"Are you watching this?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Just wanted to make sure sure you're seeing this after what you said yesterday. You said he didn't have a chance!"
Locked up at 7-7 in the fifth set on the grandest of stages, the cathedral of tennis that is Centre Court Wimbledon, and Andy Roddick and Roger Federer were duking it out for Wimbledon title.
I didn't give Andy Roddick a chance to win Sunday. He was 2-18 against Federer coming into the match, 0-3 against him in Grand Slam Finals. Furthermore, Fed cruised into the final, dropping only a set, and gaining a huge mental boost from the absence of his rival Rafael Nadal. Everything was in place for Roddick to receive another drubbing from the mighty hands of Roger Federer.
Boy was I wrong.
This was a new and improved Andy Roddick we saw Sunday. It had to have been the best 4 hours and 18 minutes of tennis he's ever played against anyone, but he came out as the runner up. How can you cope with that feeling? Knowing that you're going toe to toe with possibly the greatest tennis player ever and holding your own, only to lose in the fifth set 16-14. Yes, 16-14.
For as great as it is that Roddick was back in a Grand Slam Final, playing some of the best tennis of his life, the fact that he was so close to beating Federer makes the loss even more devastating. He had Fed on the ropes, up 6-2 in the second set tiebreaker, with two chances to close out the set on his serve. But Roger, being Roger, reeled off seven straight points to win the breaker and the set. Fast forward to 8-8 in the fifth set, Roddick has two break points at 15-40. Federer wins four in a row to close the window.
For as much attention that Roddick's booming, 130 mph serve receives, Federer's is severely underrated. Sure, he averages in the 120's on his first, but the placement of his serve is what makes it so devastating. He just puts it wherever he wants. He served a career high 50 aces Sunday, one short of the Wimbledon record set by Ivo Karlovic.
Yes, this loss was devastating for Roddick. But he may have found the chink in the armour of the almighty Fed. In 2004, Roddick lost to Federer in the Wimbledon final 6-4, 5-7, 6-7 (3), 4-6. In 2005, he lost in straight sets, 2-6, 6-7 (2), 4-6. The fact that Roddick pushed Federer to the brink should be encouraging to Andy. Don't forget that he had to beat world #3 Andy Murray, who has beaten Federer the last four times he played him. Roddick also beat former Wimbledon Champion Lleyton Hewitt in five sets in the quarters. He has a revamped backhand, volleys, and a new attitude, and much of this can be credited to his new coach Larry Stefanki.
The Fed Express looks like it's back on track, after a brief derailing in 2009. Without Nadal in the picture, Federer has returned to the top of the tennis world, making him a definite favorite for this year's US Open. But you have to wonder if Federer would have reached this plateau of 15 Grand Slam Singles titles if Rafa wasn't injured. I'm not trying to take away from Federer's grand achievements, but how can he be considered the greatest of all time if he has a losing record to his closest rival? Of the seven times they have met in Grand Slam Finals, Rafa has won five times. Three have come at the French Open, one at the Australian Open, and the final coming in 2008's epic Wimbledon final.
The knock on Nadal is that he plays Federer only on clay, and that's why he wins so many of the contests. Rafa is the king of clay, Roger is the king of grass. But with his wins over Federer on the hards courts of the Australian Open, and the grass courts of Wimbledon, those theories have been put to bed.
Roger Federer is a great champion, and without a doubt one of the most talented tennis players to ever pick up a racquet. He now holds the record for most Grand Slam singles titles with 15. Roger is 27 and probably has a few more years left on tour. Nadal is 23, and though his knees might threaten to cut his career short, he has still accumulated six Grand Slam titles. Give Rafa a few more years and a few more head to head matches against Federer before you deem Fed as the greatest tennis play of all time.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Wings Should Re-Sign Hossa
There's been a lot of talk in the press and in the blogosphere from writers and fans urging the Red Wings to let Marian Hossa become a free agent again.
Sure he put up the big numbers in the regular season (40 goals, 31 assists, 71 points and a plus 27 rating), but he disappeared in the postseason, recording only 6 goals and 9 assists.
