Why Michigan Basketball Will Never Trump Michigan State’s Program
Three consecutive losses to rival Michigan apparently had little effect on the confidence of Spartan senior leader Draymond Green.
Even after an ugly one-point loss to Big Ten rival Illinois and a knee sprain, Green declared that only “death” could keep him from suiting up against the Wolverines.
Michigan State’s do-it-all forward even possessed the brashness to guarantee a win for his team last Sunday. He then proceeded to back it up with one of the gutsiest performances in Spartan history. His 14-point, 16 rebound, 4 assist effort helped lead his team past Michigan 64-54.
For Michigan State basketball players though, this insatiable will to win exhibited Sunday by Green is expected, not applauded, primarily thanks to one man.
Spartan’s head coach Tom Izzo is a Michigan man himself, hailing from a town called Iron Mountain.
Not only does Iron Mountain signify Coach Izzo’s birthplace, but also his uncompromising coaching style.
One of Coach Izzo’s favorite practice drills, imitated in hundreds of high school gyms across the country, is called “war.” The idea of the drill is fairly simplistic: five players starting on the interior try to collect a rebound against five players spaced out along the three-point line.
Nearly every basketball rule is tossed out the window during war. Fellow teammates crash into each other like linemen, until the drill eventually resembles a scene from Fight Club. Izzo’s motto, that “players play, but tough players win” is never more evident than during a competitive game of war.
The physicality that Izzo demands has been a calling card for the program since 1995, when he assumed head coaching responsibilities.
Since that time, Spartan fans have witnessed a remarkable stretch of sustained excellence: One NCAA national championship, 14 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, six Big Ten championships, six Final Four appearances and a 19-11 record against Michigan.
For Izzo, the formula for success always goes back to his team’s ability to out-work any opponent they face. Year after year, Michigan State excels in rebounding and team defense—two areas of basketball dictated more by will than skill.
From the recruiting process on up, State keys in on team-first players who set their personal agendas aside for the team’s benefit.
During MSU’s remarkable 15-year run, Coach Izzo has continually proven that he doesn’t need North Carolina or Kentucky talent to make a deep run in March; only the right group of guys.
This culture of toughness has paved the way for one of college basketball’s elite programs and will always place them a cut above the neighboring basketball program in Ann Arbor. Whether it’s head-to-head matchups (19-11 in the Izzo era) or postseason success, the Spartans remain superior to Michigan in almost every way.
Unlike the Spartans who pride themselves on this aforementioned effort, Michigan’s basketball program has never been about out-working opponents. Even during its golden days of the high-flying, trend-setting “Fab Five,” Michigan relied mostly on unbridled athleticism and raw talent. Since that time, the Wolverines have struggled mightily.
While Michigan has failed to discover an NCAA Tournament bid identity this side of the new millennium, Tom Izzo has been hard at work cultivating one of the finest basketball programs around.
From the 2000 NCAA Championship “Flintstones” team, whose nickname even oozes an element of ruggedness, to this year’s squad lead by battle-tested senior Draymond Green and a collection of younger players, each squad has been expected to physically and mentally strain immeasurably.
Michigan State will continue to re-load their arsenal with talented recruits intent on doing things the “Spartan way.” It doesn’t appear that Coach Tom Izzo’s impressive run will fizzle out anytime soon.
With all of his astounding MSU basketball records in mind, perhaps Izzo’s greatest accomplishment will be the indelible, rugged mark of expectation left on the Michigan State’s basketball program.
Toughness will forever be synonymous with Michigan State basketball. And until Michigan can overcome this either through tremendous talent or similar fortitude, they will never be considered the Spartan’s equals.
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Michigan State ends 3-game rivalry skid, beats Michigan
Draymond Green had 14 points and 16 rebounds to lead No. 10 Michigan State to a 64-54 win.
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Green leads No. 9 Spartans past Michigan (AP)
Draymond Green had 14 points and 16 rebounds to lead No. 9 Michigan State to a 64-54 win over No. 23 Michigan on Sunday, backing up his guarantee of a victory. The Spartans (18-5, 7-3 Big Ten) ended a three-game skid in the rivalry and moved into sole possession of second place in the conference behind third-ranked Ohio State.
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Green leads No. 9 Spartans past Michigan (AP)
Draymond Green had 14 points and 16 rebounds to lead No. 9 Michigan State to a 64-54 win over No. 23 Michigan on Sunday, backing up his guarantee of a victory. The Spartans (18-5, 7-3 Big Ten) ended a three-game skid in the rivalry and moved into sole possession of second place in the conference behind third-ranked Ohio State.
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Big Ten Basketball: No. 22 Michigan vs. No. 10 Michigan State
The Michigan Wolverines (17-6, 7-3 Big Ten) will head to East Lansing on Sunday for a key game against the Michigan State Spartans (17-5, 6-3 Big Ten).
These two Big Ten rivals faced each other a few weeks ago, with the Wolverines beating the Spartans 60-59 on an exciting defensive stand.
