Indiana Open Thread
Posted by kj on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009
Get ready to pop open the champagne, my friends. (I myself have a bottle of Chimay I’ve been saving for such an occasion.)
Pregame Reading
- Fun with seeds
Mr. Rexrode breaks it down. Being the last of the #1 seeds really isn’t any better than being the first of the #2 seeds. - Michigan State, take 2
The Hoosier Report’s take on the game (and final post before movin’ on up). - Taber talks senior night and Michigan State
IU’s only senior. - College Basketball Chronotope
A Big Ten power poll from our friend Devin. - Wisconsin can still get the No. 2 seed (we think)
Fun with tie-breakers. - What? The Duke game isn’t on TV?
The internet backlash against Ed Hightower is “out of proportion”? Ludicrous! - Spartans OLB Greg Jones in the 2009 Offseason: Follow The Leader
Bonus football link; The Rivalry, Esq. says Jones shouldn’t bulk up.
Filed in open thread83 responses so far
83 Responses to “Indiana Open Thread”
mkon 03 Mar 2009 at 7:12 pm 1I guess everyone is looking forward to the Purdue game already?
I hope to see everyone play today and some sign of Allen’s recovery.
TMadison25on 03 Mar 2009 at 7:12 pm 2Lock ‘em up boys!
I think DeChellis deserves COY, especially after they beat Illinois at home. Of course Izzo is a close second.
mkon 03 Mar 2009 at 7:15 pm 3Allen’s defense isn’t good….. Three continuous points by IU players when Allen defended
donaldoon 03 Mar 2009 at 7:21 pm 4I’d like to see more intensity on the defensive end. We started well and now have lapsed.
TMadison25on 03 Mar 2009 at 7:22 pm 5Someone please try to defend Izzo playing Gray… ever.
Although he stepped out of bounds, Morgan’s steal is proving that he’s getting closer and closer to game shape.
donaldoon 03 Mar 2009 at 7:29 pm 6You just can’t let a lesser team stay with you at their house – that’s treading in dangerous territory.
Tmanon 03 Mar 2009 at 7:29 pm 7Looks like we are looking ahead to Purdue…….we need to start clamping down on D and finish this thing!
NoPo Spartyon 03 Mar 2009 at 7:30 pm 8Are we really getting out-rebounded by Indiana? I know they hustle & it’s Senior night and everything, but come on…..
kjon 03 Mar 2009 at 7:31 pm 9Raymar’s jumpshot appears to be back in synch.
donaldoon 03 Mar 2009 at 7:33 pm 10Agree on Morgan. He is playing in the flow of the game and shooting well.
TMadison25on 03 Mar 2009 at 7:35 pm 11I think they are banking on running them to death.
Chrison 03 Mar 2009 at 7:35 pm 12How does a non-athletic team like IU get to the rim at will against us?
donaldoon 03 Mar 2009 at 7:41 pm 13This is when you ask – Is this the same team that played Illinois?
TMadison25on 03 Mar 2009 at 7:42 pm 14Same team, on short rest… thinking this game would be a breeze. Izzo hopefully will light a fire at halftime.
MooTheKowon 03 Mar 2009 at 7:44 pm 15MSU defense parting like the red sea every time Indiana drives to the hoop… disappointing.
donaldoon 03 Mar 2009 at 7:44 pm 16We can play 10 or 11 players, so we should have enough gas in our tanks.
kjon 03 Mar 2009 at 7:47 pm 17We’re hitting a very high percentage of 3-point shots we don’t airball.
donaldoon 03 Mar 2009 at 7:49 pm 18We are missing the passion I expected from a team playing for the outright championship. Indiana is outhustling us.
TMadison25on 03 Mar 2009 at 7:51 pm 19Suton seems the most out of sync… Do you think Izzo cares about the long two-pointers?
Benon 03 Mar 2009 at 7:53 pm 20God, I love Kalin. What a way to end the half.
kjon 03 Mar 2009 at 7:55 pm 2134-27 lead in a 31-possession half.
I think you have to chalk up the sloppy offensive play (8 TOs) to the short turnaround (29 hours between games)–and the fact Crean is using some junk defenses to keep us from getting into a rhythm.
