The Only Colors: FanPosts

Update from Chicago

2013-05-16T02:24:37Z

So I was just at the Broad College Alumni event in Chicago (even though I'm a JMC alum). Hollis was already in town for the B1G meetings so he came over, mingled with us for a few hours, and spoke & took questions for an hour from the group. Here are some highlights from what I can remember, I wasn't taking notes:

The Stadium:

Talked about the overall updates going on right now and visions for the near future. Basically, it was a lot of what we're asking for here:

Overhaul & upgrade the concourses basically everywhere. This includes adding more bathrooms (especially more ladies rooms), adding & upgrading concessions, and what sounds like some widening. We earn a very low take from concessions, especially for the Big Ten. He compared us to either Northern Iowa or Iowa State and noted that Wisconsin earns several times as much.
Expand the footprint of the stadium. Basically, clear out everything that's in between the concrete pillars, build a nice looking fence or gate that surrounds the stadium from the outside, and have the entry points be there. He kept referring to the area it creates as a "comfort zone" or something. He said there can be concessions and restrooms in that area and described it like a moat.
The gas station is going but I think we already knew that.
Also that we already knew, major upgrades to the locker room and building new officials locker room and a media center. He talked about how woefully outdated our facilities are. Apparently we're one of very few teams to not have an official's dressing room, they change in a trailer outside of the stadium.
There will be a big recruiting center that will be used by all sports.
Also, Munn is getting some serious work done, first removing the freon system, then upgrading the whole thing. It sounds like it will look better from the outside & be way improved on the inside.
Didn't mention anything about lights, the a/v system, suites, or alcohol.

Money:

The dept. breaks even, taking in & spending around $85mm. But, all the sports besides basketball & football lose money, between tens of thousands and close to $4mm per sport.
We make a tiny amount of money from concessions. Also we make a much lower cut that other, more high profile, B1G schools on merchandise. So our athletic budget is significantly smaller than M's, gave their number as $150mm though they have 27 varsity sports to our 25.
Talked about strategically investing money in the non-revenue sports, gave Tennis as an example. He talked about how we used a small amount of money (<$50k) to hire an additional coach. This season, the 100th in MSU tennis history, we made the NCAA Tournament for the first time (though it's only been around since 1972). Also mentioned investments that resulted in new baseball, softball & two soccer fields.
The scales have finally tipped to where the B1G schools made more from TV last season than tickets. He said it isn't good that the decisions are now being made by & with TV execs in mind, not fans. Talked about a balance there.
He was asked about student athletes getting paid, he is not in favor of it, mentioned that he's an educator and would step down if that day comes.

The B1G:

Said he's very in favor of MSU in the B1G East, the teams in it are the teams Duffy & John Hannah wanted to play so those are the teams he wants to play. He was very upset reading fan bellyaching about wanting to be in the West. Said he wants us to be the best and to beat the best and doesn't want the easy way to anything.
Said the B1G East is also better, strategically, for MSU. Mentioned that there are huge alumni bases in DC & NYC that want MSU games there, and he talked about making those towns another Evanston when MSU goes there & the stadium is 50/50 or even 60/40 in our favor. Said there just isn't a fanbase for MSU in places like Lincoln or Iowa City.
Not sure what's going to happen in basketball but it seemed like he was in favor of divisions. Talked about how too many single plays will make the regular season meaningless. By my math, an 18 game season in a 14 team league will be 8 single plays & 5 double plays.
Thinks we'll stay at 14 for now, said that expanding was a reaction to ND to the ACC. Doesn't anticipate expanding again in the near term unless it's "defensive."
It sounds like he likes to troll Dave Brandon. Said they're not friends, but rather like brothers that like to beat each other up. Mentioned he did something to Brandon recently, someone asked if it had something to do with "chicken," he just chuckled & said it was much funnier.

If I can remember anything more I'll put it up, but it was a pretty cool event and he was really candid. Derrick Nix was there for the first half, and after he left Hollis couldn't stop talking about how great a kid he is.

Talked about the overall updates going on right now and visions for the near future. Basically, it was a lot of what we're asking for here:

Overhaul & upgrade the concourses basically everywhere. This includes adding more bathrooms (especially more ladies rooms), adding & upgrading concessions, and what sounds like some widening. We earn a very low take from concessions, especially for the Big Ten. He compared us to either Northern Iowa or Iowa State and noted that Wisconsin earns several times as much.
Expand the footprint of the stadium. Basically, clear out everything that's in between the concrete pillars, build a nice looking fence or gate that surrounds the stadium from the outside, and have the entry points be there. He kept referring to the area it creates as a "comfort zone" or something. He said there can be concessions and restrooms in that area and described it like a moat.
The gas station is going but I think we already knew that.
Also that we already knew, major upgrades to the locker room and building new officials locker room and a media center. He talked about how woefully outdated our facilities are. Apparently we're one of very few teams to not have an official's dressing room, they change in a trailer outside of the stadium.
There will be a big recruiting center that will be used by all sports.
Also, Munn is getting some serious work done, first removing the freon system, then upgrading the whole thing. It sounds like it will look better from the outside & be way improved on the inside.
Didn't mention anything about lights, the a/v system, suites, or alcohol.

Money:

The dept. breaks even, taking in & spending around $85mm. But, all the sports besides basketball & football lose money, between tens of thousands and close to $4mm per sport.
We make a tiny amount of money from concessions. Also we make a much lower cut that other, more high profile, B1G schools on merchandise. So our athletic budget is significantly smaller than M's, gave their number as $150mm though they have 27 varsity sports to our 25.
Talked about strategically investing money in the non-revenue sports, gave Tennis as an example. He talked about how we used a small amount of money (<$50k) to hire an additional coach. This season, the 100th in MSU tennis history, we made the NCAA Tournament for the first time (though it's only been around since 1972). Also mentioned investments that resulted in new baseball, softball & two soccer fields.
The scales have finally tipped to where the B1G schools made more from TV last season than tickets. He said it isn't good that the decisions are now being made by & with TV execs in mind, not fans. Talked about a balance there.
He was asked about student athletes getting paid, he is not in favor of it, mentioned that he's an educator and would step down if that day comes.

The B1G:

Said he's very in favor of MSU in the B1G East, the teams in it are the teams Duffy & John Hannah wanted to play so those are the teams he wants to play. He was very upset reading fan bellyaching about wanting to be in the West. Said he wants us to be the best and to beat the best and doesn't want the easy way to anything.
Said the B1G East is also better, strategically, for MSU. Mentioned that there are huge alumni bases in DC & NYC that want MSU games there, and he talked about making those towns another Evanston when MSU goes there & the stadium is 50/50 or even 60/40 in our favor. Said there just isn't a fanbase for MSU in places like Lincoln or Iowa City.
Not sure what's going to happen in basketball but it seemed like he was in favor of divisions. Talked about how too many single plays will make the regular season meaningless. By my math, an 18 game season in a 14 team league will be 8 single plays & 5 double plays.
Thinks we'll stay at 14 for now, said that expanding was a reaction to ND to the ACC. Doesn't anticipate expanding again in the near term unless it's "defensive."
It sounds like he likes to troll Dave Brandon. Said they're not friends, but rather like brothers that like to beat each other up. Mentioned he did something to Brandon recently, someone asked if it had something to do with "chicken," he just chuckled & said it was much funnier.