Trey Burke, who has been phenomenal for the Wolverines all season, had one of his best games against Michigan State. He dropped 20 points (8-11 from the field, 3-6 from downtown), grabbed four rebounds and dished out three assists. He also registered two steals and blocked two shots.
The Wolverines have won the past three matchups and will look to register their second straight season sweep of the Spartans.
Michigan is one game away from completing their most difficult stretch of the year. Four of their last five games have been on the road, and after Sunday, the Wolverines will have played three straight games against top 20 teams.
In their past four games, they lost a heartbreaker to a tough Arkansas team in Fayetteville, beat Purdue in Mackey Arena, lost to No. 3 OSU in Columbus and beat No. 20 Indiana in Ann Arbor.
After winning 15 games in a row, the Spartans have dropped three of their past five games. Last Tuesday, Draymond Green went down with a knee sprain in a loss against Illinois. The injury did not look promising, and after the game Green expressed that he could not put any pressure on his left leg.
The team insists Green will be ready to go come Sunday, but it is unclear how effective he will be.
The resurgence of the Wolverines has reinvigorated this rivalry, which had been dominated by the Spartans for the past decade. A win at the Breslin Center would be a huge confidence boost for the Wolverines, and it would put them in a great position in the Big Ten.
The game will be broadcast nationally on CBS at 1 pm.
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Michigan vs. Michigan State: TV Schedule, Live Stream, Spread Info and More
Michigan (17-6, 7-3) and Michigan State (17-5, 6-3) will continue to battle for Big Ten supremacy on Super Bowl Sunday. It’s the second meeting of the season between the two rivals, with the Wolverines picking up a 60-59 victory over the Spartans last month.
The Wolverines picked up an impressive road win against Indiana on Wednesday. It was the team’s fourth victory over a ranked opponent this season. They would like to develop more consistency, though, having alternated wins and losses over their past seven games dating back to mid-January.
Michigan State is coming off an excruciating loss to Illinois. The Spartans shot a dreadful 24 percent from the field and yet lost by just one point. If they fall one game short of winning the regular-season Big Ten title, they will look back at that performance as a failed opportunity.
Where: Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich.
When: Sunday, Feb. 5 at 1 p.m. ET
Watch: CBS
Listen: WWJ 950 AM (Michigan) or WJIM 1240 AM (Michigan State)
Live Streaming Audio: Spartans Radio Network
Betting Line: Not yet available
Key Injuries (via USA Today)
Michigan: Eso Akunne (out, foot) and Jon Horford (questionable, foot)
Michigan State: Draymond Green (probable, knee)
What’s at Stake?
This game is crucial for both teams as the Big Ten schedule begins to wind toward its conclusion. Ohio State is leading the conference at 7-2, with both Michigan powerhouses following closely behind. The winner of Sunday’s clash will give themselves a leg up in the race.
Then there are bragging rights. The Wolverines and Spartans have one of the best rivalries in all of college sports, so the intensity level when they play is through the roof. That should make for an awesome game to kick off Super Sunday right.
What They’re Saying
Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News passed along a quote from Michigan’s Trey Burke about the Big Ten race:
‘We feel like we’re still on the bubble and we’re just trying to get to March,’ said Trey Burke, Michigan’s superb freshman guard. ‘Every game from here on out is a must-win. You can go from second or third in the Big Ten to sixth or seventh in a matter of a week.
‘We know every single game, you’re playing for a Big Ten championship.’
As for Michigan State, Seth Davis of CBS Sports provides an update on Draymond Green:
Michigan Player to Watch: Tim Hardaway Jr.
Hardaway continues to be Michigan’s most potent player on the offensive end. In his second season with the Wolverines, he’s averaging 15 points and three assists, both increases from his freshman year. He scored 10 points in the first meeting.
The Wolverines lack depth, so Hardaway can’t afford to have many off nights down the stretch if the team is going to make some noise atop the Big Ten. He should have a matchup advantage against either Brandon Wood or Branden Dawson, so he needs to make the most of that opportunity.
Michigan State Player to Watch: Draymond Green
After suffering a knee injury that had Spartan fans holding their collective breath, it appears Green will be ready to roll on Sunday and that’s tremendous news for Michigan State. At 15 points and 10 rebounds per game, he’s having the best season of his collegiate career.
Michigan doesn’t have anybody who will be able to contain him. The reason he only scored seven points the last time around was because he didn’t have his shooting touch. Playing at home should give him the extra boost he needs to perform like the dominant interior force he can be.
Key Matchup: Trey Burke vs. Keith Appling
Burke and Appling are two of the best young guards in the Big Ten. Both guys are the secondary scoring options on their team, while also being trusted to run the point. Burke got the better end of the matchup in the first game, which is the main reason Michigan picked up a narrow victory.
The story will be similar on Sunday. Appling will be looking to bounce back after making just two of his 19 shots over the past two games. He needs to start being more aggressive going to the bucket instead of setting for jumpers. If he can do that, and I think he will, the Spartans will earn a regular-season split.
