MSU-Kansas Open Thread
Posted by kj on Friday, March 27th, 2009
I’m hitting the road for Indy shortly. Here’s your open thread to converse before, during, and after tonight’s game. I may or may not post a game recap tonight after the game; if I don’t, I’ll get the post up in the morning.
Discussion-inducing links:
- A KenPom Preview: Michigan State
Interesting to get the tempo-free-analysis treatment for our own stats. Rock Chalk Talk sounds like us: worried about turnovers and 3-point shooting. - Rocks, Chalks and Jayhawks
In case you were wondering about the origins of those three words. - Michigan State’s prolific rebounding a product of hard work, desire
. . . and sweat, and tears, and football helmets, and . . . - Goran Suton’s flight still rising
More fawning over G. Only took the media 4 and a half years to get to this story. - Balanced offense makes Spartans tough to guard
“10 players, including senior forward Marquise Gray, have held or shared scoring honors in 34 games this season.” Bill Self says he won’t use a gimmick defense against us. But did he pinky swear on it? - The Silver Lining
Purdue is out. The fate of the Big Ten rests solely with us now. - Plenty of good basketball left in E.L. this weekend
Derrick Nix and co. playing at Breslin today.
I’ve obviously been negligent in my blogging duties this week. (Take this as proof that ceasing operations at this site is an unavoidable eventuality.) I will leave you with my own gut feeling on tonight’s game: We win tonight, unless we beat ourselves. Tom Izzo will have a defensive gameplan that will ensure that Collins and Aldrich don’t beat us by themselves; another Jayhawk player will have to step up. Beyond that, our fate will hinge on (1) offensive execution, (2) three-point shooting (on both ends), and (3) foul trouble (either way).
The obvious pick for the key MSU player is Raymar Morgan. Can he take advantage of the less experienced Kansas wing players? I’ll throw in Durrell Summers, too. With Aldrich in the lane, scoring in the paint is going to be a challenge. Because of his high release, Summers can get a 3-point shot off even against a team that knows it might be coming. If he can knock down a shot or two early, that could open up the ability to drive and score on some mid-range shots, as well.
In terms of intangibles, I think it’s a wash. Kansas is the younger team, so the added hype of playing at the Sweet Sixteen level may affect them more. On the other hand, there’s less pressure on them than there is on us to advance to next round. The bottom line is that these are two solid teams that both won the regular season title in pretty deep conferences; this should be a great game.
There you go. Three paragraphs of original (if not rigorously analytical) blogging. Enjoy tonight’s action and . . .
GO GREEN!
Filed in game preview102 responses so far
102 Responses to “MSU-Kansas Open Thread”
Adamon 27 Mar 2009 at 8:56 pm 1Okay. First two games of the night are blowouts. Maybe ours will be too.
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 9:44 pm 2The defense has looked good so far. Now if we can just get shots to fall …
Seeron 27 Mar 2009 at 9:44 pm 3After 4 minutes, I hope our offensive rebounding improves.
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 9:46 pm 4We need some shots to start falling if we don’t want a blowout in the wrong direction.
mkon 27 Mar 2009 at 9:47 pm 5Suton, beat Aldrich!
mkon 27 Mar 2009 at 9:49 pm 6just like that, msu leads!
Seeron 27 Mar 2009 at 9:50 pm 7Wow, nice little spurt on offense.
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 9:51 pm 8That foul on Suton was bogus
mkon 27 Mar 2009 at 9:53 pm 9Also, that foul on summers. He only jumped high, and ku player couldn’t
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 9:54 pm 10mk: Summers definitely went over the back. Jumping higher than the other guy doesn’t give you the right to lean over him and land on him, and Summers did. Less sure of the Suton foul, but the Summers one was legit.
Seeron 27 Mar 2009 at 9:55 pm 11That rebound penalty was awful. And that replay of the tip showed that it should have been MSU ball to start the game.
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 9:55 pm 12We better start squeezing the orange a little better (as Clark Kellogg likes to say). The turnovers are killing us.
