Spartans Close Out Homestand Against Indiana
2/6/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 6, 2009
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
#13/14 Michigan State (18-4, 8-2)
vs. Indiana (6-15, 1-8)
February 7, 2009
4 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: ESPN - Dave Barnett (Play by Play), Bob Wenzel (Color)
Listen To Spartan Sports Podcasts
Coach Izzo | Kalin Lucas | Durrell Summers
The Opening Tip
Michigan State closes out its three-game homestand by hosting the Indiana Hoosiers. Former Michigan State assistant and current Indiana head coach Tom Crean will face MSU for just the second time as a head coach, and will be coaching his first game in the Breslin Center as an opposing coach. The Spartans are coming off a dominating 29-point victory over No. 19 Minnesota, while the Hoosiers notched their first Big Ten win in their last game.
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 four games, they have combined for 154 points as both players are averaging 19.3 points per game. Lucas is leading the Big Ten in scoring in league games at 18.3 ppg. Summers has elevated his play over the last five games, averaging 17.6 points and shooting 58.5 percent from the field (31-of-53).
2. Spartans Shooting Better
Michigan State is shooting 48.4 percent from the floor in the last four games after shooting 42.5 percent in the previous seven. In three of the last four contests, the Spartans have shot 49.1 percent or better, including two games at better than 50 percent. In the previous seven games, MSU's best shooting effort was 48.3 percent.
3. Glass Cleaners
Goran Suton leads the Big Ten in rebounding in conference games at 9.6 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 (3.40 orpg) and ranks second in defensive boards (6.20 drpg). His efforts are a large reason MSU owns an impressive +13.8 rebounding margin in league games. With 749 rebounds for his career, Goran Suton ranks ninth in MSU history, 54 behind Lindsay Hairston (803) in eighth place.
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 14-0 when scoring 70 or more points, but just 4-4 when scoring fewer than 70. Defensively, MSU is 16-0 when allowing fewer than 70 points, but 2-4 when allowing more than 70.
5. It's All About Boardwork
Michigan State leads the nation in rebound margin at +10.6 (as of Feb. 2). MSU has led the Big Ten in rebounding margin in nine of the last 11 years. This season, the Spartans are 16-3 when out-rebounding their opponent. MSU has out-rebounded 12 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 +13.8 rebounding margin.
MSU vs. Indiana Notes
Series History
Indiana leads the all-time series with Michigan State, 64-43. The Spartans, however, own a 32-21 advantage in games played in East Lansing, including 14 straight wins in the Breslin Center. The home team has won the last eight games in the series. Tom Izzo is 13-10 in his career against Indiana.
Coach Crean
Tom Crean (Central Michigan, `89) is 196-111 in his 10th season as a Division I head coach, including 6-15 in his first season at Indiana. Prior to his arrival in Bloomington, Crean spent nine seasons as head coach at Marquette. In 2002-03, he guided Marquette to a 27-6 record, a Conference USA regular-season championship and a Final Four appearance. Prior to becoming the head coach at Marquette, Crean was an assistant for four years (1995-99) under Coach Tom Izzo at Michigan State. While Crean was at MSU under Izzo, the Spartans went 88-41, won two Big Ten regular-season titles and appeared in the 1999 Final Four. Before working for Coach Izzo, Crean coached one season at Pittsburgh (1994-95) and four seasons at Western Kentucky (1990-94) as an assistant. Crean's first assistant position came at MSU in 1989-90, when he worked under Jud Heathcote as the Spartans won the Big Ten Championship and advanced to the Sweet 16.
The Last Meeting
Michigan State shot 60.7 percent from the field and recorded its largest margin of victory over a Hoosier squad with a 103-74 win over Indiana on March 2, 2008, in East Lansing. Leading 30-19 with 10:13 left in the first half, MSU used a 16-0 run over the next five minutes to put the game away. The Spartans shot 77.8 percent from the field in the first half, knocking down 21-of-27 shots, including 9-of-12 3-pointers. Raymar Morgan led MSU with 20 points as five Spartans scored in double figures. MSU's point-guard duo of Travis Walton and Kalin Lucas combined for 18 assists and no turnovers. MSU scored 59 first-half points, the most points in a Big Ten half since scoring 61 in the second half vs. Penn State on Jan. 3, 2001.
Hoosier Notes
Indiana entered the season as the least experienced team in Big Ten history, returning just 19 points and 185 minutes of experience from last year's squad ... True freshmen have accounted for 70 percent of the team's minutes and 70 percent of its scoring ... Devan Dumes leads the conference in 3-point field-goal percentage in league games (.519), while Matt Roth ranks third (.477) ... Tom Pritchard, a high school teammate of Delvon Roe's at St. Edward, ranks sixth in the Big Ten in rebounding (7.0 rpg).
Game 22 Notes - Michigan State 76 - Minnesota 47
* Michigan State held Minnesota to just 17.4 percent shooting in the first half, allowing the Gophers to connect on just 4-of-23 field-goal attempts. It marked the first time since Dec. 6, 2006 (IPFW), that the Spartans held an opponent under 20 percent in a half.
* MSU's defense held Minnesota to 16 first-half points, a season-low by a Spartan opponent. The last time an opponent scored as few as 16 points in the first half was Nov. 8, 2006 (Brown).
* It was the first time that Michigan State held an opponent under 50 points since Feb. 21, 2008 (Penn State).
* Durrell Summers scored 11 of MSU's first 13 points, and out-scored Minnesota, 17-16, in the first half, en route to a game-high 21 points.
