Michigan St

Michigan State Basketball Schedule: 2008-09

Press Release — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:03:50 -0700

The Big Ten Conference office announced the 2008-09 men's basketball schedule on Wednesday morning. Michigan State will face a slate that includes 10 teams that played in the 2008 NCAA Tournament, including defending National Champion Kansas. In total, 15 Spartan opponents played in the 2008 postseason. Highlights of the non-conference schedule include the Jan. 10 home game against Kansas, neutral-site games against Final Four participant North Carolina at Detroit's Ford Field and Elite Eight participant Texas in Houston, and a spot in the 2008 Old Spice Classic, which features four other NCAA Tournament teams. For the second straight year, the Spartans will play an 18-game Big Ten schedule, with single games against Wisconsin (home) and Michigan (road).

"This promises to be one of the most exciting schedules in recent years and certainly stacks up against any other schedule in the nation," said Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo. "In the non-conference, we are looking forward to playing Kansas in the Breslin Center, as I've always wanted to bring the top programs from across the country to our fans in Michigan and East Lansing. We are equally excited to have another opportunity to play North Carolina at Ford Field in Detroit.

"Playing in the Old Spice Classic during Thanksgiving weekend will give us an early measuring stick for our team against one of the best early season tournament fields in the country. To open with Maryland, follow with Gonzaga or Oklahoma State, and then possibly meet Tennessee or Georgetown or quality teams like Siena or Wichita State in the final round, we are looking at a tournament with three tough games. Our recent games against Texas have all been extremely competitive and I expect nothing different when we travel to Houston. It's a non-conference schedule that could feature as many as six ranked opponents, while also playing a mixture of games in front of Spartans fans, true neutral sites and games in hostile environments.

"I think the Big Ten will continue to improve. Several of the top players from last season throughout the conference return to their teams, and with so many new coaches last year now in their second season, I think we are in store for a very competitive 18-game conference season, where the conference race will likely come down to the final week of the regular season."

All 18 Big Ten games will be televised by a national television network, including one on CBS, four on ESPN, one on ESPN2, six on the Big Ten Network, one on ESPN or ESPN2, one on ESPN, ESPN2 or the Big Ten Network and three on CBS, ESPN or the Big Ten Network. Start times and television coverage for most non-conference games will be announced at a later date.

Michigan State will open the 2008-09 season at home against Idaho on Sunday, Nov. 16. Following a road trip to IPFW on Nov. 19, the Spartans will travel to Orlando, Fla., for the 2008 Old Spice Classic, which features one of the top fields of any early season tournament. Seven of the eight teams in the field participated in the 2008 postseason, including NCAA Tournament squads Georgetown, Gonzaga, Michigan State, Siena and Tennessee and NIT teams Maryland and Oklahoma State. The Spartans will open the tournament on Thanksgiving (Nov. 27), with a 7 p.m. contest against Maryland on ESPN2. The winner will play the Gonzaga-Oklahoma State winner on Nov. 28. Following an off day on Saturday, the championship round will be played on Sunday, Nov. 30. Every game of the Classic will be televised by ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPNU.

A stiff test awaits following Michigan State's trip to Disneyworld as the Spartans will play North Carolina on Dec. 3 at Detroit's Ford Field, site of the 2009 Final Four. The Tar Heels are an early pick for the No. 1 team in the polls as they return all five starters and top six scorers from a team that posted a 36-3 record and advanced to the 2008 Final Four. This will be MSU's second game at Ford Field, as the Spartans hosted Kentucky on Dec. 13, 2003 in front of a world-record crowd of 78,129. Tickets are available through all Ticketmaster locations and ticketmaster.com.

The Spartans follow with a three-game homestand against Bradley (Dec. 7), Alcorn State (Dec. 13) and The Citadel (Dec. 17). On Dec. 20, Michigan State will play Texas at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. Last season, the Spartans handed the Longhorns their first loss of the season with a 78-72 win at The Palace of Auburn Hills. In the 2008 NCAA Tournament, Texas advanced to the Elite Eight before falling to national finalist Memphis, one game after the Tigers defeated Michigan State. The final game of MSU's early non-conference schedule features the Spartans playing Oakland at The Palace of Auburn Hills on Dec. 27.