For many, those 40 goals in the regular season mean nothing now that the Wings fell one game shy of hockey's ultimate prize. Dump Hossa. Red Wings fans are ready to bring out the pitchforks and torches and drive him out of town.
But not so fast. As the Freep's Michael Rosenberg pointed out, Hossa's postseason stats are eerily similar to those of two time Lady Byng and Selke Trophy winner Pavel Datsyuk.
Here's the line; Pavel Datsyuk: 98 playoff games, 22 goals, 41 assists, plus 19.
Marian Hossa: 98 playoff games, 31 goals, 45 assists, plus 4.
Now here's the question, if Datsyuk was going to become a free agent, would you still want him on your team? Don't look at regular season stats, or those postseason awards he has won based on the regular season, zero in on the postseason stats. Remember, in the eyes of the Hossa Haters, playoff numbers are everything.
Even though Datsyuk did miss 7 games this postseason while a foot injury, he record only one goal and 6 assists in 23 games.
Poor postseason numbers shouldn't deter a team from re-signing a world class player like Hossa. Forty goal scorers don't come around very often. The Wings didn't even go after him last offseason; he game to them. He felt the Red Wings gave him the best chance to win a Stanley Cup.
There's no way I could avoid mentioning the dramatic irony in this situation: Hossa turned down a lucrative long term deal with the Penguins to sign with the Wings, only to be beaten by his former team in the finals this year. Some would argue that Hossa made a huge mistake, turning down all that money to end up losing in the Stanley Cup finals two years in a row. But of course, we have the benefit of hindsight, and at the time, the Red Wings were the best team in the NHL, and realistically, they did give Hossa the best chance to win a Cup. They just ran out of gas this year.
But there's more to hockey than just scoring. Yes, sounds ridiculous that any kind of contribution that does not result in points could actually be relevant. Hossa is one of the league's best two-way forwards. One stat that doesn't always get much attention is the plus/minus ratio: the number of times you're on the ice when your team scores compared to the number of times you're on the ice when the opposition scores. Hossa was plus 27 this year, third on the team behind Niklas Lidstrom and Datsyuk.
There's more to being a great hockey player than just scoring goals. This is the case with Marian Hossa. He may not have shown it in the playoffs, but he is one of the most complete hockey players in the NHL.
Sure he put up the big numbers in the regular season (40 goals, 31 assists, 71 points and a plus 27 rating), but he disappeared in the postseason, recording only 6 goals and 9 assists.
For many, those 40 goals in the regular season mean nothing now that the Wings fell one game shy of hockey's ultimate prize. Dump Hossa. Red Wings fans are ready to bring out the pitchforks and torches and drive him out of town.
But not so fast. As the Freep's Michael Rosenberg pointed out, Hossa's postseason stats are eerily similar to those of two time Lady Byng and Selke Trophy winner Pavel Datsyuk.
Here's the line; Pavel Datsyuk: 98 playoff games, 22 goals, 41 assists, plus 19.
Marian Hossa: 98 playoff games, 31 goals, 45 assists, plus 4.
Now here's the question, if Datsyuk was going to become a free agent, would you still want him on your team? Don't look at regular season stats, or those postseason awards he has won based on the regular season, zero in on the postseason stats. Remember, in the eyes of the Hossa Haters, playoff numbers are everything.
Even though Datsyuk did miss 7 games this postseason while a foot injury, he record only one goal and 6 assists in 23 games.
Poor postseason numbers shouldn't deter a team from re-signing a world class player like Hossa. Forty goal scorers don't come around very often. The Wings didn't even go after him last offseason; he game to them. He felt the Red Wings gave him the best chance to win a Stanley Cup.
There's no way I could avoid mentioning the dramatic irony in this situation: Hossa turned down a lucrative long term deal with the Penguins to sign with the Wings, only to be beaten by his former team in the finals this year. Some would argue that Hossa made a huge mistake, turning down all that money to end up losing in the Stanley Cup finals two years in a row. But of course, we have the benefit of hindsight, and at the time, the Red Wings were the best team in the NHL, and realistically, they did give Hossa the best chance to win a Cup. They just ran out of gas this year.