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 9:58 pm 13We’re not getting rebounds right now, which is a problem.
Seeron 27 Mar 2009 at 9:59 pm 14I’m not sure I understand the rotation here. Why is Ibok out when Aldrich is in?
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 10:04 pm 15The turnovers for easy fast break points need to stop.
mkon 27 Mar 2009 at 10:09 pm 16too relaxed? too many fast breaks allowed.
Seeron 27 Mar 2009 at 10:09 pm 17Coach ‘em up, stop these silly turnovers.
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 10:12 pm 18They all look kind of tentative to me. Someone needs to take control and calm everyone down.
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 10:14 pm 19Ridiculous. He lifted his pivot before the pass that set up the original shot. But it’s not going to matter if we keep giving them dunks off the fast break.
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 10:16 pm 20We’re only 7 of 21. Hard to win when you couldn’t hit water if you fell out of a boat.
Chrison 27 Mar 2009 at 10:18 pm 21So much for Raymar having a breakout game. He looks like a lost puppy.
mkon 27 Mar 2009 at 10:19 pm 22I bet digger is smiling.
Please, focus… it is certainly on its way to a blowout loss….
Seeron 27 Mar 2009 at 10:21 pm 23Nice turn over and basket.
Chrison 27 Mar 2009 at 10:22 pm 24How is it that teams figure out all of our set plays if they have played us before?
Tmanon 27 Mar 2009 at 10:23 pm 25Beginning to look like it is going to be a blowout, except the other way…We need to keep it within 10 at half or this will be UGLY!!
Seeron 27 Mar 2009 at 10:27 pm 26IT COUNTS!
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 10:28 pm 27We needed that, really badly – if for no other reason than to take whatever momentum they got off Aldrich making a jumper that he normally never takes.
Chrison 27 Mar 2009 at 10:28 pm 28Good sign at the end of the half. Started to create turnovers and get some offensive rebounds.
Chrison 27 Mar 2009 at 10:30 pm 29What was with Gus Johnson saying Izzo feels unappreciated? BTN should dock his pay!
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 10:35 pm 30We need to start hitting some shots from the perimeter. Morgan looks pretty bad – 0 for 5 with one rebound and 2 turnovers and two rebounds. Roe has one rebound on the stat sheet. We’re getting more from Green.
On the plus side Suton has managed to play Aldrich to a relative draw. Aldrich has a couple more rebounds but Suton is outscoring him. So far he and Lucas are our only guys showing up on offense.
witless chumon 27 Mar 2009 at 10:38 pm 31“What was with Gus Johnson saying Izzo feels unappreciated? BTN should dock his pay!”
He heard it from a fellow with a block M and hopeful smile. At the press conference, Izzo went on for some length about how good he felt things were and that he still has things he wants to accomplish in East Lansing.
Well, I didn’t think I’d be glad to be down by 7 at half.
Seeron 27 Mar 2009 at 10:41 pm 32Yeah, you know it’s a bad half when being down 7 is a plus. Still, there’s hope there, because if you consider how many points Kansas scored on breakaway turnovers (at least 8. ) we could be in the lead. We’re a second half team and I believe in Izzo’s ability to make the adjustments we need.
Jasonon 27 Mar 2009 at 10:42 pm 33More Day-Day, less Ray-Ray.
Think Kentucky would pony up $7Mill/year for Izzo? They are bball crazy down there. I think the appeal for him would be slightly easier recruiting. OTOH, I think he really likes Hollis & Dantonio (& Merchant).
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 10:43 pm 34The guy was speculating on him taking the Arizona job during the game for Pete’s sake! What the hell is that about? I heard Roy Williams might take the Kentucky job.
Jasonon 27 Mar 2009 at 10:44 pm 35Roy is Carolina Blue thru & thru, zero chance. To me Arizona is not an upgrade over State.
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 10:46 pm 36Yeah, it was a joke. Just to prove that I can start baseless rumors too. Roy has about as much chance of taking the UK job as Izzo has of leaving for Arizona though.
witless chumon 27 Mar 2009 at 10:48 pm 37Kentucky isn’t a step up at this point.