Big Ten Conference play opens with Michigan State at Minnesota on New Year's Eve at 6 p.m. This will be the first conference game the Spartans have played in December since a 74-57 win at Purdue on Dec. 30, 1997. For the third time in four seasons, MSU will open conference play with back-to-back road games as the Spartans travel to Northwestern on Jan. 3 at 7 p.m. Both the Minnesota and Northwestern games will be televised by the Big Ten Network.

Michigan State's Big Ten home opener brings Ohio State into the Breslin Center on Jan. 6 for a 7 p.m. telecast on ESPN2. Five days later, Kansas comes to East Lansing on Jan. 10 for the final non-conference game of the season. The Spartans and Jayhawks have not met since the two teams played in Lawrence on Nov. 25, 2003.

On Jan. 14, MSU travels to Penn State for a 6:30 p.m. contest on the Big Ten Network. A two-game homestand follows with league games against Illinois on Jan. 17 (4 p.m., ESPN) and Northwestern on Jan. 21 (6:30 p.m., Big Ten Network). The Spartans take to the road for two more games against Ohio State on Jan. 25 (3:45 p.m., CBS) and Iowa on Jan. 29 (7 p.m., ESPN/ESPN2).

February opens with Michigan State's longest conference homestand. Penn State comes to East Lansing on Feb. 1 (12 p.m., Big Ten Network), followed by Minnesota on Feb. 4 (8:30 p.m., Big Ten Network) and Indiana on Feb. 7 (4 p.m., ESPN). The game against the Hoosiers will feature the first meeting between Izzo and former assistant Tom Crean since he took over the IU program. The lone meeting between in-state rivals Michigan State and Michigan will take place on Feb. 10 in Ann Arbor (7 p.m., ESPN). This is a flip-flop of last year when the two teams only met in East Lansing, with MSU defeating the Wolverines, 77-62. In a game between possible Big Ten title contenders, the Spartans play at Purdue on Feb. 17 (7 p.m., ESPN). Wisconsin and Michigan State also will meet only once this season on Feb. 22. An official date and start time will be announced no later than Feb. 1. On Feb. 25, Michigan State hosts Iowa at 8:30 p.m. (Big Ten Network), followed by a road game at Illinois on Feb. 28 or March 1, depending on television selections to be made no later than Feb. 16.

In the final week of the season, the Spartans will play both teams from the Hoosier state. In a mid-week contest, MSU will travel to Bloomington, Ind. for a game on March 3, 4 or 5 depending on a television decision to be made no later than Feb. 2. Michigan State will close out the regular season at home against Purdue on March 7 or 8. The tip time and television network will be announced by Feb. 23.

The 12th annual Big Ten Tournament will run from March 12-15 in Indianapolis. The 2009 NCAA Tournament opens March 19, concluding with the Final Four at Detroit's Ford Field on April 4 and 6.

Rise and Fall: Big Ten Program Review

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:54:32 -0700

Like civilizations, all great basketball programs eventually fall.. replaced by an upstart newcomer. In this week's Rise & Fall series, we'll take a look at which BCS programs are rising, falling, or merely treading water. Up today, the:

BIG TEN

ILLINOIS - DECLINING (SLOWLY )

From a sky-high RPI of 2 in 2005, its been all downhill to 103rd last year. Another blah season should be expected as Pruitt & Randle depart, and there's no real incoming class to speak of. Its not all bad though, as the Illini have some serious talent lined up for 2009 (and 2010 if Crandall Head continues his speedy development).. but in the meantime, another sub-.500 conference record should be expected.

INDIANA - DECLINING (QUICKLY)

Not much to say here. Y'all know the Hoosiers situation as well as I do. If you want a good laugh, head over to IUHoosiers.com to check out their roster for 08-09..