Wiggins to Kansas = good news for MSU

2013-05-14T20:18:29Z

News has broken that likely one-and-done Andrew Wiggins has chosen Kansas over Kentucky, North Carolina, and Florida State. Setting aside FSU (his parents' alma mater), I see this as a positive development for MSU in a few ways:

1. Of Kansas, Kentucky, and North Carolina, Kansas was thought to have the lowest chance of competing for a national title in 2013-2014. They will certainly be a good team, especially with this addition, but Wiggins to either Kentucky or North Carolina might have created a more formidable NCAA tournament opponent.

2. Kentucky and North Carolina are on MSU's schedule, whereas I don't know of a potential MSU-Kansas showdown happening before late March. Sure, it might have been fun to watch MSU play against, and potentially beat, Wiggins' team, but these early-season contests tend to be rough enough on the Spartans regardless.

3. For whatever reason, MSU seems to compete for recruits with Kansas a bit less frequently than with Kentucky or UNC. I don't mind the latter two being denied some recruiting momentum going into 2014. Small stuff, maybe, but it can pass for good recruiting news until the 2014 dominoes start to fall.

Draymond making an "impact"

2013-05-01T15:19:39Z

This is my first fan post so I'll make it short. Here's a link to an article that made me smile.

The Denver Nuggets v. Golden State Warriors NBA playoff series is getting chippy and our boy Draymond Green is getting some recognition for his toughness.

In case you don't want to read the article here is George Karl's quote...
"Did Draymond Green play football or basketball at Michigan State?"

In response, Draymond played both football and basketball at MSU Mr. Karl, sort of. See Spring Football Game appearance two years ago.

This is my first fan post so I'll make it short. Here's a link to an article that made me smile. The Denver Nuggets v. Golden State Warriors NBA playoff series is getting chippy and our boy Draymond Green is getting some recognition for his toughness. In case you don't want to read the article here is George Karl's quote... "Did Draymond Green play football or basketball at Michigan State?" In response, Draymond played both football and basketball at MSU Mr. Karl, sort of. See Spring Football Game appearance two years ago.

Backcourt depth

2013-04-26T13:49:27Z

Any rumblings on whether or not Izzo has any intention of looking at Allerick Freeman, the UCLA recruit just released from his letter of intent? He is a Findlay Prep kid who perhaps Schilling could pull to East Lansing? Also, for those not aware of the name check out Seventh Woods from Hammond in Columbia, SC - nasty kid and only 14! Someone to be on the green and white radar as he will continue to grow and develop!

Our Cold War

2013-04-09T20:09:28Z

(Ed: Bump -- Chris)

The Cold War: America and the Soviet Union in a military arms race with each other. The same could be said for the modern day landscape of college athletics. Schools are investing more and more money into their facilities to give their teams an edge over their competition. Michigan and Michigan State are no exception.

Since and Michigan State has become relevant in football and Michigan in basketball (sigh) the two schools have important matchups in both football and basketball. They have to compete with each other on a year to year basis for recruits. Michigan State adds a sweet practice facility onto the Breslin Center and Michigan builds a nicer one and additionally renovates the Crisler Center. Michigan builds a giant high definition scoreboard into one end zone in the Big House, State builds a bigger scoreboard…and attaches two more on the opposite side. It’s an arms race.

For us to keep this up, we need money to pay for all this, and so does Michigan. Let’s see how we can continue to compete with the instate rivals. For private endowments in 2011 here’s how we stacked up with Michigan.

Yikes that’s not good. Michigan gets more than five times the donations than Michigan State does. Some of these donations go towards the athletic department. The athletic department then invests the money into their teams: here are both the school’s athletic expenses from 2008 to 2012.

Since both Universities are state funded institutions they release their financial statements every year. According to their statements both schools spent similar amount of money on athletics in 2008 through 2010. Then Michigan skyrockets off the chart and leaves Michigan State behind. As far as facility expenses go:

These expenses include overhead, construction, and debt that goes into their athletic facilities. As we can see the facilities expenses graph looks a lot like the overall athletic expenses graph. Michigan’s has spent a lot more in the past few years (probably due to the Crisler center renovations) and they will probably continue to spend more due to their pledge to donate 250 million to non-revenue sports.

Michigan gets the most private endowments out of any public university. They can spend more than us it’s just reality. But we have to keep spending money on our facilities to keep up. At the Michigan vs. Michigan State basketball game in Ann Arbor this year I couldn’t help but notice they kept playing this long advertisement on the jumbotron that targeted alumni to donate to the university. I couldn’t help but think that MSU didn’t do that this year. If there’s one thing Michigan knows how to do its raise money. We should have a similar advertisement run during basketball games. We used to run that “Championships through Memberships” campaign during basketball games. Dantonio would come on the jumbotron and say how important it was that State has enough money to win football games. Maybe the 7-6 season cancelled the campaign but I thought the campaign was a gold mine. It really gave fans the feeling they are important to the program which they are. Regardless of what campaign we run we should try to appeal to alumni to donate to the Spartan fund during sporting events, it can’t hurt.

State can’t outspend Michigan. But we don’t have to. Nothing’s more fun than beating the rich spoiled kid down the block in any kind of sport. Michigan State has made some good investments in their athletic programs and even though it’s not as Michigan has its still enough to sustain success on the field and keep this in state rivalry even sided.

(Ed: Bump -- Chris)

Dantonio vs John L: Recruiting

2013-04-09T20:02:01Z

(Ed: Bump. Good graphics. For comparison's sake, John L. went 22-26 in his four years (one bowl), while Dantonio went 33-19 (four bowls). Also, as is pointed out, MSU's recruiting has expanded in the past few years. -- Chris)

Let’s face it, even with a disappointing 7-6 season last year Mark Dantonio is building up a solid football program at Michigan State. We used to be a consistent low tier Big Ten football team under the guidance of Bobby Williams and John L Smith. Those days are over thankfully but I wanted to take a look back at the John L years and compare his recruiting tactics to our current football coach.

John L Smith was born in Idaho and spent most of his coaching career out west. He then went to Louisville and put together 41-21 record over 5 seasons. Then Michigan State thought he could do the same thing at MSU and hired him. (Slap!)