I don’t see the easier recruiting, with John Calipari, Rick Pitino and Bruce Pearl on your doorstep.
mkon 27 Mar 2009 at 10:52 pm 38go green!!!!
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 10:52 pm 39Uh oh … somebody’s closer.
Seeron 27 Mar 2009 at 10:53 pm 40GO GREEN indeed!
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 10:54 pm 41That was a nice run. Now we just have to sustain it.
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 10:56 pm 42Not sure about his contract but Coach Cal to UK makes the most sense.
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:01 pm 43Aldrich appears to be getting the star treatment – no fouls can be called on him.
Jasonon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:02 pm 44I heard his base is fairly low, and KY has deeeep pockets.
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:02 pm 45Calipari’s the only big name who makes any sense heading to Kentucky, aside from Donovan (and he doesn’t seem interested). For anyone else it’s a sideways move at best, and you’re leaving a place with high but reasonable expectations to deal with a bunch of fans who won’t tolerate anything short of championships year in and year out. Calipari moving up to the big leagues instead of feasting on the weak CUSA year after year gives him some incentive, but nobody else has any reason to leave a good situation to head there.
mkon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:04 pm 46Raymar is missed… With a small line up of kansas, it would be good for raymar to show what he can do…
mkon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:05 pm 47how many layups for them and how many travels for us….. ugh….
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:06 pm 48Suton’s going to have to come back in, fouls or no fouls. We just can’t seem to get anything done with him on the bench right now.
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:09 pm 49We have missed a lot of gimmes in this game. No one but Suton is showing up offensively. We absolutely need someone else to provide some scoring.
Some of the travels are bogus IMO
mkon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:13 pm 50Nice steal(?) by Ibok!!!
It’s gotta be the momentum changing play!
Seeron 27 Mar 2009 at 11:17 pm 51We lead? Is that correct? Who would have believed it in the first half?
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:18 pm 52Hey, Walton learned how to shoot! Uh-oh!
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:20 pm 53Slow it down, guys. We’re taking rushed shots and missing. Fortunately, Kansas can’t shoot either right now.
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:21 pm 54That may have been in the open court but it was a charge.
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:23 pm 55Anyone else notice that the announcers seem to be leaning Kansas’s way a bit? Any time there’s a call against us they immediately say “good call”, and there’s a lot of “Suton better be careful, that could have been called his fourth”.
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:26 pm 56Yeah I’ve notciced. The refs seem to be leaning that way too. That should have been a foul on Aldrich on that rebound.
Dylan (umhoops.com)on 27 Mar 2009 at 11:27 pm 57This Michigan fan’s favorite Spartan is Draymond Green. I’m happy to see him getting some run this year for you guys and he’s really stepped up. I was pretty mad when he got away from U-M and was convinced he would RS in MSU’s deep front court.
In regards to tonight’s game… It seems like there are a lot of bad shots… Wrong people at the wrong time. Suton threes, Walton runners, etc. I would like to see Lucas take control of the game and demand the ball a little more.
Maybe I’m missing something though.
mkon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:29 pm 58please suton, get in the paint, not for 3 point jump shot
Matton 27 Mar 2009 at 11:30 pm 59Yeah, he’s feeling it a little bit too much.
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:31 pm 60No kidding, mk. It’s nice that he can hit those, but we need him in position to get the rebound, and if he’s shooting threes he’s not under the rim getting boards.
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:31 pm 61At least he’s feeling it. No one else seems to be. I have no idea how we are still in this game.
huberton 27 Mar 2009 at 11:32 pm 62Has morgan or Roe been in at all in the last ten minutes?
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:32 pm 63Of course, it also wouldn’t hurt if they’d actually call it when he gets pushed in the back on a layup.
mkon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:35 pm 64finally, foul on Aldrich.
Matton 27 Mar 2009 at 11:36 pm 65Turnovers.
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:36 pm 66If we could have just avoided that disaster stretch midway through the first half, we’d be up a bunch right now.
