Michigan State Opens NCAA Tournament Against Robert Morris
3/18/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 18, 2009
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
#2 Michigan State (26-6, 15-3)
vs. #15 Robert Morris (24-10, 15-3)
March 20, 2009
Approx 9:50 p.m. EDT
Minneapolis, Minn.
HHH Metrodome
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: CBS - Gus Johnson (Play by Play), Len Elmore (Color)
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The Opening Tip
As the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Region, Michigan State has its highest seed since earning a No. 1 seed in 2001. The Spartans are making their 12th-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament and open play against Robert Morris, the automatic qualifier from the Northeastern Conference. The winner of the MSU-RMU contest will face the winner of the Boston College-Southern California meeting.
The Starting Five
1. MSU's NCAA Streak
Michigan State is making its 12th straight NCAA Tournament appearance in 2009. It is the longest current streak among Big Ten schools and fourth longest in the nation. Only Arizona (25), Kansas (20) and Duke (14) 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. In the official NCAA record book, MSU's streak is the third longest as Arizona was forced to vacate its 1999 appearance.
2. MSU In The NCAA Tournament
Michigan State is making its 23rd appearance in the NCAA Tournament with a record of 43-21 in its previous 22 tournaments. MSU has made six trips to the Final Four (1957, 1979, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005) and captured the NCAA Championship in 1979 and 2000.
3. At His Best When It Counts
Tom Izzo ranks sixth among active coaches for the best NCAA Tournament winning percentage at .722 (26-10). Duke's Mike Krzyzewski ranks first at .767 (69-21), followed by Florida's Billy Donovan at .759 (22-7), Louisville's Rick Pitino at .745 (35-12), San Diego State's Steve Fisher at .737 (14-5) and North Carolina's Roy Williams at .731 (49-18). Of those six, Izzo, Krzyzewski and Williams are the only coaches to appear in the last 12 NCAA Tournaments.
4. MSU In Opening Games
In its 22 NCAA Tournaments, Michigan State has a record of 17-5 in its first game of the tournament. Since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985, the Spartans are 13-5 in the first round. Tom Izzo is 8-3 in first-round games.
5. Big Ten Champs
Michigan State won the 2009 Big Ten Championship outright. It is the fifth regular-season Big Ten Championship for head coach Tom Izzo, as he directed the Spartans to four-straight league crowns from 1998-2001. It marks the first outright crown for the Spartans since 1999. Overall, it is Michigan State's 11th Big Ten title since joining the conference in 1951 (1957, 1959, 1967, 1978, 1979, 1990, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2009). Michigan State became the first conference team to win the Big Ten by four games since 1985. Minnesota won the league by four games in 1997, but was later forced to vacate the title due to NCAA sanctions.
MSU vs. Robert Morris Notes
About Robert Morris
The Colonials enter the tournament as the Midwest region's No. 15 seed after winning the Northeastern Conference Tournament and regular-season titles. The NCAA Tournament appearance is the Colonials' first berth in the last 17 years. Robert Morris compiled a 24-10 overall record in 2008-09 while going 15-3 in NEC play. The Colonials have won their last five games heading into the NCAA Tournament, including three en route to their sixth NEC Tournament title in program history.
Robert Morris vs. The Field of 65
Robert Morris squared off against two teams seeded in the East Regional bracket, top-seeded Pittsburgh and fourth-seeded Xavier. The Colonials lost both games, falling at Xavier, 78-57, and at Pittsburgh, 92-72.
Common Opponents
The Spartans and Colonials have no common opponents in 2008-09.
Series History
The first-round matchup will mark the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
Coach Rice
Mike Rice (Fordham, '91) is 50-18 in his second season at Robert Morris. He was named NEC Coach of the Year in back-to-back seasons in just his second season at the helm of the Colonials' program. With the tournament berth, Rice has now led the team to back-to-back postseason appearances in his first two years at RMU; the Colonials qualified for the National Invitation Tournament is 2007-08. Overall, Rice served as an assistant coach at six different programs, most notably at Pittsburgh, Marquette and St. Joseph's, before landing the job at Robert Morris. Rice is 0-1 in postseason play as the Colonials were bounced in the first round of the NIT by Syracuse last season. This marks Rice's first ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament as head coach.