Mark Dantonio on the other hand was raised and coached in the Midwest, specifically in Ohio so he has strong Midwestern ties.

What made Mark Dantonio a better coach than John L? I wanted to look at their recruiting tactics to see if the answer was recruiting. To compare the two coaches I only took into account Dantonio’s first 4 years of coaching since John L only was here for 4 years. All the data I collected came from rivals. com.

The first thing I looked for was what states the coaches recruited from. Here’s Dantonio’s chart. The number inside the states is the total number of players each coach signed from that state. :

and here is John L’s:

The states in red are states that John L smith signed a player from that Dantonio didn’t. As we can see John L smith was a more of a national recruiter than Dantonio was. In the same amount of time Dantonio signed almost twice as many kids from Michigan than John L did. John L brought in a lot of players from talent rich states of Florida and California that Dantonio didn’t even touch. Most of the kids from California were junior college players; Dantonio doesn’t put a big emphasis on junior college recruiting.

As far as the talent of the recruits goes here is the breakdown:

As we can see according to Rivals.com Dantonio and John L brought in the same amount of talent. The majority of their recruits were solid 3 stars. Dantonio was able to pull a few more 4 stars to East Lansing and of course the coveted 5 star Will Gholston.

So if Dantonio and John L brought in the same amount of talent what makes Coach Dantonio such a better coach in East Lansing? I think it has a lot to do with their recruiting tactics. Michigan State is surrounded by traditional football powerhouses of Michigan, Notre Dame, and Ohio State. John L tried to get out of their territory and recruit in the fertile grounds out east, south, and west in California. John L Smith brought in a lot of junior college talent that were mostly all developed and only had a few years of eligibility left. Dantonio on the other hand focused on the Midwest and took a lot of players that the three football powerhouses over looked. He redshirts most of his recruits and develops them over time. This system definitely works better at Michigan State and it shows in the wins loss column.

Mark Dantonio on the other hand was raised and coached in the Midwest, specifically in Ohio so he has strong Midwestern ties.

The first thing I looked for was what states the coaches recruited from. Here’s Dantonio’s chart. The number inside the states is the total number of players each coach signed from that state. :

and here is John L’s:

As far as the talent of the recruits goes here is the breakdown:

The Continuing Quest for a B1G Basketball Champion

2013-04-09T18:04:14Z

The drought continues...

Runner up for the 3rd time in 7 years but still no title.

Since MSU last won a national championship for the Big Ten in 2000, this is the breakdown of titles by conference:

ACC - 5
Big East - 4
SEC - 3
Big 12 - 1

The B1G will always be looked at as a conference of football schools that can also play a little basketball but the SEC is the ultimate football conference yet has 3 titles since 2000. If the pattern over that time holds, the 2014 champion will likely be one of the following schools:

Whoever wins the Pac 12

The only power conferences missing from the list above are the B1G and Pac 12. When Kansas won the championship in 2008 it had been 20 years since a Big 8/Big 12 school won it all. The Pac 10/Pac 12 is now sitting on a 17 year drought since its last champion. Look out for Arizona to possibly bookend that streak.

Kentucky or Florida

Since Kansas from the Big 12 won in 2008 the champions have come from ACC-ACC-Big East-SEC-Big East. Time for an SEC champ again right? Maybe not, but both Kentucky and Florida figure to have elite teams with championship coaches next season and you know Slick Calipari won't be able to sleep now that Pitino has 2 rings.

Syracuse

The last 2 champions both lost in the semifinals the year before. It's been a whopping 3 seasons since an ACC school won it all, the last time that happened(2006-2008) ACC schools took the next 2. Syracuse will join the ACC next season. Sounds like they should be the odds on favorite. But if Syracuse should happen to struggle next season, Duke is in pretty good shape to win another one for the ACC.

Or maybe the drought finally ends

If none of the above happens, maybe a B1G school finally gets it done. I hope that school is MSU.

The drought continues...

Runner up for the 3rd time in 7 years but still no title.

Since MSU last won a national championship for the Big Ten in 2000, this is the breakdown of titles by conference:

ACC - 5
Big East - 4
SEC - 3
Big 12 - 1

Whoever wins the Pac 12

Kentucky or Florida

Syracuse

Or maybe the drought finally ends

If none of the above happens, maybe a B1G school finally gets it done. I hope that school is MSU.

Do we NEED to play Michigan every year in football?

2013-04-03T18:45:22Z

"Michigan-Michigan State in my opinion need to play. "It's an in-state rivalry that's one of the great, great games, and I foresee that that would continue into the future, but that's a conversation that's going to take 14 folks to sit down and come up with what that future direction is." - Mark Hollis

One of the interesting talking points in the B1G Division debate is whether or not to place Michigan and MSU in the same division or in separate divisions with a "protected" cross-over game. It seems like the general consensus from Spartan fans is that being in separate divisions and avoiding OSU, PSU and Michigan every year would be better for our B1G Title and Rose Bowl hopes (I tend to agree).

The question: Are you willing to not play Michigan every year if it meant the continued growth of our football program?

I really started thinking about this topic during the whole "would you rather have Michigan lose and MSU not win a share of a B1G Title, or Michigan win and gain a share of the title as well." I was surprised at how many people still would rather see Michigan fail even if it meant something good for MSU.

It seems like our whole identity has always been tied to "Michigan" even though their main rival will always be OSU. I'm fine with that fact and that is another reason why it is time to distance ourselves from them especially in Football.

The thing I like about this is it lets our football program grow at an important time in our development and there would always be a possibility (so you're saying there's a chance...) of meeting in the B1G Title Game.

Some people might see this as "cowardly" but I'm willing to brush off any slander if it means that we win more games. and stay competitive in Football.

We can get into more discussion in the comments section and I'm interested to hear other people's thoughts on this.

The question: Are you willing to not play Michigan every year if it meant the continued growth of our football program?

Some people might see this as "cowardly" but I'm willing to brush off any slander if it means that we win more games. and stay competitive in Football.

We can get into more discussion in the comments section and I'm interested to hear other people's thoughts on this.

Poll

Do we need to play Michigan in football every year?

Yes

82 votes

No

60 votes

142 votes | Poll has closed

On True Pointguardiness

2013-04-03T16:28:10Z

(Bump -- Chris)

There’s been some debate in these parts about whether Keith Appling is a "true point guard" or a shooting guard playing the point guard position. I’m not sure if this skepticism regarding Appling’s point guard bona fides are a product of him playing off guard his freshman year, or in high school, but the perception is out there that he lacks something required for the position. Also, some here have contended that we have a more "natural" point guard on the roster, who might be better suited to play the point guard position in the future. My armchair view is that Appling has been more than adequate as a point guard, but since this blog was founded on tempo-free statistical analysis, I decided to marshal some statistics to investigate the topic.