But there's more to hockey than just scoring. Yes, sounds ridiculous that any kind of contribution that does not result in points could actually be relevant. Hossa is one of the league's best two-way forwards. One stat that doesn't always get much attention is the plus/minus ratio: the number of times you're on the ice when your team scores compared to the number of times you're on the ice when the opposition scores. Hossa was plus 27 this year, third on the team behind Niklas Lidstrom and Datsyuk.
There's more to being a great hockey player than just scoring goals. This is the case with Marian Hossa. He may not have shown it in the playoffs, but he is one of the most complete hockey players in the NHL.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Team of Destiny
Nobody gave them a chance against Louisville.
They were the number one overall seed in the tournament.
Nobody gave them a chance against UConn.
They had been ranked number one in the country long than any other team this year.
But this team defied the odds, beat the top two seeds in the supposedly superior Big East and are now vying for a national title in Detroit.
You could not have scripted this any better for Michigan State.
Sure, North Carolina destroyed them by 35 points back in December, but it's not even fair to bring that game up. They were without Suton, Delvon Roe was still recovering from his knee surgeries, and MSU was coming off of a three game tournament in Florida.
Are they the underdogs? Yes. Is it an upset if MSU wins tonight? Yes, but the level between these two teams is not as far apart as you might think.
Sure, UNC may have more NBA calliber players on their roster, but they lack the depth that the Spartans have on their bench. MSU runs 10 deep, while UNC runs two to three off of their bench.
Ford Field will basically be the Breslin Center, well, maybe three times the size of the Bres, but it will be a sea of green and white, for as far as the eye can see. It will be homefield advantage for the Spartans.
UNC is returning four key players from last year's Final Four team for one reason: win a national championship. MSU has fulfilled their destiny of playing in a Final Four 90 miles away from campus, something Tom Izzo dreamed of ever since the site was decided upon in 2003.
If they can keep the same intensity they displayed against UConn and Louisville, limit their turnovers and stay out of foul trouble, Michigan State has a great shot to win tonight.
No matter what happens, it has been a spectacular season for these Spartans, but destiny can only carry a team so far. Their hard work will carry them the rest of the way.
Go Green!
They were the number one overall seed in the tournament.
Nobody gave them a chance against UConn.
They had been ranked number one in the country long than any other team this year.
But this team defied the odds, beat the top two seeds in the supposedly superior Big East and are now vying for a national title in Detroit.
You could not have scripted this any better for Michigan State.
Sure, North Carolina destroyed them by 35 points back in December, but it's not even fair to bring that game up. They were without Suton, Delvon Roe was still recovering from his knee surgeries, and MSU was coming off of a three game tournament in Florida.
Are they the underdogs? Yes. Is it an upset if MSU wins tonight? Yes, but the level between these two teams is not as far apart as you might think.
Sure, UNC may have more NBA calliber players on their roster, but they lack the depth that the Spartans have on their bench. MSU runs 10 deep, while UNC runs two to three off of their bench.
Ford Field will basically be the Breslin Center, well, maybe three times the size of the Bres, but it will be a sea of green and white, for as far as the eye can see. It will be homefield advantage for the Spartans.
UNC is returning four key players from last year's Final Four team for one reason: win a national championship. MSU has fulfilled their destiny of playing in a Final Four 90 miles away from campus, something Tom Izzo dreamed of ever since the site was decided upon in 2003.
If they can keep the same intensity they displayed against UConn and Louisville, limit their turnovers and stay out of foul trouble, Michigan State has a great shot to win tonight.
No matter what happens, it has been a spectacular season for these Spartans, but destiny can only carry a team so far. Their hard work will carry them the rest of the way.
Go Green!
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Inconsistency is the first word that comes to mind
It was a short and uneventful two days for MSU basketball.
After struggling to put away Minnesota on Friday, the Spartan's inconsistencies finally caught up to them today, as they lost to Ohio State 82-70, thus ending their 2009 Big Ten Tournament.
Kalin Lucas led the way with 17 points, while Korie Lucious added 16 points off the bench.
MSU led early, but then the Buckeyes started draining three's, and it was all but over for MSU.
Ohio State shot 53.2% from the field, including a remarkable 56.2% from three point land.