Spartan-Colonial Connections
Although Michigan State and Robert Morris share no common opponents and have never met on the hardwood, there are a few player connections on the two squads. RMU junior guard Jimmy Langhurst played on Raymar Morgan's AAU team for two seasons. Colonial senior guard Jeremy Chappell played AAU basketball against Travis Walton.
Colonial Notes
The Colonials have won back-to-back NEC Conference regular-season titles and won an NEC record sixth NEC Conference Tournament title after beating Mount St. Mary's 48-46 on a last-second shot by Dallas Green ... This marks the seventh time Robert Morris has advanced to postseason play in the 33-year history of the program, including its sixth NCAA Tournament appearance (1982, 1983, 1989, 1990, 1992, 2009). The Colonials are one of three Northeast Conference schools to claim a victory at the NCAA tournament, defeating Georgia Southern 64-54 in the opening round of the 1983 tournament. RMU lost to Syracuse in the 2008 NIT ... Both Jeremy Chappell and Rob Robinson earned All-NEC Tournament team honors; Chappell took home the Most Valuable Player Award ... Chappell was also named the NEC Player of the Year as his 16.9 ppg ranks second in the NEC ... Chappell ranks ninth in the league in rebounding (6.3), 12th in field goal percentage (.474), 12th in assists (3.21), third in free-throw percentage (.851) and tops in steals (2.47) ... Robert Morris ranks second in the NEC in both scoring offense (70.7) and scoring defense (65.0) and tops the league in scoring margin at +5.7.
Game 32 Notes - Ohio State 82 - Michigan State 70
* Korie Lucious scored a season-high 16 points in 18 minutes, including scoring 13 in the second half.
* Goran Suton became the 39th player in Michigan State history to record 1,000 career points.
* Michigan State shot just 38.0 percent from the field, including 14.3 percent from 3-point range, while Ohio State shot 53.2 percent from the field and 56.3 percent from behind the arc.
* Goran Suton scored 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting. In two Big Ten Tournament games, Suton was a perfect 8-of-8 from the field.
* Michigan State grabbed 20 offensive rebounds, compared to just seven for Ohio State, but the two squads each scored 12 second-chance points.
* Michigan State recorded a season-low seven assists.
NCAA Tournament Notes
Final Fours For Active Coaches
With four Final Fours to his credit, Tom Izzo ranks fourth among active coaches. Mike Krzyzewski leads all active coaches with 10 Final Four appearances, followed by Roy Williams (6) and Rick Pitino (5).
Spartan Opponents In NCAA Tournament
Eleven Michigan State opponents are in the field of 65 for the 2009 NCAA Tournament, including Big Ten foes Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin and non-conference opponents Kansas, Maryland, North Carolina, Oklahoma State and Texas. The Spartans are a combined 13-4 against the 11 teams.
MSU As A No. 2 Seed
This is the second time in school history that Michigan State has been the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. In 1979, the second-seeded Spartans received a first-round bye before defeating No. 10 Lamar (95-64). In the regional, MSU beat No. 3 Louisiana State (87-71) and top-seeded Notre Dame (80-68) in Indianapolis. In the Final Four in Salt Lake City, MSU defeated Pennsylvania (101-67) in the national semifinal, before defeating previously undefeated Indiana State (75-64) in the championship game.
1979-2009 Similarities
Thirty years after Michigan State won its first NCAA Championship, the 2009 Spartans can look back for a few good omens. For example, the only other time MSU has been a No. 2 seed came in 1979. And should the Spartans advance out of the first weekend of the tournament, they will play the regional in Indianapolis, just like in 1979.
MSU In The Midwest Region
Michigan State is making its seventh appearance in the Midwest Region. The Spartans advanced to the Final Four in 1999 and 2000 as the No. 1 seed in the Midwest. MSU also played in the Midwest in 1985, 1986, 1992 and 2004.
Big Ten Conference In The NCAA Tournament
Led by No. 2 seed Michigan State, the Big Ten Conference has seven of its 11 schools in the 2009 NCAA Tournament. Joining the Spartans are No. 5 Purdue, No. 5 Illinois, No. 8 Ohio State, No. 10 Minnesota, No. 10 Michigan and No. 12 Wisconsin. The ACC and BIG EAST also have seven schools in the tournament, but the Big Ten leads the nation by placing 63.6 percent of its teams in the field of 65. The ACC ranks second at 58.3 percent, followed by the BIG EAST at 43.8 percent.
