Spartans lose tonight here in Champaign. A game they should have won.

January 30, 2007 Champaign, IL Assembly Hall ÂSitting courtside here is a treat even for this most loyal Spartan. Illinois is a classy school and operation and

January 30, 2007

Champaign, IL

Assembly Hall

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Sitting courtside here is a treat even for this most loyal Spartan. Illinois is a classy school and operation and their fans are exceptional. That said the question was not if MSU could beat Illinois, they already had this year. The question was if after the gutsy performance on Saturday did they have the stamina that a win here would take. To be truthful neither team wanted it and it showed in how they both executed and played.

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Neither team came out hot. The Spartans shot a woeful 33.3% from the field and Illinois shot only 39.3%. Either way, it wasn’t all defense because at times both teams just looked bad. Down 11 at halftime had to be a relief for the Spartans (they came almost all the way back from 20 at OSU) and they stayed true to form pushing the ball when possible and playing relatively decent defense.

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The Spartans got to within nine at the 12:59 mark on a nice three pointer by Neitzel and that was the start of what looked like might be a Spartan comeback. Goran made a huge bucket with 9:41 to move the Spartans to within seven and stellar Spartan D held the Illini at the other end. However the comeback was not stalled by a poor Raymar pass that was intercepted and taken the length of the court. The Illini failed to convert the free throws off of a foul and the Spartans picked up some more momentum rather then losing it. When at 8:44 MOJO converted a three, it was a great opportunity for the Spartans to take over the game. They did not.

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No coach in the nation is better then Izzo at getting a play ready out of a time out and he did his job. The Spartans perfectly executed a play, and when Marquise went up for the shot he was hacked and no foul was called. That allowed the Illini to come down the court and extend their lead to six.

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The Spartans however did not have the energy to beat an Illinois team that was very beatable at home, and this one has to sting, even worse on Tom Izzo’s birthday. A better team didn’t beat MSU tonight but instead it was a team that tonight was better and there is a huge difference. Both teams shot terrible (MSU 37% ILL 39.6%) but in the end, the Spartans just were too deflated to win this one. The Spartans didn’t have the energy and the Illini did just enough to hold them at bay.

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An obviously dejected Izzo had this to say after the game: “we took one step forward after Ohio State and three back tonight.” This came took its toll.

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Drew Neitzel echoed Izzo’s thought when he told me after the game “we have to do what it takes to win. We didn’t win so that isn’t acceptable. It really doesn’t matter if I am double teamed or triple teamed, it is my job to score and I didn’t.” You have to love that young mans heart.

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Blame this one tonight-on fatigue or whatever you want. The point is that the Spartans had a chance at a road W and they didn’t get it done. The season isn’t over and this is not the end of the world. It is frustrating that one that should have went our way didn’t. That stings. A sting that hurts so bad, a win on Saturday could make it a whole lot better. The point is simple: MSU has had two very winnable Big Ten road games (here tonight and at Iowa) and they didn’t get that done either time. That just does not cut it.