Spartans Host Hawkeyes On Wednesday
2/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 24, 2009
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
#9/9 Michigan State (21-5, 11-3)
vs. Iowa (14-13, 4-10)
February 25, 2009
8:30 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 - Craig Coshun (Play by Play), Steve Smith (Color)
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The Opening Tip
Michigan State looks to build off its come-from-behind victory against Wisconsin as it hosts Iowa on Wednesday night. Entering the final two weeks of the regular season, the Spartans hold a one-game lead over Purdue in the Big Ten standings. The Hawkeyes are also coming off a come-from-behind victory, defeating Michigan in overtime.
The Starting Five
1. Juggling The Lineup
Due to injuries to Goran Suton and Delvon Roe early in the year, and Raymar Morgan's illness as of late, Michigan State has used 13 different starting lineups this season, including nine in the first 12 games. Eleven different Spartans have started a game this season. The Spartans are a perfect 5-0 when Morgan, Roe and Suton are all in the starting lineup.
2. Beating The Best
According to the ESPN.com InsideRPI Daily (Feb. 23), Michigan State is 9-2 against the RPI top 50, leading the nation for most wins against the RPI top 50. Oklahoma ranks second with eight, while Arizona State, Connecticut and Pittsburgh have seven. The Spartans are ranked No. 5 in the RPI, and their strength of schedule is ranked No. 6.
3. Suton Closing In On 1,000-800 Club
Senior center Goran Suton is closing in on joining an exclusive club, as he looks to become the eighth player in Michigan State history to record 1,000 career points and 800 career rebounds. He currently has 951 points and 775 rebounds, needing 49 points and 25 rebounds to join Greg Kelser (2,014 pts., 1,092 reb.), Paul Davis (1,718 pts., 910 reb.), Andre Hutson (1,393 pts., 835 reb.), Mike Peplowski (1,185 pts., 906 reb.), Lindsay Hairston (1,155 pts., 803 reb.), Bill Kilgore (1,099 pts., 814 reb.) and Johnny Green (1,062 pts., 1,036 reb.).
4. Defending The Three
Michigan State leads the Big Ten in 3-point field-goal percentage defense in league contests, allowing opponents to hit just 30.6 percent of their shots from behind the arc. Over the last five games, opponents have made just 24.2 percent of their 3-pointers (23-of-95).
5. Roe's Recovery
Despite undergoing two knee surgeries since December 2007, 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 fall, Coach Izzo explained that it might be February before Roe could really start to produce on a more consistent basis. Prior to the month of February, he was averaging 5.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 16.5 minutes. In six February games, he is averaging 7.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 22.0 minutes. He recorded his first career double-double at Michigan (14 points, 10 rebounds) and was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Feb. 16.
MSU vs. Iowa Notes
Series History
Michigan State leads the all-time series with Iowa, 59-52, including a 38-17 advantage in games played in East Lansing. The Spartans have won 16 of the last 23 meetings, and 12 straight at the Breslin Center. Tom Izzo is 17-8 in his career against Iowa.
Coach Lickliter
Todd Lickliter (Butler, `79) is 158-93 in his eighth season as a collegiate head coach, including 27-32 in his second season at Iowa. He led Butler to four post-season tournament berths, including trips to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2003 and 2007. Lickliter was named the 2006-07 Division I Coach of the Year by the NABC.
The Last Meeting In East Lansing
Michigan State opened the game on a 20-1 run and cruised to a 66-52 victory on Feb. 23, 2008, in East Lansing. Iowa did not make a field goal until the 9:38 mark of the first half. Tom Izzo recorded his 300th win, becoming the eighth Big Ten coach to win 300 games at one school. Raymar Morgan led MSU with 16 points, shooting 6-of-6 from the field and 4-of-4 from the foul line. Cyrus Tate led all scorers with 26 points, adding nine rebounds. MSU committed just five turnovers, its lowest total since the 2004 Big Ten Tournament.
The Last Meeting
Michigan State scored the games first eight points and never led by less than five after that, claiming a 71-56 victory in Iowa City on Jan. 29, 2009. The Spartans held a 38-25 lead at the half, thanks in large part to a dominating performance on the glass as Goran Suton (8 rebounds) and Delvon Roe (9 rebounds) out-boarded Iowa, 17-9, as MSU held a 23-9 advantage. Michigan State's 38 first-half points were two more than it scored in its trip to Iowa City in 2008. MSU's three-guard line-up out-scored Iowa's three starting guards, 52-33, as Kalin Lucas (24 points) and Durrell Summers (21 points) paced the Spartans. Michigan State led by as many as 22 points in the second half.
Hawkeye Notes
Iowa's starting point guard Jeff Peterson has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury and starting forward Cyrus Tate has played in just five Big Ten contests after suffering a severly sprained ankle in early January ... 47.7 percent of Iowa's field-goal attempts are from 3-point range ... According to a formula from Stats, Inc., Iowa ranks as the 21st-youngest team in Division I basketball ... Iowa ranks third in the Big Ten in 3-point field-goal percentage (.373).
