For what it’s worth, I declared after the Spartans beat Indiana in late December (their first Big Ten victory of the season) that this Spartan team was ‘Special’…and today, I’m feeling pretty good about that statement.
After starting the season unranked (which seemed absurd to me…not even a #25 ranking?) the Spartans finished the regular season 24-7 overall…13-5 Big Ten…won a share of the Big Ten regular season title…played the toughest schedule in the country…beat more RPI Top 50 teams (9) than any team in the country…and then proceeded to win three consecutive games (Iowa 92-75; Wisconsin 65-52 and Ohio State 68-64) on their way to winning an outright Big Ten Tournament title for a cumulative 27-7 record…and a #4 final ranking.
How about that…from unranked to #4?
As my great childhood friend in California said, let’s hear Dick Vitale try to explain that? On the other hand, let’s not (ha). Vitale’s explanation (and the rest of the so called experts) wouldn’t make much sense anyway.
Nevertheless, after the Indiana victory, it seemed to me, the Spartans had exceptional depth and were uniquely unselfish. Of course that’s Tom Izzo’s philosophy but it seemed second nature with this particular team.
Over the season, 11 players earned meaningful playing time while 8 players averaged double digit minutes. Unfortunately, the Spartan roster was reduced by ‘one’ on the last game of the regular season when All Big Ten Freshman, Branden Dawson was lost due to a torn ACL…but that’s the story isn’t it?
The Spartans lost Dawson, an All Conference Freshman and yet with all the chips on the table, the Spartans deferred to their team depth…didn’t skip a beat…and dominated each of their opponents on their way to winning the Big Ten Tournament.
Not bad for a team that started unranked…right Dick Vitale???
But the loss of Dawson forced the Spartans to reinvent themselves and become a bit more Guard oriented.
Prior to the loss of Dawson (6’6” & 220#) who is a powerful rebounding presence, the Spartans were nearly unbeatable in the paint…but with the loss of Dawson the Spartans became little less dominant on the glass…but a bit quicker into their offensive transition.
In my opinion, when the history of the Spartan season is written, it will be Team Depth that will become their hallmark.
While most teams prefer the certainty of playing a ‘short’ bench (you know what you get)…the Spartans play a ‘deep’ bench with the intent of keeping their players ‘fresh’ and building experience.
Or said another way, while their opponents are running ‘1600 meter race’ the Spartans are running a ‘4X400’ relay…and the relay team usually wins that race don’t they?
Anyhow, as the Spartans prepare for the Tournament, I think you have to evaluate them by “position group”. Of course, only Center (Nix & Payne) and Point Forward (Draymond Green) remain fixed…while the other 3 positions are seemingly interchangeable, so I’ve grouped the Spartans accordingly: (I apologize in advance for the column formatting misalignment)
Position........Players.............................................Points.....Rebounds
Center...........Nix & Payne.......................................14.8.........7.8
Point Fwd.....Green................................................16.1.........10.4
Small Fwd.....Dawson..............................................8.4...........4.5
Guards..........Wood, Thornton, Byrd, Kearney.................16.8........7.8
Point Gds......Appling, Trice.....................................16.2.........4.6
Prior to the game, Brandon Wood (Guard)was averaging a respectable but modest 26 minutes…8.6 points…and 2.9 rebounds…but Sunday, Wood got hot early…shot 8 of 14 FG (57%)...4 of 8 3PA (50%)...logged 33 min…totaled 21 points…and dished 2 assists to keep Ohio State at arm’s length.
But Saturday was a different story. The ‘hot hand’ on Saturday belonged to Austin Thornton.
If not spectacular, Austin Thornton is Mr. Reliable. Prior to Saturdays game, Thornton averaged a modest but respectable 21 minutes…5.3 points and 3.4 rebounds…but Saturday, when the Spartans were struggling to build momentum…when the Spartans needed some fire…Austin Thornton responded with 4 of 4 3PA (100%)…logged 28 minutes…finished with 12 points…3 rebounds…and 2 steals and single handedly stole Wisconsin momentum and turned the game in favor of the Spartans.
But if you’re looking for more unsung heroes…wait…there’s more (ha).
The Spartans have two additional weapons or ‘X’ Factors at center…essentially a Center ‘Tag-Team’.
The Spartans start each game with the ‘speed and length’ of Adreian Payne (6’10” & 240#) who sprints the floor…blocks shots…and defensively suffocates the ‘paint’ for the first 6 minutes (or so)…then the Spartans deploy the physical girth of Derrick Nix (6’9” & 270#) who plays Nose Tackle in the paint and stops anyone from running ‘between the tackles’.
And so it goes…the Spartans alternate Payne for six minutes…Nix for six minutes…then back to Payne…and then back to Nix…for forty relentless minutes!
Together the Nix-Payne ‘Tag-Team’ have combined during the season for a solid (if unspectacular) 14.8 points…7.8 rebounds…1.5 steals…1.4 blocks but more importantly, they dare opponents to enter the ‘paint’ at their own risk. Ask Jared Sullinger how it feels to have Nix and Payne holding onto his Basketball Shorts for forty minutes?
The offensive end of the floor presents yet another problem. Sunday, Nix and Payne relentlessly attacked the paint and got Sullinger into early foul trouble. In turn, Sullinger went to the bench and didn’t return until the Spartans had built a solid lead.
Nevertheless, upon his return to the lineup, Sullinger was continuously harassed by Nix & Payne and limited to an unremarkable 7 of 19 FG (37%) and Sullinger played the balance of the game with hesitation due to his foul trouble.
Thru the camera lens, Nix and Payne aren’t flashy and they don’t get a lot of National recognition but it would be fair to say, there are few (if any) teams in the country who can beat the Nix-Payne ‘Tag Team’ with a single player.
Anyhow, I said it in late December…and I’ll say it again at the end of the season…this team is Special.
They have Depth…they play exceptional Team Defense…they have amongst the best rebound margin in the country…they are unselfish…and in that context, the Spartans are uniquely built for a title run.
It goes without saying, there are no Tournament guarantees but the Spartans have a “Special” arsenal of weapons…and we’re about to find out how “Special”.
Regardless, it’s a great time of the year…the Big Ten placed 6 teams in the dance…so good luck to all…and let’s all hope we hear minimal amounts of Dick Vitale….(no offense, right Dick?)
Thank you for reading!
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