Exclusive Company
Michigan State ranks ninth among all schools in NCAA Tournament winning percentage for teams with at least 20 tournament games. MSU's .672 winning percentage (43-21) trails only Duke (.748, 86-29), UCLA (.738, 93-33), Florida (.722, 26-10), North Carolina (.711, 96-39), Kansas (.695, 82-36), Kentucky (.690, 98-44), UNLV (.688, 33-15) and Michigan (.680, 34-16). MSU's 43 tournament wins rank 10th in NCAA history and second among Big Ten schools, behind Indiana (60).
MSU In The Second Round
Since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, Michigan State has advanced to the second round 13 times. MSU has a 9-4 record in second-round games, including winning seven of its last eight.
Two Titles Not Too Shabby
Michigan State is one of just 14 schools to have won two or more NCAA Championships. Cincinnati, Connecticut, Florida, Louisville, North Carolina State, Oklahoma State and San Francisco join MSU with two titles. Only Kansas (3), Duke (3), North Carolina (4), Indiana (5), Kentucky (7) and UCLA (11) have won more titles.
Izzo Assistants In NCAA Tournament
Two former Tom Izzo assistants are in the NCAA Tournament, joining Michigan State in the Midwest Region. Jim Boylen led Utah to regular-season and tournament titles, earning the Utes a No. 5 seed. Boylen was on Izzo's staff for two seasons (2005-07). Brian Gregory and the Dayton Flyers earned a No. 11 seed as an at-large selection from the Atlantic 10. Gregory was on Izzo's staff for five seasons over two different stints (1995-96, 1999-2003), including being a part of MSU's 2000 NCAA Championship team and 2001 Final Four squad.
MSU Basketball Notes
Spartans Claim Major Conference Awards
With team success, comes individual accolades as Michigan State claimed the Coach of the Year, Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards. Tom Izzo earned Coach of the Year honors as voted on by the coaches. Kalin Lucas was voted Big Ten Player of the Year by both the media and coaches and Travis Walton was chosen by the coaches as the Defensive Player of the Year. Michigan State becomes just the second program in league history (since 1984) to win all three awards in the same season, joining Illinois in 2005.
Cranking Up The Defense
Michigan State has won eight of the last 10 games thanks in large part to great defense. Over the last 10 games, the Spartans are holding opponents to 57.9 points per game, allowing teams to shoot just 40.0 percent from the field and 27.6 percent from 3-point range. Only three teams have scored 60 points and just two have scored more than 66. Both teams to score 66 points or more defeated the Spartans.
Coach of the Year
For the second time in his career, Tom Izzo has earned Big Ten Coach of the Year accolades. Izzo earned the award in a vote of his coaching peers, while Penn State's Ed DeChellis took the media vote. Izzo previously was recognized in 1998, his third year directing the Spartans.
Player of the Year
Sophomore Kalin Lucas was voted Big Ten Player of the Year by both the league's coaches and media. Lucas becomes the third different Spartan of the Coach Izzo era to earn Big Ten Player of the Year honors, joining Mateen Cleaves (1998 and 1999) and Morris Peterson (2000). He is the first Spartan to earn the accolade from both the coaches and media since 1998. Since 1985, he is just the seventh sophomore to capture the honor, joining Indiana's Jay Edwards (1985), Ohio State's Jim Jackson (1991), Purdue's Glenn Robinson (1994), Cleaves (1998), Illinois' Frank Williams (2001) and Indiana's Jared Jeffries (2002). In conference play, Lucas ranked second in the league in scoring, averaging 16.5 points per game. In league road contests, he raised his scoring average to 18.0 ppg, as MSU established a school record with eight conference road wins. He was MSU's leading scorer in 11 of 18 Big Ten games.
Defensive Player of the Year
Travis Walton was voted Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year by the league's coaches. He becomes just the third player in Michigan State history to earn Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors, joining Ken Redfield (1990) and Eric Snow (1995).
