Spartans at Wolverines (Big Ten road is tough)

Prior to the game, I said…the team who gets the early lead will have an opportunity to build upon that momentum and close the deal.

That’s not exactly a novel argument but that’s exactly what Michigan did and it proved to be the difference maker. In a game measured by a single digit…the Wolverines fast start was meaningful and measurable. Michigan got the nod for ‘home field’ advantage and I think the familiarity of Crisler enabled them to sprint to a fast start but in the grand scheme of things…give Michigan credit…they got the ‘W’. They made the Spartans look tentative!

The Spartans had a strong defensive showing in the second half by holding Michigan to a mere 24 points…..buttttttttttttttt Michigan got out to a fast start by scoring 36 points in the first half and that is waaaayyy too many by Spartan standards. The Spartans are usually unbeatable if they hold their opponent under 60 points but allowing 36 points in the first half changed the Spartans game strategy, and in turn, Michigan took advantage of their hard work.

While Michigan was playing a short bench (only 6 players with double digit minutes) I thought the Spartans should have ‘forced’ the ball into the middle at the beginning of the game…even though Michigan was making it difficult…because I thought the Spartan advantage was their size and strength in the middle…and I thought they needed to force that issue until they wore down Michigan.

I thought the Spartans could exert  their will and create foul trouble for the Wolverines…but they didn’t. The Spartans only got to the line 5 times. Derrick Nix (6’9” & 270) and Adreian Payne (7’3” masquerading as 6’10” & 240) are unique assets. Nix is big and forceful and Payne is ‘long’ and athletic. Who can stop that duo over 40 minutes? It takes time to loosen up a Defense…but sooner or later the Michigan D (any D) would break with that type of relentless pressure. But the Spartans didn’t force the issue and my assumption is simply speculation!

For  his part, Nix scored 13 points on 6 of 9 (66%) from the field…and for Nix, from the field means 3 and a half feet. Nix is a magician with the ball down low…he doesn’t miss. And when Nix goes up with the ball…the world goes up with him. Payne on the other hand had 4 points on 2 of 3 (66%) from the field…once again…his points were scored within a 4 foot arc. To me, feeding the ball inside is tantamount to throwing a 10 yard curl over the middle to a 6’9” & 270# Tight End. All but unstoppable. But, the Spartans have a coach and I’m just an observer…….  

In the end, the Spartans weren’t kind to themselves. They gave up (and Michigan earned) 36 first half points and by Spartan standards, that is way too many. Nevertheless, the Spartans battled back with their Defense in ‘high gear’ and held Michigan to 11 points thru the mid way point of the second half and thereafter, the Spartans took their first lead 47-44. The Spartans held the lead for the better part of the last 6 minutes but with momentum on their side…they failed to score in the last two minutes and if you hope to win this type of game…you must control your destiny…and the Spartans failed to take advantage of their late game fortune.

There are a lot stats to support Michigan’s win…or a Spartan loss…for example, the Spartans predictably won the battle of the boards 31-18 and held ‘M’ to 29% from the Arc…but Michigan shot a solid 51% from the field…won the battle of steals 8 to 5…won the battle of Turnovers 8-14…and even won the battle of Blocks 5-1. So, Michigan came to play!

The bottom line is Michigan held serve in Ann Arbor…they have won three consecutive games versus the Spartans…and now the pressure is on the Spartans to reverse their fortunes by beating Michigan at Breslin on Feb 5. It will be a difficult assignment. But between now and then, the Spartans play Purdue (4-2) and Minnesota (2-4) at home before travelling to Illinois (4-1) Jan 31…and then returning home to play Michigan. The promise of a 15 game winning streak has been humbled!

Nevertheless, the Spartans have a ‘young’ and gifted team…they are a special team…but in my opinion, on this night, Michigan made them look tentative…and a fraction of a second in a Track meet is trouble.

Spartans vs Wolverines (and the winner is.....)

The pre game hype is building to a crescendo…there’s a lot of frantic conversation on Sports Talk radio…but who will win the game?