Game 26 Notes - Michigan State 61 - Wisconsin 50
* Michigan State closed the game on a 32-9 run after falling behind 41-29 with 12:31 remaining, as the Spartans scored on 13 of their final 17 possessions.
* Goran Suton recorded his fourth double-double of the season, including 14 points and seven rebounds in the final 12:22 of the contest.
* In the first half, Travis Walton was the primary defender on Joe Krabbenhoft, holding him to two points and no rebounds. In the second half, he switched to Trevon Hughes and held him to two points.
* Wisconsin's 19 second-half points were the fewest by a Spartan opponent in the second half this season, as the Badgers made just five second-half field goals. MSU's defense held the Badgers without a field goal from the 12:31 mark of the second half until 3:43 remaining - a span of 8:48.
* Michigan State made just 2-of-9 3-point field goals, making the last two as Chris Allen's with 2:41 extended the MSU lead to five, and Kalin Lucas hit one on the next possession, pushing the Spartan margin to eight with 1:58 left.
MSU Basketball Notes
MSU's Home-Court Advantage
Since the Breslin Center opened for the 1989-90 season, Michigan State has posted a 265-39 (.872) home record, including 168-15 (.918) in the last 12 seasons.
Morgan Battles Illness
For nearly a month, Raymar Morgan has been battling walking pneumonia/mild form of mononucleosis, limiting his playing time and production. He returned to action last week, averaging 15.5 minutes and 3.0 points against Purdue and Wisconsin. Before that, he missed three games after playing limited minutes in the prior four. A healthy Morgan is a key to MSU's long-range hopes, as he was averaging 15.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 27.1 minutes prior to the Illinois contest, leading the Spartans in scoring and shooting 60.0 percent from the field. MSU is 15-2 with Morgan in the starting lineup.
Glass Cleaner
Goran Suton leads the Big Ten in rebounding in conference games (8.7 rpg) and overall (7.9 rpg). In conference play, Suton has recorded double-figure boards against Minnesota (12), Penn State (14), Northwestern (14), Iowa (11) and Wisconsin (10). In league action, he leads the league in offensive rebounds (3.21 orpg) and ranks third in defensive boards (5.5 drpg). His efforts are a large reason MSU owns an impressive +11.6 rebounding margin in league games. With 775 rebounds for his career, Goran Suton ranks ninth in MSU history, 28 behind Lindsay Hairston (803) in eighth place.
It's All About Boardwork
Michigan State ranks second in the nation in rebound margin at +10.0 (as of Feb. 20). MSU has led the Big Ten in rebounding margin in nine of the last 11 years. This season, the Spartans are 19-4 when out-rebounding their opponent. MSU has out-rebounded 15 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 +11.6 rebounding margin.
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; Lawrence Westbrook (Minnesota) 6 points, 2-7 FG; Devan Dumes (Indiana) 5 points, 2-5 FG; Manny Harris (Michigan) 7 points 2-10 FG, 1-6 3FG. He split his responsibilities against Wisconsin, holding Joe Krabbenhoft to two points and no rebounds in the first half and Trevon Hughes to two points and just two shots in the second half. In league games, he ranks fifth in the conference in steals at 1.71 spg, including four steals against Wisconsin and Minnesota and three against Illinois.
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 19 games, the Spartans are allowing just 60.5 points on 40.2 percent shooting, including just 30.6 percent from 3-point range.
Lucas Dials Up His Scoring
Kalin Lucas has established himself as a top contender for Big Ten Player of the Year honors. He has ranked among the league and national leaders in assists all season, but he's recently elevated his scoring. Over the last 15 games, Lucas is averaging 17.4 points, ranking second in the Big Ten in scoring in conference games at 17.1 ppg. During the last 15 games, he is averaging 6.0 free-throw attempts per game, shooting 86.7 percent from the foul line. He's led MSU in scoring in nine of the last 15 games.
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 15-0 when scoring 70 or more points, but just 6-5 when scoring fewer than 70. Defensively, MSU is 19-0 when allowing fewer than 70 points, but 2-5 when allowing more than 70.
The Turnover Story
Michigan State is 12-1 when committing fewer turnovers than its opponent, and 3-0 when turnovers are equal, but just 6-4 when committing more. The Spartans are 15-1 when committing fewer than 15 turnovers, but just 6-4 when committing 15 or more. In their wins, the Spartans average just 13.1 turnovers per game, compared to 17.8 turnovers in losses. Last season, the Spartans averaged 13.6 turnovers, which was the lowest average of the Tom Izzo era.
Hitting The Offensive Glass
Michigan State leads the Big Ten in offensive rebounds, grabbing 14.19 per game. The Spartans are grabbing 41.3 percent of their missed shots, collecting 369 offensive rebounds compared to 525 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 207 offensive rebounds compared to 265 defensive boards for the opponents, averaging 14.79 offensive boards per game. The 23 offensive rebounds MSU collected at Minnesota were the most by a Spartan team against a Big Ten opponent since 1998.
Michigan State's Balanced Attack
Through the first 26 games, Michigan State has proven to have great depth. Eight Spartans average 11.5 minutes or more, while 10 average 9.0 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 9.2 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 5.5 boards per contest, as MSU paces the league in rebounding margin.