Michigan State was held to 38% from the floor, shooting a dismal 14.3% (3-for-21) from behind the arc.
Ohio State's ability to hit the three was one of the biggest difference makers in the game. When Michigan State had open looks and opportunities to score, they just could not connect.
Chris Allen, who scored 17 points against Minnesota, scored five points on 2-for-11 shooting (0-for-6 on three pointers).
Durrell Summers did not make much of an impact on the game, as he did not record a point in 9 minutes of playing time.
Besides Lucas and the jolt of energy that Lucious provided off the bench, the player that looked most impressive was senior Goran Suton. Suton scored 10 points and grabbed 8 rebounds and looked to put the ball on the floor and drive to the hoop more instead of settling for a mid-range jumper.
Still, the Spartans' inability to capitalize on their oportunities is what hurt them the most in this game, and with the NCAA Tournament set to begin next week Thursday, is this cause for the Spartan faithful to start worrying?
Despite the fact that they blew their chance at a number one seed in the tourney by not winning the Big Ten Tournament, I think that this is another wakeup call for the team. They have been inconsistent all year on the offensive end, relying on their defense to keep them in numerous games this year. They barely scraped by Minnesota Friday, and they didn't look much better today. MSU needs to cut down on the hurtful turnovers, like traveling, that have plagued them this year.
They have all the tools necessary to reach the Elite Eight, or a Final Four, but the offensive, especially Summers and Delvon Roe, needs to wake up and start producing if they want to reach these plateaus.
After struggling to put away Minnesota on Friday, the Spartan's inconsistencies finally caught up to them today, as they lost to Ohio State 82-70, thus ending their 2009 Big Ten Tournament.
Kalin Lucas led the way with 17 points, while Korie Lucious added 16 points off the bench.
MSU led early, but then the Buckeyes started draining three's, and it was all but over for MSU.
Ohio State shot 53.2% from the field, including a remarkable 56.2% from three point land.
Michigan State was held to 38% from the floor, shooting a dismal 14.3% (3-for-21) from behind the arc.
Ohio State's ability to hit the three was one of the biggest difference makers in the game. When Michigan State had open looks and opportunities to score, they just could not connect.
Chris Allen, who scored 17 points against Minnesota, scored five points on 2-for-11 shooting (0-for-6 on three pointers).
Durrell Summers did not make much of an impact on the game, as he did not record a point in 9 minutes of playing time.
Besides Lucas and the jolt of energy that Lucious provided off the bench, the player that looked most impressive was senior Goran Suton. Suton scored 10 points and grabbed 8 rebounds and looked to put the ball on the floor and drive to the hoop more instead of settling for a mid-range jumper.
Still, the Spartans' inability to capitalize on their oportunities is what hurt them the most in this game, and with the NCAA Tournament set to begin next week Thursday, is this cause for the Spartan faithful to start worrying?
Despite the fact that they blew their chance at a number one seed in the tourney by not winning the Big Ten Tournament, I think that this is another wakeup call for the team. They have been inconsistent all year on the offensive end, relying on their defense to keep them in numerous games this year. They barely scraped by Minnesota Friday, and they didn't look much better today. MSU needs to cut down on the hurtful turnovers, like traveling, that have plagued them this year.
They have all the tools necessary to reach the Elite Eight, or a Final Four, but the offensive, especially Summers and Delvon Roe, needs to wake up and start producing if they want to reach these plateaus.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Talk about going out on top
There would not be a let down again.
Especially not on this day.
Even with the Big Ten Championship already wrapped up with win Tuesday against Indiana, Coach Izzo and the rest of the Spartans wanted to wait and celebrate the title with their fans at home.
It certainly was well worth the wait.
Kalin Lucas put on a show Sunday, scoring 21 points, grabbing 5 boards and dishing out 4 assists in MSU's 62-51 victory over Purdue.
The Spartans got the payback they wanted after being trounced by the Boilermakers 72-54 in West Lafayette on February 17.
Oh did I forget? It was also Senior Day in East Lansing, as the Spartans also honored their four seniors, Travis Walton, Idong Ibok, Marquise Gray, and Goran Suton.
