Georgetown game

We're moments away from tip-off of the MSU/Georgetown basketball game. I have no idea what to expect, but there may be more at stake in this game for the Hoyas than the Spartans. I have to admit that I don't know much about the Hoyas other than they are currently riding a five-game losing streak. They come into this game with a record of 11-9, and a win over MSU would be big for their NCAA tournament resume.

 

Ultimately, though, I expect MSU's talent and depth to prevail and the Spartans will win a hard-fought and relatively close game.

 

 

Backs against the wall, the Spartans come out fighting...and win

I have to admit I didn't see last night's huge Spartan win over the Iowa Hawkeyes, but not because I was trying to avoid it. I had a prior commitment that kept me away from a television and didn't allow me the opportunity to check for score updates.

After my "prior commitment" was over, I left for home at 9:15 PM, and as I started up my ice-cold car, I flipped the radio station to Lansing's WMMQ 94.9 in time to agonize over Keith Appling's two missed free throws with 4.4 seconds left in overtime and MSU clinging to a 71-69 lead. By the time I pulled into my driveway, Iowa had burned through their last two timeouts, and as I finally parked my car in the garage, the Hawkeyes' Mike Gesell missed the potential game-tying shot and the Spartans had escaped Iowa City with a most unexpected but desperately needed victory.

It's impossible to underestimate how big a victory this was for the Spartans. It's truly stunning that, coming on the heels of an emotionally draining loss to archrival Michigan, MSU was able to go on the road and defeat a top-15 team riding a 20-game home winning streak.

It may be too early to make such grand pronouncements, but when the dust clears on this season, we may look back on this win at Iowa as the pivotal game that both kept the Spartans in contention for a Big Ten title and boosted the confidence of this battered, patched together bunch.

The Big Ten Network is replaying the game today at 4 o'clock, so I look forward to watching it and seeing for myself how the game played out (while not having to worry about my blood pressure reaching a critical level since I already know the outcome).

I'm hurting. (Michigan 80, Michigan State 75)

It's early morning Sunday, and I'm trying to get over last night's loss to Michigan the best and most constructive way I know, writing in this blog.

I was at Breslin Center last night, and witness my first "in-person" loss by MSU basketball since 1987, when I was on hand at Jenison Field House to see a Steve Smith-led Spartan team lose to George Washington University. Since then, nothing but wins until last night.

First of all, hats off to Michigan. From an offensive standpoint, they played about as close to perfect as I've ever seen. It's not as if MSU was playing bad defense against them either, the Wolverines were just draining those three-pointers at will. They also made 25 of 30 free throws, though it certainly seemed better than that watching the game.

But the fact remains, MSU played shorthanded, and I'm not surprised that the Spartans didn't have enough to hang on and win. And, yes, I know the Michigan argument that "we don't have McGary, so stop complaining." The difference is Michigan has had over a month to adjust to him being out (his last game was December 14). Although the Spartans have adjusted to life without Adreian Payne, losing Branden Dawson two days before the Michigan game was a dagger. MSU played last night's game on-the-fly with several players in unfamiliar roles.

The officiating also inexplicably changed from the first half to the second half. In the first half, there weren't many calls and the game had a flow. For some reason, this completely changed in the second half and the whistle seemed to be blown with much greater frequency, to the point that the game became a free-throw shooting contest. I don't know what precipitated the change.

Give Michigan credit, though. They've finally found a coach in Beilein who knows what he's doing and U of M basketball is back. I enjoyed watching them flounder for well over a decade, but knew it wouldn't last. The Wolverines have now won five of the last seven in the series. Writing that statistic almost makes me nauseous.

Now, it's on to Iowa for the MSU hoops team. I don't see the Spartans winning that one. I hope I'm wrong, but that's a tall order for a shorthanded, banged up team.

I'm trying hard to see "the big picture," but admit that it's difficult right now. When the Spartans get Payne and Dawson back, they will be a different team come February and March. Not only will they have two of their principle cogs back, but players like Valentine, Trice, Kaminski, Gauna, Ellis, and Schilling will be better from all the minutes they have been forced to play. That's what I'm telling myself. The Spartans are bound to take some lumps throughout the rest of January until they are able to get healthy again. I fear that Michigan may be poised to run away with the conference title, but I hope that by NCAA tournament time, MSU will be poised to make a deep run, perhaps to the title game.

So now that I've vented in this blog, I hope that I've successfully salved my wounds and am ready to move on from last night's disappointment. I have tried as best as possible to be gracious in defeat and take the high road.

It's a long road to March Madness, and this is just one small bump that, I hope, will be forgotten by end of the season.

Table 1, Dawson 0

Branden Dawson got angry at a film session this morning, slammed a table, and broke his hand. He'll be out 4-5 weeks.

 

I will not cast any judgment on Branden Dawson's impulsive expression of anger and frustration. Who among us have not felt the same way at some point in our lives, particularly when we were young? When I was 22, I foolishly punched a wall in a fit of anger and broke a finger, so I'm in no position to judge Dawson.

