Game Thread -- Michigan State Spartans vs. Northwestern Wildcats
by Pete Rossman on Jan 14, 2012 1:27 PM CST
in Michigan State Spartans Basketball
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PrintMichigan St. Spartans at Northwestern Wildcats, Jan 14, 2012 2:00 PM CST
Your MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS vs the NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS
WELSH-RYAN ARENA -- EVANSTON, ILLINOIS
SATURDAY, JANUARY 14th, 2012, 3:00 PM EST
TV: BTN
ONLINE RADIO FEED: Spartan Sports Network
Northwestern's been the same team for several years -- a perimeter-oriented team that will beat a couple of lesser BCS Conference teams early, play some Big Ten teams tough, score a couple upsets due to hot outside shooting, but will inevitably finish 7-11/8-10 in the conference due to a lack of inside play and rebounding. This year's version looks no different. John Shurna and Drew Crawford rank 1st and 3rd in the Big Ten in scoring; all MSU needs to do is win is limit one of the two.
There's also been talk about this being a "blackout" game for Northwestern. The Wildcats will be wearing black jerseys and are imploring their fans to wear black as well. However, 346 tickets have been sold through the MSU Chicago alumni club, and the Izzone's coming down as well. They'll be wearing white, and I expect Welsh-Ryan arena, 8,117 seats strong, to look like TV static today. Getting into this game will cost you $169 on average per TiqIQ, with the cheapest seat selling at $108. Expect a rowdy MSU contingent today.
This is the game thread. You know the drill -- no links to illegal game streams, no slurs, and be cool to one another. Enjoy the game everyone.
GO GREEN, GO WHITE, BEAT NORTHWESTERN.
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Dudes
Iowa, who might I remind you we absolutely shit on last week, is up by 15 against UM, who I might also remind you is our next game and a major rival. Awesome.
The bad news
I’ve got a feeling UM’s going to compensate by shooting 50%+ from three on Tuesday.
by Pete Rossman on Jan 14, 2012 1:42 PM CST up reply actions
2nd best thing to an MSU win is...
a UMAA loss.
by spartanbballfan on Jan 14, 2012 1:52 PM CST reply actions
I look at it as
One more team that had one B1G loss, now has two. Which is what we want right now.
by MSUDersh on Jan 14, 2012 2:13 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Lets not fall for the banana in the tailpipe
Sip on some purple.
Then worry about the piss & blue
"Long range from the baseline, Swish!"
This game worries me
Classic trap game. Coming off a dominating performance, with a big game coming up.
Northwestern’s offense is better run than Iowa’s and Iowa’s backcuts were murder on Nix & Payne, except Iowa missed a lot of the shots. I also worry about Green getting in foul trouble checking Shurna, especially with Big 10 road officiating.
Hoping we can find some minutes for BK and Gauna. This team is so deep.
These road games build character, and each one you win is an accomplishment.
GO GREEN!
In Izzo We Trust.
Payne struggling..
Just walked right out of defensive position there.
Payne is still out of position so often
He’ll get it eventually, because he’s got a great coach, but it is frustrating.
In Izzo We Trust.
I guess I didn't realize how good
the back court and front court are this year.
Which is to say I didn’t know how good the team are. Profundity.
Draymond
has been shooting the ball from outside really well the last couple weeks. Weirdly he missed a bunch of layups against Wisconsin, but his outside shot looks pure.
I prefer him down in the post most nights, but against this Zone, making shots over the top could really open things up.
Yeah they way you beat this zone is to shoot over it
Fortunately we have the personnel to do it.
Also, I’m glad they’re playing this zone, shouldbe a good warmup for Tues vs. M
I want so badly to complain about moving screens by Northwestern
but I can’t. Smart kids run this offense so well.
In Izzo We Trust.
Defensive rebounding
Is about my only “gripe” with this team right now. Not to say it has been awful, but it could be better. I gotta think they will find a way to clean it up.
Nix & Payne aren't pure rebounders
Not guys who ‘have a nose for the ball’.
They are working on it, but..
In Izzo We Trust.
Nix does a nice job on the offensive boards
payne gets some with his athleticism. But yea i would agree
by trivialstuff16 on Jan 14, 2012 2:22 PM CST up reply actions
Damn two fouls Dawson
though he isn’t a shooter, against the zone he should have great opps for 0-boards
is Nix gaining weight?
looks a little rounder than earlier this year
Team needs to wake up
Too many missed rebounds, too many fouls. They just seem a step slow today
Schadenfreude ist die schoenste Freude
yea
They are making everything, especially green. maskign some defensive deficiencies right now
by trivialstuff16 on Jan 14, 2012 2:25 PM CST up reply actions
I disagree with comments like these
They’re on the road against an improving NU team. They’re also college kids who make mistakes. It doesn’t mean they’re not already “awake.”
Comments like these should be reserved for pros IMHE.