Izzo and MSU Athletic Director Mark Hollis took a risk by postponing Senior Day events and the celebration of the Big Ten Championship until after the game, but because of the Spartan victory, it made for a memorable afternoon. Each of the four seniors were honored with their jerseys in a glass display and they all had a chance to speak to the packed Breslin Center crowd.
Afterwards, the Spartans were presented the Big Ten Championship trophy, which was followed by the ceremonial cutting down of the nets.
Suton, playing his last game in the homely confines of the Breslin Center, scored 11 points and added 10 rebounds. Suton fouled out with less than two minutes to play, and he knelt down and kissed the block "S" in the middle of the court before exiting.
Everything about this game was big. The fact that it was senior day, and they had to celebrate the Big Ten Title win or lose, and the fact that Purdue had walked all over MSU in mid February.
Travis Walton certainly was right in saying that this game was a statement game.
Now MSU has the #1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, and they have a good shot at winning it all. This team, plagued mostly by injuries, and a little by inconsistency this whole year, is looking like it's finally coming together. Travis Walton has solidified himself as the best defensive player in the Big Ten. Kalin Lucas is showing why he has a good shot at becoming the Big Ten Player of the Year. Delvon Roe is getting better and better. Raymar Morgan is finally healthy. All the pieces are in place for a run in the Big Ten Tourney, and a long run in the NCAA Tournament as well.
Especially not on this day.
Even with the Big Ten Championship already wrapped up with win Tuesday against Indiana, Coach Izzo and the rest of the Spartans wanted to wait and celebrate the title with their fans at home.
It certainly was well worth the wait.
Kalin Lucas put on a show Sunday, scoring 21 points, grabbing 5 boards and dishing out 4 assists in MSU's 62-51 victory over Purdue.
The Spartans got the payback they wanted after being trounced by the Boilermakers 72-54 in West Lafayette on February 17.
Oh did I forget? It was also Senior Day in East Lansing, as the Spartans also honored their four seniors, Travis Walton, Idong Ibok, Marquise Gray, and Goran Suton.
Izzo and MSU Athletic Director Mark Hollis took a risk by postponing Senior Day events and the celebration of the Big Ten Championship until after the game, but because of the Spartan victory, it made for a memorable afternoon. Each of the four seniors were honored with their jerseys in a glass display and they all had a chance to speak to the packed Breslin Center crowd.
Afterwards, the Spartans were presented the Big Ten Championship trophy, which was followed by the ceremonial cutting down of the nets.
Suton, playing his last game in the homely confines of the Breslin Center, scored 11 points and added 10 rebounds. Suton fouled out with less than two minutes to play, and he knelt down and kissed the block "S" in the middle of the court before exiting.
Everything about this game was big. The fact that it was senior day, and they had to celebrate the Big Ten Title win or lose, and the fact that Purdue had walked all over MSU in mid February.
Travis Walton certainly was right in saying that this game was a statement game.
Now MSU has the #1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, and they have a good shot at winning it all. This team, plagued mostly by injuries, and a little by inconsistency this whole year, is looking like it's finally coming together. Travis Walton has solidified himself as the best defensive player in the Big Ten. Kalin Lucas is showing why he has a good shot at becoming the Big Ten Player of the Year. Delvon Roe is getting better and better. Raymar Morgan is finally healthy. All the pieces are in place for a run in the Big Ten Tourney, and a long run in the NCAA Tournament as well.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
I-Dunk, I-Block
Idong Ibok lived up to half of his nickname on Sunday against Illinois: he recorded one block.
But what he did to stop Illinois center Mike Tisdale won't show up on the scoreboard.
The senior came in off the bench after Goran Suton's fourth foul and shut down the Illini big man, helping to seal a 74-66 victory for the Spartans, and at least a share of the Big Ten Title.
Kalin Lucas led the way for the Spartans with 18 points, while Raymar Morgan and Delvon Roe added 14 and 10, respectively.
MSU jumped out to a 9-3 start, and didn't look back from that point on. It wasn't until late in the second half that the Spartan's lead was threatened, when the score was tied at 58 with 7:19 left. This was after Tisdale awoke like the sleeping giant he is. He scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half, and MSU had no answer. Izzo made the decision to put in the 6'11" Ibok, who boasts a 7' plus wingspan, and the Spartans were able to retake the lead and seal the game with late free throws.
