It's All About Poise: Michigan State 69, The Citadel 56
Game Thread Comment of the Night:
Generally you want teams to take the 25-footer
by Con-T on Dec 7, 2009 5:32 PM PST
The Citadel players didn't seem to mind taking their shots from 25 feet out for most of the game, knocking down their first 7 three-point attempts, 8 of 10 attempts in the first half, and 12 of 20 for the game. No Bulldog player who attempted a 3-pointer shot less than 50% from 3-point range. There were a few MSU defensive lapses leading to open looks (the worst being an attempted defensive switch by Chris Allen on a nonscreen situation), but there were more quick-release shots by Bulldog players from 3+ feet behind the line.
There's only so much a defense can do against a team hitting almost every shot they take from beyond the arc. If you extend the defense beyond the 3-point line, you'll give up points in the lane (or more 3-pointers on kick-outs). Example: Late in the game Zach Urbanus (who hit his first 4 three-point attempts), pump faked his man 6 feet behind the 3-point line and drove toward the basket to knock down a mid-range floater.
Instead, MSU played good interior defense, limiting The Citadel to a 2-point shooting percentage of just 25.0% (7-28; 3-15 if you remove Cameron Wells from the equation). Meanwhile, they kept the turnover battle close (22.2% to 16.7%) and dominated on the boards (52.2% to 25.0%).
Offensively, the MSU players shot the ball very efficiently, making 56.3% of 2-point attempts, 50.0% of 3-point attempts, and 64.3% of 28 free throw attempts. It's no small feat to post a better eFG% than an opponent that makes 60.0% of its 3-point attempts.
So I'm going to chalk this game up as a success: A poised, efficient performance (1.28 PPP in just 54 possessions) in a raucous road venue against a team that was unconscious from 3-point range for 30 minutes.
Player bullets (official box score is here):
- Kalin Lucas played like the Big Ten POY tonight: 17 points on 6-9 FG shooting and 6 assists (4 turnovers, though). A couple absolute daggers down the stretch. Super-smooth behind-the-back layup on the fast break.
- Raymar Morgan was fairly quiet after the first few minutes but finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
- Very good game from Delvon Roe: 9 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, 2 steals, 1 block. Very active defense against the perimeter-based Bulldog attack. Good aggressiveness attacking the basket on offense.
- This qualifies as a quiet Draymond Green performance: 9 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 1 block.
- Combined 12-16 FT shooting from Roe and Green. We'll take it.
- Chris Allen: Good when shooting ball (9 points on 6 FGA), bad when driving into traffic (4 turnovers).
- Durrell Summers was the invisible man: zero points and 2 rebounds in 19 minutes. Not exactly the tempo he likes to play at, but we're going to need a lot more than this out of him in Big Ten play.
- More Garrick Sherman, please: 4 points in 8 minutes on a couple nifty moves going to the basket. Tom Izzo seems resigned to playing Roe and Green close to 30 minutes each up front, but I don't see how we get through the entire season with that plan. Morgan's better at the 3 spot than the 4. Sherman needs experience before we get into conference/NCAA play.
- Korie Lucious hit a couple 3-pointers at big moments. Good bounce back from 4-15 FG shooting in last two games.
- Derrick Nix missed another two free throws. 1-20. Ugh.
Next up: Back to the friendly confines of the Breslin Center for a match-up with the Oakland Grizzlies. Thursday at 7:00. Big Ten Network.
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9 comments
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Comments
Nearly identical lines for Roe and Green
I thought that was a typo at first.
Also file under “that has to be a typo”: Nix. Good God, man. I could probably go 1 for 20 if you made me do it blindfolded and granny-style. I’m sure that’s going to improve (how could it not?), but it’s absolutely mind-blowing.
by SpartanDan on Dec 7, 2009 11:47 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Form
Maybe it’s just me, but his form seems fine, he just puts too much/ too little on it.
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 Dec 8, 2009 12:09 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Seems like the same issue Roe had last year, but more so
Everything is too long; needs to step back a foot.
Makes it all the more frustrating that the fundamental stroke doesn’t seem that awful.
Fight for The Only Colors: Green and White!
by KJ@theonlycolors on Dec 8, 2009 7:30 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I like that we are willing to
schedule a mid-major on their home floor. Granted, a win has no upside and a loss has a downside, but those guys deserve a home court advantage once in a while, and I’m glad we’re a program that’s willing to give them one at least once in a while. If we drop one on occassion I’m OK with that. The beauty of college basketball is that a “bad” loss doesn’t ruin your season as long as your resume is good enough to make the NCAA tournament.
by TheCrestedHelm on Dec 8, 2009 9:57 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
"Morgan's better at the 3 spot than the 4"
I think your out to lunch here. Morgan is at his best when he is down low
"There are no next times when you're competing for big things." - Tom Izzo
Go Spartans
by msufan23 on Dec 8, 2009 11:06 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
I agree he's better when he's down low.
But he’s better when he’s down low against a smaller player.
Playing against a traditional power forward at the 4 spot, he has to be able to take his man outside and knock down the 15-foot jumper, which he hasn’t done this season.
Fight for The Only Colors: Green and White!
by KJ@theonlycolors on Dec 8, 2009 11:12 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah
I’d rather play big and keep Morgan on the wing for a real size mismatch. Unfortunately, our center situation doesn’t allow it as often.
by intrpdtrvlr on Dec 8, 2009 1:13 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
At last
At last someone has recognized that college kids can’t generally guard the NBA 3 point line. Hell, NBA players have a hard time guarding the NBA 3. At some point you have to choose your poison. UNC was insane from the 3, maybe not as insane as The Citadel, but pretty damned insane. Many of their 3’s came from NBA range. If they’re missing those shots, as they did against Syracuse, they’re a pretty good team, but not anywhere near great. I like our chances against them if they aren’t hitting those 3’s. I keep thinking Duke made our guys look bad in Fall 2004 at Cameron, but didn’t look so tough in March.
by Uncle Omar on Dec 8, 2009 7:15 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Good win
I was less concerned with the final score and the defense and more concerned with how confused MSU looked on offense. Collectively, the ball was sticking too much, there was too much one-on-one going on in the half-court offense, and the obvious advantage in the game (inside play) was underutilized.
Individually in the backcourt, Lucas played great. Allen and Summers looked totally lost when they touched the ball. They couldn’t shoot and seemingly every drive ended up being a turnover or botched play.
In the frontcourt, they aren’t running enough through Delvon and Raymar. They are your two most athletic mismatches in the game…USE THEM! Most of hte points inside came from putbacks (thanks Draymond). Only Sherman seemed to be able to run an effective high-low and pick and roll on a few plays from the post position.
Waiting for April.
by DC Royal on Dec 9, 2009 11:49 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

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