Those are the kidns of rebounds you have to get
Was in position just didn’t track it down
come on nix get that boardn
Nice 3 green
by MSUDersh on Jan 14, 2012 2:25 PM CST via mobile reply actions
just came home..
looks like too fast pace for NW
Not a lot of transition
Looks high scoring because we are shooting the lights out
by trivialstuff16 on Jan 14, 2012 2:26 PM CST up reply actions
Come on Spartans
No reason NW should be able to score, or especially GET OFFENSIVE REBBOUNDS, against our guys
Nix and Payne killing MSU in this game...
Need to see some Gauna. Maybe he’ll attempt to grab a rebound. Thank goodness for Green so far.
It might help if Dayday was down low
Nix and Payne seem to be play better when he’s closer by. As it is, they’re the only ones in the post, while everyone else is behind the three line
Schadenfreude ist die schoenste Freude
TT & AT had a nice back & forth on their break layup a few minutes ago
To win this, we need to keep pushing it off of every NW miss. Green isn’t going to go 10-10 from long range
well it's early
and we’ve only missed like 1 shot
well i think we've only missed 2 shots
But I agree with what you are saying we need to clean up teh boards on defense better
by trivialstuff16 on Jan 14, 2012 2:29 PM CST up reply actions
One was an abomination by Nix to lose it
Also at least one on a bad three miss that took a terrrible bounce back to the shooter on the perimeter
Great play by Dawson
Gets the steal, runs teh court and gets rewarded
AT making some nice contributions from the arc
After the game, why not check out www.zazzle.com/donnierocky*
Dawson is the man
should play 35 minutes a game
Again.. Payne needs to wake up..
he and Nix forgot to make the trip it seems.
If our defense would play a little bit better
This game would be Iowa part 2
Schadenfreude ist die schoenste Freude
Nix planted down low and wrongly assumed a shot would go up
I love the ball movement, but Dawson should have put it up instead of passing to AT, he was wide open
Freshman mistake
right decision
wrong player
Dawson can’t shoot and wisely passed it up
"Long range from the baseline, Swish!"
Damn paid for the ball movement there
Sometimes you have to shoot it earlier, or else the man down low for the o-board gets called for that
How are we 9-10 shooting
Inclt 4-5 from distance, but only up 6?
(rhetorical Q, but the answer is turnovers & giving up offensive boards)
Ok this is getting rediculous
That’s about the 3rd defensive rebound we have had in our hands, only to lose it and give them another shot
ok colletti is getting OR.pathetic
4 OR for Colletti
Their offense pulls Green away from the basket
and he’s our only ‘pure’ rebounder.
In Izzo We Trust.
Time for Appling to get involved on the offensive end
After the game, why not check out www.zazzle.com/donnierocky*
OMG another turnover
C’mon Spartans.
If they score Izzo really needs to call a TO (not that he would)
Zone is causing all kinds of problems for Nix
He’s looking really out of sync. Doesn’t help that it’s a bad matchup for him on the other end of the court too
and as i send that he gets a nice bucket
by trivialstuff16 on Jan 14, 2012 2:39 PM CST up reply actions
I might be crazy
But didn’t he not play against NU last year because of match up issues?
Schadenfreude ist die schoenste Freude
i think you might be right
either didn’t play or saw very limited action
by trivialstuff16 on Jan 14, 2012 2:40 PM CST up reply actions
it is a bad matchup for Nix
not sure why AG’s not playing
he was featured in like 2 articles this week
"Long range from the baseline, Swish!"
Absolutely
He’s making good, and correct, passes this season. Really helps to open up the whole offense
The good news is that aside from Wood no one has foul difficulties
After the game, why not check out www.zazzle.com/donnierocky*
Nix has made some nice plays on offense
But Colleti is a terrible matchup for him.
Nix is doing a nice job of finding the open man out of the post this year
Gotta hit the open J
After the game, why not check out www.zazzle.com/donnierocky*
As many times as we've faced the Princeton offense
you’d think we would be more effective.
After the game, why not check out www.zazzle.com/donnierocky*
our guards need to push the ball
and stop turning over the ball
Why is it that I, as a fan, know that Shurna will shoot (and likely make) that shot...
but MSU’s players don’t?
NW 40 points on us...pathetic
we shoot 70% and are down 2
Terrible, terrible half on defense
Should not be giving up 39 to NU
Schadenfreude ist die schoenste Freude
Spartans are second in the conference in 3PFG defense.
You can’t stop them all. Eventually some will go in.
It's right there in black and white.
29.4% coming into today’s game.
The 3pfg defense was bad in only one game this year. Duke.
Not sure what to make of that
Probably not going to shoot 70 percent again in the 2nd half. On the flip side we can’t play worse defense than that in the second half either
It's the boards & turnovers
NW has 6 o boards, also 10 pts off of 8 MSU turnovers.
It’s such a simple solution, yet obviously so difficult in execution
Why doesn’t Northwestern play like this when they lose at home to Penn State, Iowa, or some other Big Ten bottom feeder every year?
Well they apparently have led their last 3 games at halftime
So they do this in stretches. Let’s hope this is their only stretch today
by trivialstuff16 on Jan 14, 2012 2:54 PM CST up reply actions
It's the price of our success
that we get everyone’s best shot.