Morgan Key To Spartan Attack
Raymar Morgan has averaged 9.0 points and 22.8 minutes in the last five games, including 14 each in Spartan wins at Illinois and Indiana. The 14 points against the Illini were the most he's scored in a game since Jan. 14 against Penn State. After the game against the Nittany Lions, Morgan battled walking pneumonia/mild form of mononucleosis for more than a month, playing limited minutes in eight games and missing three. 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 first Illinois contest, including 15.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in league play, leading the Spartans in scoring and shooting 60.0 percent from the field. MSU is 17-3 with Morgan in the starting lineup and 19-2 when he plays 20 minutes or more. The Spartans average 75.8 points and own a +10.6 rebound margin when Morgan plays 20 minutes or more, but just 64.5 ppg and +8.6 on the boards when he plays fewer than 20 minutes or not at all.
Wins Starting To Pile Up
With 26 wins, Michigan State has notched its 18th 20-win season in school history. The 26 victories are tied for sixth most in school history with the 1979 and 2005 squads. The 25 regular-season wins rank as the third-largest regular-season total, one behind the 1989-90 and 1998-99 teams. 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. MSU finished the conference season with 15 league victories, tying the 1999 (15-1), 1990 (15-3) and 1978 (15-3) squads for a school record.
It's All About Boardwork
Michigan State leads the nation in rebound margin at +9.9 (as of March 16). MSU has led the Big Ten in rebounding margin in nine of the last 11 years. This season, the Spartans are 24-5 when out-rebounding their opponent. MSU has out-rebounded 22 straight opponents. It's a group effort for MSU, as seven different players have led the team or shared the team lead in rebounding in a single game. In Big Ten play, the Spartans posted a +11.5 rebounding margin.
MSU In March
Michigan State is 50-21 in March since the 1998-99 season. For his career, Tom Izzo is 57-28 in March.
MSU's Defensive Stopper
A three-time All-Big Ten Defensive Team member and 2009 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Travis Walton 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; Demetri McCamey (Illinois) 3-9 FG, 5 turnovers. 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 ranked third in the conference in steals at 1.83 spg, including four steals against Wisconsin and Minnesota and three against Illinois (both games) and Purdue.
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. Since the start of February, he is averaging 7.7 points, 5.8 rebounds and 21.4 minutes in 12 games. 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. Recently, he scored a season-best 16 points vs. Iowa.
Glass Cleaner
Goran Suton finshed conference play as the Big Ten's leading rebounder (8.4 rpg), becoming the first Spartan to lead the league in rebounding since Antonio Smith in 1997. Suton currently ranks second overall (7.9 rpg). In conference play, he recorded double-figure boards against Minnesota (12), Penn State (14), Northwestern (14), Iowa (11), Wisconsin (10), Illinois (10), Purdue (10) and Minnesota (10 - Big Ten Tournament). In league action, he led the conference in offensive rebounds (3.00 orpg) and ranked second in defensive boards (5.44 drpg). His efforts are a large reason MSU owned an impressive +11.5 rebounding margin in league games. With 823 rebounds for his career, Goran Suton ranks seventh in MSU history, 12 behind Andre Hutson (835) in sixth place.
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 14 different starting lineups this season, including nine in the first 12 games. Eleven different Spartans have started a game this season. The Spartans are 6-1 when Morgan, Roe and Suton are all in the starting lineup.
Life Away From Home
Michigan State finished a league-best 8-1 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 9-1 in true road games, winning at No. 21 Minnesota, Penn State, Northwestern, Ohio State, Iowa, Michigan, No. 20 Illinois, Indiana and IPFW. MSU is 14-4 away from the Breslin Center, including 5-3 on a neutral court.
Walton In A Sharing Mood
With 534 career assists, Travis Walton ranks sixth in Michigan State history. His 3.53 assist-to-turnover ratio leads the Big Ten in conference games, while his 2.47 ratio paces the league overall. He needs 28 assists to pass current Spartan assistant Mark Montgomery (561 assists) for fifth place.
Lucas Dials Up His Scoring
Kalin Lucas won Big Ten Player of the Year honors as voted on by both the league's coaches and media. Over the last 21 games, Lucas is averaging 16.6 points, ranking second in the Big Ten in scoring in conference games at 16.5 ppg. During the last 21 games, he is averaging 5.95 free-throw attempts per game, shooting 83.2 percent from the foul line. He's led MSU in scoring in 13 of the last 21 games, scoring 20 or more points in eight contests.