IOWA - DECLINING (QUICKLY)

While the Illini's drop from 2 to 103 looks bad, how about Iowa's tumble from 7th to 193rd in just three seasons. The transfer of Tony Freeman to SIU was just one of many recent blows, and its going to take awhile to turn this ship around. Players like Cole, Tate, and Kelly are alright talents who should improve, but "alrights" won't get it done in the Big Ten. And while this year's deep recruiting class looks promising on paper, it lacks that one wow talent that can get things rolling along quickly. Todd Lickliter deserves patience to turn things around, but 2010 is the earliest any real results should be expected.

MICHIGAN - STATUS QUO

Michigan hasn't really been good since before this website even existed. Last year's horrendous season was an aberration against a long line of mediocre NIT-level teams. Now that talents like Harris, Sims, and Grady are a year older.. getting back to that 70ish RPI, fringe-NIT team range is probable (though losing Udoh was a blow since he had serious potential.) Luckily for John Beilein, half the conference is in rebuilding mode, so the current mediocrity will fit right in.

MINNESOTA - RISING (SLOWLY)

Tubby Smith never got the credit he deserves, but he might finally get that credit in a few years if Minnesota improves as expected (or at least as I expect). While last year's 20-win season is a bit misleading because the Gophers barely beat any top-150 teams.. there's definitely some positive momentum brewing. This year's recruiting haul is better than recent seasons, and local product Royce White joins the program in 2009.

MICHIGAN STATE - STATUS QUO

While there haven't been any remarkable MSU teams in recent seasons, Tom Izzo has still been churning out Top 25 clubs. This year's crew could be the best since 2001 (not even taking the welcome additions of Roe and Lucious into account), as it has legitimate Elite Eight potential. Neitzel's impressive career is over, but he handed over the torch to the new era early in his senior season.

NORTHWESTERN - STATUS QUO

If anything, the program is somehow on the downwards turn as last year's 7-22 debacle was an embarrassment to major-conference basketball. (I guess not on the level of Oregon State though..) This year's recruiting class, mediocre by usual Big Ten standards, is actually the Wildcats best of the new millennium. The problem is that serious improvement, ie a 20 win season, might not come until the next millennium..

OHIO STATE - RISING (SLOWLY)

After hyper-speed, supersonic growth in 2006 & 2007, the Buckeyes are back to your normal garden-variety type of improvement. An underrate senior (Butler), and an overrated freshman (Koufous) depart, clearing the way for another monster recruiting class. If Mullens and/or Buford go pro after next season, major gains could once again be retarded.

PENN STATE - STATUS QUO

A program perpetually on the verge of getting decent, but who never manages to put it all together. The Lions have easily been the worst program in the Big Ten for the last 8-9 seasons or so.. occasionally managing to make Northwestern look like All-Stars.

PURDUE - RISING (QUICKLY)

Last year's big national surprise should once again be good.. but I'm not sure if the Boilers will be that much better. The Big Ten was simply bad last year and Purdue feasted on a lot of struggling teams that will be better this time around. In fact, the 25 wins only yielded a mediocre RPI of 45 (though an AP ranking of 20th). So while the computer ranking should jump into the high 20's, it might not be the super-breakthrough many fans are expecting. The loss of Scott Martin to ND was a small crack in the armor, and this year's class doesn't add much to the mix. Still, you can't argue that things are heading in the right direction.

WISCONSIN - STATUS QUO

Bo Ryan is consistently the most underrated coach in the country, and last year's surprise 31 win season was just another in a long string of good years. Losing Brian Butch, who came up clutch in some late-season wins, hurts.. but its nothing that won't be overcome. There's no reason to expect anything less than the now expected push for the Big Ten title.. right there with Michigan State.