I hope Shurna misses the NCAAs for his whole career.
In Izzo We Trust.
Anything you want say to the team at halftime?
After the game, why not check out www.zazzle.com/donnierocky*
AG is no Calvin Johnson?
Don’t throw jump balls to him from 40 feet
"Long range from the baseline, Swish!"
Coach Ethan Tremblay does:
Okay guys, we need to get out there. Really need to get going. Paul what are you doing? You acted like a girl out there! What are you a girl or somethin’? Jackson, come on man! You gotta get yourself together, this is…what are you a girl or somethin?
this was the worst half of defense played.
what irritates me that they missed shots and got almost 8 points on OR. What the hell?
Northwestern has a whole team of guys
that couldn’t play in the Big 10 if it weren’t for this system they run.
That’s an accomplishment in itself.
In Izzo We Trust.
MSU for the past 10 years consistently struggles against 1-3-1.
it is like groundhog day every time we see 1-3-1
by spartynation on Jan 14, 2012 2:58 PM CST up reply actions
worst ad ....
all those business school nerds came up with the worst ad on TV ever. NW basketball
At least I can turn to ESPN at halftime
and get a little happiness from the ‘unbeatable’ UNC team getting hammered.
In Izzo We Trust.
Sorry, I'm not at all worried.
Come back off the ledge.
by spartanbballfan on Jan 14, 2012 2:58 PM CST reply actions
Well, we're not going 18-0 in the Big 10
It’ll be interesting to see how this team responds to this challenge.
Can’t see how Nix & Payne stay with them in the second half, hopefully we don’t lose because this game is a learning tool for them.
What about using Green at the 5 some?
In Izzo We Trust.
I wouldn't mind losing to teams
that I’m at least confident will be in the tournament.
Schadenfreude ist die schoenste Freude
having said that cant drop games to NW -barely a NIT team
and we dont get them at home
by spartynation on Jan 14, 2012 3:05 PM CST up reply actions
It's just like the Nebraska game on the road
I’m not really worried.
Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand - Kurt Vonnegut
Hope to see more BK in the second half.
Strength isn’t as much of an issue against this NW team, and his length is helpful on the court.
Agreed
He had a few big plays against Iowa and already had a big 3 and a nice block today. His length seems to cause a lot of trouble for the opposition.
Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand - Kurt Vonnegut
Those road games in arena that are like HS gyms
always seem to pose a problem
After the game, why not check out www.zazzle.com/donnierocky*
Draymond has only 3 shots
and Appling 4. Ride the guys who got us here.
But the second half is going to be about defense and these matchups suck for us.
In Izzo We Trust.
Somebody please remind Northwestern that they ar supposed to lose this game
After the game, why not check out www.zazzle.com/donnierocky*
well they were supposed to win on Wed
if they want to finally make the dance, they HAVE to win this
I say get your resume win some other day
"Long range from the baseline, Swish!"
Yeah to make the tourney, any team has to defend the home court
Always much more difficult to win on the road, especially in conference
Shurna hit it from the Sears Tower?
That’s the Willis tower, announcer. I bet he also stopped at Marshall Field’s on State Street too, eh?
I look for more aggressiveness from appling this half
After the game, why not check out www.zazzle.com/donnierocky*
Dawson
just summed up the joys and frustrations of his year so far in that sequence
Burned backdoor, and then skies for a rebound and goes hard to the basket
Big reason why he doesn't get more minutes.
Highlight reel stuff, but too often doesn’t seem to know where he’s supposed to be. Hope that’s just freshman orientation.
yeah, I believe it took them a while to count the goaltending
Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand - Kurt Vonnegut
ah ok
Thanks, I missed a sequence i guess
by trivialstuff16 on Jan 14, 2012 3:14 PM CST up reply actions
They keep hacking our guys down low
I think we need to keep attacking the basket, might help our match up problem
Schadenfreude ist die schoenste Freude
Two fouls away fromthe ball or during non scoring sequences
3 on appling and 3 on wood. ugh
or 2 on appling
that makes me feel a little better
by trivialstuff16 on Jan 14, 2012 3:16 PM CST up reply actions
Maybe the reason the Big 10 is such a tugh conference
to win on the road in is the officiating.
Remember the Wisconsin game? No Wisc fouls in the first 11 minutes of the second half.
In Izzo We Trust.
Another bad call
Hard to get back into it with the calls all going the other way
Schadenfreude ist die schoenste Freude
Wow
Might have gotten a make up call on that one.
Damnit Green bad play
Can’t get frustrated and just barrel to the hoop like that, we got bailed out on the call
I'm going to get hammered for this
but the only way we win this one is for Northwestern to go cold.
Terrible position to be in.
In Izzo We Trust.
if the momentum doesn't swing back
I’m going to get hammered too
"Long range from the baseline, Swish!"
Ugh
We hold Zeller down, who’s a real player, and get burned by Curletti and that scrub White from Iowa.