Prediction
Michigan State 75, Michigan 68
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Michigan Wolverines’ Free Throws at Crisler Center Beat Michigan State Spartans
Multiple referee decisions made it possible for Michigan to prevail against Michigan State, 60-59 on January 17, at the Crisler Center, in Ann Arbor.
Michigan’s Tim Hardaway Jr. drew two first half charging fouls on layups made by MSU that should have been called blocking fouls. Hardaway’s feet were moving and clearly not set. Four points were taken off the scoreboard and two foul shots were taken away from the Spartans.
A replay showed Michigan State’s Draymond Green being fouled while shooting, but no call was made. This took away two free throws.
In the second half, MSU’s Keith Appling was clearly fouled on a running jumper. He made the shot and should have had a free throw tacked on.
Later, with the Spartans leading by three, Michigan’s Stu Douglas missed a lay up and MSU’s Derrick Nix grabbed a rebound. With the ball in the hands of Nix, a ref called a shooting foul on Michigan State’s Draymond Green giving Douglas two free throws.
On these observations alone, MSU had four points and three free throws taken from them, while Michigan had two free throws given to them. These events played a large part in the outcome of the game.
Michigan led for the first 35 minutes of the game, yet MSU led in major statistical categories including: Rebounds (31 to 15), assists (13 to 8), three point percentage (47% to 29%), and free throw percentage (80% to 62%). Field goal percentage was close at 48% for MSU, to 51% for Michigan, so something else had to contribute to the outcome.
A closer look revealed that MSU shot only five free throws while Michigan shot 13. MSU was called for 12 fouls, while the Wolverines was only whistled for eight.
This had a strong influence on strategies of the coaches and had a direct effect on the game’s outcome. Free throw differential has been a recurring theme in Michigan’s wins over MSU, in Ann Arbor.
Michigan has won five of its last nine games against MSU, in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines have more than doubled MSU’s free throw attempts in four of five of the games, and shot 11 more free throws than MSU in the fifth game.
Their free throw attempt advantage was greater than their margin of victory in every win. There was only one game at Crisler where MSU shot more free throws than Michigan, in a 54-42 win in 2009, when Michigan fouled on purpose late in the game, giving MSU eight more free throws.
Michigan has attempted 74 more free throws than MSU in their five wins. In 2012, Michigan shot 13 free throws to MSU’s five.
In its 2011 70-63 win, it shot 31 free throws to MSU’s 20, while MSU had four more fouls.
The Wolverines won in 2007, with the help of 33 free throw attempts against MSU’s 15, plus there were six more fouls called against MSU.
2006 was the most lopsided differential, with the Wolverines shooting 34 free throws to MSU’s 10. The Spartans also had 11 more fouls called against them.
It all started in 2003, with the Wolverines shooting 24 free throws to MSU’s 11, and MSU was called for six more fouls.
The outcomes of these games were decided by free throw attempts more than any other factor.
One may think that this is just an example of “home cooking” that also happens at home for the Spartans.
In the last nine MSU vs. Michigan games played at the Breslin Center, only 2007’s 59-44 Spartan victory had either team shooting 50 percent or more free throws than the other, at 16 for MSU and four for UM. MSU’s 15 point margin of victory in the game was greater than the free throw attempt difference.
The issue in Ann Arbor is related to four referees.
Ted Valentine and Terry Wymer worked the 2012 and 2011 games. Donne Gray officiated games in 2006 and 2007. Steve Welmer worked the game in 2003 and teamed up with Gray for the 2006 debacle.
The problem of the free throw attempt difference is something that the Big 10 should investigate to ensure fairness in future games.
Over the past nine games at the Crisler Center, Michigan has attempted 70 more free throws than MSU. It’s hard enough to win conference games on the road. A team shouldn’t have to beat their opponent and the referees.
All statistics from the Michigan Wolverine stat site thevictorsreport.com
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Michigan Basketball: Top 12 Floor Leaders in Wolverines Hoops History
From Rudy Tomjanovich to Chris Webber, Michigan’s most celebrated basketball players have usually done their damage in the low post. However, that abundance of interior talent means that too little credit is often given to the outstanding passers who have run the Wolverine offense over the years.
Since the 2011-12 season tipped off, a new contender has joined the ranks of Michigan’s ball-handling elite. Trey Burke, already as good of a freshman as has ever tossed up an alley-oop in Ann Arbor, has the potential to compete with the best of his predecessors if he stays for a full four years.
Read on for a closer look at Burke and the rest of the top dozen point guards ever to wear the Maize and Blue.
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No. 22 Michigan tops No. 20 Indiana
Trey Burke scored 18 points and No. 22 Michigan held on for a 68-56 victory over No. 20 Indiana on Wednesday night.
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No. 23 Michigan holds off No. 20 Indiana (AP)
In the middle of another rough shooting night, Tim Hardaway Jr. found himself open on the left wing. With Michigan needing a basket, the talented sophomore didn’t hesitate. “It was a walk-in 3, and we got it from penetration. That’s when, as a team, we strive to shoot those types of balls,” he said.
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