" title="Spartans Weblog">Spartans Weblog

I’ve decided not to post any commentary of a forward-looking nature until we get over to the new site. For now, let’s revel in the season that has been.
One of the things that made this season so special was the number of guys who stepped up at various times during the season to get [...]

The Spartans run, not walk, past the Huskies 82-73 in a 74-possession game. StatSheet box score.
At this point, it’s hard to find more words to describe how well this team is playing.  This game was almost a carbon copy of the Louisville game in terms of scoring flow: It was back and forth in [...]

The Spartans bounce the Colonials 77-62 in a 65-possession game.  StatSheet box score.
The Kenpom prediction was a scoreline of 73-60, so the game result was in line with statistical expectations.  Robert Morris kept things close early by knocking down some 3-pointers, but eventually MSU’s size and athleticism were too much for the Colonials to handle.  [...]

The Spartans dodge a bullet and win an outright title, all in same night.  64-59 MSU in a 60-possession game.  StatSheet box score.
Weird game:
Stats by StatSheet.com

Indiana kept the rebounding battle close, both teams turned the ball over with regularity, and sloppy defense led to a lot of free throw attempts.  Thankfully, our shooting was good [...]

Some non-poll-related conversation topics:

Conference Check: Beginning of the End Edition
Buckeyes can shoot the rock.
Mulling an Intervention for the Big Ten
More TAFKATBTW.  Would an up-tempo coach have a recruiting/competitive advantage in the Big Ten.  Is Tom Izzo an up-tempo coach?
Tom Izzo: I’m stressing offense, ‘believe it or not’
But we’re #1 in the league in offensive efficiency!  [...]

MSU in games in which Goran Suton or Raymar Morgan have been out/limited:

8-4 record
Offensive efficiency of 105.0
Defensive efficiency of 96.3

MSU in games in which Goran Suton and Raymar Morgan have both been at/near full strength:

12-0 record
Offensive efficiency of 118.4
Defensive efficiency of 93.8

The schedule for the second set of games is slightly easier (4-5 pushovers vs. [...]

Following up on yesterday’s attempt to invent a statistic, here are the current Points Over Replacement Per Adjusted Game (PORPAG) numbers for the MSU players listed at Kenpom:

Player
Min%
OffRtg
%Poss
PORPAG

Lucas
76.0
121.3
23.0
3.90

Morgan
67.3
112.7
25.6
2.88

Allen
49.8
108.9
24.0
1.70

Suton
35.5
123.6
17.4
1.47

Summers
50.2
104.6
20.0
1.15

Walton
68.8
98.1
15.3
0.76

Roe
41.7
99.3
20.0
0.67

Green
21.7
110.6
15.2
0.51

Gray
33.0
99.5
18.6
0.50

Thornton
10.8
109.9
17.6
0.28

Lucious
20.7
91.0
24.8
0.13

Ibok
16.8
78.1
8.8
-0.09

TOTAL
13.86

Michigan State’s current (raw) offensive efficiency figure is 112.0.  So in a 65-possession game, they’d be expected to score 72.8 points.  A [...]