In Izzo We Trust.
The second half will be a good test for this team
Good teams find a way to win even when struggling
After the game, why not check out www.zazzle.com/donnierocky*
There's some offensive boards
Still only down 3 6 and not playign well
yeah he has to catch & take it to the hoop in one motion
Bringing it down then back up gives their D a chance to recover. It’s a major issue with Payne, too
Green too
He went off int he first 5 minutes and has been quite since
by trivialstuff16 on Jan 14, 2012 3:24 PM CST up reply actions
We have to put bodies on them whenever they jack up a three
That’s why they can get those offensive boards on the long balls, you have to body them so they can’t jump
ok big time...NW in big time foul trouble.
we have 1 on 1
Good news is Northwestern has 7 team fouls already
Those who believe in telekinetics, raise my hand - Kurt Vonnegut
Lazy Nix again
doesn’t try to rebound missed 3.
well he went to box out his man
But lost site of teh ball. Looked like APpling is the guy who didn’t box out
by trivialstuff16 on Jan 14, 2012 3:26 PM CST up reply actions
What the hell was that?
Who missed that box out? Izzo might lose it if that happens again
Why do we looks so dead on rebounding?
That was a big missed 3 that was a gimmie 2 because no one was there to rebound.
I in particular don't say this often
But izzo needs to do something different. Neither Nix or payne can stay with Colleti. He’s a non-traditional big, and they cant go out on the perimeter with him
by trivialstuff16 on Jan 14, 2012 3:28 PM CST up reply actions
MSU making Curletti look like Kobe
the most pathetic performance since last year
WE NEED TO WAKE UP ON DEFENSE
how many times can they beat us on that same stupid back door cut
by chuggingspartan on Jan 14, 2012 3:28 PM CST reply actions
that three at the end set up the momentum and we are playing shitty D
at this rate we will give 90 points to NW
If a shot goes straight off the rim and into the backcourt, it isn’t a violation.
by SpartanBoiler on Jan 14, 2012 3:33 PM CST up reply actions
OK so this year has got to be the worst I've ever seen
for execution of plays out of timeouts. Izzo used to be known for drawing up great plays, that last one was pathetic.
Let's work to tie it up by the under 4 timeout and then we'll win
After the game, why not check out www.zazzle.com/donnierocky*
Still a lot of time, but it has to start on the defensive end
Schadenfreude ist die schoenste Freude
I don't understand the insistence that NW is a weak team.
On a hot night, these guys can clearly score.
Wow Payne
Did that bounce off of his head?
Get BK in there, he played better than anybody earlier.
Great they’re in the bonus already
They are playing like their bodies have been inhabited by last year's team
After the game, why not check out www.zazzle.com/donnierocky*
Did they come into the gym today
And decide they could win without playing defense? This is unwatchable basketball. No excuse for it.
by Chitown Spartan on Jan 14, 2012 3:36 PM CST reply actions
just put your jackets on
if it’s cold outside
Come on Green.
Time to take over. A nice start
Championship teams
Win games like these. After this I am not so sure we are a contender for the Big Ten.
by Chitown Spartan on Jan 14, 2012 3:38 PM CST reply actions
other contenders are losing left and right too
It’s still tough to win on the road in this conference
by trivialstuff16 on Jan 14, 2012 3:39 PM CST up reply actions
They don't win every game
But they don’t drop games to clearly inferior talent by performing like this. Utter lack of desire on rebounding and defense.
by Chitown Spartan on Jan 14, 2012 3:40 PM CST up reply actions
yeah they often do
in fact, i can’t think of a single recent championship team that hasn’t
UNC got housed by FL State today
I think it’s safe to say NC better than us, and FSU way worse. It happens
hey loser...we are giving this game away to a bad bad bad super bad NW team who lost by 50 to baylor at home
by spartynation on Jan 14, 2012 3:41 PM CST up reply actions
I cant tolerate when people say we are gonna lose with 10 mins to go
my apologies
by spartynation on Jan 14, 2012 3:42 PM CST up reply actions
i never said that
sorry for any confusion
He didn't say that
He simply stated the obvious; that championship teams often lose to teams less cohesive/talented than they.
we have not stopped them on defense.
throw AT on the bench. put BK
I think we need a bigger line up in
The back doors are far more damaging than anything they can do outside at this point
Schadenfreude ist die schoenste Freude
allright this is nuts... memo to IZZO teach the team what back door cut is
we will see them more on tuesday. Every year our team has a paralysis attack seeing 1-3-1
The worst part of this game is how they have handled adversity
They look beat. That is not good.
This Northwestern team sucks, too. I don’t care how much Gus Johnson slobbers over them.
In Izzo We Trust.
