Illinois Game Recap (3/6/08)
March 6, 2008 by kj
Michigan State chalks one up on the road, defeating Illinois 59-51.
Hard to know exactly how to feel about this one. On the positive side, MSU buckled down after Illinois jumped out to a 21-11 lead and outscored the Illini 48-30 over the final 30 minutes of the game. MSU built a 6-point lead early in the second half and led pretty comfortably down the stretch.
On the other hand, the start to the game was disappointing, as Illinois scored a series of easy buckets near the hoop on a combination of Shaun Pruitt post moves (odd they didn’t go to him more later in the game) and poor help defense by the Spartans. And if Illinois shoots a decent % from the line (they finished 9-19), this would have been a tight game in the second half.
In the end, it’s a conference road win. And we’re in no position to turn our noses up at those.
To start the game, MSU was clearly looking to the mistmatches Morgan had to create scoring opportunities. Interestingly, he was only able to convert on one 2-point shot (on a low post move), but knocked down two 3-pointers. His confidence level shooting the ball actually looks better outside the arc than inside it right now. Disappointingly, Morgan faded entirely down the stretch. He didn’t score in the second half and was off the floor for most of the final minutes of the game.
Suton turned out to be the catalyst MSU needed in the half-court offense. He finished with 10 points and 4 assists, meaning he was involved in 30.5% of MSU points. He was more aggressive on offense tonight; in a few cases it turned out poorly, but it kept Illinois off-balance. It also seemed like Izzo had instructed his guards to get the ball to him more consistently. I noticed Neitzel making a concerted effort to make an entry pass on at least one occasion when Suton wasn’t obviously open.
Naymick had a nice connection going with Suton. He finished with 12 points on 5-6 FG shooting, hitting a long shot late that was very nearly a 3-pointer.
A few more stats from the (unofficial) box score:
- Neitzel had a very Neitzelesque game: 17 points on 13 FG attempts, 4 assists, zero turnovers.
- MSU had another good showing in terms of turnovers–10 in about 57 possessions (17.5%). There were a couple of the no-purpose-whatsoever variety, but most of them came in the course of trying to create offensive opportunities.
- Izzo shortened the bench tonight. Only 7 players played more than 10 minutes. Probably a function of a game he knew would be played at a slow pace.
- For Illinois, 3-point shooting was a key stat. They made just 2 of 15 attempts (.133); credit MSU for not giving up easy looks.
- Demetrius McCamey–the one guy who looks he has the potential to be an offensive catalyst for the Illini–really struggled, making only 1 of 7 FG attempts and turning it over 6 times.
It wasn’t the work of the art the IU game was, but I think MSU played with enough confidence and efficiency to show they’re building on their recent success heading into postseason play. Next up: a road game against a team that plays good defense AND has a couple, real-live offensive threats (Ohio State; noon Sunday; BTN).
Final note: As harsh as I’ve been about Brent Musburger in the past, I feel I should give him some credit for his call of tonight’s game. He’s toned down the over-the-top calls on every other play and has, I think, actually eliminated the word “huge” from his vocabulary. Plus his enthusiasm for Goran Suton matches that of the Spartans Weblog’s. He was pushing him for first-team all-conference tonight. I’m not sure even I’d go that far (although it does raise an interesting question: Who is the second best big man in the Big Ten behind D.J. White?). Meanwhile, no less than college basketball blogosphere legend Yoni Cohen concurs with my love for the analytical musings of Mr. Steve Lavin.
Are we going to see Naymick’s butt assist (to Illini) again?
Naymick’s consecutive 2 points in the beginning of the second half was a huge plus. Weber had to call a time-out. I hope Allen can shoot more consistently. With Allen and Neitzel around the arc, it would be beautiful to see Lucas look for opportunities. Of course, Suton and Naymick will be ready for rebounds!
Now it’s time to get ready for a possible two games against OSU. What can we do with J.Bulter?
Go Spartans!
Kyle, I think it’s time you ended every post with “Go Green!” or “Go Spartans” or something.
Also, this game had me thinking a lot about our offense in the paint. It seems we have none.
The guys, often enough, seem like they’re afraid to go aggressively to the basket, to make plays happen. Even Lucas (my favorite playmaker) had several fast-break one-on-one matchups…but then he’d pull up and dribble around and wait for the defense to get into position. It makes no sense! One of these times Izzo actually had to call a time-out because Lucas was just out there, near half-court, just dribbling.
Remember when we went hard to the basket? Morgan used to do it, now he just squares up and looks for somewhere to pass it or he shoots it from outside. Lucas is supposed to be doing it, but the pull up and dribble bit he had going tonight makes me think maybe Izzo told him to calm down with the ball and go through the set offenses instead of always trying (and usually converting) a play on the basket.
