Certainly Payne-less, and a little painful (at least until overtime)

I can hear my (imaginary?) readers groaning after I use yet another Payneful pun. I promise that'll be the last time I torture you with one of those.

 

For most of today's MSU basketball game against Minnesota, it looked like it would follow the familiar Breslin Center script we've come to expect against ANY opponent: the Gophers play lights-out in the first half and take a lead into halftime. Then in the second half, Michigan State makes adjustments, the Gophers run out of steam and the Spartans pull out a win.

 

For most of the game, it appeared there'd be no deviation from the usual scenario, despite the fact that Richard Pitino's pressing, zone-playing team was causing problems for the Spartans. Still, by the waning moments of the second half, MSU seemed in control of the game. However, a funny thing happened on the way to the "inevitable win": Gary Harris missed two free throws, and the Gophers raced down court for the game-tying lay up. Ugh, another overtime game. As a fan, I felt emotionally and physically drained after the first 40 minutes of play, how could I bounce back for "bonus basketball." (Just imagine how the players felt?).

 

In overtime, though, it was ALL MSU. Instead of getting down on themselves for not finishing the job in regulation, the Spartans dominated the Gophers. I give this team this much: they are one resilient and unflappable bunch.

 

Denzel Valentine bounced back from his brutal performance against OSU and made some crucial plays down the stretch. Kenny Kaminski was also outstanding, and reminds me of Kirk Manns the way he strokes that outside shot. Keith Appling and Gary Harris were their usual smooth selves.

 

But how much longer can the Spartans get by without Adreian Payne? They should be able to survive a truly dreadful Northwestern team*, but after that, life without Payne could get tricky. Here's hoping he is healthy enough to play by the time the Spartans take on Illinois on January 18.

*The day after I posted this, Northwestern stunned Illinois, 49-43 for the Wildcats's first conference win of the season. Perhaps I spoke to soon when I dismissed them as "truly dreadful." Still, this is a game that MSU should win.

A little football and a little basketball

Michigan State football finished #3 in the final polls, and I'm okay with that. Sure, a #2 ranking would have been great, but considering how--once again--the Big Ten floundered in its bowl games, it's not surprising that Auburn, from the SEC, finished ahead of the Spartans. In the BCS national championship game, Auburn acquitted itself well, holding the lead for much of the game and only losing in the last minute. The Tigers are deserving of a #2 finish in the polls. Realistically, MSU's only shot at finishing #2 was if Auburn had been blown out by Florida State, and if Ohio State had been able to defeat Clemson in the Orange Bowl.

As far as the Big Ten's showing in the bowl games goes, I was disappointed. I thought that this bowl season was the conference's best shot in several years to finish over .500. Minnesota should have beaten a mediocre Syracuse team in the Texas Bowl, but instead looked like the proverbial "deer in headlights." Seems like the Gophers still have some bowl game growing pains, similar to the ones MSU experienced in the first four years of Mark Dantonio's tenure. Michigan looked completely uninspired against Kansas State in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, and lost in a blowout. Iowa surprisingly hung with LSU in the Outback Bowl, but lacked the firepower to win the game. Wisconsin lost quarterback Joel Stave in the third quarter of the Capital One Bowl and and fell to South Carolina. At least Nebraska beat Georgia in the Gator Bowl, but I still have a difficult time thinking of the Cornhuskers as a full-fledged Big Ten team, and it's difficult to root for Bo Pelini.

So there you have it, yet another disappointing bowl season for the Big Ten Conference.

***

I watched the replay of the MSU/Ohio State basketball game, and without having to worry about the possibility of cardiac arrest, I was able to study it analytically. Through the last ten minutes of the first half, and the first twelve minutes of the second half, the Spartans were killing the Buckeyes in transition and running the fast break to perfection. The Spartans had a 55-38 lead with eight minutes remaining in the game.

I have to give the Buckeyes credit, though. They ratcheted up the defensive intensity and became much more aggressive, gradually chipping away at the lead. With five minutes left in the game, OSU was down by twelve points. The Buckeyes cut the lead by two points per minute through the three-minute mark of the second half. The the real flurry began...

Aaron Craft drove the lane with two minutes left, laid the ball up and in, and drew a foul from Denzel Valentine, who then fouled out. This cut the lead to the fore mentioned 57-54 score. Meanwhile, I'm sure Keith Appling and Adreian Payne's health issues were draining them of energy.