Haven't seen any adjustments that will get us back in the game
Running out of time
After the game, why not check out www.zazzle.com/donnierocky*
This is pure embarrassment
They’ve given up. Need to win games like this to win championships.
by Chitown Spartan on Jan 14, 2012 3:42 PM CST reply actions
Yeah, the 2000 team lost in bad ways too.
by SpartanBoiler on Jan 14, 2012 3:44 PM CST up reply actions
I'm saying
That a team that is not the favorite to begin with, that will lose other games against better opponents can ill afford to drop games that are winnable like this. If this was the 2000 team and we lost a game like this in the Big Ten people would say bump in the road, they’ll get over it. This is not that team. This may be a game we point back to that could cost us a title, I’m not saying we won’t win it, but it could cost us big.
Also Wright State is not in the Big Ten, so irrelevant.
by Chitown Spartan on Jan 14, 2012 3:47 PM CST up reply actions
Wright State was a bad loss
There is no way you can’t say it was anything but, whether in conference or not
by MSUDersh on Jan 14, 2012 3:48 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
It was a horrible loss
But it didn’t cost us a game in the Big Ten race. This one would.
by Chitown Spartan on Jan 14, 2012 3:49 PM CST up reply actions
Again
That game did not drop us in the Big Ten standings. Apples and oranges.
by Chitown Spartan on Jan 14, 2012 3:50 PM CST up reply actions
IIRC
Wright State was the “tie-up” game, when the NCAA was trying out a new rule that the team who initiates a tie up gets possession, no matter what the arrow says. And all game, all they did was dive at the ball in our guys hands every time they picked up a dribble, and got like 20 turnovers that way
What?
Wright State loss didn’t hurt our contention for a Big Ten Championship at all. How am I wrong on this point?
by Chitown Spartan on Jan 14, 2012 3:53 PM CST up reply actions
If you recall
I called it a horrible loss. I have never stated otherwise. It was to quote “atrocious.” That’s not the issue here.
by Chitown Spartan on Jan 14, 2012 3:57 PM CST up reply actions
You're right
The issue here is overreaction. Nearly every team has bad losses; I know a few of our championships teams have, in fact, been shit on. Even in conference play!
I think there may have been a miscommunication
When I said championship teams, I didn’t mean only nat’l champ. I meant big ten too. That’s what I’m talking about, Big Ten race implications here. Sorry for the confusion.
by Chitown Spartan on Jan 14, 2012 4:00 PM CST up reply actions
Good thing is our guys started 4-0
so have a margin of error. But it sucks to see them drop one like this to a team that on paper they should whup. Gotta be able to steal road games against lesser opponents
Like Indiana losing AT HOME to Minnesota?
Michigan losing to an Iowa team we just crushed?
Hell 3 years ago we lost at home to NW and Penn State and still won the conference outright
by trivialstuff16 on Jan 14, 2012 3:50 PM CST up reply actions
Right,
That team was favored where this team isn’t. We will very likely lose on the road to OSU, Indiana, maybe Purdue and Illinois too. When we aren’t clearly the best team in the league you have to win these kinds of games, because you will drop others. I’m not being irrational here, the race will be tight so we need to win games where we are the better team.
by Chitown Spartan on Jan 14, 2012 3:52 PM CST up reply actions
Well, yes it would obviously be better to win this game than lose it
But it doesn’t mean we are out of the race by any stretch
by trivialstuff16 on Jan 14, 2012 3:54 PM CST up reply actions
Right
I am saying dropping a game like this severely hurts our chances in the race. It doesn’t drop us from contention, but it makes it a hell of a lot harder to win the championship. And if we lose to teams we are supposed to lose to we may look back at this one that hurt us.
by Chitown Spartan on Jan 14, 2012 3:57 PM CST up reply actions
I'm thinking this is the Izzone's fault
After the game, why not check out www.zazzle.com/donnierocky*
by donaldo on Jan 14, 2012 3:44 PM CST reply actions 2 recs
Spartans MUST win the next 4 minutes
by at least 5. Have to cut this deficit in half going into under-4 timeout
We're not losing this game because of officiating
but the Big 10’s is the worst in the country.
We get it, the league office want every team to finish 9-9 with all their wins at home and all the road games as losses. No integrity here. It lacks transparency..
In Izzo We Trust.
why is AT still in
he can’t guard anybody they’ve put him on
I think Dawson has learned his lesson
"Long range from the baseline, Swish!"
wow big o board Green
Appling has to hit that though. Weak foul on AT< that could have gone either way
Jim Jackson said "Nice defensive possession"
Doesn’t possession imply that you have the ball?
After the game, why not check out www.zazzle.com/donnierocky*
OK Now we know it was Thornton's fault
After the game, why not check out www.zazzle.com/donnierocky*
Only bright spot here
is that last year’s team would have gotten beat by 30 here. They’d quit a long time ago.
In Izzo We Trust.
Let us recall the axioms of B1G conference play
- There’s no such thing as an easy road win.
- The eventual champion will almost certainly have 3-4 in-conference losses.
Hey look, it’s a 2-possession game.
this is where a 3pt bomber would come in handy
anybody like that on the roster
"Long range from the baseline, Swish!"
Reffing didn't give up tons of backdoor cuts all game..