- up next is the Pac-10 -

NCAA Tournament: Quick Morning Review

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:14:09 -0700

A quick review of the morning action on Day One of the NCAA Tournament: (3) Xavier 73 - (14) Georgia 61 Josh Duncan, one of the most efficient players in college basketball, finished with 20 points as the Musketeers rebounded from a slow start to beat Georgia. Coming off their miraculous SEC Tournament win, Georgia looked to have the magic early before running out of gas down the stretch. Everybody who picked Xavier to go the Sweet Sixteen or beyond took a big sigh of relief.. and now XU plays the winner of Baylor/Purdue. (5) Michigan State 72 - (12) Temple 61 The Spartans shut down Temple's leading scorer, Dionte Christmas, holding him to just 2 points on 1 of 10 shooting. Luckily for Christmas, he's a junior, and won't have to end his career on the worst game of his career. Drew Neitzel also had an off game, 5 points on 2-10 shooting, but the Spartans overcame this with a deeper and more balanced attack. (1) Kansas 85 - (16) Portland State 61 There's no use wasting precious space with commentary on this game. Kansas won big is all you need to know. Overall: Nothing terribly exciting this morning with all the favorites winning. Xavier's comeback prevented what would have been a disaster for the A10. The afteroon sessions beginning as a I write this should offer some more competitive basketball.

Poll: What Is the Most Likely 12-5 Upset?

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:14:45 -0700

Today's Top Game Predictions: Ohio St vs Michigan St

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 10:06:38 -0700

A companion to our daily Three Stars of the Day, we present the top three Games of the Night.

Ohio State (19-12) vs #19 Michigan State (24-7)

2:30 PM ESPN2

If the season ended last night, Ohio State may well be in the field of 65. But realistically, they need to beat MSU in the Big Ten quarterfinals. Neither of these teams are good away from home (combined 27-2 at home, but 8-14 on the road), but that evens out since the games are in Indianapolis. To be honest, Michigan State has really disappointed me this season.. but they still have more talent than then the Buckeyes. MSU also has a lot on the line considering OSU recently beat them and they're in danger of dropping to a weak 7 seed.

Prediction: Michigan State

Saint Joseph's (20-11) vs #12 Xavier (27-5)

6:30 PM

St Joe's might have been the biggest beneficiaries of yesterday's pathetic bubble losses. Suddenly they have a great shot once again of making the field, and you have to figure a win today over Xavier would be enough to impress the committee. These two teams split their previous meetings, and there's a lot of talk in A10 circles how the Hawks match up better with Xavier than anyone else in the league. Considering how much is on the line for SJU.. their my pick, especially against a 6.5 point spread.

Prediction: Saint Joseph's

#21 Washington State (24-7) vs #11 Stanford (25-6)

11:30 PM

While there's no bubble implications here.. tonight's late Pac-10 semifinal features two ranked teams looking to move up the tournament bracket. Stanford particularly, could very well lock up a 3 seed if they advance to the title game. Stanford's the slight 2 point favorites, thanks to being ranked higher and because the Cardinal won both previous meetings. It's tough to beat the Cougars three times in a season, so I'll take WSU

Prediction: Washington State

Previous Game of the Night (Predictions, 95-55)

March 12th - Arizona State at USC (2-1)

March 12th - Syracuse vs Villanova (2-1)

March 11th - IUPUI at Oral Roberts (3-0)

March 10th - Gonzaga at San Diego (1-2)

March 9th - Florida at Kentucky (1-2)

March 8th - UNC at Duke (2-1)

March 5th - Tennessee at Florida (2-1)

March 4th - UNLV at New Mexico (3-0)

March 3rd - Texas Tech at Kansas (3-0)

March 2nd - Clemson at Maryland (1-2)

Bracket Tactics: Today's Tip of the Day

Jon Teitel — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 06:59:43 -0700

Leading up to the 2008 NCAA Tournament, we'll be presenting daily tips to help you fill in your bracket.

Today's Bracket Tactic

FACT: Since 1979, the only national champion without a McDonald's All-American on the roster was Maryland in 2002.

BRACKET TIP: Do not pick Michigan State, Pitt, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, or Washington State to win it all this year.