* MSU recorded its fifth straight win over Minnesota, and its 10th win in the last 11 meetings, tying the all-time series at 56.
* MSU shot 51.0 percent from the field, becoming the first Minnesota opponent this season to shoot 50 percent or better.
* After out-rebounding Minnesota by 22 in the first meeting, MSU held a +16 margin on the glass (42-26).
MSU Basketball Notes
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.
Michigan State's Balanced Attack
Through the first 22 games, Michigan State has proven to have great depth. Eight Spartans average 12.4 minutes or more, while 11 average 7.4 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 9.3 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 5.2 boards per contest, as MSU paces the league in rebounding margin.
The Turnover Story
Michigan State is 10-1 when committing fewer turnovers than its opponent, and 3-0 when turnovers are equal, but just 5-3 when committing more. The Spartans are 12-1 when committing fewer than 15 turnovers, but just 6-3 when committing 15 or more. In their wins, the Spartans average just 13.4 turnovers per game, compared to 16.8 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 four most recent games, MSU is averaging 13.0 turnovers, resulting in a 74-51 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; Lawrence Westbrook (Minnesota) 6 points, 2-7 FG. Against the Illini, Walton added three steals, including two big strips in the second half, while tallying four steals against Minnesota. In league games, he ranks fifth in the conference in steals at 1.70 spg.
Morgan Battles Illness
Raymar Morgan is currently fighting walking pneumonia, limiting his playing time and production. Prior to sitting out against Minnesota, he had started just two of the previous five games, averaging 16.2 minutes and just 3.0 points on 33.3 percent shooting, including just 5.5 minutes per game in the last two games. 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 14.59 per game. The Spartans are grabbing 42.3 percent of their missed shots, collecting 321 offensive rebounds compared to 437 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 159 offensive rebounds compared to 177 defensive boards for the opponents, averaging 15.90 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.
MSU's Home-Court Advantage
Since the Breslin Center opened for the 1989-90 season, Michigan State has posted a 263-39 (.871) home record, including 166-15 (.917) in the last 12 seasons.
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 11 games, Lucas is averaging 18.6 points, leading the Big Ten in scoring in conference games at 18.3 ppg. During the last 11 games, he is shooting 42.7 percent from the field, 42.5 percent from 3-point range and 87.0 percent from the foul line, averaging 6.3 free-throw attempts per game.
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 16 games, the Spartans are allowing just 62.4 points on 40.9 percent shooting, including just 32.2 percent from 3-point range.
Suton's Presence
After missing six straight games with a left knee injury, Goran Suton has appeared in the last 13 games, averaging 10.8 points and 8.6 boards in 26.7 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), Penn State (13 points, 14 rebounds) and Northwestern (15 points, 14 rebounds). Michigan State is 14-2 with Goran Suton in the lineup.
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 12 different starting lineups this season, including nine in the first 12 games. Ten different Spartans have started a game this season.
The Free Throw Story
Traditionally a strong free-throw shooting team, Michigan State is shooting just .680 from the charity stripe. MSU is averaging 23.4 free-throw attempts per game, compared to just 18.0 attempts for Spartan opponents.
Walton Moves Up Career Assists Chart
With 500 career assists, Travis Walton ranks sixth in Michigan State history. He needs 62 assists to pass Mark Montgomery (561 assists) for fifth place.
Lending A Helping Hand
Michigan State is recording an assist on 63.3 percent of its baskets (375-of-592). The Spartans average 17.05 assists per game, ranking second in the Big Ten, and 14th in the nation. Against Alcorn State, MSU established a new school record with 35 assists. Individually, Kalin Lucas ranks fifth in the conference with 4.95 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 1,090 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.
Bench Scoring
Michigan State's bench has out-scored the opponent's bench in 16 of 22 games this season. The Spartan reserves have out-scored the opponent subs, 591-392, an average of 26.9-17.8.
Lucas Dishes It Out
Kalin Lucas paces the Big Ten with a 2.95-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, while ranking fifth in the conference at 4.95 helpers per contest. As of Feb. 2, he ranks eighth in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio. Lucas has recorded one or no turnovers in 14 of 22 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.
Beating The Best
According to the ESPN.com InsideRPI Daily (Feb. 5), Michigan State is 8-1 against the RPI top 50. Only Oklahoma (9) has more victories against the RPI top 50, while Duke, Connecticut and Clemson have six.
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 first four games of the season, he averaged 15.0 minutes and 3.5 rebounds. In the next 18 games, he is averaging 5.6 rebounds, 5.1 points and 17.3 minutes per contest. Over the last three games, he is averaging 7.0 rebounds.
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 .460, averaging 6.0 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. 13 in The Associated Press poll and No. 14 in the USA TODAY/ESPN coaches' poll. Six Spartan opponents are also ranked, including North Carolina (#3 AP/#4 USA Today/ESPN), Purdue (#12/13), Texas (#16/17), Minnesota (#19/19), Illinois (#23/21) and Kansas (#21/24). MSU is 3-1 against ranked opponents this season.
Spartans On The Run
Michigan State leads the Big Ten in scoring offense at 75.5 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 323-134 (.707), and 153-71 (.683) 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 .683 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 152 conference victories, Izzo ranks 11th all-time.
Izzo Against Ranked Opponents
In his 14 years of coaching, Tom Izzo is 68-65 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 188-24 (.887) at home, including 165-15 (.917) 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.
