connecting on 58.0 percent of his shots.
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 16 games, he is averaging 5.6 rebounds, 4.8 points and 16.9 minutes per contest.
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 .454, averaging 6.3 points per game, scoring in double figures in four games.
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 17 times in his career, and the Spartans are 16-1 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.
In The Rankings
Michigan State is ranked No. 9 in The Associated Press poll and in the USA TODAY/ESPN coaches' poll. Five Spartan opponents are also ranked, including North Carolina (#5 AP/#6 USA Today/ESPN), Texas (#11/12), Purdue (#16/17), Illinois (#19/20) and Minnesota (#-/24). MSU is 2-1 against ranked opponents this season.
Spartans On The Run
Michigan State leads the Big Ten in scoring offense at 75.8 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.
Life Away From Home
Michigan State is 5-0 in league road games for the first time since joining the Big Ten in 1950-51. Prior to this season, the Spartans had never won their first four league road games. MSU is 6-0 in true road games, winning at No. 21 Minnesota, Penn State, Northwestern, Ohio State, Iowa 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 10-2 away from the Breslin Center, tied for the most victories away from home in the nation. Michigan State played nine of its first 13 games away from home.
Big Ten Road Wins
Michigan State has won its first five league road games for the first time in school history. In five Big Ten road wins, the Spartans are averaging 74.8 points, led by Kalin Lucas at 20.0 ppg, while Durrell Summers (13.4 ppg) and Raymar Morgan (11.0 ppg) average double figures as well. MSU is dominating the glass, out-rebounding opponents by a +16.2 margin. The Spartans are also taking care of the ball, averaging just 12.6 turnovers per game.
Lucas Earns Player of the Week Honors
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.
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 322-133 (.708), and 152-70 (.685) 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 .685 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 151 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 188-23 (.891) at home, including 165-14 (.922) 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.