This game was lost by Nix and Payne.
on the brighter side NW will sign Carmody for another 5 yr deal
so we can have their ass again next year. What bugs me is we do not get them at home. Hopefully we pummel them in Big ten we they need a win and are on the bubble.
by spartynation on Jan 14, 2012 3:58 PM CST up reply actions
NW has no shot at the NCAA
not a goodt eam.
They are a bad team and this win we gave them was given by refs.
by spartynation on Jan 14, 2012 3:57 PM CST up reply actions
Your sentence makes no sense. Michigan State gave them a game that was given by the refs?
by SpartanBoiler on Jan 14, 2012 4:03 PM CST up reply actions
why is coach yelling at Trice
he should still be yelling at AT
"Long range from the baseline, Swish!"
I want to punch Gus Johnson
We get it. It’s a signature win. They’ll have home court advantage in the NIT. Who f’ing cares.
In Izzo We Trust.
Nope..
Best we can hope for is this loss lights a fire under them and they come out and pull off a W @UM.
Either that or it goes the other way
Remember it’s a Big 10 road game.
Michigan will be in the bonus with 15:29 left in the first half.
In Izzo We Trust.
Good thing M had Valentine calling their game today
It’s very unlikely they get him twice in a row, so we probably won’t see him on Tues
13-6 in the turnover battle
There’s your game, folks. We’re actually out-rebouding them, shooting exactly the same from 3, and have hit only 2 fewer FTs (though took 2 more so far).
I really can't blame the turnovers
When the defense has been so bad, I’d be curious to see how this defensive performance stacks up against others
Schadenfreude ist die schoenste Freude
all day back door is open
this looks like a buffet of layups
This is not what I came back from overseas to see
After the game, why not check out www.zazzle.com/donnierocky*
Ok
Knew B1G conference losses were coming. Wasn’t expecting them vs Northwestern. Time to see how they respond to some adversity
Team, worst game of the season
In fairness to Draymond, he scored 9 really early for us
Schadenfreude ist die schoenste Freude
He's got 14 & 10
but yeah, has looked poor on D, gave up a ton of offensive boards, and credited with 3 turnovers but it sure feels like more
NW is having a game like we had against Iowa.
Outside one standard deviation, to be sure. Objectively, the NW offense has been extremely fun to watch. Not all of that has been on MSU’s defense.
Too bad that blocked shot wasn't called out on NW
We had all the momentum with a chance to, once again, cut it to five.
Best conference definitely
Illinois takes the weekend off and ends up in 1st place
"Long range from the baseline, Swish!"
Curletti, Shurna, Crawford Hearn
combined 70 points… u know u are doomed when these 4 guys score 70
NW is not Chicago's B1G team
And never will be. Notre fucking Dame is more Chicago’s team. This city just doesn’t care about college sports.
Byrd is in
Why? When you lose like this, I say leave the starters out, so they’re on the floor when the final buzzer goes off.
Ya gotta wonder if,
The team was looking ahead to Tuesday in AA?
It sure seems like the press & blogs were.
Impossible to say
But at least I’d say our coaching staff knows better than to take any game for granted.
We looked utterly unprepared
to play this game.
by Chitown Spartan on Jan 14, 2012 4:08 PM CST reply actions
Thanks Huge
compares Appling to Derrick Rose then this happens
good job
"Long range from the baseline, Swish!"
That was the geekiest thing I've ever seen
And really, NU, you couldn’t come up with a better line?
Schadenfreude ist die schoenste Freude
Do they really finish the NW song with "Stern, Stern, Stern???"
Awful.
PS my wife just yelled at that guy in the stands – “Shut up, you’re a 21 y/o virgin”
Goodness
You guys take losses badly. Still, I think you’d be surprised. At a school like NU, lots of sex is pretty much the only way to get through finals week.
Thanks for the game and the resume booster. See you guys again in Indianapolis.
I mean
I certainly won’t deny the trollish behavior, but considering the general standards of the internet, I’d say I was pretty tame. No need to be rude.
Fair enough RE: modest trolling
But hopping on the other teams live game thread you have to expect to see comments that aren’t always the most favorable to your team.
On a basketball note though, props to NW for it’s gameplan & execution today. While rotating for backdoor screens and or open threes is not a surprise, the Cats executed very well, and stuck to their plan, especially early on D, when MSU was hitting everything. Obviously, Carmody & the team believe in what they’re doing, and didn’t go into panic mode when MSU started off up big early by hitting virtually every shot.
I was really hoping that Spartans could steal one on the road today, but now are stuck in a tie with the Illini & don’t get to play them at home, making this race all the more interesting.
Sucks to lose, but did anybody really think we'd be 15-3?
refocus and let’s get the skunkdogs on Tuesday!
by spartanbballfan on Jan 14, 2012 4:10 PM CST reply actions
Big Ten Champs
Will likely have 3 losses.
by Chitown Spartan on Jan 14, 2012 4:11 PM CST up reply actions
but forget it now..
i can see Weber, Beilein, Matta, Crean all play 1-3-1 against us.