The two times I can remember MSU players going hard to the hole against a defender were: Neitzel on a lay-up try (is he fooling anyone? Have you ever seen him make a lay-up against a defender?) ends up shooting two free-throws, and Suton spotting an opening spins and posts on a big man and puts it in over him (and the foul.)
There were very few low-post passes to Naymick or Suton for easy buckets, although we were giving those to the Hoosiers like candy. Why, I’m wondering, can’t we go right to the bucket every possession? As you’ve iterated, Izzo’s offense works best for a run and gun kind of game - and turnovers wouldn’t be a problem if the guys didn’t spend so much time passing and dribbling around for twenty seconds a possession. I actually the reason they had so few turnovers in the Indiana game was because they were exploiting the run and gun.
I guess my point is I can’t figure out why the guys seem as if they’re afraid to score, afraid to go to the bucket, afraid of contact (though they defend with almost too much of that), and, perhaps, afraid of Izzo. I wonder what would happen if he just let all that talent…play.
The biggest problem in terms of going to the basket is Morgan. I think he’s just lost his instinctive sense of when to press an advantage and when to pull up. The one time he tried to drive last night, he got called for a charge. And, of course, he’s still traveling with the ball 2+ times per game.
Lucas I think is actually doing a pretty good job of pushing the ball in transition and then pulling it back out if there’s nothing there.
This explains a few things: Lucas, Morgan, and Summers all had stomach ailments.
http://noise.typepad.com/hey_joe/2008/03/ralph-morgan.html
That’s the kind of information Erin Andrews would have been all over.
Yes, this was not a game of beauty. But, hey, why are you negative, KJ? They made key shots, shut down a team when they needed to, and made all their three throws. You think Wisconsin’s road wins are prettier? No, this is how you win on the road in the Big Ten, and if MSU had played this well on previous road games, they’d be in the thick of the Big Ten race, with only 2,3 losses. This is what mental “toughness” looks like. Netizel did not have a great night, but he kept positive, and the fact that both Naymick and Suton were aggressive and looking to conttribute offensively helped enormously. Finally, Walton had a very solid game, with several key steals, and a rock steady performance at the point. The single negative? rebouding — they actually got outrebounded, which is what kept Illinois in the game.
The fact that half the team was sick only increases my appreciation. I wondered why Morgan played so sparingly in the second half.
MSU has won very rarely at Illinois in the last ten years, so I will take this win with gratitude. MSU has played very well against OSU under Matha, so I’ll predict a win on sunday. I jsut hope this stomach flu goes away quickly!
Adam and Hubert,
Apparently, I need to dial up the enthusiasm! I thought the recap of last night’s game was pretty positive on balance. I definitely think MSU is improving offensively. They’re making more aggressive and creative plays than they were earlier in the conference season. And Hubert’s right that aren’t very man pretty road wins in the Big Ten.
I’m feeling pretty optimistic at the moment that MSU will make a run in either the Big Ten and/or the NCAA tournaments. I’ll try to let a little more of that emotion through. I tend to get focused on the analytical side of things in the game recaps.
And, most definitely, Go Green!
I think Lavin and Musberger have been drinking more pregame as the season goes along. Something is loosening them up anyway.
The Goran Suton fan club definately need to start collecting quotes from the man himself.
(from the LSJ)
“If we’d had Serbian food,” Suton said, “we’d have beat them by 20.”
The context was something about why Morgan, Summers and Lucas were puking.
Actually, there’s a statistical project, kj, I’d swear MSU players, and especially Neitzel, get the flu more than average. Remember last year’s flu outbreak that was so bad they lost to U of M?
Oh, and Demetri McCamey, no ‘us.’
I am trying to look back to what I was disappointed with, game after game, through the majority of Big Ten Conference play. The two big thorns in my/our side was (1) turnovers and (2) horrible road game play. Regarding the turnovers… Let’s give Izzo and the squad some love! I guess it would be hard to turn the ball over more than our initial pace, but still. The 10 game stretch starting with the Iowa loss through the Indiana loss, we averaged 15.2 turnovers. In some of those wins, it looked to close for comfort. Since that Indiana loss, we have played 5 games with an average of only 7.4 turnovers per game. Yes, some of those teams don’t have great records, but they still play some stout D. Think about the improvement from playing a team a second time. Iowa game 1: 18 turnovers, Iowa game 2: 5. Indiana game 1: 19, Indiana game 2: 9. Illinois game 1: 18, Illinois game 2: 10. Regarding the road game play, the last two games seem to be where the improvement was. Yeah, we lost that Wisconsin game. But, NO TEAM in the Big Ten was going to beat them that night. I didn’t feel like absolute crap after that game. And then there was the hostile Illinois game. The team responded.
We are improving, finally. Time to for a double-dose of Buckeyes and then on with the tournaments. Spartans have a good history of bball in March, right?
“… and, of course, Spartans have their reputations to consider.” - King Leonidas
Go Green.