But first, what do we mean by a "true" point guard, especially as that term applies to past Michigan State’s basketball heritage? My a priori assumptions, based on the two most idealized point guards in the program’s history (Cleaves and Magic) is that our point guards have been, for the most part, indifferent 3 point shooters but skilled at driving to the basket and either finishing at the rim, or getting to the line, or both. Also, we expect the players who play point guard here to create scoring opportunities for others meaning a high assist rate comes with the territory. Also, since the point guard runs the offense, the player should use a high percentage of possessions with (hopefully) a low turnover rate.

There’s also an ineffable leadership quality we tend to expect from the position – which I like to call the Mateen Cleaves legacy. However, as that quality can neither be measured statistically, nor known with any degree of certainty by those who are not on the team or coaching staff, I’ll ignore all discussion of that topic in this fan post, except to note one thing: Izzo seemed very pleased with the chemistry of this team all season long, from the pre-season up to and including towel-Gate – the Nix-Appling towel throwing incident during the NCAA tournament. Since good leadership is a factor in good team chemistry, especially as Izzo defines team chemistry, I think it’s safe to say that Appling has sufficient leadership qualities.

This table shows Jr. Year stats for the best point guards of the Izzo era. Statsheet has back-filled tempo free stats to the Mateen Cleaves years, so he is here, along with Appling, Neitzel, and Lucas. I’ve also included Denzel Valentine’s stats, since he’s the candidate others are touting as the point guard of the future. I used Jr. year stats for all players because Appling just finished his Jr. year, and because Cleaves and Lucas both were either injured, or overcoming injuries, during their senior years, and this way I avoid comparing them to others at less-than-full-strength. I used true shooting percentage rather than effective field goal percentage because true shooting percentage incorporates free throws, and since we expect our point guards to get to the rim rather than snipe from outside, true shooting percentage seemed to better incorporate the skill set we expect from the position.

	True shot %	possess %	minute %	assist %	turnover %	Offrating
Cleaves	50.1	26.6	77.9	43	27.7	103.6
Neitzel	59.5	25.3	89.1	29	16.8	119.3
Lucas	55.5	25	75.2	25	18.6	111.6
Appling	52.5	23	83.9	20.5	18.6	104.7
Valentine	51.8	18.5	52	22.3	31.5	93.9

I have to admit, looking at these stats, I have to eat my words a little. Appling’s assist rate is atypically low by MSU point guard standards. His usage rate is also a little lower than the others to play the position. Lucas was considered too shoot-first by many and his assist rate was nearly 3 points higher than Appling’s. And, those championing Valentine do have a point – he has a higher assist rate than Appling. But, that turnover rate – yeeesh. You can’t have a point guard turning it over at that rate, unless he’s also generating prime scoring chances for other guys on the team at an even higher rate.

Which is a perfect segue into a discussion of Mateen Cleaves. He had a fantastic assist rate. He also had a really high turnover rate, but to generate an assist, you have to get the ball to a guy who then scores it. And he was really good at getting the ball to guys in positions where they would score it. Valentine has a ways to go to get even close to Neitzel, much less Cleaves, in terms of assist rate. That could partially be due to the fact that he wasn't really playing the point guard position for us and hence has less opportunity to dish assists while on the court. I’m optimistic that his turnover rate will improve – he seemed to do better as the season progressed, and with a full off-season to work with his teammates, I think he’ll come back next year with a much-reduced turnover rate I’m still not convinced he’ll be a better option than Appling next year, because assist rate isn’t the end-all and be-all of point guard play.

One other criticism of Appling is that true shooting percentage, which is lower than any of his peers except Cleaves. Actually, the tempo free stats don’t like Cleaves all that much – his offensive rating is the lowest on this list, probably due to the low shooting percentage and high turnover rate. The guy who really shines here is Neitzel, who has a strong claim to being the most underrated point guard in program history. He’s not thought of as being one of the greats, because, with the exception of his freshman year, his teams didn’t quite live up to the high standards expected for the program. Maybe he didn’t have that ineffable leadership quality that’s craved by the Spartan faithful. More likely, he didn’t have the complimentary parts around him necessary for the team to reach the lofty heights necessary to be listed among the best in program history. But, the stats speak for themselves : he was a heck of a scorer, but also had the highest assist rate of anyone on this list other than Cleaves. He had a higher usage rate than Lucas, and the lowest turnover rate of anyone on this list. Add it up and you get a sterling 119.3 offensive rating, the highest of any player on this list, and an impressive rating for anyone with that high a usage rate. Not bad for a guy who was considered by many to be a reach for a power-conference program.

As the Neitzel years prove, it’s not all about the point guard - it’s also about the other guys. And one can argue that Cleaves had the best "other guys" of any point guard of the Izzo era. In Cleave's Jr. year, Antonio Smith had an offensive rating of 98.3, roughly equivalent to Dawson's. The other prominent players from that year had much higher offensive ratings than almost anyone on this team: 114.6 for Bell, which is very similar to Harris. After than, you've got Petersen at 124.1, Granger at 116.9, and Hutson at 122.6. This year's team didn't have anyone at 115 or above. Granger shot better than 50 percent from 3 point range that year and he took 45 3's, which is about the same number as Payne. Talk about the ultimate stretch 4. They also had Jason Klein shooting 41 percent from 3, and Peterson coming off the bench. Who would you rather be dishing to - Peterson, who could score inside and out, or Dawson, who can score at the rim, but doesn't have to be defended on the perimeter? That team had more and better shooters, which makes getting assists easier. I can buy the argument that Cleaves made those guys better, but part of it is that they just were better. The only team that has an argument to being at the same level offensively is that 2004-05 Final Four team. Even the 09 team didn't have as many high quality scorers.

Neitzel had next to nothing around him - the other guys getting major minutes that year were Drew Naymik, a sophomore Goran Suton, a freshman Raymar Morgan, Maquise Grey and Travis Walton, who was never known as a scorer. I really don't know how he got to a 29 percent assist rate with that supporting cast. The fact that he was such an efficient scorer, when he was the guy the other team really had to stop, is really impressive.

What I take from this is that Appling still has room for improvement, at least on the offensive end. I don’t think he’ll ever have as good an instinct for finding scoring opportunities for others as some of the other guys on this list. I still think he’s our best option at point guard next year, but if Valentine can bring his turnover rate down below 20 percent and keep the assist rate high, he has an argument. Appling is almost certainly the best, or at worst second-best, defensive point guard we have on this list. That side of his game isn’t as amenable to statistical analysis, but shouldn’t be discounted when considering our options. And, despite his deficiencies in the assist department, he was pretty good at hanging onto the ball by program standards, and our offense was pretty efficient this year. We were also excellent defensively. Appling is clearly not quite on par with the other guys on this list - but he's pretty good, and he's not the entire problem. The other guys matter too, and we'll need everyone to get better if we want to get back to the Final Four.