Kalin Lucas was stellar for the green and white, shooting 7-for-14 from the field, 3-5 from the charity stripe, and recording 4 assists. Travis Walton played his usual lock down defense, recording 3 steals and netting 8 points on 4-for-5 shooting.
Raymar Morgan played his best game yet after coming back from his month long illness and Delvon Roe is looking more and more impressive with every game. Morgan's health and Roe's continued improvement are key factors in the Spartan's hopes of reaching the Final Four at Ford Field.
After their come from behind victory and sloppy game against Iowa, this was the Spartan's most consistent game since they pounded Minnesota at home in early February. Sure, they blew an 11 point lead, but they never trailed once in the game, and when it mattered the most, the defense held up, and the Spartans were able to regain the lead. Not looking past Indiana is key, as their last game of the regular season is at home against Purdue, and it could determine who wins the Big Ten outright.
Hopefully the Spartans can continue their momentum during these last two games and into the Big Ten Tourney. If they win the Big Ten Tourney, and one of the top four teams in the country falters, there's a chance that the Spartans could get a number one seed in the Big Dance. They have all the pieces in play, they just have to be consistent for a full 40 minutes. But the one thing that they have in their favor is that they have Tom Izzo, who knows how to win, and has been in these situations before. It will definitely be an exciting two games to end the season, as well as to see how well the Spartans do in the Big Ten Conference Tourney.
But what he did to stop Illinois center Mike Tisdale won't show up on the scoreboard.
The senior came in off the bench after Goran Suton's fourth foul and shut down the Illini big man, helping to seal a 74-66 victory for the Spartans, and at least a share of the Big Ten Title.
Kalin Lucas led the way for the Spartans with 18 points, while Raymar Morgan and Delvon Roe added 14 and 10, respectively.
MSU jumped out to a 9-3 start, and didn't look back from that point on. It wasn't until late in the second half that the Spartan's lead was threatened, when the score was tied at 58 with 7:19 left. This was after Tisdale awoke like the sleeping giant he is. He scored 13 of his 15 points in the second half, and MSU had no answer. Izzo made the decision to put in the 6'11" Ibok, who boasts a 7' plus wingspan, and the Spartans were able to retake the lead and seal the game with late free throws.
Kalin Lucas was stellar for the green and white, shooting 7-for-14 from the field, 3-5 from the charity stripe, and recording 4 assists. Travis Walton played his usual lock down defense, recording 3 steals and netting 8 points on 4-for-5 shooting.
Raymar Morgan played his best game yet after coming back from his month long illness and Delvon Roe is looking more and more impressive with every game. Morgan's health and Roe's continued improvement are key factors in the Spartan's hopes of reaching the Final Four at Ford Field.
After their come from behind victory and sloppy game against Iowa, this was the Spartan's most consistent game since they pounded Minnesota at home in early February. Sure, they blew an 11 point lead, but they never trailed once in the game, and when it mattered the most, the defense held up, and the Spartans were able to regain the lead. Not looking past Indiana is key, as their last game of the regular season is at home against Purdue, and it could determine who wins the Big Ten outright.
Hopefully the Spartans can continue their momentum during these last two games and into the Big Ten Tourney. If they win the Big Ten Tourney, and one of the top four teams in the country falters, there's a chance that the Spartans could get a number one seed in the Big Dance. They have all the pieces in play, they just have to be consistent for a full 40 minutes. But the one thing that they have in their favor is that they have Tom Izzo, who knows how to win, and has been in these situations before. It will definitely be an exciting two games to end the season, as well as to see how well the Spartans do in the Big Ten Conference Tourney.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Spartans Escape Badgers with Late Threes
The game could be best described as a seesaw game for Michigan State.
The Spartans started the game off with a bang, with a nice layup from sophomore center Tom Herzog, who got the start in place of senior Goran Suton. But after that, it was all Wisconsin in the first half.