Though Keith Appling and Gary Harris did a great job containing and frustrating Aaron Craft through most of the game, Craft showed why he his such a highly lauded player and a perpetual thorn in the side of any opponent he faces. He made some huge plays in the last few minutes of regulation, particularly his three-point play, and his heads-up "use Adreian Payne's butt as an assist" in bounds pass. It was at this point that I, as a fan, reached full freak out mode.

It was the two walking wounded, Keith Appling and Adreian Payne, who had the game-saving play when Shannon Scott stole the ball and streaked down the court for what looked like the inevitable winning points. If those guys hadn't hustled to block Scott's lay up, we could be looking at one of the worst meltdown losses in the Tom Izzo era. Instead, the game went to overtime, where the Spartans regrouped and, aided by a Keith Appling three-point dagger, were able to walk away with a victory.

So, health continues to be an issue with this team, and who knows what it means going forward. On the bright side, the Spartans have what should be winnable games coming up at home against Minnesota and on the road versus Northwestern. Maybe that can buy them some time in order to get Payne, Appling, and Trice back to their normal selves.

Another crazy week in the Big Ten

Rico Beard had a funny line on today's "The Drive With Jack Ebling": "The Big Ten title is like a piece of pizza in a room full of polite guys." (Since I didn't have time to write it down, I'm paraphrasing to the best of my recollection). That perfectly describes the way the top teams have been playing down the stretch. As either Jack or Rico said (I can't remember), it's not as if these teams don't want to win the title, they just don't seem to know how.

As an aside, Jack Ebling's new drive-time radio show, on WVFN 730 AM in the Lansing area from 3-6 PM, is quite good. It's much better than The Huge Show, which it replaced this week. (If you're wondering, I was not paid for that endorsement!).

I'm coming to you from my Nook, so I apologize in advance for any typos and if this ends up looking like one giant paragraph. It's been a crazy week in Big Ten basketball. First, Michigan dials it in during the last few minutes in State College and loses to the hapless Nittany Lions. Unfortunately, this probably led Michigan into desperation mode and led to the Wolverines' defeat of MSU last Sunday. Wisconsin, a team that seemed to be on a role, stumbles mightily to Purdue IN MADISON! (I just hope this doesn 't put the Badgers in desperation mode tonight against the Spartans). To top off the week of stunning Big Ten developments, Indiana loses to Ohio State in Bloomington on the Hoosiers' Senior Night in front of a partisan IU crowd poised to celebrate an outright conference title. Aaron Craft had a tremendous game and the Hoosiers looked like they were suffering from a bout of stage fright. I don't think I'd seen IU look so tentative all year.

As someone who had all but handed Victor Oladipo the Big Ten Player of the Year award, I am now having second thoughts. As difficult as it is to give credit to a Michigan player, Trey Burke has carried the Wolverines in their last few games, and made huge plays down the stretch against Michigan State and Purdue to seal victories for Michigan. I echo the thoughts of others when I say the award may come down to the showdown between Indiana and Michigan at Crisler. If Michigan wins and Trey Burke has a good-to-great game, he's the POY. Same deal with Oladipo.

Now to the Spartans. They're in a little rut, though it's not as if the three teams they've lost to are chopped liver. I expect Keith Appling to get out of his funk tonight and have a good game against Wisconsin, and for the Spartans to slough out another ugly low-scoring win over the Badgers. Wisconsin may be desperate, but I think MSU will be both inspired and ornery.

Indiana game about to start...(plus a follow up)

Another big game at Breslin, can my heart take it? I meant to write in here earlier, but didn't get around to it. I will try to write more later, but you know how that goes. Go Green!

***

The Spartans lost, as you probably already know by now. Victor Oladipo further solidified his status as Indiana's best player--far and away the Hoosiers' best player in my opinion--and a definite national player of the year candidate. The guy is just the complete package: great defender, quick as blazes, and makes the little hustle plays that add up to victory. If one were voting right now, I'd say Oladipo should be Big Ten player of the year.

It's hard to get too upset over losing to a team like Indiana, and the Hoosiers deserve a tremendous amount of credit for being unfazed by the Breslin crowd and finding a way to win.