(Bump -- Chris)

	True shot %	possess %	minute %	assist %	turnover %	Offrating
Cleaves	50.1	26.6	77.9	43	27.7	103.6
Neitzel	59.5	25.3	89.1	29	16.8	119.3
Lucas	55.5	25	75.2	25	18.6	111.6
Appling	52.5	23	83.9	20.5	18.6	104.7
Valentine	51.8	18.5	52	22.3	31.5	93.9

Calling all Spartans - Spartan Service Day 2013

2013-04-02T18:08:29Z

The basketball season may have ended one weekend sooner than all of us would have like, but that doesn't mean we aren't full of Green & White pride! And with that in mind, let's show America how great the Spartan Nation really is and sign up for Spartan Service Day next Sat., April 13.

No matter where in the country you're repping The Only Colors, there is a way you can help make a difference in the name of MSU. Check out the projects all over the country at this link. Whether you stayed in MI or moved elsewhere in the country, there are local projects you can sign up for (also, if you ended up in Seoul, S. Korea, you're in luck!). Most of the projects ask for a commitment of 6 hours or less, so you'll still have the rest of your Saturday when done.

Mrs. Dersh & I have already signed up - now it's your turn. #SpartansWill

Izzo vs. Krzyzewski

2013-03-26T17:50:54Z

This Friday we will be tuning into a contest that will exhibit true competitive greatness, the kind that the most accomplished College Basketball coach of all time, John Wooden, would cherish as he is the one who popularized the term ‘Competitive Greatness’ when he placed it atop his Pyramid of Success. Tom Izzo and Mike Krzyzewski may not hold the legendary status that Coach Wooden possesses yet, but they are without a doubt the two best coaches in this modern era of College Basketball (No Calapari does not compare, he is a snake and we all know this). These two men appear to be friends off of the basketball court, but it has become obvious that they are each others most intimidating competitors on the court.

In the past we have seen Coach K defeat Izzo’s first final four team in 1999 (Which might have been Izzo’s best team), Duke has beaten the Spartans many times in those meaningless ACC versus Big Ten Challenges in past Novembers, and most recently Jabari Parker chose Duke over Michigan State after Izzo went all-in on the five star recruit from Chicago (Actively recruiting him since he was in the eighth grade). So far it appears as if Krzyzewski has held the slight upper hand against Izzo but Michigan State has held their own in past battles against Coach K and The Blue Devils.

Michigan State upset top seeded Duke in the 2005 sweet sixteen on their way to the final four, Izzo added the transfer Mike Chappell who left Duke only to win a National Championship at Michigan State in 2000, and now there is speculation that Krzyzewski will step down from his head coaching position with the United States Olympic Men’s Basketball team and Izzo might take his place as the coach of the 2016 Men’s Olympic squad. These two men share a similar competitive drive and will power, but the styles of these two men could not be any more different. Duke is a small privately funded University where basketball is king, while Michigan State is a large public university that is funded by the state who values it’s football program on the same level as its successful basketball program.

Izzo took the long and difficult route of becoming a head coach as he was one of Jud Heathcote’s assistant coaches for thirteen years before he became the head coach at Michigan State when he was forty years old in 1995. Coach K took the quick path of being an assistant coach at Indiana under Bob Knight for a year, then coaching at Army for five years before obtaining his current position at Duke as a thirty-three year old in 1980. Izzo’s teams are known for having tough, athletic, Midwestern kids who are typically second-tier recruits that sometimes come from a tough inner-city up bringing. Izzo has a magical way of humbling and developing these young men while their in college, keeping them around for four years and leading them to at least one final four during that time span.

Krzyzewski recruits the top talents in the country every year. His players are known for their intelligence and skill, they typically come from wealthy families, and his players come from any region of the United States and sometimes other countries. It often takes less than four years for Coach K to develop these talents and he frequently has his players leave college early and become stars in the NBA.

On the court Izzo starts his offense low, near the three point line, which leads to more turnovers but more offensive rebounds and back to the basket points in the paint. Krzyzewski starts his offense high, near mid-court, which promotes better ball control and more three pointers, but less rebounds. Krzyzewski puts together easier non-conference schedules and coaches offense and ball control in the early season, this leads to more wins during the regular season and higher national rankings but sometimes Duke shows a lack of toughness in the NCAA Tournament where they have often been beaten by tougher Big East or Big Ten programs.

Izzo always schedules a very tough non-conference schedule and coaches defense and rebounding in the early part of the season. This causes the Spartans to turn the basketball over more often and lose more games early in the season, but it helps them battle through adversity and tougher half court basketball in the NCAA tournament, usually by then Michigan State resolves there turnover issues by playing against tough Big Ten defenses throughout the conference season. Izzo is Fire, Krzyewski is Ice. Krzyzewski is smooth, Izzo is rough. Izzo is the north, Krzyzewski is the south. Krzyzewski is Coke, Izzo is Pepsi. Izzo is a long road trip in a car, Krzyzewski is a short trip on a plane. Krzyzewski is a box office hit movie, Izzo is the long detailed novel that was written ten years before the movie was released. Izzo is like Marijuana (Illegal but has never killed a single person), Krzyzewski is like Alcohol (Legal and socially acceptable but kills thousands of people every year). Krzyzewski is an over the counter remedy for a cold, Izzo is a natural rest and recover cure for an Illness. Duke is the Roman Empire, Michigan State is… well, the Spartans. Krzyzewski is Yin, Izzo is Yang.

There is no doubt that Fridays battle will be another great contest in this competitive saga between Izzo and Krzyzewski. I’m not saying that this will be the final battle between good and evil, but as a fan this surely feels like it. The stakes are high for this game. Both programs have aspirations of winning another national championship and playing the overall number one seed Louisville in the elite eight on Sunday. There is also bad blood being bled in this rivalry as these two programs took part in an intense recruiting battle over the so called ‘Next Lebron James’ Jabari Parker.

Lets actually forget about the potential of a National Championship, playing Louisville, and even Jabari Parker. Lets focus on the upcoming battle this Friday. Izzo and Krzyzewski are without any doubt the two most elite men in their profession and in my opinion they are the two most successful and hard working men on the planet (Sorry Barack). This will be a fierce battle and a masterful display of the competitive greatness that the legendary coach John Wooden placed atop his Pyramid of Success.

NCAA Sweet 16 MSU vs Duke: An Inside Look at the Best Match-Ups

2013-03-25T23:16:25Z

(Bump: Good breakdown -- Chris)

An exclusive look inside the best game of the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen Round between the Spartans of Michigan State and the Duke Blue Devils.