Turnovers plagued the Spartans, as they committed 10 turnovers in the first half, compared with only three by the Badgers. Despite their positive turnover margin, Wisconsin was only up 31-25 at halftime.
The second half was another back and forth affair, as Michigan State cut the Wisconsin lead to four several times, never quite catching up to the Badgers. They were down by as many as 12 in the second half.
Michigan State finally took the lead, 49-47 on a Kalin Lucas bucket at 3:10 left, and a three by Chris Allen sent the Breslin Center into an uproar, as the Spartans led 52-47 and never looked back en route to a 61-50 win.
Lucas led the Spartans with 17 points while Suton added 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.
It felt like Michigan State didn't deserve to win the game after the first 30 minutes of play: they looked sloppy, turned the ball over too much, and weren't taking the open shots when they had them. The normally stout defense was giving up open threes and not grabbing defensive rebounds. Something happened at half time to light a fire under Michigan State and propel them to win against the rival Badgers.
After that terrible performance against Purdue last Thursday, MSU really had to make a point against the Badgers. Even though they are 17-10 and 8-7 in the Big Ten, they were coming off of a five game win streak. Add in the fact that Badger's coach Bo Ryan is 11-4 against Tom Izzo and you've got yourself a must win at Breslin.
And they did, somehow, someway, MSU was able to shake off a sluggish 30 minutes of basketball and come from behind to win.
The next game against Iowa is another must win for MSU, and they can't look past the Hawkeyes to their next opponent, Illinois, next Sunday in Champaign.
I'm still not convinced that MSU has the Big Ten Championship in the bag. It seems like it's a toss up as to which team will show up: A team that has dominated in games against Iowa and at home against Minnesota, or a team that turns the ball over too much and can't seem to buy a shot, like last week against Purdue, or their home loss against Northwestern.
Lucas and Suton are playing well, and Durrell Summers needs to start playing like he did when he averaged 20 points a game for three games, back in early February. The last game of the regular season, against Purdue will probably wind up being the deciding game for the Big Ten Championship.
The Spartans started the game off with a bang, with a nice layup from sophomore center Tom Herzog, who got the start in place of senior Goran Suton. But after that, it was all Wisconsin in the first half.
Turnovers plagued the Spartans, as they committed 10 turnovers in the first half, compared with only three by the Badgers. Despite their positive turnover margin, Wisconsin was only up 31-25 at halftime.
The second half was another back and forth affair, as Michigan State cut the Wisconsin lead to four several times, never quite catching up to the Badgers. They were down by as many as 12 in the second half.
Michigan State finally took the lead, 49-47 on a Kalin Lucas bucket at 3:10 left, and a three by Chris Allen sent the Breslin Center into an uproar, as the Spartans led 52-47 and never looked back en route to a 61-50 win.
Lucas led the Spartans with 17 points while Suton added 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.
It felt like Michigan State didn't deserve to win the game after the first 30 minutes of play: they looked sloppy, turned the ball over too much, and weren't taking the open shots when they had them. The normally stout defense was giving up open threes and not grabbing defensive rebounds. Something happened at half time to light a fire under Michigan State and propel them to win against the rival Badgers.
After that terrible performance against Purdue last Thursday, MSU really had to make a point against the Badgers. Even though they are 17-10 and 8-7 in the Big Ten, they were coming off of a five game win streak. Add in the fact that Badger's coach Bo Ryan is 11-4 against Tom Izzo and you've got yourself a must win at Breslin.
And they did, somehow, someway, MSU was able to shake off a sluggish 30 minutes of basketball and come from behind to win.
The next game against Iowa is another must win for MSU, and they can't look past the Hawkeyes to their next opponent, Illinois, next Sunday in Champaign.
I'm still not convinced that MSU has the Big Ten Championship in the bag. It seems like it's a toss up as to which team will show up: A team that has dominated in games against Iowa and at home against Minnesota, or a team that turns the ball over too much and can't seem to buy a shot, like last week against Purdue, or their home loss against Northwestern.
Lucas and Suton are playing well, and Durrell Summers needs to start playing like he did when he averaged 20 points a game for three games, back in early February. The last game of the regular season, against Purdue will probably wind up being the deciding game for the Big Ten Championship.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