But I can't get over thinking that MSU didn't bring their best effort last night. Even so, they had a chance to win late in the game. Up by three, Keith Appling missed the front end of a one-and-one and that was truly a killer. I certainly won't lay all the blame on Appling, because there are any number of missed opportunities that cost MSU the game. When you get right down to it, the Spartans lost to the #1 team in the country by four points. There's no shame in that.

As frequently happens after a big game, particularly one in which MSU loses, I agonize afterwards. I replay parts of the game in my head, I waste too much time on the internet (either the Red Cedar Message Board or Facebook) and rehash the game with others, commiserating with comrades or sparring with the Walmart Wolverines who come out of their dark crevices like cockroaches to laugh at MSU's misfortune. They are hardly worth my time, but have a tendency to push my buttons. I have to learn to let that slide, or just avoid the internet altogether after an MSU loss. My emotions sometimes get the best of me.

Going bowling! (Michigan State 26, Minnesota 10)...and my week in Spartan sports

It sure wasn't pretty, which seeing as how this MSU football season has gone, was completely appropriate--but the Spartans wore down Minnesota 26-10 and clinched a sixth straight bowl appearance.

As far as the good goes in this game, Le'Veon Bell had a tremendous day (35 carries, 266 yards, 1 touchdown) in what could very well be his final regular season game as a Spartan.

The bad has to be Andrew Maxwell. I hate throwing a collegiate athlete under the proverbial bus, but Maxwell seems to have regressed as the season has worn on. I don't know if it's poor coaching or Maxwell simply not improving. His two interceptions were terrible and he continues to overthrow receivers. The quarterback position should be wide open in the spring and summer, and I'd like to see incoming freshman Damion Terry get a serious look. (And that, my friends, is my two-bit analysis).

Now, I've read some comments from MSU fans basically stating, "What is there to be excited about? Why do we accept mediocrity?" Nobody is accepting mediocrity, and I doubt anyone is excited about a trip to the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, but a sixth straight bowl trip is important for this program. It demonstrates a level of consistency under Dantonio that has not existed in many, many years. Not even George Perles was able to lead MSU to six straight bowl appearances (however, in fairness to George, it was a bit more difficult to become bowl-eligible in the eighties and early nineties). So count me as one of the "sunshine blowers" who is happy to see the Spartans going to a bowl game.

***

I went to two MSU basketball games this week. On Tuesday, my wife was the lucky recipient of four tickets  to the Boise State game. (Her employer is a sponsor of Spartan athletics and receives comp tickets). The seats certainly aren't prime, but it is always fun to attend a game at Breslin.  As it turned out, Boise State (and the officials) offered a stiff challenge for the Spartans. In what was undoubtedly the most surreal game I have ever attended at Breslin, I worried at one point that the arena would break out into a full riot when Derrick Nix was called for a questionable elbowing foul and an irate Tom Izzo received a technical foul. It got downright ugly at Breslin. The Izzone was getting into it with a few Boise State fans behind the Broncos' bench, and police got into the middle of the verbal sparring match. Thankfully, the arena calmed down, the Spartans regained control of the game and escaped with a 74-70 win.

I was looking forward to watching freshman phenom Gary Harris play in person, but he was knocked out of the game when he ran into a moving screen and separated his shoulder. After spending much of Tuesday night and Wednesday morning filled with anxiety over Harris' fate, I (and every other MSU basketball fan) was relieved to learn he will only be out two to three weeks.

On Friday night, I attended the MSU/Oakland game with my sister-in-law's husband, who has season tickets. It was another nip-and-tuck battle against a fairly solid opponent, but the Spartans pulled away in the final four minutes or so and won 70-52. With Travis Trice and Gary Harris out, the guard position has been seriously depleted and that has undoubtedly hurt the Spartans, but perhaps in the long run it'll make them a better team.

Keith Appling had some absolutely "wow!" inspiring drives to the basket. He is an exceptional talent and takes over the game when the Spartans need him the most. Denzel Valentine, though he occasionally makes freshman mistakes, is a great passer and looks like someone who will develop into a dependable scorer. Adreian Payne had one of his very best games. Brandan Kearney. Russell Byrd, and Branden Dawson had some trouble hanging onto the basketball. That really could be said for the entire team: there were far too many turnovers in the game. I suspect some of that may be because two of MSU's best ballhandlers, Trice and Harris, are out of commission.

