Spartans Take On Wolverines at Sold-Out Crisler Arena

The Michigan State Spartans are hosted by the Michigan Wolverines tonight at 7 p.m., where the rivals meet up for the first time this season.

Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor is sold out to host this classic match up, but the fans dressed in maize may be leaving blue when the Spartans come away with the win.

This game comes at an interesting time–both teams are ranked this year, MSU sitting at #7 and U of M at #19, and are coming off losses that many may argue should have been victories. However, MSU’s loss to Northwestern and U of M’s loss to Iowa speaks to the potential both teams have on the road, which while questionable, still favors the Spartans.

Although MSU lost their last game to Northwestern on the road, MSU is still a better road team than the Wolverines. Michigan’s most recent loss on the road was to Iowa, and let’s not forget that MSU beat Iowa by a comfortable 34 points. Other notable road wins for the Spartans include beating Wisconsin in overtime, 63-60, and Nebraska, where the Spartans won 68-55.

The overtime win against Wisconsin proves that MSU is a team that can not only play well on the road (a known difficulty in college basketball), but play under the pressure of overtime and still find a way to win.

Michigan on the other hand, has lost every road game they have played this season. The Wolverines lost to Duke in the Maui Invitational (if you want to consider that a road game, I personally don’t count it), they lost at Virginia in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, and more recently in conference play they have lost to both Indiana and Iowa on the road. Over the last decade, U of M has been a weak road team, and at this point in the season, the trend is continuing.

Player for player, you could argue MSU and U of M are fairly evenly matched, but when game time rolls around, it’s simply execution that matters, and MSU prevails here.

MSU Coach Tom Izzo often runs pick-and-roll plays, and sets the allow the bigger men to post up on their defenders, and with the size of the post players like Derrick Nix for MSU, and Jordan Morgan for Michigan, the match up should be interesting. Based on experience, though, MSU’s offense will likely be favored over Michigan’s defense, especially if they play man-to-man.

The Wolverines run a perimeter offense with quick passes along the outside, resulting in the most open man attempting a three-pointer. Coach John Beilein has run this system since he started at U of M and it can be successful with players like seniors Zack Novak and Stu Douglass, and more recently Tim Hardaway Jr., a sophomore.

However, Douglass has often been replaced this season by sophomore, Evan Smotrycz, who claimed his fame when he shot the lights out against MSU last year at Crisler Arena. But when key players and leaders and being replaced by fairly consistent, but inexperienced players who are meant to lead the system, the system has potential to fail. With MSU’s new and improved defense, Michigan will surely be held to the perimeter and forced to make their system work…the only question is, will it?

~Maddie Fetchiet, The Big Green

Spartans/Hawkeyes Preview

Tonight at 7 p.m. the Michigan State Spartans take on the Iowa Hawkeyes at the Breslin Center. The Spartans boast a 14-2 overall record and remain undefeated in the Big Ten as well. Since they lost to the Duke Blue Devils and the North Carolina Tar Heels, MSU has won 14 straight games, a streak that has not been achieved since the late 1990s.

So it’s safe to say the Spartans are coming into this game hot and ready. But what do the Hawkeyes have to offer?

Iowa sits wearily with a 10-7 overall record, but is 2-2 in the conference so far. Iowa, at this point, looks unpredictable so early in the season. Iowa is currently at 500 in the Big Ten, but let’s look at the wins and losses more closely.

Iowa lost to Purdue and Ohio State, which can mean a couple things. Both the Boilermakers and the Buckeyes are 3-1 in the Big Ten and are only apart two games in their overall record, with OSU favored. Purdue has Robbie Hummel, and Ohio State has Jared Sullinger, so overall both teams have a star, and can be considered decent teams to lose to, particularly Ohio State because of their stronger bench.

However, Iowa has some impressive wins as well. The Hawkeyes defeated Wisconsin, a force in Big Ten basketball, in their own arena. That right there speaks to the Hawkeyes’ abilities, because winning at the Kohl Center is one of the most difficult arenas to win at in college basketball. Iowa also defeated Minnesota away as well, again, speaking to their road potential. Teams that can win on the road in college basketball, simply cannot be ignored.

But here come the Spartans, yet to be defeated by a Big Ten team.

The Spartans have improved immensely defensively from last year, the way I see it. They create turn overs, snag rebounds and have become scrappier overall. If the Spartans have a cold shooting night, defense can finally be relied on this year to help win games.

With assets like the Derrick Nix, Draymond Green and Adreian Payne trio that has been affective so far this season, the Spartans have a great chance to win this one, especially playing at the Breslin.

Aaron White, the key player to Iowa’s win over Wisconsin could meet his match offensively and defensively against Nix, Green and Payne, as well.

Anyway, the game is at 7, so don’t miss it, and we’ll see how this one plays out.

~Maddie Fetchiet, The Big Green

MSU and Duke Match Up On The Court Tonight

The match up between the Spartans and Blue Devils tonight is important on many fronts. Perhaps the most significant, Coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Blue Devils has the potential of becoming the all-time winningest coach in college basketball history.

Currently, Kryzyewski follows closely behind the famous Bobby Knight. Krzyzewski is looking for his third win of the season tonight and his 903th win to surpass the all-time record.

The game is being played as we speak in Madison Square Garden, a neutral site for both teams.

Duke, currently ranked number in the nation should still have an interesting time handling the new comers to the Spartan offense, including freshman guard, Branden Dawson and transfer Brandon Wood at guard as well.

But even still, Duke’s experience is competing against MSU’s youth, what some may call a classic clash.

The Plumlee brothers, to name a few, are tough defenders and play the “big-man” role intelligently. However, with junior center Derrick Nix, who is looking leaner and meaner than ever, they will have trouble covering his versatility. For instance, in the first quarter had a right handed hook shot over his defender, even though Nix is left handed.

So far, the Spartans are surprising the Blue Devlis, and have a 4 point lead with 12 minutes left in the first half. We’re at a commercial break, coming off a crucial shot block by Adreian Payne, against Mason Plumlee. Let’s see how this half plays out….