In their last meeting, the Blue Devils came out victorious in a 74-69 win, this year, both teams are different, however, despite the changes one thing remains the same: the hunger for that elusive national crown.

Here are the best Match-Ups:

MATCH-UP #1

KEITH APPLING VS QUINN COOK

Appling Stats: 13.3ppg, 3.4 apg, 3.5rpg, 1.3spg

Cook Stats: 12.0ppg, 5.4apg, 3.9rpg, 1.5spg

Intriguing match-up at the point guard position with two feisty guards who both love a bit of trash-talk. While Cook is clearly the more outspoken out of the two, don’t expect Appling to be intimidated by the high-energy sophomore guard.

Keys to this Match-Up:

#1: Keith Appling needs to use his experience and last year’s loss to Louisville in the Sweet Sixteen as extra fuel and motivation.

#2: Take away options from Quinn Cook and make him make shots/plays. Better him shooting than Curry /Kelly.

MATCH-UP #2

GARY HARRIS VS RASHEED SULAIMON

Harris Stats: 13.1ppg, 1.3apg, 2.5rpg, 1.3spg, 42% 3P
Sulaimon Stats: 11.7ppg, 1.9apg, 3.4rpg, 39% 3P

Great match-up with two electric freshman guards.

In their first year, they both have turned out to be great additions to their respective programs and will arguably be in discussions for POY awards in the foreseeable future.

Keys to this Match-Up:

#1: Force Sulaimon into making low percentage shots.

#2: Sulaimon is a slasher and loves driving to the basket. Help defense by Payne/Nix/Dawson if Harris beaten off the dribble.

MATCH-UP #3

BRANDEN DAWSON vs SETH CURRY

Dawson Stats: 9.1ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.3apg, 1.6spg

Curry Stats: 17.3ppg, 1.6apg, 2.6rpg, 43% 3P

Key Match-up for State. Duke’s best offensive player against Michigan State’s defensive specialist.

Regardless of who’s guarding him, Curry is going to make his shots. Dawson's size, athleticism, and strength should cause him to adjust a little.

Keys to this Match-Up:

#1: Try to contain him, not stop him.

#2: Make him give it up.

#3: Make him a slasher.

#4: Avoid foul trouble.

MATCH-UP #4

ADREIAN PAYNE VS RYAN KELLY

Payne Stats: 10.4ppg, 7.5rpg, 1.4bpg

Kelly Stats: 13.3ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.7apg, 46% 3P

Very different players who both make their living on what defenses give them.

Both forwards have the ability to step out of the paint and make plays for their team. Kelly is without doubt the more capable stretch-4, however Payne’s length and physicality have proven to be key factors in Coach Izzo’s defense.

Keys to this Match-Up:

#1: Make Kelly put ball on the floor.

#2: If Nix guarding Kelly don’t overhelp leaving shooters open.

MATCH-UP #5

DERRICK NIX vs MASON PLUMLEE

Nix Stats: 10.0ppg, 6.5rpg, 1.6apg, 1.1spg

Plumlee Stats: 17.2ppg, 10.0rpg, 2.0apg, 1.0spg, 1.5bpg

Can’t really put a finger on this one. Too unpredictable to make any substantial declarations, but here’s few notes…

Plumlee: 6’10" with unbelievable athleticism who knows his way around the rim and isn’t afraid of contact.

Nix: 6’9" undersized but bulky center who has come a long way from his first days as a Spartan. As his entire game revolves on contact, his imposing strength makes it extremely difficult for opposing bigs to succeed against him.

Keys to this Match-Up:

#1: Keep Plumlee out of the paint.

#2: Find him after every shot fired, preventing him from offensive boards.
#3: If Nix sealed under the basket, help and contest his shot.
#4: Hard fouls

OTHER INTERESTING MATCH-UPS:

ADREIAN PAYNE VS MASON PLUMLEE

GARY HARRIS VS QUINN COOK

TYLER THORNTON VS TRAVIS TRICE

KEITH APPLING VS SETH CURRY

DENZEL VALENTINE VS SETH CURRY

Twitter @TheExpert91

(Bump: Good breakdown -- Chris)

An exclusive look inside the best game of the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen Round between the Spartans of Michigan State and the Duke Blue Devils.

Here are the best Match-Ups:

MATCH-UP #1

KEITH APPLING VS QUINN COOK

Appling Stats: 13.3ppg, 3.4 apg, 3.5rpg, 1.3spg

Cook Stats: 12.0ppg, 5.4apg, 3.9rpg, 1.5spg

Keys to this Match-Up:

#1: Keith Appling needs to use his experience and last year’s loss to Louisville in the Sweet Sixteen as extra fuel and motivation.

#2: Take away options from Quinn Cook and make him make shots/plays. Better him shooting than Curry /Kelly.

MATCH-UP #2

GARY HARRIS VS RASHEED SULAIMON

Harris Stats: 13.1ppg, 1.3apg, 2.5rpg, 1.3spg, 42% 3P
Sulaimon Stats: 11.7ppg, 1.9apg, 3.4rpg, 39% 3P

Great match-up with two electric freshman guards.

In their first year, they both have turned out to be great additions to their respective programs and will arguably be in discussions for POY awards in the foreseeable future.

Keys to this Match-Up:

#1: Force Sulaimon into making low percentage shots.

#2: Sulaimon is a slasher and loves driving to the basket. Help defense by Payne/Nix/Dawson if Harris beaten off the dribble.

MATCH-UP #3

BRANDEN DAWSON vs SETH CURRY

Dawson Stats: 9.1ppg, 6.0rpg, 1.3apg, 1.6spg

Curry Stats: 17.3ppg, 1.6apg, 2.6rpg, 43% 3P

Key Match-up for State. Duke’s best offensive player against Michigan State’s defensive specialist.

Regardless of who’s guarding him, Curry is going to make his shots. Dawson's size, athleticism, and strength should cause him to adjust a little.

Keys to this Match-Up:

#1: Try to contain him, not stop him.

#2: Make him give it up.

#3: Make him a slasher.

#4: Avoid foul trouble.

MATCH-UP #4

ADREIAN PAYNE VS RYAN KELLY

Payne Stats: 10.4ppg, 7.5rpg, 1.4bpg

Kelly Stats: 13.3ppg, 5.4rpg, 1.7apg, 46% 3P

Very different players who both make their living on what defenses give them.

Keys to this Match-Up:

#1: Make Kelly put ball on the floor.

#2: If Nix guarding Kelly don’t overhelp leaving shooters open.