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 26 games, the Spartans are allowing just 60.7 points on 40.6 percent shooting, including just 30.6 percent from 3-point range.
Defending The Three
Michigan State finished second in the Big Ten in 3-point field-goal percentage defense in league contests, allowing opponents to hit just 29.9 percent of their shots from behind the arc. Over the last nine games, opponents have made just 25.5 percent of their 3-pointers (42-of-165).
Suton Joins 1,000-800 Club
Senior center Goran Suton recently joined an exclusive club, as he became the eighth player in Michigan State history to record 1,000 career points and 800 career rebounds. He currently has 1,003 points and 823 rebounds, joining 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.).
The Turnover Story
Michigan State is 14-2 when committing fewer turnovers than its opponent, and 4-0 when turnovers are equal, but just 8-4 when committing more. The Spartans are 18-2 when committing fewer than 15 turnovers, but just 8-4 when committing 15 or more. In their wins, the Spartans average just 13.5 turnovers per game, compared to 16.5 turnovers in losses. Last season, the Spartans averaged 13.6 turnovers, which was the lowest average of the Tom Izzo era.
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 16-1 when scoring 70 or more points, but just 10-5 when scoring fewer than 70. Defensively, MSU is 24-0 when allowing fewer than 70 points, but 2-6 when allowing more than 70.
Hitting The Offensive Glass
Michigan State leads the Big Ten in offensive rebounds, grabbing 13.97 per game. The Spartans are grabbing 40.9 percent of their missed shots, collecting 447 offensive rebounds compared to 645 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 totaled 255 offensive rebounds compared to 343 defensive boards for the opponents, averaging 14.17 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 32 games, Michigan State has proven to have great depth. Nine Spartans average 10.1 minutes or more, while 11 average 6.6 minutes or more, although Kalin Lucas is the only player to average more than 29. Two players average double figures in scoring, while three more Spartans average 8.4 points or better for the highest scoring team in the Big Ten. Eight different players have led MSU in scoring in a single game this season. On the boards, three Spartans average 5.4 boards per contest, as MSU paces the league in rebounding margin.
Lending A Helping Hand
Michigan State is recording an assist on 62.7 percent of its baskets (509-of-812). The Spartans average 15.91 assists per game, ranking second in the Big Ten and 23rd in the nation. Against Alcorn State, MSU dished out 35 assists. Individually, Kalin Lucas ranks fourth in the conference with 4.55 assists per contest, while freshman Korie Lucious dished out 11 against Alcorn State, the most by any Spartan this season.
Bench Scoring
MSU's bench has out-scored the opponent's bench in 23 of 32 games this season. The Spartan reserves have out-scored the opponent subs, 848-551, an average of 26.5-17.2.
Suton's Presence
After missing six straight games with a left knee injury in November and December, Goran Suton has appeared in the last 24 games, averaging 10.1 points and 8.0 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. 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.), Iowa (16 pts., 10 reb.) and Purdue (11 pts., 10 reb.). MSU is 22-4 with Suton in the lineup.
The Free Throw Story
Traditionally a strong free-throw shooting team, Michigan State is shooting just .686 from the charity stripe. MSU is averaging 23.3 free-throw attempts per game, compared to just 18.6 attempts for Spartan opponents. In league play, the Spartans shot better, connecting on 71.0 percent of their attempts, ranking sixth in the league.
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 26 of the Spartans' 32 games, and has been the first sub off the bench in 15 of the last 24 games in which he's come off the bench. Allen leads the Spartans in 3-point field goals made (47) and attempted (143).
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 1,149 points for his career, he ranks 31st on the MSU all-time scoring chart. He needs seven points to pass Lindsay Hairston (1,155 points) for 30th place and 28 points to pass Lee Lafayette (1,176 points) for 29th place.
Lucas Dishes It Out
Kalin Lucas ranks fourth in the Big Ten with a 2.26-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, while ranking fourth in the conference at 4.60 helpers per contest. Lucas has recorded one or no turnovers in 16 of 32 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 Spot On Wooden Ballot
Kalin Lucas is one of 24 candidates to appear on the national ballot for the John R. Wooden Award, as selected by the Los Angeles Athletic Club's John R. Wooden Award Committee. He is the only Big Ten players to appear on the list. More than 1,000 voters, comprised of sports media members and college basketball experts from across the nation, will cast their votes to determine both the 10-member All American Team and Player of the Year, which will be announced in late March.