The lack of defensive/rebounding intensity is disappointing, though.
Chrison 03 Mar 2009 at 7:56 pm 22Looks like Dumes got hit with a little karma for his actions against us last time.
MooTheKowon 03 Mar 2009 at 7:58 pm 23Last game was 33-26 at half-time. Looks like we’re watching a replay. Hopefully they pull away and blow them out by nearly 30 again. First half was pretty disappointing in the last meeting as well.
donaldoon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:09 pm 24KJ,
For the record, I believe the turnaround time is more than 29 hours. They played Sunday afternoon and now it is Tuesday evening.
kjon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:12 pm 25Oh, yeah. I’m not very good with numbers. 53 hours.
donaldoon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:13 pm 26I guess the halftime chewing out hasn’t kicked in yet.
MooTheKowon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:19 pm 27Again – disappointing. I shouldn’t feel like MSU could very easily lose this game – but I do.
Tmanon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:23 pm 28What’s the old saying…….”playing to level of your competition?” Even if we win this one, we can certainly kiss any opportunity at a #1 seed goodbye!
TMadison25on 03 Mar 2009 at 8:24 pm 29Raymar is making some solid shots.
kjon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:24 pm 30Thank goodness we’re knocking down the 3 tonight.
donaldoon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:25 pm 31Too many easy looks for Indiana. I really thought our defense would be more intense.
nopo spartyon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:27 pm 32Got the 3 pt touch back but lost our D along the way
MooTheKowon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:28 pm 33I want offense and defense in the same game just once…
donaldoon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:31 pm 34Dr. Jekyl meet Mr. Hyde.
nopo spartyon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:39 pm 35Does anybody know if Izzo’s ever had a guy who didn’t play much as an underclassman but got significant minutes as a Jr or Sr? I just wonder if Herzog or Thornton really have a future with this team.
MooTheKowon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:44 pm 36Man is Suton off tonight…
kjon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:46 pm 37Can’t think of a direct comparable, nopo. At least in terms of a player who didn’t even play in a majority of the team’s games as a freshman/sophomore.
kjon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:47 pm 38What was Izzo upset about?
MooTheKowon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:49 pm 39I assume izzo didn’t think there was a travel by Kalin on the posession before.
Adamon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:52 pm 40What the heck is going on here? 13 point lead to 2 point lead in 3 minutes?
TMadison25on 03 Mar 2009 at 8:54 pm 41Refs are starting to tighten it up this half… We need to adjust.
donaldoon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:55 pm 42Another opportunity to see what they are made up down the stretch – not what I had in mind tonight.
Adamon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:55 pm 43I’m starting to feel like it’s the ninth inning, and we’re up by one, and we just pulled Todd Jones for Kyle Farnsworth with the bases loaded.
mkon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:55 pm 44can’t believe this is happening. Without Suton (well with off-suton), can’t do anything?
kjon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:56 pm 45I would now like to state that it is entirely possible for IU to win this game and no one should be getting ready to open bottles of champagne.
Need to get Morgan into the middle of the zone.
mkon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:59 pm 46Even with a win, there shouldn’t be any champagne. Is this the game between the 1st in bigten and the last bigten?
MooTheKowon 03 Mar 2009 at 8:59 pm 47This could be one of the worst losses i’ve ever witnessed.
Adamon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:00 pm 48If we lose, I blame Kyle for telling us to open champagne.
(It’s too late to take it back, Kyle. Even though you tried.)
donaldoon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:00 pm 49We may win, but we haven’t done much to deserve it.
mkon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:02 pm 50call time out and gather players… what’s going on???
donaldoon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:03 pm 51This ball shouldn’t leave Lucas’ hands. He has to create.
MooTheKowon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:03 pm 528 minutes w/o a basket against indiana… MSU doesn’t deserve anything playing like this.
Adamon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:03 pm 53It’s a coin flip at this point. I’m just hoping it’s a green one.
Zekeon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:04 pm 54WOOOO
Adamon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:04 pm 55HOLY CRAP RAYMAR
MooTheKowon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:04 pm 56That… was incredible
kjon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:05 pm 57Raymar.