MATCH-UP #5

DERRICK NIX vs MASON PLUMLEE

Nix Stats: 10.0ppg, 6.5rpg, 1.6apg, 1.1spg

Plumlee Stats: 17.2ppg, 10.0rpg, 2.0apg, 1.0spg, 1.5bpg

Can’t really put a finger on this one. Too unpredictable to make any substantial declarations, but here’s few notes…

Plumlee: 6’10" with unbelievable athleticism who knows his way around the rim and isn’t afraid of contact.

Keys to this Match-Up:

#1: Keep Plumlee out of the paint.

#2: Find him after every shot fired, preventing him from offensive boards.
#3: If Nix sealed under the basket, help and contest his shot.
#4: Hard fouls

OTHER INTERESTING MATCH-UPS:

ADREIAN PAYNE VS MASON PLUMLEE

GARY HARRIS VS QUINN COOK

TYLER THORNTON VS TRAVIS TRICE

KEITH APPLING VS SETH CURRY

DENZEL VALENTINE VS SETH CURRY

Twitter @TheExpert91

Football Spring Depth Chart Released

2013-03-18T20:09:27Z

Yes, I know. It's tourney time, and as such football's not just on the back burner, it's on a neglected hotplate in another room. But I for one can only fill out so many brackets (5 so far) and gnash my teeth for so long over the 3-day wait before the best postseason in all of sport begins.

Mercifully, the football program came to the rescue. Ahead of tomorrow's kickoff to spring practice, the team released this updated depth chart:

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/2013SpringDepthChart.pdf

Fanpost lurkers might recall the series of guesswork posts I put together, based on where the team was after the bowl game, about what our two-deeps would look like in the fall. As expected, the various offseason happenings that alter every roster have shifted some guys around, so in case you didn't read my previous 5000 words on the subject, I'll hit the high points:

1. Offensive Line Shuffle

I speculated that there would be some movement to accomodate the fact that we have 7 guys with starting experience (6 with substantial time) but only 5 spots to play; this isn't what I expected. Dan France, 2-year starter at LT, is now listed as the starter at RG. Fou Fonoti, recovered from his leg injury, is now the starting LT, while Skyler Burkland retains his RT spot. The also-healed Travis Jackson returns at C, and Blake Treadwell continues to hold down LG.

The plot will really thicken here when redshirt sophomore Jack Allen returns from his offseason surgery. When that happens, both starting guards will have the versatile and talented Allen breathing down their necks for snaps. ESPN's Adam Rittenberg speculates that Allen could push Treadwell out of the lineup, but I'd view France as the most likely loser in that battle. I found it surprising in the first place that France, whose pass blocking is a step above his run blocking, would be moved to the inside where our scheme needs its best run-blockers. There's also an outside possibility that Allen fills the McGaha-Ruhland Memorial Offensive Line Super Sub position I had tentatively bestowed upon Nate Klatt (who, btw, will take a medical DQ), but Allen's probably too good to relegate to a backup role.

Speaking of young guns making moves on the OL, former late addition/unheralded prospect/probable subject of MGoBlog mockery ergo stud-to-be Jack Conklin is now listed as Fonoti's backup at LT. Dantonio has been very excited about Jack's progress during his redshirt last year, so we could be looking at our next diamond in the rough type of guy. Kodi Kieler has also moved into the second string, behind Jackson at C, though I'm inclined to think if Jackson goes down again (knock on ALL the wood) it will again be Jack Allen in the middle of the line.

2. Tight End/Receiver Intrigue (Not Really)

Former TE Derek Hoebing is shifting into a reserve OL role. Not altogether surprising, as his blocking was excellent but his pass-catching unproven. Redshirt junior Andrew Gleichert is currently the starter at TE, Paul Lang the backup, and Josiah Price and Evan Jones as co-third stringers.

The interesting point here is that Juwan Caesar, who we have all been informed spent last season transitioning to TE ("good," we thought, "for our receiving options at TE grow slim"), is still listed as a WR, and not exactly atop the depth chart at that, at 4th string amongst X receivers. Not sure what to make of that, since there are plenty of bodies at WR and a pretty urgent need for a pass-catching threat at TE.

3. Defense: So Many Dudes, So Few Snaps

Most of the movement on the defensive side of the ball was prompted by injuries to Darqueze Dennard, Denicos Allen, and Ed Davis, except one: Lawrence Thomas is listed as the backup at 3-tech DT. Dantonio said he could move back to offense, but between Trevon Pendleton and Niko Palazeti, I think we have enough fullbacks (TyQuan Hammock has opted to pass on his final year of eligibility and will graduate) and not enough proven, dynamic DTs. Although there are plenty of other seasoned bodies at DT, finding an impact guy on the line will be critical, and Thomas could be that guy. One way or another, I think he needs to be on the field.

The other move is former backup SS Jairus Jones to STAR linebacker. I'd view this as a filling-the-depth-chart move while Ed Davis recuperates. Kyler Elsworth is also the nominal starter at SAM while Denicos Allen recovers, but I'd expect Darien Harris takes a ton of snaps so the coaches can see more of the probable future of the position. Standing in as starter for Dennard is redshirt sophomore Arjen Colquhoun. Dennard's injury could be helpful in the long run, as it will allow more candidates for the other CB spot to show their stuff.

Well, that's everything I thought was of note. Anything else worth discussing, or do we all have to go back to listening to Doug Gottlieb now?

Mercifully, the football program came to the rescue. Ahead of tomorrow's kickoff to spring practice, the team released this updated depth chart:

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/msu/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/2013SpringDepthChart.pdf

1. Offensive Line Shuffle

2. Tight End/Receiver Intrigue (Not Really)

3. Defense: So Many Dudes, So Few Snaps

Well, that's everything I thought was of note. Anything else worth discussing, or do we all have to go back to listening to Doug Gottlieb now?

fewer fouls called

2013-03-16T11:35:04Z

I'm convinced ESPN or CBS (the two entities that control college hoops) decreed that games were taking too long to play due to the number of fouls called during these games. It could just be me but I'm seeing scads more contact on the floor that is not being called.

I like it for the most part. Let 'em play. It makes for a better game. Now, if we could do something about all gabfests in front of the monitor regarding swinging elbows!

MSU Basketball in Europe: Updates on Spartans Playing Abroad

2013-03-14T19:01:28Z

(Ed: Bump -- Chris)

European basketball is complicated and figuring out how things work is difficult but not impossible.

The top-tier European league/event is the Turkish Airlines Euroleague and second-tier league/event is the Eurocup. These two events include teams from all of Europe as well as Russia. What makes things tricky is that these events have regular seasons and playoffs, but they involve teams from different leagues using a convoluted qualification process. What makes things even more confusing as that the Euroleague and Eurocup competitions run concurrently with many of the other national and international leagues.