Today's tip from the editor: Even though 9 seeds have historically done better than 8 seeds (winning 55% to 45%), this split is statistically insignificant so simply focus on the better team. However, be sure to know whether there's a bonus point for picking a 9 over 8 upset. If this is the case, it might be smart simply to pick all 9 seeds!

- Archived Bracket Tactics

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- Sign up for the free CHN Tournament Challenge and win great prizes!

- Check out various printable & downloadable NCAA Brackets

2008 NCAA Tournament Capsule: Michigan State

Joel Welser — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:00:19 -0700

Michigan State

Big Ten

by Joel Welser

Last NCAA Appearance: 2007, Second Round loss to North Carolina

Coach: Tom Izzo (24-9 in 10 NCAA appearances)

Probable Starters:

Drew Neitzel, Senior, Guard

Kalin Lucas, Freshman, Guard

Raymar Morgan, Freshman, Forward

Goran Suton, Sophomore, Forward

Drew Naymick, Senior, Center

Key Roleplayers:

Chris Allen, Freshman, Guard

Durrell Summers, Freshman, Guard

Travis Walton, Junior, Guard

Marquise Gray, Junior, Forward

Why They Can Surprise:

The defense alone can keep the Spartans in any game. Michigan State is holding the opposition to just 40% shooting from the floor. That is nothing new for a Spartan team, but this group has a little more flash on the defensive end then has been seen in East Lansing lately. Drew Naymick has proved that he can be an intimidator under the basket. Add the tough Marquise Gray and versatile Goran Suton to the mix and Michigan State has a bevy of capable big men to eat up fouls and occasionally provide an offensive spark.

The Spartans have two superstars who can go off on any given night and score 20 or more points. Raymar Morgan is a superb athlete who will be on the receiving end of an alley-oop or two this March. Drew Neitzel is practically the only player on the team who will take a three-pointer. His senior year has been plagued by inconsistency, but when he needs to, Neitzel can take over a game.

Why They Can Disappoint:

The turnover numbers are way too high for an Izzo coached team. But it is not the fault of Neitzel or fellow ballhandler Travis Walton. Most of the turnovers come from the big guys or the freshmen. When the turnovers start getting out of control, the Spartans can lose their poise very quickly. Another concern could be the lack of three point shooting the Spartans have done this season. Few teams in the nation take fewer long balls than MSU. It may seem unnatural for this team to hoist up three’s to get back into a game, but at least they have a couple guys in Neitzel and freshman Chris Allen that can knock them down consistently.

Who To Watch:

A trio of freshmen guards has turned the Spartan offense from a struggling one man show to a dynamic balanced scoring attack in one short year. Kalin Lucas will run the point on occasion and he has the speed to beat anybody down the floor. Allen is a sharpshooter off the bench and Durrell Summers is another in a long line of great athletes that has made their way to East Lansing. When the freshmen are having a good day, the Spartans are tough to beat.

- More 2008 NCAA Tournament Coverage

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Game of the Week: Michigan State at Indiana

Jeff Borzello — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 09:01:02 -0800

Game of the Week: No. 10 Michigan State at No. 13 Indiana (Saturday, 9:00 PM, ESPN)

When two of the best teams in the Big Ten face-off, it is guaranteed to be one of the better games of the weekend. In this case, Michigan State and Indiana are both coming off of losses, but are still right in the thick of the conference title race. However, Saturday night’s game will be more than just a battle for conference supremacy. In the light of all the recent happenings at Indiana involving Kelvin Sampson, it will be interesting to see if it could potentially be a distraction to the Hoosiers. Rumors swirling around regarding Sampson’s coaching future at IU will certainly not help a young team in need of a marquee win. It should be an outstanding match-up.

Michigan State Team Breakdown

Michigan State came into the season as the co-Big Ten favorite – along with Indiana – and a potential Final Four sleeper. However, the Spartans have been somewhat inconsistent this season, beating the likes of Texas, BYU and Purdue, but also losing to teams such as Iowa and Penn State. They have struggled scoring the ball on occasion, averaging just 57.3 points per game in their four losses. MSU is ranked No. 38 in offensive efficiency and No. 23 in defensive efficiency.