Seems like MSU has struggled against zone for more than a decade now
by spartynation on Jan 14, 2012 4:12 PM CST up reply actions
We have...
And I never understand it. We play so bad against the 1-3-1 it looks like we came out expecting man and got 1-3-1 and had zero preparation for the zone. I will never dis Izzo, but it seems like when it comes to zone we should be doing something different than we are to prepare. Hopefully we figure something out before Tuesday…
Our guys just freeze up when they see zone
there is just no movement off the ball, and they fall prey to traps in the corner & on the sideline all the time
IDK they scored 74pts
that should win B1G games
that defense was the issue
"Long range from the baseline, Swish!"
wanna beat MSU play 1-3-1 against us.
We have a heart attack seeing 1-3-1. Curletti put 20 on us.Fuck!
this for sure..you give layups like that for back door cuts.
we cant win against Beilein and cant give 81 points
by spartynation on Jan 14, 2012 4:14 PM CST up reply actions
Tuesday is must win now
if we want to win the regular season title. Cant lose on the road to teams that are not OSU, Indiana, or Illinois.
Yes
And don’t forget we don’t get Illinois at home this year. Winning the conference is gonna be a bitch now. Game @UM is definitely a must win. I had this game as a must win.
by Chitown Spartan on Jan 14, 2012 4:14 PM CST up reply actions
this was the worst prepared Izzo team
i’ve seen a long long time. And I still don’t get the Izzo/Thornton love fest. I understand he hit a couple shots, but he was still a net negative to this team when on the court.
Maybe he was.
But if you think that’s true, then you’d be hard-pressed to find ANYONE that was a net positive.
Your AT witch hunt won’t get you anywhere. He was hardly the one responsible for the outcome of this game.
by The Birchman on Jan 14, 2012 4:31 PM CST up reply actions
true
but the AT/Dawson imbalance was negative today
AT couldn’t guard anybody
Dawson kept getting beat on the perimeter but did better in the paint
could’ve even tried BK on Shurna, he guarded Costello pretty good last year
"Long range from the baseline, Swish!"
I don't think AT played well defensively.
But let’s be honest — who did?
Dawson looked awful, Day Day looked bad, Appling got lost, Trice struggled. We could go on forever.
It’s just one one of those games, y’know? Everyone listed above (including AT) will bounce back.
by The Birchman on Jan 14, 2012 4:41 PM CST up reply actions
Princeton backdoor buffet was open today all day long
unlimited servings of layups, dunks, and foul shots.
by spartynation on Jan 14, 2012 4:47 PM CST up reply actions
AT’s stat line – 3 pts, 2 rebounds, 2 assists in 21 minutes;
BD’s state line – 9 pts, 6 rebounds (4 offensive), 1 assist, 1 steel, 1 block, in 17 minutes.
AT takes time away from the far far superior player BD. I just don’t get it. And all the apologists need more than a 3 ptr here and there to justify his play time.
Think about how ridiculous that argument is.
You cherry-picked two stat lines from a game in which the difference in minutes played was FOUR.
And you’re completely ignoring the number of times BD got beat on defense. PLUS you’re ignoring that these two play different positions. AT is a three and BD is more of a four, so it’s not like all of Dawson’s minutes are being “stolen” by Thornton. It’s more likely they’re going to Nix/Payne/Gauna/Green.
Be completely honest here: if we had ten more minutes of Dawson and ten fewer from AT, is the result of this game any different? I, for one, find it highly unlikely.
by The Birchman on Jan 14, 2012 5:11 PM CST up reply actions
i didn't cherry pick anything
that was the stat line from today’s game. I can only use today’s. There is no other option. What else should I use, the stat line from last week’s game?
And yes, if BD plays 10 more minutes (he played in 36 vs. UNC), and AT plays only 10, MSU probably wins this game. That’s why the Izzo/AT love fest is so annoying to me. It almost cost us the Wisconsin game too.
And yes, AT takes some minutes from BD. When AT fouled out, BD came in as a sub. There both wing players and in Izzo’s offense, they are supposed to do the same thing. Neither are post up players like Nix or Payne, and neither are ball handlers like Appling or Trice.
I mean, you are seriously debating whether BD is a more valuable player than AT? The difference is so telling, even ignoring the stat line. BD is a complete stud, and AT is well, AT.
Lost post coming. Prepare yourselves.
So you’re saying one stat line from one game in which the difference in minutes played was FOUR is the absolute best way to compare two players’ values?
And you COULD use the stat line from last week’s game. Or, even better, look at aggregate advanced statistics to tell a more accurate story.
And no. Branden Dawson playing 10 extra minutes does not change the outcome of this game (regardless of the number of minutes he played in a game that Michigan State lost by TWELVE).
Do Dawson and AT share SOME minutes? Yes. Do ALL of BD’s minutes go to AT? No. There are a number of combinations that play at any given time. If he did take ALL of BD’s minutes, then their totals should always sum to 40, which they don’t. I mean, DAWSON starts! Austin doesn’t. Oh, and by the way, BD is averaging 2 more minutes per game than AT, so this huge discrepancy isn’t really accurate.
