I keep hearing, on local sports talk radio, about how Michigan State football fans are "disappointed" with this season.
I'd like to know who these fans are, because I have yet to meet one or talk to one. Perhaps some younger MSU football fans are disappointed, but I'm old enough to remember the dark days--and there were plenty of those--so a 10-2 season for me is like heaven. No, 2014 did not equal or exceed 2013, but I didn't expect that. But anyone who is "disappointed" with a 7-1 conference record (10-2 overall record) is a complete idiot with no historical perspective.
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Eastern Michigan basketball is no joke. They will give Michigan State a huge challenge tonight with their smothering and quick 2-3 zone. Rob Murphy has done a great job in Ypsilanti and this is probably EMU's best basketball team since the 1997-98 MAC championship team led by Earl Boykins and Derrick Dial. Coincidentally, that EMU team gave MSU everything it could handle in the first round of the 1998 NCAA tournament. The Mateen Cleaves-led Spartans pulled away late and won 83-71.
I watched EMU beat Michigan last week and that game was no fluke. Granted, Michigan is struggling a bit this season, but the game was at Crisler and the Eagles were relentless the entire game. The Eagles are fast and energetic. They never gave Michigan a break at any point in that game.
At the same time, Eastern has MSU's full attention, so the element of surprise won't be there. In addition, Eastern's zone may not match up as well with MSU as it did with Michigan. MSU can both distribute and shoot the ball well, though if the shots happen to not fall tonight then the Spartans could be in trouble. MSU, though they are a good passing team, are prone to turnovers and EMU's pressing, in-your-face zone defense can create turnovers. I could easily see EMU pulling the upset...but I'm leaning towards MSU anyway. Eastern will play hard, but MSU should win by between 5-10 points. Call it: Michigan State 65, Eastern Michigan 57.
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