Michigan State One Step Away From The Final Four
3/28/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 28, 2009
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
#2 Michigan State (29-6, 15-3)
vs. #1 Louisville (31-5, 16-2)
March 29, 2009
2:20 p.m. EDT
Indianapolis, Ind.
Lucas Oil Stadium
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;
Westwood One Radio - Ian Eagle (Play by Play), Pete Gillen (Color)
TV: CBS - Gus Johnson (Play by Play), Len Elmore (Color)
The Opening Tip
Michigan State is making its nation's best sixth Elite Eight appearance in the last 11 years. The Spartans are looking to advance to their seventh Final Four in school history, including a fifth trip under Tom Izzo. The contest features the Big Ten and BIG EAST regular-season conference champions.
MSU Basketball Notes
* Michigan State is appearing in its sixth Elite Eight in the last 11 seasons, leading the nation during that time span. Connecticut, Kansas and North Carolina each have five Elite Eight appearances over the last 11 seasons.
* Michigan State is making its 10th appearance in a regional final in NCAA Tournament history, going 6-3 in its previous nine appearances. Since the tournament field expanded to 64 teams in 1985, the Spartans are 4-1 in the Elite Eight (all under Tom Izzo), good for the second-best winning percentage in the nation.
* Under head coach Tom Izzo, Michigan State has a spectacular 13-2 record in the second game of a weekend in NCAA Tournament play. The Spartans' only two losses have come when playing a top seed in an opponent's home state, falling to No. 1 Texas at the 2003 South Region Final in San Antonio and losing to No. 1 North Carolina in the 2007 second round in Winston-Salem, N.C.
* Michigan State is looking to advance to its fifth Final Four in the last 11 years. The Spartans lead the nation with four trips to the Final Four over the last 10 seasons. In the program's history, Michigan State has appeared in six Final Fours, including four under Tom Izzo.
* MSU is making its 12th straight NCAA Tournament appearance, good for the nation's fourth-longest active streak.
* Michigan State is 6-0 all-time in NCAA Tournament games played in Indianapolis, including 2-0 during the 1979 Mideast Regional.
* Tom Izzo ranks fourth among active coaches for the best NCAA Tournament winning percentage at .744 (29-10). Duke's Mike Krzyzewski ranks first at .763 (71-22), followed by Louisville's Rick Pitino at .760 (38-12) and Florida's Billy Donovan at .759 (22-7). Izzo ranks slightly ahead of North Carolina's Roy Williams at .739 (52-18).
* Kalin Lucas leads the Spartans in scoring in tournament play, averaging 13.7 points and 5.7 assists.
* After shooting 68.6 percent from the foul line entering the NCAA Tournament, the Spartans are shooting 80.3 percent from the foul line through three tournament games. Kalin Lucas (15-of-15) and Goran Suton (12-of-12) are a combined 27-of-27 at the stripe.
* Goran Suton is averaging 12.7 points and 12.0 rebounds in this year's tournament. Over his last five tournament games, he is averaging 15.0 points and 10.8 boards. He's grabbed at least eight rebounds in his last seven NCAA Tournament games.
* Draymond Green is averaging 10.0 points in three NCAA Tournament games. He entered the tournament averaging 2.3 points.
* Eight different Spartans scored in double figures in one of the three NCAA Tournament games, as six players are averaging 7.7 points or better in the tournament.
* MSU's defense is holding opponents to just 23.1 percent shooting (9-of-39) from 3-point range in NCAA Tournament games.
* Michigan State has recorded an assist on 52 of 73 field goals (73.6 percent) during the NCAA Tournament.
* 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).
* Over the last 13 games, the Spartans are holding opponents to 59.4 points per game, allowing teams to shoot just 40.5 percent from the field and 26.8 percent from 3-point range.
* MSU is 20-3 with Morgan in the starting lineup and 20-2 when he plays 20 minutes or more. The Spartans average 75.8 points and own a +11.1 rebound margin when Morgan plays 20 minutes or more, but just 65.5 ppg and+7.3 on the boards when he plays fewer than 20 minutes or not at all.
* Michigan State's 29 wins are the third most in school history, trailing only the 1999 (33 wins) and 2000 (32) squads.
* Michigan State leads the nation in rebound margin at +9.7 (as of March 23). Prior to being out-rebounded by Kansas, Michigan State had out-rebounded 24 straight opponents.
* Michigan State is 53-21 in March since the 1998-99 season. For his career, Tom Izzo is 60-28 in March.
* Michigan State is 17-4 away from the Breslin Center, including 8-3 on a neutral court.
* Michigan State has used 14 different starting lineups this season, as 11 different Spartans have started a game this season. The Spartans are 9-1 when Morgan, Roe and Suton are all in the starting lineup.
* Michigan State is 15-2 when committing fewer turnovers than its opponent, and 4-0 when turnovers are equal, but just 10-4 when committing more. The Spartans are 20-2 when committing fewer than 15 turnovers, but just 9-4 when committing 15 or more.
* The Spartans are 18-1 when scoring 70 or more points, but just 11-5 when scoring fewer than 70. Defensively, MSU is 27-0 when allowing fewer than 70 points, but 2-6 when allowing more than 70.
* The Spartans are grabbing 40.9 percent of their missed shots, averaging 14.0 offensive rebounds per contest.
* Ten Spartans average 9.0 minutes or more, although Kalin Lucas is the only player to average more than 28. Three players average double figures in scoring, while two more Spartans average 8.3 points or better for the highest scoring team in the Big Ten. Nine different players have led MSU in scoring in a single game this season.
* MSU's bench has out-scored the opponent's bench in 26 of 35 games this season. The Spartan reserves have out-scored the opponent subs, 930-590, an average of 26.6-16.9.
MSU vs. Louisville Notes
Common Opponents
The Spartans and Cardinals have one common opponent from the 2008-09 season, Minnesota. The Cardinals lost to Minnesota on a neutral court, 70-64, while the Spartans topped the Golden Gophers three times, twice during the regular season and also in the Big Ten Tournament.
Series History
Louisville leads the all-time series with Michigan State, 4-2, but the two teams have not met since a 69-57 Spartan win in 1999. The only other Spartan win came in 1994 when MSU topped the Cardinals, 85-71, at the Breslin Center. The first-ever meeting between the two schools came during the 1959 NCAA Tournament, when Louisville topped MSU, 88-81, in the regional final in Evanston, Ill., despite the Spartans getting 29 points and 23 rebounds from Johnny Green.
Sweet 16 - No. 2 MSU 67 - No. 3 Kansas 62
* Trailing 60-55 with 3:22 left, Michigan State closed the game on a 12-2 run.
* Kalin Lucas scored Michigan State's final seven points in the last 49 seconds, including five straight free throws.
* Michigan State shot 16-of-17 from the foul line, and grabbed the rebound on its lone miss from the charity stripe.
* Michigan State's starting backcourt of Kalin Lucas and Travis Walton combined for 12 assists and three turnovers.
* The Spartans committed just three of their 13 turnovers in the second half.
* Michigan State was out-rebounded, 37-31, snapping a string of 24 straight games out-rebounding its opponent.
* Goran Suton tied an NCAA Tournament school record with five steals, as Michigan State tied the school mark with 13 thefts.
* Michigan State improved to 6-4 in Sweet 16 games since 1985, including 6-2 under Tom Izzo.
* Tom Izzo improved to 5-0 against defending National Champions, including 3-0 in the NCAA Tournament.