The game between Michigan and Michigan State is becoming a rivalry again. Certainly, it’s more entertaining and more spirited than when Brian Ellerbie or Tommy Amaker were coaching in Ann Arbor. And, as it relates to the importance of Basketball on the Michigan campus, the Wolverines are sending a big message. They renovated Crisler (which had become antiquated)…invested in a practice facility (which was conspicuously missing)…and, for his part, John Beilein’s program has consistently gotten better each year, especially with the addition of Bacari Alexander to Beilein’s staff. Let’s just say, Alexander’s presence can be felt as it relates to the improved intensity of the Wolverine Defense and Rebounding.

But, in all of the pre game conversation, I have heard very little as it relates to statistics…meaningful statistics! In the end, statistics don’t play the game but they are a barometer earned over 18 games and so…the statistics are meaningful…and they are measurable. What can’t be measured, of course, is game strategy and who will be forced to change their game strategy and play ‘catch up’. In other words, playing from behind in a competitive game such as this, is a game changer so…the team who gets the early lead will have an opportunity to build upon that momentum and close the deal.

In that context, the game is being played in Ann Arbor…so Home Field advantage goes to Michigan which means...Michigan has the opportunity to get out to a fast start!

But let’s look at the ‘key’s statistics…first offensive stats: (I apologize in advance for the formatting mis alignment)

                                                                                ‘M’                                         Spartans

·         3 Point Attempts                              24PG                                     15PG

·         3 P as % of ttl shots                         31%                                        21%

·         3 P conversion %                              24.8                                        36.3*

·         Field Goals %                                     46%                                        48%*

And, defensive stats:

·         Rebound Margin                              2.7                                          10.1*

·         Steals                                                    5.0                                          8.3*

·         Blocks                                                   2.4                                          4.9*

·         Defensive FG%                                 41.2                                        37.9*

*Advantage

3PA: Michigan is slowly becoming more of an ‘inside-out’ team but 3 point shots continue to dominate their game. The Wolverines are taking nearly 30% of their shots from beyond the Arc! That’s a lot. In their most recent game at Iowa City the Wolverines took 31 shots (37%) outside the Arc compared to Iowa who shot  modest 12 shots from beyond the Arc. More importantly the Wolverines only converted 8 of 31 for a meager 25% from beyond the Arc and lost that game 75-59. No margin for error with the Three!

The ‘Three’ is a great weapon but it’s no different than throwing vertical in football. A 50 yard vertical pass is appreciably lower percentage than a 15 yard crossing pattern. Sometimes it’s just better to get 3.4 yards per attempt and move the chains (to mix metaphors). But, if Michigan is hot from beyond the Arc…then look out…otherwise, a missed ‘Trey’ converts to a ‘long rebound’ on a fast break going the other direction.

Inside the Paint: I don’t have the luxury of charting ‘Points in the Paint’…but it would be fair to say, the Spartans are leading in that category, too. Why? The Spartans have gone to the FT stripe 23 times per game…while Michigan is only getting to the stripe 15.6 times per game. So given UM’s propensity to shoot the Three and given the few times the Wolverines are getting to the Stripe…the logical conclusion is Michigan is settling for the ‘outside jumper’ and not exerting their will inside the paint.

I won’t take the time to go thru the Defensive stats individually because I think the Defensive stats are self explanatory. Given the fact both teams have played 18 games overall and approximately one third of the Big Ten schedule is in the record books…the Spartans have demonstrated a discernible edge in ‘key’ Defensive statistics.

But, will the statistical edge translate to a victory for the Spartans in Ann Arbor or will Michigan hang a ‘W’?

The ‘key’ stat in favor of Michigan is Home Field Advantage. If the Wolverines get off  to a ‘Fast’ start in front of their home crowd then look out…but if Michigan rapidly fires ‘Threes’ and gets into foul trouble as they did in Iowa City…thereby enabling Iowa to go to the stripe 28 times…then Michigan will take a step backward tonight.

What do I think?

Just like football…on average, I think Defense trumps Offense…so, advantage Spartans…but it’s the Big Ten…it’s a street fight…and the team most prepared to run a half Marathon tonight will win!