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 .425, averaging 5.0 points per game, scoring in double figures in four games.
Spartans On The Run
Michigan State leads the Big Ten in scoring offense at 71.9 points per game overall, including 67.6 points in conference action. It marks the first time the Spartans have led the league in scoring in league games since the 2004 Spartans averaged 71.3 points per game.
All-District Selections
Kalin Lucas was named First-Team All-District 7 by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. He was joined on the first team by Michigan's Manny Harris, Penn State's Talor Battle, Purdue's JaJuan Johnson and Ohio State's Evan Turner. Goran Suton earned a spot on the second team. Lucas also earned All-District V honors from the United States Basketball Writers Association. He was joined by Harris, Johnson, Turner, Illinois' Mike Davis, Notre Dame's Luke Harangody, Butler's Matt Howard, Purdue's Robbie Hummel, Marquette's Jerel McNeal and Xavier's B.J. Raymond.
Spartans Hit The Mark
After leading the Big Ten in field-goal percentage for the last five seasons, the Spartans currently rank third in the league in field-goal percentage (.455). Individually, Raymar Morgan ranks second in the conference, connecting on 55.2 percent of his shots.
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 18 times in his career, and the Spartans are 17-1 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 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.
Hitting The Century Mark
Michigan State has scored 100 or more points in two games this season, including a 118-60 win over Alcorn State and a 100-62 win over Idaho in the season opener. The Spartans have scored at least 100 points 41 times in school history, including eight times under Tom Izzo. The 118 points against Alcorn State tied the second-highest total in school history, while the 100 points against Idaho marked just the second time in school history that MSU has scored exactly 100 points.
In The Rankings
Michigan State is ranked No.8 in The Associated Press poll and No. 7 in the USA TODAY/ESPN coaches' poll. Three Spartan opponents are also ranked, including North Carolina (#2 AP/#3 USA Today/ESPN), Kansas (#14/13) and Purdue (#17/18). MSU is 5-2 against ranked opponents this season.
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).
MSU's Home-Court Advantage
Since the Breslin Center opened for the 1989-90 season, Michigan State has posted a 267-39 (.873) home record, including 170-15 (.919) in the last 12 seasons.
Boston College Notes
About Boston College
The Eagles earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament after finishing 22-11 overall while posting a 9-7 mark in ACC play. BC was bounced from the ACC Tournament by second-seeded Duke, 66-65, on March 13; before that game, BC had won three of its last four, helping secure its at-large bid. BC has knocked off three Top-25 teams this season. The NCAA Tournament appearance in the Eagles' 18th in program history and first since they qualified in 2007.
Boston College vs. The Field of 65
Boston College has compiled a 4-5 record against the NCAA Tournament field this season, highlighted by wins over North Carolina, Duke, Florida State and Maryland. The Eagles have lost to Wake Forest twice, Purdue and Clemson in the regular season, and added a loss to Duke in the ACC Tournament.
Common Opponents
The Spartans and Eagles have played four common opponents this season - North Carolina, Iowa, Purdue and Maryland. BC defeated Iowa and North Carolina, both of which are teams that the Spartans defeated as well, and topped Maryland, a team that MSU lost to at the Old Spice Classic. The Eagles lost to Purdue, a team that MSU split the season series with.
Series History
Boston College leads the all-time series, 3-2, with the last meeting coming on Nov. 29, 2006; as BC won that game, 65-58. Goran Suton led MSU with 18 points and nine rebounds, and Raymar Morgan added 11 points. Tyrese Rice is the only Eagle to have played in the game, scoring 10 points. The first meeting between the two teams came in 1947 when the Spartans won, 70-49, in East Lansing. The Spartans would lose the next two, played in 1973 and 1984, but would earn a 77-70 win when the two met on Dec. 6, 2005.
