News and Notes from Spartan Basketball 02/08/10 Edition

News and Notes from Spartan Basketball 02/08/10 Edition  MSU is one win away from their 11th 20-win season in the last 13 years.  MSU will have two

News and Notes from Spartan Basketball 02/08/10 Edition

 

MSU is one win away from their 11th 20-win season in the last 13 years.

 

MSU will have two guys in the NBA All Star weekend is Dallas this weekend. Shannon Brown in the slam dunk contest and Zach Randolph in the actual All Star game..

 

Raymar Morgan (.605) and Draymond Green (.587) rank one-two in the Big Ten in field goal percentage for league games.

 

MSU leads the Big Ten in scoring offense at 75.2 points per game.

 

MSU is averaging 17.4 turnovers in the lat five losses and 13.7 in the last two wins.

 

The Spartans are rebounding 40% of their missed shots.

 

Draymond Green talked today about being a leader. He said, “Being a leader isn’t all about performance.” He then gave big props to Zeke Dahlman, “He is one of our leaders and doesn’t play a lot.”

 

About Tuesday’s game, “It is a must win.”

 

Draymond had this gem about winning, “I’m willing to do whatever I have to do for my team to win.”

 

On Kalin playing, “I am pretty confident he will be able to…we have tremendous confidence in him.”

 

On what Izzo means to him? “I can’t let him down in any way.”

 

Tom Izzo described why losing Kalin is bigger than losing a Goran Suton or a Raymar Morgan, “He is a playmaker and makes shots…it hurts when you loose a guy with the ball in his hand at the end.”

 

On Kalin Izzo said, “I appreciate his defense more today, he can keep a man in front of him.”

 

“Kalin said he would play not matter what (%) it is, but I can’t do that. Speed is his weapon,” was Izzo’s thoughts on his star.

 

On the last two games he made a great point, “I think that was the second team in a row that we got their best shot.”

 

Turnovers are plaquing this team. I will have more on this in an article Tuesday afternoon, but since Draymond comes off the bench and they seem to always be behind, why not mix it up and start him?

Illinois had an amazing five MSU turnovers that they took in and dunked. YIKES!

 

Izzo had some poignant comments about the MSU fans. I will have an article on that when you wake up in the morning.

 

On another poor turnover performance against Illinois, “No excuse why we turned the ball over in some places like we did. That wasn’t Illinois that was Michigan State.”

 

Izzo made another great point. With his best player out and Raymar and Durrell essentially disappearing on Saturday they only lost by five. This team can win without Kalin, there is enough talent, but guys have to show up.

 

Izzo continues to maintain that this is the toughest stretch of MSU basketball in it’s history. Agree with him or not it is tough.

 

Since you people are killing me with email asking about Kalin here is what I think based upon my conversations and Izzo today. I do expect him to play.  I would doubt that he would start, but I do expect him to play. That means he probably won’t, but hey it is my opinion.