Suton's Presence
After missing six straight games with a left knee injury in November and December, Goran Suton has appeared in the last 18 games, averaging 10.6 points and 8.1 boards in 26.3 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 pts., 12 reb.), Penn State (13 pts., 14 reb.), Northwestern (15 pts., 14 reb.) and Iowa (16 pts., 10 reb.). MSU is 17-2 with Suton in the lineup.
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 eight games, they have combined to average 29.5 points as Lucas is averaging 16.6 and Summers is averaging 12.9 points per game. Lucas ranks second in the Big Ten in scoring in league games at 17.1 ppg. Summers has elevated his play over the last eight games, averaging 12.7 points and shooting 47.7 percent from the field (42-of-88).
MSU's Sixth Man
Chris Allen has been Michigan State's sixth man for most of the season. He has come off the bench in 21 of the Spartans' 26 games, and has been the first sub off the bench in 13 of the last 18 games in which he's come off the bench. Allen has also elevated his play as of late, averaging 9.7 points over the last six games, shooting 47.5 percent from the field, including 40.9 percent (9-of-22) from 3-point range.
20-Win Seasons
With a win at Michigan, Michigan State recorded its 10th 20-win season in the last 12 years, all under head coach Tom Izzo. Of the 18 20-win seasons in Spartan history, Izzo has been involved in 15 of them, 10 as a head coach and five as an assistant.
Life Away From Home
Michigan State is a league-best 6-1 in league road games after winning its first six conference 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 7-1 in true road games, winning at No. 21 Minnesota, Penn State, Northwestern, Ohio State, Iowa, Michigan and IPFW. The Spartans have also played six neutral site games, the most by a Michigan State squad in the regular season since the 2005-06 season. MSU is 11-3 away from the Breslin Center. Only Niagara (13) and Connecticut (12) have more wins away from home, while three other schools have 11. MSU played nine of its first 13 games away from home.
The Free Throw Story
Traditionally a strong free-throw shooting team, Michigan State is shooting just .687 from the charity stripe. MSU is averaging 23.0 free-throw attempts per game, compared to just 18.0 attempts for Spartan opponents. In league play, the Spartans are shooting better, connecting on 71.5 percent of their attempts, ranking fifth in the league.
Lending A Helping Hand
Michigan State is recording an assist on 63.2 percent of its baskets (428-of-677). The Spartans average 16.46 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 fifth in the conference with 4.58 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 1,096 points for his career, he ranks 34th on the MSU all-time scoring chart. He needs four points to pass Bill Kilgore for 33rd place (1,099 points) and 14 points to pass Al Ferrari for 32nd place.
Bench Scoring
Michigan State's bench has out-scored the opponent's bench in 18 of 26 games this season. The Spartan reserves have out-scored the opponent subs, 685-454, an average of 26.3-17.5.
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 third in the league in field-goal percentage (.460). Individually, Raymar Morgan ranks third in the conference, connecting on 56.1 percent of his shots.
Lucas Dishes It Out
Kalin Lucas ranks second in the Big Ten with a 2.43-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, while ranking fifth in the conference at 4.68 helpers per contest. As of Feb. 20, he ranks 23rd in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio. Lucas has recorded one or no turnovers in 15 of 26 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.
Lucas Earns Wooden Midseason Honors
Kalin Lucas is one of the top 30 midseason candidates for the John R. Wooden Award, as selected by the Los Angeles Athletic Club's John R. Wooden Award Committee. Lucas is one of nine players who were not on the 50-name preseason list. He is also one of just two Big Ten players to appear on the list, as he is joined by Michigan's Manny Harris. Approximately 20 players will make the national ballot in early March. More than 1,000 voters, comprised of sports media members and college basketball experts from across the nation, will then cast their votes to determine both the 10-member All American Team and Player of the Year. In late March, the 10-player Wooden Award All American Team will be announced.
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 .435, averaging 5.3 points per game, scoring in double figures in four games.
Walton Moves Up Career Assists Chart
With 512 career assists, Travis Walton ranks sixth in Michigan State history. He needs 50 assists to pass Mark Montgomery (561 assists) for fifth place.
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 the USA TODAY/ESPN coaches' poll. Four Spartan opponents are also ranked, including North Carolina (#4 AP/#5 USA Today/ESPN), Kansas (#15/15), Purdue (#16/16), Illinois (#20/20) and Texas (#25/24). MSU is 3-2 against ranked opponents this season.
Spartans Earn 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. In addition, Lucas was named National Player of the Week by ESPN.com's Andy Katz. 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 at No. 21 Minnesota and at Northwestern. Most recently, Delvon Roe was honored on Feb. 16 after a double-double at Michigan.
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 (Los Angeles Lakers), 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 326-135 (.707), and 156-72 (.684) 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 .684 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 156 conference victories, Izzo ranks 10th all-time.
Izzo Against Ranked Opponents
In his 14 years of coaching, Tom Izzo is 68-66 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 190-24 (.888) at home, including 167-15 (.918) 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.