Spartan Basketball (a bad day at the office)

In an earlier Post, I warned that Northwestern could be a dangerous game for the Spartans…and not only did the Cats prove to be dangerous but they exceeded expectations!

Northwestern was seemingly on a mission and soundly beat the Spartans 81-74. In spite of their shortcomings, starting with Northwestern’s short bench…obstacles are no problem when you’re on fire. 5 Northwestern players exceeded their season point averages: Crawford + 3; Shurna + 3; Hearn + 4; Marcotuillo + 2 and Curletti was an eye popping +12.

In summary, Northwestern shot 50% from the field, 47% beyond the arc and 72% from the stripe defying the Spartan Defense that previously held opponents to a meager 37% from the field.

To overcome their shortcomings, Northwestern implements the Princeton ‘motion’ Offense and it was running smoothly yesterday as they beat the Spartans ‘time and again’ on ‘back door’ breaks. For the most part, the Spartans played well, certainly not poorly…but Northwestern was not going to be denied on this winter afternoon in Welsh-Ryan Arena.

The Spartans lead 12-6 at the 15 min mark and they lead by 25-16 at the 9 min mark but the Cats slowly whittled away at the lead and only trailed 31-27 at the 2 minute mark…but as they whittled away the lead, it was obvious that their confidence was growing. With 1:09 remaining, the Cats took the lead for the first time and then the lead exchanged hands but with time expiring in the first half…Shurna buried a three point shot from arguably 6 feet beyond the arc to take the lead 39-37 going into the half.

Shurna’s shot was a metaphor for the game. His shot was unorthodox, it was a line drive with no arc, almost impossible to make and yet it flew thru the net like a heat seeking missile. The officials could have stopped the game at that point and awarded the win to Northwestern because the script was written.

If there was any question the Spartans would come back to dominate the second half, that question was answered on the opening play of the second half. The Cats took the ball and ran the basic Princeton ‘back door’ cut…beat the Spartans and scored on a goal tend and the script was written in stone.

Thereafter, the Cats never relinquished the lead. They lead 51-45 at the 15 minute mark and 62-52 at the 10 minute mark and the Spartans couldn’t mount a meaningful run. The game ended with the Spartans allowing 81 points for only the second time this season and the only other time they relinquished 81 points was a 90-81 win over Lehigh.

Northwestern is always dangerous and I knew they would present a unique set of matchup problems…personnel…systems and so on but, in the end, the Spartans had the talent to win but on certain days…talent isn’t enough, and on this day Northwestern would not be denied.

Overall, it was a bad day at the office. Nothing went right. The Spartans didn’t play poorly. They shot well (46% FG & 50% 3P). They Rebounded well (37). They got a fair number of steals (6) and blocks (4) but they couldn’t break Northwestern code and this game will be best be forgotten quickly because the Spartans go on the road to play Michigan on Tuesday…and the Wolverines will not be happy given the fact they got soundly beaten in Iowa City 75-69.

Such is the ‘street fight’ that takes place each week in the Big Ten!

Spartan Basketball (measuring intensity)

The Spartans play Northwestern today in a game that won’t get much attention nationally but it shouldn’t be overlooked because it’s another step toward shaking out the Big Ten.

It’s well advertised, the Spartans are #1 in Big Ten and #6 in the country with a record of 15-2 overall and 4-0 Big Ten but moreover, the Spartans are a team that is becoming more cohesive and stronger with each game. It’s worth remembering, the Spartans commenced the season with ‘back to back’ losses to North Carolina and Duke but then set upon a 15 game winning streak.

Northwestern on the other hand is 11-5 overall and 1-3 Big Ten and likely to finish in the bottom half of the Big Ten but don’t tell that to Illinois or Michigan. The Wildcats are 1-3 in the Big Ten but two of those losses were to 4-1 Illinois and 4-1 Michigan. Northwestern lost by one point to Illinois on Jan 4…then lost to Michigan by two points on Jan 11 and don’t forget, Illinois is the same team who beat #5 Ohio State last Tuesday night by 5 points. So the Spartans can’t overlook the Wildcats, but the Spartans haven’t come this far by overlooking their opponents.