Wow.
TMadison25on 03 Mar 2009 at 9:05 pm 58raymar putback!!!!
mkon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:05 pm 59let raymar have a glass of champagne
donaldoon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:05 pm 60That’s the kind of flew I like.
Adamon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:07 pm 61I don’t think I’ve seen anyone do that this year. Just fly up off a miss and slam it home. That was ridiculous.
MooTheKowon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:08 pm 62Not sure MSU deserves this one… will be glad if they pull it off… 7 seconds left and it’s looking good.
donaldoon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:11 pm 63Man, I wish I could do that Raymar move.
MooTheKowon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:11 pm 64Gameball goes to Raymar…. very lucky to have him back and at full strength (even though he, like everyone else, couldn’t rebound most of the game).
kjon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:12 pm 65Outright Champs!
But no Dance of Joy after this performance.
(I am going to have the bottle of Chimay–but mainly to calm my nerves.)
GroundZeroEastLansingon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:13 pm 66ESCAPE. GLORIOUS, GLORIOUS ESCAPE.
That, and becoming Big 10 outright champs. That was pretty awesome too.
TMadison25on 03 Mar 2009 at 9:13 pm 67White, Red or Blue?
Don’t care the score or performance… Raymar is back and a win is a win!
kjon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:15 pm 68Actually, I have one bottle of each, T. (Holiday gift pack.)
mkon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:15 pm 69I don’t think I will ever (in this season) have a chance to enjoy relaxing final minutes of spartan basketball.
Mark in Chicagoon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:20 pm 70Wow, that was much more difficult than it needed to be (or should have been). Very uninspired performance.
NoPo Spartyon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:21 pm 71I don’t care if it was ugly…. We got the win and ARE THE CHAMPS baby!!
IU’s been a tough team of late, so I’m not really surprised they gave us a game….
TMadison25on 03 Mar 2009 at 9:23 pm 72Kudos to IU, Crean and the players. They have been playing with some ferocity. Look out when Crean gets his players in there.
Benon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:28 pm 73Crappy performance? Don’t care. Outright champions!
mkon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:33 pm 74The only reason they didn’t feel like winning is that players didn’t want Izzo to shave his head?????
GroundZeroEastLansingon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:41 pm 75Also for those in the Lansing area:
Attention Izzone:
Show your support for our 2009 Big Ten Championship team by welcoming back Coach Izzo and the Spartan Basketball team to the Breslin Center. Enter through the tunnel entrance of the Breslin Center. (The tunnel entrance is accessed through the Breslin parking lot off the Shaw Lane.) Fans will be admitted at 11:00 p.m. The team is scheduled to arrive at the Breslin Center at approximately 11:30pm. Let’s get as many Izzone members there as possible and show the team that we support them at all times. Bring your friends, roommates, or call your family ? let’s do our part to pack the Breslin and welcome home our 2009 Big Ten Champions!
donaldoon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:41 pm 76They weren’t all pretty, but going 7-1 on the road is what wins conference championships.
donaldoon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:50 pm 77Meant to say 8-1 in conference play.
Benon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:51 pm 78Donaldo — no kidding. And what a spectacular turnaround from previous years.
Mark in Chicagoon 03 Mar 2009 at 9:55 pm 798-1 on the road in a tough conference is really remarkable. One could argue that if not for ridiculous shooting performances by Kevin Coble (as well as some truly sloppy play on our part) and Talor Battle we could be 16-1 overall….
Stukaon 03 Mar 2009 at 10:06 pm 80Morgan has been a difference maker in the last two games… he’s making it very obvious just how much we’ve missed him for the past few weeks.
Outright champs… awesome.
SpartanWozon 03 Mar 2009 at 10:42 pm 81Rally tonight at the Breslin. Admission starts at 11pm. The team will arrive at 11:30pm.
SpartanWozon 03 Mar 2009 at 10:43 pm 82oops – i’m late. someone beat me to it.
kjon 03 Mar 2009 at 10:45 pm 83Have fun, guys. And cheer extra loud for me. This old man needs to go to bed.