Spartans batter the Badgers

Ho-hum, just another huge win for Spartan basketball last night in a thoroughly dominating performance against Wisconsin.  I feel as if I'm getting spoiled.

I just finished re-watching the game on ESPN3, affording me the opportunity to focus on the details of the game.  Here are some observations:

After a slow start, the Spartans went on a 14-0 run between the 9:23 mark of the first half to 4:27, when Jared Berggren of Wisconsin finally converted on a jumper to end the drought.  This is the best defense MSU basketball has had since at least the '08-'09 team, which I suppose isn't going back that far and just goes to show how consistently good Tom Izzo-coached teams have been defensively.

Branden Dawson is blossoming as a player before our eyes.  I noticed one Wisconsin possession in particular in which Dawson smothered Rob Wilson like a blanket.  Dawson also had a spectacular coast-to-coast bucket in the first half in which he cut through defenders like a Lamborghini weaving through freeway traffic.

Ever since he had a 90-minute heart-to-heart meeting in Tom Izzo's office, Brandon Wood has looked like a new player.  He's been doing the little things that help win games, like terrific passes to open shooters and hustle plays on defense.  Wood had a beautiful dish to Derrick Nix late in the first half which Nix converted into an easy bucket.

It was nice to see Brandan Kearney and Russell Byrd getting some minutes.  Kearney played especially well in his brief time on the floor.  This should bode well for future. (And as an aside, has MSU reached its quota of players named "Brandon"--or variations thereof?).

Although Adreian Payne didn't have an especially great game (perhaps coming down a bit after his great performance against OSU), Derrick Nix did, and displayed some great moves in the paint.  I love MSU's big men this season.

Keith Appling was brilliant and had one of his best games in at least a couple of weeks, and if Draymond Green isn't college basketball's best player, I'd like to know who is.

MSU basketball exhibition vs. Hillsdale

I managed to score two tickets to the exhibition game against Hillsdale and took my ten year-old son.  As soon as we stepped into Breslin, I immediately fueled him with Pepsi and popcorn and we were fairly good to go for the rest of the evening.

It's hard to take much from games like these.  Although Hillsdale played hard, they were clearly overmatched.  The Spartans led the entire game and really were not seriously challenged at any point in the game, as should be expected in an exhibition.  The final score was a fairly lackluster 80-58.

It was fun to see all the new faces on the MSU basketball team.  They are young, but have several athletic newcomers who should be enjoyable to watch this season.  I really have no idea what to expect from this year's team, but the sense of the unknown makes it more exciting, if that makes any sense.

Here are some observations, but keep in mind that I was sitting 28 rows up, behind the basket on the south side of Breslin, trying to keep my son entertained and dealing with several rugrats making lots of noise on my left: not exactly a position to be able to concentrate as fully as I'd like.

Travis Trice is one player who really stood out for me in this particular game.  The kid looks like a natural leader on the floor, has a nice smooth shot, and really works hard.

I had not seen Russell Byrd until tonight, and he's another player with a silky smooth shooting stroke from the perimeter.  Of course, I suppose it's easier to look smooth when one is playing against an overmatched team like Hillsdale, but I still like what I saw.  Trice and Byrd have big upsides, and both could develop into excellent contributors in the near future.

Of the other Spartan players, Draymond Green was solid, Derrick Nix looks to be in the best shape of his career, and Keith Appling did a great job guiding the team at point guard, though he struggled from three-point range and had a few ugly turnovers.  It will be interesting to see how much time Trice gets this season at point guard.  If he continues to play with the confidence and determination he displayed tonight, he will get significant playing time.

But I have absolutely no idea how these guys will play next week against North Carolina.  I suspect it could be a tough game for the Spartans, but they just might have the youthful energy and guilelessness to surprise some people.  And nobody likes an uphill challenge more than Tom Izzo.

One final note: I was genuinely impressed with how hard Hillsdale played, and the Chargers had one player who stood out for his moxie and grit.  He is a little guard named Tyler Gerber (#12).  The Hillsdale athletics website has him listed at 5' 10", but he didn't look any taller than 5' 7" from where I was sitting.  He finished with about 10 points and hustled the entire game.  He looks like a gym rat who isn't afraid of challenging anyone, even if his opponent is a foot taller than he is.  Good luck to Hillsdale the rest of the season.