The Spartans have a deep and balanced team, but the key is play of the perimeter. Senior Drew Neitzel developed into a go-to-guy last season, but has taken a step back this season as other players have become consistent offensive options. He is still a great leader who can knock down clutch shots late in the game. He takes tremendous care of the ball, and can also distribute. Freshman Kalin Lucas and junior Travis Walton can both play the point, although Lucas is much more of an aggressive scorer, while Walton is a defensive stopper. Lucas is very quick and can create plays for himself and his teammates; Walton takes care of the ball and is a very good passer. Durrell Summers and Chris Allen both see less than 13 minutes per game, but they are fifth and six on the team in scoring, respectively. Summers is an outstanding shooter.

Up front, sophomore Raymar Morgan has become one of the better all-around players in the Big Ten. He can score in a variety of ways, as he has the ability to post-up smaller players down low or hit the mid-range jumper and drive past slower defenders. He is very difficult to defend. Goran Suton is an underrated inside performer. He is an efficient finisher inside and is one of the best rebounders in the conference. Suton is also a good passer with decent vision for a big man. Marquise Gray is an athletic forward who can rebound very well and bang down low, while Drew Naymick is a solid shot-blocker and rebounder who is extremely efficient inside.

Indiana Team Breakdown

Indiana was one of the candidates to win the Big Ten heading into the season, and it sure looked like that projection was going to be correct when the Hoosiers jumped out to a 17-1 record, including six straight wins in the Big Ten. Since then, though, IU is just 3-3, getting swept by Wisconsin and losing at home to Connecticut. Their best win on the season is at Ohio State – not exactly a marquee victory. The Hoosiers are ranked No. 20 in offensive efficiency and No. 22 at the other end of the floor.

The Hoosiers have one of the best inside-outside combos in the country in freshman guard Eric Gordon and senior big man D.J. White. Gordon has proved himself to be one of the best guards in the country, regardless of classification. He can score in a variety of ways, driving to the basket or shooting from three. He has unlimited range and is not afraid to take – and make – the big shot. White has become a premier big man, arguably the best in the Big Ten and one of the best in America. He is a double-double lock every night out, and can dominate the post against anyone. He is a tremendous defender and rebounder who is extremely efficient when finishing.

Indiana is very deep on the perimeter, with two double-figure scorers in addition to Gordon. Armon Bassett is one of the top three-point shooters in the conference, and has increased his production lately. He has the ability to play both guard positions. Jordan Crawford is a crafty freshman guard that can do nearly everything on the court. He tends to make mistakes at times and has been unbelievable inconsistent lately. Jamarcus Ellis is a junior wing that is one of the best rebounders in the Big Ten despite his 6-foot-5 stature. He is athletic and can distribute the ball well. Forward Lance Stemler is an inside-outside scoring threat who is usually good for a clutch three every game, while DeAndre Thomas and Mike White can bang down low.

Game Analysis and Prediction

Despite the poor play this week by each team, expect this to be one of the best games of the Big Ten season. Both teams have plenty of talent and can score from both inside and out with different options. Both teams like playing in the half-court, although Indiana has the athletes and scorers to get points in transition. Defensively, neither team forces many turnovers but they both play stingy half-court defense – indicative of the Big Ten as a whole. This game also holds more importance than one would expect in terms of the Big Ten standings. A loss here for Michigan State, and the Spartans could drop to fifth in the conference if Ohio State wins. That would not bode well for their seeding in the NCAA Tournament. Indiana has lost whatever momentum it built due to its hot start, and needs to pick-up a victory to get back on the right track.