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:38 pm 67I have not seen Roe since about half way through the first half. I’m beginning to suspect an injury or something. Morgan just made his presence felt (finally).
Matton 27 Mar 2009 at 11:38 pm 68Atta boy #2.
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:39 pm 69Might be a matchup problem, Mark, given the small lineup that Kansas always uses. Might not be quick enough on defense.
mkon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:39 pm 70The battle of coaching!!!!
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:40 pm 71Yeah, it may be a matchup problem. Nice stop we got just there.
Jasonon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:41 pm 72YES!!!!!!!
mkon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:41 pm 73Lucas all the way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:41 pm 74LUCAS!!!!!!!!! And one!
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:41 pm 75Llllluuuuucaaaasssss!!!!!!!
Jasonon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:42 pm 76Looks like everybody is in the same boat – have to yell on the keyboard or wake up the whole house!
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:43 pm 77This game is going to give me more heart attacks than the Sparks game. And that one had me pacing back and forth wearing a hole in the carpet in front of the TV.
Dylan (umhoops.com)on 27 Mar 2009 at 11:43 pm 78That’s why Kalin needs the ball….
mkon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:44 pm 79stupid call.
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:44 pm 80Thanks a lot, refs. He tripped over his own feet and you give him two free points.
Dylan (umhoops.com)on 27 Mar 2009 at 11:45 pm 81How do you make that call… Yikes.
mkon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:46 pm 82Izzo can’t even look at lucas’ free throw
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:46 pm 83Stop fouling!
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:47 pm 84Or foul a guy who can’t make the front end of a 1-and-1. That works too.
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:48 pm 85There was no foul there, but considering the result I can’t complain too much.
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:49 pm 86Lucas is the definition of clutch.
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:49 pm 87IT’S OVER!!!!!
Jasonon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:49 pm 88Wow that was a great game!
mkon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:50 pm 89I cannot believe what I just saw!!!! Excellent finish!!!!!
Come on, Digger, Say it!!!!!!!!
Dylan (umhoops.com)on 27 Mar 2009 at 11:51 pm 90Congrats Guys. Last Big Ten rep left…
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:51 pm 91It was unglier’n Margret Thatcher naked on a cold day, but I like the results.
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:52 pm 92Our close game mojo came through one more time. I sound like Austin Powers baby!
tagon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:54 pm 93called me biased, but that was probably the best game of the sweet 16
my whole body has been tense the last hour plus
huberton 27 Mar 2009 at 11:57 pm 94How did MSU ever win this game?
SpartanDanon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:57 pm 95tag: Considering that it was pretty much the only one that was in doubt with a minute to play, that’s not hard to do. But yes, that was an intense game. Hats off to Kansas – they played one heck of a game.
Mark in DCon 27 Mar 2009 at 11:57 pm 96Unbelievably tense. I need one celebratory beer to calm down (at least that’s what I tell myself – I really don’t have a problem).
At this point Suton should have no fear of Blair or Hansbrough given how he’s played in this tourney. Griffen is another story – that guy looks unstoppable.
tagon 28 Mar 2009 at 12:02 am 97SpartanDan – yes and no… the Pitt game was pretty close down the stretch – until Fields drained that 3-pointer, and then followed it up with a steal and a layup to give Pitt the win.
Benon 28 Mar 2009 at 12:16 am 98YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS I woke up the entire apartment building and I couldn’t care less.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Seeron 28 Mar 2009 at 12:18 am 99We have Izzo.
We have Kalin Lucas.
We have Goran Suton.
You do not.
Benon 28 Mar 2009 at 12:44 am 100Goran Suton outplayed Cole Aldrich.
Speechless.
Kurton 28 Mar 2009 at 1:42 am 101that was, uhm, well, a great game for fans to watch if they like college basketball. but a nearly insufferable one on the blood pressure and heart rate for anyone who rooted for either team, i’m sure. It went basically how I thought it would, but scared the dickens out of me in the meantime.
rook34on 28 Mar 2009 at 2:14 am 102PP-TPW