 

Having said that, how many more injuries can this MSU basketball team sustain before the seams start to tear out?

 

The timing of this couldn't be much worse, coming just before a first-place showdown with Michigan. If Adreian Payne can't go, I don't know if MSU can pull out this game against the Wolverines. It'll have to come down to pure grit and determination, and maybe some help from a frenzied Breslin crowd. But here's the thing, Michigan already proved they can win in a crazy road environment (Wisconsin), so a rabid Green & White crowd might not be enough. The Spartans need to reach down deep and come out with an intense 40-minute effort and some players need to have the games of their careers in order for the Spartans to pull this one out.

A showdown on Saturday

The Spartans survived Indiana on Tuesday night. After fumbling and bumbling throughout the first 33 minutes and change, MSU flipped the switch and took control, winning 71-66. The Spartans are 7-0 in conference play, but it feels like a tenuous 7-0. Without Adreian Payne in the lineup, it feels like this is the most fragile 18-1 team in the nation. But, for crying out loud, the team is 18-1! It's amazing what this team has been able to do without one of its best players out of the lineup for four games and with several other players fighting off nagging injuries.

I continue to hear "MSU doesn't have a deep team," and I have to respond with, "That may have been true early in the year, but I don't think it is anymore." Payne's injury, as well as the physical setbacks of Appling, Trice, and Costello--am I forgetting anyone--has forced Izzo to play give significant minutes to Kaminski, Schilling, Gauna, Ellis, and even Byrd. These guys have responded well and carried MSU through this four-game stretch without Adreian Payne. While it may be a stretch to call the MSU basketball team "deep," it's safe to say they are considerable "deeper" than they were at the beginning of the season.

Now to that school down the road. Yesterday night, Michigan defeated #10 Iowa 75-67 and remain perfect in the Big Ten at 6-0.

I didn't believe in Michigan for most of this season, but after their last two impressive wins over ranked opponents, it's safe to say this team is for real and provides a dangerous challenge on Saturday. They've learned to play without McGary and young players like Caris LeVert have made big contributions. Then there's Nik Stauskas, who has improved his game tremendously from last year. Stauskas has become one of the most dangerous players in the Big Ten. I don't know that I or anyone else saw that coming.

From what I've heard, It sounds like MSU will probably have Adreian Payne back on Saturday, and I think this is critical. I suppose the Spartans could still beat Michigan without Payne, but it gets dicey. With Stauskas a dangerous shooter, I'm concerned MSU would spend so much time defending the perimeter while leaving guys like Robinson, Morgan, and Horford open in the paint. Having Adreian Payne in there, even if it's only for 20 minutes or so, should allow the Spartans to keep a body-and-a-half on Stauskas while keeping Michigan's big men in check. (And I can't believe I'm pretending to be a basketball expert here. Scary! Feel free to call me out on any drivel I'm writing here).

In any case, it should be quite a tussle on Saturday night. A game that looked like a slam dunk for the Spartans earlier in the season doesn't look quite that easy anymore.

Spartans 2, Land of Lincoln 0

The Payneless Spartans keep rolling along.

This week, they beat Northwestern in a practically unwatchable game in Evanston. In a contest that featured enough bricks to construct a new building on Northwestern's campus, the Spartans prevailed 54-40. Last night, in a game that wasn't nearly as hard on the eyes, the Spartans pounded the reeling Illinois Fighting Illini, 78-62. In true testament to how well MSU played, yours truly hurled nary one F-bomb throughout the entire game. Maybe only one or two "shits" was uttered in total.

As Graham Couch correctly pointed out in today's Lansing State Journal--as if you need an amateur blogger like me to affirm the insight and wisdom of a professional sportswriter--having Payne out of the lineup may actually be, in a strange way, a blessing in disguise for Michigan State. It has forced other players (namely Matt Costello, Branden Dawson, Alex Gauna, and Gavin Schilling) to both get more playing time and step up their play to make up for Payne's absence. In the long run, it may have the same impact as the 1999-2000 season, when Mateen Cleaves missed the entire non-conference schedule. In the NCAA championship game against Florida, when Cleaves was temporarily knocked out of the game after the infamous Teddy Dupay incident, the Spartans didn't panic and didn't miss a beat. Their poise was a direct result of to not having Cleaves for so long earlier in the season.

Eventually, MSU will get Payne back in the rotation, but the time he has been out may have helped make this team stronger.

In other Big Ten hoops news, Michigan dominated Wisconsin at the Kohl Center. The Wolverines thoroughly outplayed the Badgers throughout most of the game and were able to withstand a furious comeback attempt late in the game. Suddenly, Michigan looks like a player in the Big Ten championship race even without Mitch McGary. Michigan's match-up against Iowa has taken on new meaning, as has the impending showdown with MSU next weekend.

To my loyal one or two readers, look out for my Spartan football wrap up. I'm sure you're dying to read it. I hope to finally post it soon--at least before the 2014 football season begins.

Until then, stay Green my friends.

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.