If Michigan State is going to catapult itself back into the Big Ten race with a win on the road, it needs to play much better than it has in its last two contests away from home. In order to get the win, it will first need to start knocking down three-pointers. The Spartans didn’t hit a single long-range shot in their loss at Purdue on Tuesday and are shooting below 35 percent from beyond the arc on the season. The interesting thing is that MSU has players that can stroke the jumper consistently. Drew Neitzel has range, Kalin Lucas and Chris Allen are decent, and Durrell Summers is a terrific jump-shooter. Indiana is susceptible to the three-point shot, and the Spartans need to take advantage of that. Secondly, they will have to get consistent inside-outside production. Neitzel has been inconsistent in big games, while Goran Suton has been a non-factor at times. Lucas is not ready to be a go-to-guy, and Raymar Morgan can’t be the only scorer. Against a team like Indiana, Michigan State is going to need to get production from a variety of options. It would help if Neitzel reverted to his ways from last year, as well. Lastly, the Spartans have to slow down either Eric Gordon or D.J. White. It is obviously impossible to shut both of them down, but allowing both to have huge games would spell doom for MSU. They can’t allow Gordon to get hot from deep or White to dominate down low.

On the other side, Indiana has the home-court advantage but the off-court distractions. That will be the most important thing: focusing on the game and not on what is going on with the pending NCAA investigation and upcoming decision regarding Kelvin Sampson’s future with the team. The Hoosiers are still relatively young and inexperienced, and you never know if their minds might be elsewhere heading into the game. However, I think they’ll be okay – will Sampson? That’s the question. Defensively, Indiana needs to keep the Michigan State players out of the lane. Indiana starts four perimeter players for the most part and can’t allow Lucas, Neitzel, etc. to get into the lane and create for their teammates. The Spartans don’t shoot the three well, so IU has to force them to hit their perimeter shots. Pack it in or zone them; both could be successful. They also have to be sure to limit the Spartans’ second chances. White is really the only starting post player that Indiana has, and Michigan State is one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country. It’s imperative that Indiana cleans up MSU’s missed shots. Offensively, the secondary options for the Hoosiers will have to step-up and get points. Defensive stopper Travis Walton will be defending Gordon, which could be tough, while MSU has plenty of big guys to throw at White. Players like Armon Bassett and Jordan Crawford could be key.

The game is going to come down to who can get clutch baskets down the stretch; Michigan State is more experienced and has the personnel to slow down Indiana’s main offensive options late in the game. Despite the Spartans’ recent struggles on the road, I think they will get the win because of their offensive versatility and the off-court distractions for Indiana.

Prediction: Michigan State 66, Indiana 63

Games of the Night: Michigan State at Indiana

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 09:31:18 -0800

Games of the Night

A companion to our daily Three Stars of the Day, we present the top three Games of the Night.

#9 Michigan State (20-3) at #23 Purdue (19-5)

7:00 PM ESPN

Before the season, I was fairly certain that Michigan State would be leading the Big Ten on February 12th. Instead its Purdue.. who knew? The Spartans have been rather weak on the road, just 3-2 overall including losses to bad Iowa and Penn State squads. They also trailed Illinois at half and barely put away Minnesota at Williams Arena. This has led Purdue being a slight favorite at home tonight.. a line you shouldn't take lightly consider the Boilers are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 games and 20-6 in their last 26 Big Ten games. People just don't give Purdue any respect.. and I'll make that same mistake tonight.

Prediction: Michigan State

#25 Marquette (16-6) at Seton Hall (15-9)

7:30 PM

Whatever respect Marquette still has derives from a close loss to Duke and a win over Wisconsin. Since Big East play has started, they've been completely mediocre.. going 1-4 on the road and only beating one team in the Top 50 RPI (Notre Dame at home). Since making an NCAA Tournament push, Seton Hall has regressed.. losing 3 straight. At 5-6 in league play and with an RPI of 61, there postseason dreams are definitely not dead.. but the Hall need to start winning some big games. They've only beaten one Top 50 team.. which is less than schools like Iowa, SLU, and Northern Iowa.