In the best measure of intensity, work ethic and chemistry, the Spartans lead the Big Ten in Rebound Margin…#2 in Blocked Shots…#2 in Defensive FG percentage…and  #2 in Steals. Those are ‘hustle’ stats that take opportunities away from the opposition and awards more chances to the Spartans. To put those stats into perspective, here is a comparison amongst the top Big Ten teams:

·         Rebound Margin              9.9          (Ohio State 8.3; Illinois 4.2; Michigan 3.4)

·         Blocked Shots                    4.9          (Illinois 4.8; Ohio State 2.6; Michigan 2.5)

·         Def FG %                             37.3%    (Ohio State 40.0; Illinois 40.5; Michigan 40.9)

·         Steals                                    8.5          (Ohio State 8.3; Illinois 5.9; Michigan 4.2)

Taken by themselves, these defensive stats don’t paint much of a picture but collectively, the Stats paint a picture of relentless intimidation. Just like football…a dominating Defense disrupts the rhythm and flow of the Offense…and an Offense that is out of sync is an Offense that gets frustrated…desperate…and ultimately melts down at crunch time!

And in that context, the Spartans don’t want Northwestern to get into a rhythm. Northwestern lacks depth but they don’t lack talent. John Shurna at 6’9” is particularly troublesome. He is the leading scorer in the Big Ten with an 18.9 PPG avg. Moreover, Shurna is a devastating shooter from the field including beyond the Arc (42.6%) so that causes immense matchup problems for any team because Shurna can post up inside or he can go outside to shoot the ‘3’. Shurna also leads Northwestern in Rebounding at 6.1 RPG and he contributes 2.6 assists. So, Shurna is a complete player who has the wherewithal to change the complexion of the game and he doesn’t quit until the buzzer sounds.

The Spartans also need to be aware of the efficient presence of 6’5” Drew Crawford who averages 17.4 PPG and shoots 51% from the field…and the Spartans need pressure on Dave Sobolewski, the 6’1” Freshman who plays the point. Sobolewski manages the game well…distributes the ball efficiently and gets almost 4 assists per game. And then there is the Home Field Advantage. The Wildcats are a “tough out” at Welsh-Ryan Arena but……….

If I’m placing an emotional bet then I’m betting on the coach who has been to 6 Final Fours in the past 13 season…and that coach is Tom Izzo!!!

Spartan Basketball (shaking out the Big Ten)

This isn’t exactly the script written by the so called experts prior to the season but the Spartans are pulling away in the Big Ten while Ohio State and Wisconsin are in free fall.

In case you missed it…the Spartan put on a ‘once in a decade’ show last night and ‘hammered’ Iowa 95-61 for an eye popping 34 point victory. The Spartans got off to an early lead and surged to a commanding 22 point lead at the half. But the second half was a different show. The Spartans put the accelerator all the way to the floor in the second half and lead by 31 points with 10 minutes to play…and stretched their lead to an incredible 43 points with 6 minutes remaining. In fact, at the 6 minute mark, the Spartans doubled the score 86-43.

As the game grew out of control, the Spartans made copious substitutions that enabled Iowa to chip the margin to a mere 34 points but make no mistake…Iowa was befuddled and confused from start to finish.

The Spartans were on fire and played a deep bench. In all, 15 players saw action while 10 players played double digit minutes and 10 players put points on the boards. The Spartans distributed the ball efficiently and got 25 assists that enabled 5 players to score in double figures. In fact everyone who shot the ball took advantage of the opportunity inasmuch as the Spartans shot a blistering 62% from the field and an eye popping 56% from the arc.

Defensively, the Spartans got 37 rebounds, 16 steals and 3 blocks to embarrass Iowa. In fact…I felt badly for Fran McCaffrey the Iowa coach. He virtually melted down in the second half and got an obligatory Technical but the refs could have easily tossed him from the game. At any measure, McCaffrey had a meltdown while his team was pronounced dead on arrival in East Lansing.