Coach Skinner
Al Skinner (Massachusetts, '74) is in his 21st year as a head coach; Skinner has spent the last 12 of those as the BC head coach, compiling a 232-148 record. In all, Skinner is 370-274 all-time as a head coach after spending his first nine seasons at Rhode Island. Skinner has guided BC to NCAA Tournament berths in six of the last eight seasons, advancing as far as the Sweet 16 in 2006. BC qualified for the NIT in each of the seasons in which it did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
Spartan-Eagle Connection
Michigan State freshman forward Draymond Green and Boston College sophomore center Josh Southern were high school teammates at Saginaw (Mich.) High School. In 2007, they teamed up to win the Class A State Championship. In the title game, Green recorded 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, while Southern had 15 points and 15 rebounds.
Eagle Notes
The Eagles compiled a 3-4 record against Top-25 opponents in 2008-09, with all three wins coming against ACC competition ... Both Tyrese Rice and Joe Trapani were selected to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-District I Team; for Rice, the honor marks the third-straight year that he's been selected to the All-District Team as he earned second-team honors as a sophomore and first-team honors as a junior ... BC won 13 of its first 15 contests on the year, highlighted by a 10-game winning streak from Nov. 28 - Jan. 4.
Southern California Notes
About Southern California
Southern California is making its school-record third consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, garnering a No. 10 seed in the Midwest Region. The Trojans received an automatic bid to the tournament after winning their first-ever Pac-10 Tournament title. USC defeated California, UCLA and Arizona State during its tourney run, improving its overall record to 21-12. USC tied for fifth in Pac-10 play with a 9-9 conference record. Overall, USC is 11-16 in 14 previous NCAA Tournament appearances.
Southern California vs. The Field of 65
USC went 8-9 against NCAA Tournament teams this season. In non-conference play, the Trojans defeated North Dakota State and Chattanooga but fell to Missouri and Oklahoma. Against conference teams, USC went 2-1 vs. Arizona State, 2-1 vs. California, 1-1 vs. Arizona, 1-2 vs. UCLA and 0-2 vs. Washington.
Common Opponents
The Spartans and Trojans have no common opponents in 2008-09.
Series History
USC has a slight 3-2 edge in the overall series vs. Michigan State, but the two teams have never faced each other in the postseason. The Trojans won the last meeting back in 1970, an 88-63 victory in Los Angeles. The series began in 1953 as MSU and USC split a home-and-home set, with each team winning at home.
Coach Floyd
Tim Floyd (Louisiana Tech, '77) owns a 327-179 (.646) record in 16 years as a college head coach at Idaho (1987-88), New Orleans (1989-94), Iowa State (1995-98) and USC (2005-). By winning USC's first-ever Pac-10 Tournament title, he has landed the Trojans three straight NCAA Tournament berths, establishing a school record. In four seasons at USC, he owns an 84-49 (.632) record, and won more games in his first three seasons than any previous coach in program history. Floyd has a career mark of 6-7 in seven previous NCAA Tournament appearances. Floyd also coached in the NBA for the Chicago Bulls (1998-2002) and the New Orleans Hornets (2003-04).
Trojan Notes
The Trojans have won their last five games, including three in the Pac-10 Tournament to earn the tourney title and the automatic NCAA berth; the Pac-10 Tournament title is the first in program history ... Through regular-season games, USC's opponents had a combined 532-372 record (.588) as 21 of USC's 30 regular-season games were against teams that were .500 or better and 21 of those were against teams that have won 16 or more games; USC's schedule is ranked the 14th toughest by Sagarin ... USC has played 11 games decided by five points or less, going 5-6 in those games and the Trojans have been within five points at some point with under four minutes to play in all but two of their 12 losses this season.
The Book On Tom Izzo
Coach Izzo
In his 14th year, Tom Izzo (Northern Michigan, '77) is 331-136 (.709), and 161-72 (.691) 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. He earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors in 1998 and 2009.
Among The Big Ten's Best
Tom Izzo's .690 winning percentage in Big Ten games ranks second all-time among league coaches with at least 10 years of service, behind former Indiana coach Bob Knight (.700) and just ahead of Purdue's Ward Lambert (.685). In all games, Knight ranks first at .734, followed by Wisconsin's Walter Meanwell (.712), Izzo (.709) and Lambert (.709). With 160 conference victories, Izzo ranks eighth all-time.
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.
Izzo Against Ranked Opponents
In his 14 years of coaching, Tom Izzo is 70-66 against ranked opponents.
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 192-24 (.889) at home, including 169-15 (.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.