Prediction: Marquette

Kentucky (12-9) at #19 Vanderbilt (20-4)

9:00 PM ESPN

Having won five straight, people are suddenly jumping back on the UK bandwagon. The good vibes though started back in early January, when the Wildcats beat Vandy at home. That was the Commodores first loss of the season, and they've only recently started to get back on the winning track. Vandy hasn't beaten one of the top 7 teams in the SEC, which has to make you worry, but that has a lot to do with scheduling. They've played a lot of tough road games, and only now finally get a lengthy four-game home stand.. which will start with a win.

Prediction: Vanderbilt

Previous Game of the Night (Predictions)

February 11th - Kansas at Texas (2-1)

February 10th - Indiana at Ohio State (2-1)

February 9th - Georgetown at Louisville (2-1)

February 7th - UCLA at Washington State (2-1)

February 6th - Duke at North Carolina (1-2)

February 5th - Florida at Tennessee (2-1)

February 4th - Gonzaga at SMC (1-2)

January 30th - Indiana at Wisconsin (1-2)

January 29th - VCU at George Mason (2-1)

January 28th - Louisville at UCONN (1-2)

January 27th - Duke at Maryland (2-1)

January 26th - Georgetown at West Virginia (3-0)

January 24rd - Dayton at Xavier (2-1)

January 22nd - Akron at Kent State (2-1)

January 21st - Drake at Creighton (1-2)

January 20th - Texas at Oklahoma State (3-0)

January 19th - Marquette at UCONN (2-1)

January 18th - Illinois State at Drake (2-1)

January 17th - Vanderbilt at Tennessee (2-1)

January 14th - Georgetown at Pittsburgh (2-1)

January 12th - Stanford at Oregon (3-0)

January 9th - Rhode Island at Dayton (2-1)

January 8th - Florida at Alabama (2-1)

January 7th - Robert Morris at Boston College (1-2)

January 6th - North Carolina at Clemson (2-1)

January 5th - Western Kentucky at South Alabama (3-0)

January 4th - American at Brown (0-3)

January 3rd - UCLA at Stanford (3-0)

January 2nd - Houston at UMASS (2-1)

Big Ten: All-December

Jeff Fox — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 08:44:21 -0800

Status quo in the Big Ten, as Drew Neitzel is the only person on the All-December team that didn’t make the All-November team.

Guard – Drew Neitzel – Michigan State – SR
14.5ppg, 4.6apg, 2.5rpg
Best game – Dec 15th – IPFW – 18 points, 5 assists, 4 boards, 2 steals

Senior Neitzel’s scoring is down this year, but he is doing something far more important to the team’s success – taking care of the ball. He has a very solid 4.29 assists to turnover ratio, and in the month of December dished out 32 dimes and only turned the ball over eight times.

Guard – Eric Gordon – Indiana – FR
23.5ppg, 3.1rpg, 2.3apg
Best game – Dec 15th – Western Carolina – 26 points, 6 three pointers

Frosh Gordon has been all he was hyped up to be and more. He didn’t let getting banged up in a game in December slow him down, as he posted four 20 plus point games.

Guard/Forward – Geary Claxton – Penn State – SR
19.2ppg, 8.7rpg, 2.5apg
Best game – Dec 12th – Princeton – 21 points, 10 boards, 5 assists, 2 steals

As expected, Claxton is leading the way for the Nittany Lions this year. He produced three games of 20 & 10 in December and has his team rolling with six straight Ws.

Forward – Raymar Morgan – Michigan State – SO
17.4ppg, 7.1rpg, 58.5 FG%
Best game – Dec 29th – UWGB – 24 points, 8 boards

Morgan follows up on his All-November performance with an All-December one. The Canton, Ohio native has scored in double figures in all of the Spartans’ games this season and has them sitting at #6 in the nation.

Forward – D.J. White – Indiana – SR
16.4ppg, 10.1rpg, 1.9bpg
Best game – Dec 3rd – Tennessee State – 29 points, 13 boards, 4 blocks

With freshman Eric Gordon holding things down on the perimeter, White has been the beast down low. Six out of the Hoosier’s seven games in December saw White post a double-double.

- Next up – Big 12