Bringing the Payne

I have to admit, I was surprised by how thoroughly and convincingly the Spartan basketball team beat the Texas Longhorns today. I didn't see that coming, but one would think that after almost 19 years of Tom Izzo-coached teams pulling out great gutty win after great gutty win, I should have expected it.

The game was actually nip-and-tuck through at least the first 30 minutes and change, but that's when MSU's experience, grit, and talent took over. Despite Matt Costello's absence, despite Adreian Payne's lingering aches and pains, despite Gary Harris not being at full strength, the Spartans beat a talented athletic team on its home floor, and made it look like a breeze. One would never guess that any of MSU's players were playing through health issues.

This could be one of those games we will consider a pivotal win once the season is over.

How about Adreian Payne? I'm trying to decide if that was the best game I've ever seen him play. It just might be. To borrow the tired old cliche, he was a man among boys, as he completely took the game over. If he can bring just 3/4 of that effort throughout the Big Ten season, the Spartans could roll to a conference title.

Gary Harris had a productive return into the lineup, with 19 points. Travis Trice also chipped in with perhaps his best game of the season. 13 points in 21 minutes and an astounding 3 for 4 from beyond the arc. Gavin Schilling also continues to grow by leaps and bounds. His emergence in Costello's absence has been extremely important for this team. Schilling had 4 points and 5 rebounds in only 12 minutes, and actually hit both of his free throws--quite remarkable considering the struggles he had from the charity strip against North Florida.

So there you have it, a fantastic hoops win for MSU and a splendid way to welcome in the official start of winter.

Impressions from the North Florida basketball game

On Tuesday evening, I attended my first MSU basketball game of the season, a somewhat snooze-worthy blowout win of North Florida in front of a vaguely disinterested, Izzone-less crowd. The biggest excitement of the evening, quite frankly, took place during the timeouts. In the first half, the seniors for the Spartan football team came out with their championship trophies and saluted the crowd and were received with the most rousing applause of the night. Late in the second half, Tom Izzo called timeout and addressed the crowd, saluting Ed Hightower, who was officiating his last game at Breslin Center before his retirement. Hightower has taken quite a bit of abuse from MSU fans over the years, but he received a warm ovation and he seemed truly touched by the gesture.

As for the game itself, the play of Gavin Schilling and Russell Byrd was encouraging, but given the competition is probably not worth getting overly excited about. Certainly, it'd be great to see Schilling continue to improve this season since this basketball team's biggest weakness is in the front court. Derrick Nix's departure has left a hole that the Spartans have had a difficult time filling. Russell Byrd played the best game I've ever seen from him. He made some big shots and looked confident. He was even able to drive to the basket and lay it up and in. I've never seen that from him. Yes, I know it's "only" North Florida, but maybe this is a good sign. Maybe, just maybe, Byrd can become a guy to come off the bench and provide a spark. One can't help but root for this kid.

The last highlight of the evening occurred after the game, when Adreian Payne and Branden Dawson joined in the singing of "MSU Shadows" and offered some interpretive dance moves to go with it. It was an amusing moment.

Coming up is the game against Texas, and this game will probably be a big challenge for MSU. I watched most of the second half of the Longhorns' win over North Carolina at the Dean Dome, and Texas looks like a very good team. Considering how depleted the Spartans currently find themselves, it'll be tough for MSU to come away with a win, but I'm sure they'll play hard and you just never know--stranger things have happened. Never count Tom Izzo out of any game.

Still basking

It's been over a week since the Spartans defeated Ohio State for the Big Ten title and a trip to the Rose Bowl, and I'm still on cloud nine, with no sign of falling off anytime soon.
 

A 26 year wait will do that.

MSU played Oakland in basketball yesterday, and it barely registered a blip on my personal radar screen. Sure, I was a bit concerned with how the Spartans struggled--though to be fair, this wasn't too surprising considering the ten-day layoff between games and Harris, Costello, and Kaminski out of the lineup-but I've been so consumed with Spartan football that I barely felt any angst regarding the hoops team.

 

I don't know how many times I've watched the Big Ten Network's replay of the championship game. I've lost count, but I'd guess about four times. I can't get enough of it. Sometime before January 1, 2014, I'll have to snap out of this euphoric state in order to watch the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl game, though I know the second I see the Spartan Marching Band turn the corner on Colorado Boulevard, I will have tears streaming down my cheeks.

 

I feel a certain amount of vindication this season from a fan's perspective. I may have already mentioned this here, but my single biggest regret from college (besides obtaining my fairly useless liberal arts degree) is not purchasing season football tickets in 1987. I was so angry over the disappointing '86 Spartan football team that I decided to save my pennies in 1987.
 

Collossal mistake, and big failure as an MSU student and fan.

 

I only attended two football games in 1987, the two worst home games of the season: Florida State and Illinois. The only good that came out of the Florida State game was that it was a warm, sunny September day, and I can say I saw, in person, Deion Sanders play as a collegian. The Illinois game was Homecoming. A rainy, cruddy cold day in which John Langeloh's potentially winning field goal was blocked, resulting in a tie.

 

I missed the 17-11 win over Michigan, and the Rose Bowl-clinching victory against Indiana. (I had to settle for a mad dash from Shaw Hall to Spartan Stadium immediately after the game to join in the celebration).

 

This year, I enjoyed a warm, sunny Homecoming win over Indiana, and then the most electrifying atmosphere I've ever experienced at Spartan Stadium when MSU crushed Michigan, 29-6.
 

It only took me 26 years, but I got it right this time.