And finally, I like Branden Dawson. I really do. But you’re SERIOUSLY overvaluing him and TOTALLY undervaluing Thornton. In terms of Offensive Rating (at Statsheet.com), Dawson is the 7th most efficient offensive player (AT is 2nd). AT is a better defensive rebounder (15.4% DR% to BD’s 11.6%). Dawson IS quite a bit better offensive rebounder (by about 7%) and has a slightly better assist percentage, but that’s about it.
I get it, I really do. We all have players that rub us the wrong way for whatever reason. You hate Austin Thornton because he doesn’t look like a very good player. But it’s obvious that you’re biased and refuse to believe the numbers. I really can’t understand how you can say that BD is without a doubt more valuable than AT is. Austin’s a better defender, defensive rebounder, and efficient offensive player.
Like I said, cherry-picking one game’s stats doesn’t tell the story. The aggregate numbers do. And they suggest Austin is a better player than you want to believe.
by The Birchman on Jan 14, 2012 7:12 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
Long was the word I was looking for.
My iPad had different ideas.
by The Birchman on Jan 14, 2012 7:46 PM CST up reply actions
Thanks B-man!
A clear voice of rationality. Too many are forgetting to enjoy the journey – makes me feel old sometimes.
by spartanbballfan on Jan 15, 2012 10:48 AM CST up reply actions
I thought I said lets not fall for the banana in the tailpipe
fell right for it
we don’t even get a revenge rematch in Breslin
"Long range from the baseline, Swish!"
lets be fair
that was a well played game by NW and they deserved the result. It’s pretty much impossible to harbor a grudge against the wildcats and I am hoping they make the NCAA. They’d be a great upset pick!
Looking at the stat sheet,
The numbers for a lot of the players look good. But, we absolutely should be able to win a game in which our team scored 74, especially against NW.
Paynix had 10 pt, but only 5 boards & 1 block. Dawson had 9 pts & 6 boards, but repeated defensive fails.
Green had a great stat line, 14 pts on 8 shots, 14 boards, 4 dimes, but it really felt like he played a poor game on D, getting beat to the spot and to the basket on a number of occassions.
Appling had 17, but 9 came from the line, and he shot very poorly (4-13) from the field, including 0-5 from distance.
In the end, offensive boards given up, and turnovers, cost us this game.
Yeah. This was completely driven by our defensive ineptitude.
This has got to be the most points per possession we’ve given up all year, right?
by The Birchman on Jan 14, 2012 4:34 PM CST up reply actions
bad trip all around
even the postgame chat audio is failing today
"Long range from the baseline, Swish!"
Still proud of a young team
that won 15 in a row and has seriously overachieved.
Will be interesting to see how they bounce back.
In Izzo We Trust.
No excuse losing to NW
Time and again they drove low and scored with our bigs out at the circle. Poor defending by Green and Nix. Not the same team we saw last week against Minny.
It’s a marathon and not a sprint, thou. Hope we get it together and win on Tuesday.
Go Green!
Austin Thornton took nixpayne minutes in 2nd half
In this game, second half, AT took minutes from nixpayne. They were having trouble guarding Curletti. He was in the game for a small lineup and as a 5th year senior having had the advantage of 5 years of NW prep. Branden Dawson has the potential to end up easily being a Ramar Morgan/Delvon Roe plus strong defender but he is only a freshman now. I try and notice BD’s body language when he makes a mistake and Izzo is yelling at him and talking to him. He looks very intent and doesn’t make the mistake of being defensive and trying to explain what went wrong. Reminds me a little of how Shannon Brown listened to Izzo right from the start. BD will get better. AT has made a big jump from last year – his defense has improved and he has started to make some shots and know a little better when not to shoot. Frankly I wish he had gone to the FT line last night. Missing so many foul shots will usually come back to hurt you, especially on the road. We were saying that we think being a captain has helped AT’s game too and he has stepped up this year.
why no zone?
There is something masochistic about Izzo never, ever being willing to play a zone, which seems to me the ideal way to counteract the Princeton offense. I watched the UM/NW game, in which NW was basically forced to launch contested jump shots deep into every possession. And I don’t think UM is half the defensive team that MSU is. A zone last night certainly would have eliminated the endless back door cuts and could have had all those freshmen focusing only on closing out shooters. I understand that the focus on man to man pays dividends in the long run, but it’s one reason MSU has lost a number of these kinds of games on the road in the Izzo years. Hopefully, it refocuses the team, and they clobber what I think is an overrated UM team on tuesday.
Good point
I’m sure the response to that would be that in the same matchup last year NW was held to 62 with a better PG that went on a shooting spree to get them up to that much.
I don’t think any zone was played then. While that team had Roe locking up Shurna, this team is better defensively.
I’m thinking they prepped for the NW team that was playing a walking corpse at center but instead NW played Curletti and rendered the game plan moot.
There are some really good coaches in the B1G, Carmody had his day against Izzo this time around.
"Long range from the baseline, Swish!"
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