Here is an example of how messy things can get. Paul Davis and Drew Naymick play in the VTB United League in Eastern Europe and Russia. Davis plays for Khimki, the top team in Group A, while Naymick plays for CEZ Nymburk which is currently in 8th place in Group B. Khimki, located in Khimki near Moscow, also plays in the Euroleague (the top-tier European league) and the Professional Basketball League (PBL) in Russia. CEZ Nymburk also plays in two other leagues which are the National Basketball League (NBL) of the Czech Republic and the Eurocup (the second-tier European league).

This can make a player’s schedule pretty hectic. Take Naymick for example again. On January 30, 2013 Naymick played for CEZ Nymburk in the Eurocup. Two days later, on February 1 Naymick played a game in the VTB United League (getting beat by 10) and another game in the Czech NBL (winning by 38). So in three days, Naymick played in three games in three different leagues including two games in one day. And you thought the B1G schedule was rough.

Without spending more time on the Euroball format, let’s take a look at how some recent MSU grads are faring in Europe. (Players in order of recency)

Kalin Lucas

The 2009 Big Ten Player of the Year plays for Banvit Basketball Club in Bandirma, Turkey (Chris Hill’s former club) which competes in the Eurocup and the Turkish Basketball League (TBL). Banvit made it the round of 16 of the Eurocup, but after going 3-3 in the round of 16 play, they were edged out of the quarterfinals by Buducnost VOLI in a tiebreak situation. Lucas played 30 minutes per game and averaged 13 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in Eurocup play.

Eurocup competition ended on February 20 for Lucas and he is now back to TBL competition. This season he is averaging 23.5 minutes, 9.5 points, 1.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game in the TBL. This is Lucas’s second season with Banvit. Last year, Banvit made it to the semifinals of the TBL before losing to Anadalou Efes. Banvit is currently in 1st place in the TBL and playoffs will begin in April.

Raymar Morgan

Morgan is currently playing for the Netanya GreenTops in the Israeli-Winner League (AKA Super League). The league is currently nearing the end of the regular season and Netanya is fighting to hold its spot in the top half of the league (6th out of 12) in order to gain automatic entry into the 8-team quarterfinal playoff structure. This season, Morgan is playing 25.1 minutes per game and averaging 12.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 0.9 steals per game.

Goran Suton

Playing for Cedevita Zagreb, Suton is now teammates with former IU star Bracey Wright. Cedevita is located in Zagreb, Croatia and plays in the Adriatic League and the Euroleague. Also, being one of the top teams in Croatia, they automatically qualify for the championship round of the Croatian League (A-1 Liga) without having to play in the regular season. So they got that going for them, which is nice.

Cedevita Zagreb did not make it out of the regular season of the Euroleague, going 2-8 in Group C. Suton played 12.5 minutes per game and averaged 4.1 points and 3.3 rebounds in Euroleague play which ended for Cedevita Zagreb in December 2012.

Suton has since been playing in the Adriatic League in Eastern Europe which primarily features teams from Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Slovenia. Cedevita is currently 13-11 and in 7th place of 14 teams in the Adriatic League. With 2 games left in the regular season and trailing the 4th place team by 2 games, it appears unlikely that Cedevita will make the 4 team semifinal playoff format. Suton has been coming on strong for Cedevita in the second half of the TBL season though. After averaging only 5.5 minutes per game in the first 10 games of the season, Suton has since played 19.7 minutes per game and averaged 8.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game.

Drew Naymick

The all-time MSU shot block leader continues to protect the paint in the Czech Republic where he is the Czech National Basketball League (NBL) leader in blocked shots. Naymick plays for CEZ Nymburk, which plays in the VTB United League, the Czech NBL and competed in this year’s Eurocup. In the Eurocup, CEZ went 3-3 in the regular season and advanced to the round of 16 where they did not fare as well. After an initial victory in the round of 16, they lost 5 straight and were bounced from the event on February 20. Naymick played 15.8 minutes per game and averaged 6.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocked shots in Eurocup play.

The VTB United League is made up of 20 teams throughout Eastern Europe and Russia and has two groups. CEZ plays in group B and is currently 5-11 and in 8th place out of 10 teams and will not compete in the playoffs. Naymick missed the game on March 10 due to injury, but has played 15.5 minutes per game and averages 5.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.5 blocked shots per game in VTB league play.

While CEZ Nymburk is overmatched in the VTB United League, they are by far the best team in the Czech NBL. They are 26-1 while their closest competitor is 18-9. Naymick plays 17.0 minutes per game and averages 8.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and a league-leading 1.7 blocked shots per game.

Paul Davis

After being drafted by the Clippers in 2006, Davis is now playing for Khimki, one of the top teams in the VTB United League and a legitimate Euroleague contender. Former Illinois standout James Augustine and Davis make up the starting frontcourt for Khimki which advanced to the round of 16 by placing 2nd in their initial group. After 10 games and with 4 games left in the round of 16, they stand at 6-4 and 3rd place in Group F. The top 4 teams in Group F will advance to the quarterfinal playoff format with the top 4 teams from group E.

Davis is the team’s leading scorer in the round of 16, averaging 16.0 points per game. In Euroleague play (including the regular season), he is playing 18.5 minutes per game and is averaging 13.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.0 blocked shots per game. Playing this well for a contender at the highest level of European competition is very impressive and don’t be surprised if Davis gets another shot at an NBA roster someday.

In the VTB United League, Khimky is tied for first in group A with a 13-4 record. They earned a bye in the round of 16 and will play in the quarterfinals beginning in May. Davis averages 13.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in VTB United League play.

Chris Hill

After helping lead MSU to the 2005 final four, Chris Hill has had a very successful European career playing in France, Belgium and Turkey. He currently plays for Entente Orleans in Orleans, France. The team plays in France’s Pro-A league and was a 2013 Eurocup competitor.

In Eurocup play, Orleans went 2-4 in the regular season and did not advance to the round of 16. Hill averaged 22.0 minutes, 8.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. Orleans is currently 11-11 in the France Pro-A league (France’s top league) and is tied for 8th place out of 16 teams. The top 8 teams qualify for the playoffs and Orleans is currently tied with 2 other teams for 8th place so the final 8 games of the season will be important for Orleans as they make a run for the playoffs. So far in league play, Hill is averaging 26.0 minutes, 12.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.3 steals.

Stats provided by eurobasket.com and league standings were taken from league websites. If you have any questions or updates about MSU players in Europe tweet me: @de_boe

(Ed: Bump -- Chris)

European basketball is complicated and figuring out how things work is difficult but not impossible.

Without spending more time on the Euroball format, let’s take a look at how some recent MSU grads are faring in Europe. (Players in order of recency)

Kalin Lucas

Raymar Morgan

Goran Suton

Drew Naymick

Paul Davis

Chris Hill

Stats provided by eurobasket.com and league standings were taken from league websites. If you have any questions or updates about MSU players in Europe tweet me: @de_boe