Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
Around SBN: Kobe Bryant Will Never Top Michael Jordan

Preview: Michigan State Spartans vs. Toledo Rockets

Your MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS vs. the TOLEDO ROCKETS
THE BRESLIN CENTER, EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN
6:30 P.M. (ET), FRIDAY

TV: BIG TEN NETWORK

Rocket bullets:

  • 2009 record of 7-25; 5-11 in the MAC; 0-16 on the road.
  • 2009 Kenpom ranking: #300.  Adjusted offensive efficiency ranking: #307.  Adjusted defensive efficiency: #254.
  • 0-2 in their first two games of the new season: 10-point loss to Eastern Illinois, 24-point loss to Cincinnati.
  • Toledo returns 2 of 5 starters; top two scorers from last two season are gone.
  • Top two leading scorers through two games this season are both freshmen guards: 6'3" Stephen Albrecht (17.0 points/game on 8-17 three-point shooting) and 6'5" Jake Barnett (15.0 points/game on 4-7 three-point shooting).
  • 6'9" junior forward/center Justin Anyijong is the team's leading rebounder (5.5/game) and can apparently shoot the ball from outside, as well: 4-10 from beyond the arc to date.

 

Star-divide

This game is technically part of the opening round of the Legends Classic.  But, even if MSU were to get upset, it wouldn't affect who they play in the remaining three rounds of the classic.  So it's basically just another nonconference home game.

Toledo was not a very good basketball team last year, and that doesn't appear to have changed so far this season.  Offensively, turnovers are their biggest problem.  Last season, the Rockets turned the ball over on 25.5% of their possessions.  That number is up to 27.5% this season.

On the defensive end, Toledo allowed opponents to pull down 36.4% of offensive rebounding opportunities last season.  Cincinnati took advantage of that weakness in their game last night, posting an offensive rebounding percentage of 41.2%.

Raymar Morgan says he's expecting to play tomorrow night, but Tom Izzo doesn't sound convinced.  (Also: Garrick Sherman sat out practice with a deep thigh bruise, which may explain why he didn't play at all down the stretch against Gonzaga.)  Erring on the side of caution definitely makes sense here.  I love the guts Morgan showed Tuesday night, but we're going to need him more against Florida (next Friday) and North Carolina (the Tuesday that follows) than we're going to need him this weekend against Toledo and Valparaiso.

P.S. Extremely important social media updates:

  • Facebook: As I write these words, we have 94 fans of our Facebook page.  If you time things just right, you could be the 100th TOC FB fan!  Just like being the 9th caller into a morning radio show--except you don't win anything, besides regular updates on new TOC content in your FB feed.
  • Twitter: We've ditched the old Twitter feed for a new blog-name-consistent feed: "theonlycolors".  So you tweeters (?) will need to update your tweeting (?) records accordingly.

Comment 7 comments  |  0 recs  | 

Do you like this story?

Comments

Display:

Sounds good

I knew Sherman’s defense wasn’t so bad that he wouldn’t play.
It’ll be interesting to see if “you know who” will make an appearance with Sherman ailing and Morgan limited. There’s a lot of center minutes to be had that can’t all be filled by Draymond Green, Derrick Nix, and a woozy Delvon Roe. Or can they?

I sure hope MSU controls this game. It would be really nice to play a lot of players, try different line-ups, and build some confidence back (Delvon Roe, I’m looking at you).

Funny to read that State News article. One player I am not worried about is Draymond Green. He’ll put it together.

by intrpdtrvlr on Nov 19, 2009 10:12 PM CST reply actions  

Meanwhile

Turner had the wrong kind of double-double tonight

Light a man a fire, he'll stay warm for a day.
Light a man afire, he'll be warm for the rest of his life.

by Seer on Nov 19, 2009 10:34 PM CST reply actions  

Yeah

Just fanshotted on that topic.

Fight for The Only Colors: Green and White!

by KJ@theonlycolors on Nov 19, 2009 10:44 PM CST up reply actions  

10 Turnovers

That’s what you get for exchanging pregame barbs with the opponent’s defensive specialist.

by TMadison25 on Nov 20, 2009 7:23 AM CST up reply actions  

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

A Michigan State basketball and football blog community

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recent FanPosts

Small
Help the Big 10 represent and beat the SEC!
Small
Boise State 2012 Preview
Dawson-michigan-state-600x370_small
The Double Standard in SI's Power Rankings
Dawson-michigan-state-600x370_small
Adreian not Bringing the Payne?
Delvonduck_small
MSU Spring Game Fantasy Contest!
Small
Thank Goodness Adreian Payne is OK
200_small
You're a mean one, Mr. Ryan
Small
Snapper Signing Hits the Double Bonus
Small
Derrick Nix arrested and suspended
Sparty_statue2_small
You Better Believe I'll Take It

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >


Managers

Petenewpic_small Pete Rossman

Spiritofd_small LVS

Contributors

Square_sun_small Steve Hendershot

Marvin_small SpartanDan

State_small Con-T

Adorno5_small intrpdtrvlr

Ph2_small patrick_hayes

Spartan_troll_face_2_small HeckDorland

Mug_vanini_chris__2__small ChrisVannini