The Spartans extended their winning streak to 15 games…and with 14 games to play…the Spartans are getting better with each game and appear to be unstoppable not to mention Tom Izzo seems to be pulling all the right strings.

And how about Illinois? They knocked off #6 Ohio State 79-74 last night and now Illinois is 4-1 and owns second place in the Big Ten all by themselves. Meanwhile Michigan, Indiana & Purdue are in a three way tie for third at 3-1 while Ohio State has played themselves down to fourth place with a record of 3-2. Ohio State isn’t down for the count but they have been knocked against the ropes and it will hard for them to recover

Does that sound like the season predicted by the so called analysts? And by the way, has anyone seen Wisconsin?

Wisconsin is racing in reverse. This morning they are in 7^th place with a meager 1-3 record and, in my mind, it is highly unlikely the Badgers will be anything other than a spoiler when it’s all said and done. The Badgers also have the dubious achievement of marking off 3 consecutive Big Ten losses…to Iowa 72-65, Michigan State 63-60 and Michigan 59-41. Also notable is the fact, Wisconsin suffered ‘back to back’…home…losses to Iowa and Michigan State which is a big statement because Wisconsin has been all but unbeatable in Madison in the past. So, unless Wisconsin has an extraordinary turnaround, they are unlikely to be anything more than a Big Ten ‘spoiler’.

A few teams are poised to make some noise before the race is over. Indiana is young, well coached and ‘scarey’…and the Wolverines are measurably improved on Defense…Rebounding…and protecting the paint and I think that’s due to the coaching influence of Beilein assistant, Bacari Alexander. But it’s hard to measure the Wolverines inasmuch as they have looked impressive at times but they have yet to beat a Big Ten team with a winning record and they haven’t won a Big Ten game on the road…but to be fair, the season is young and they have had limited opportunities. Up to this point Michigan has beaten 1-3 Penn State 71-53; 0-4 Minnesota 61-56 & 1-3 Wisconsin 59-41 (all at home) but lost to 3-1 Indiana in their only road game 73-71.

Michigan will host the Spartans (4-0) on Jan 17…and visit Purdue (3-1) on Jan 24 so, without a doubt, those games will provide a relevant measurement of Michigan’s capacity to compete for the Big Ten title. At any measure, every once in awhile a team captures a unique blend of athleticism, chemistry and commitment and the Spartans appear to be that team.

Unless there is a cataclysm, the Spartans are poised for a SPECIAL season!

Spartan Football: Replacing Jerel Worthy (not to fret)

Due to the departure of Jerel Worthy who declared for the NFL Draft, the Spartans must fill his sizable shoes on the D-Line…but not to fret, Coach Dantonio and Coach Narduzzi have a plan.

It’s worth remembering, Coach Dantonio has built the luxury of Depth at virtually every position and Defensive Line is no exception. It’s also worth remembering Coach D was obligated to find solutions for a myriad of problems upon his arrival in East Lansing and there is no reason to think Coach D and Coach Narduzzi won’t have a proper solution for the departure of Worthy next fall.

Arguably, the coaching staff will ‘jockey’ players during the Spring to find the right combination on the D-Line but Coach Dantonio has specifically mentioned the following ‘Redshirt’ linemen for exactly this contingency.

In the Spring, 6 ‘Redshirt’ linemen including 5 Freshmen and 1 Sophomore will compete for the vacated D-Tackle and Nose Tackle spots left vacant by the departure of Jerel Worthy & Kevin Pickelman respectively. Specifically, the Spartans will reload from the following list of players who will arguably be bigger and stronger next fall due to Coach Mannie’s intensive weight and conditioning program. Here’s a list of the Redshirts:

(I apologize...the following lists are out of alignment due to formatting problems)

Redshirt D-Linemen:

·         Damon Knox (Fr)                              6’4” & 274#         Muskegon, MI

·         Joel Heath (Fr)                                  6’5” & 270#         Cincinnati, O

·         James Kittredge (So)                      6’4” & 270#         Ramsey, NJ                        

·         Matt Ramondo (Fr)                         6’5” & 328#         Las Cruces, NM

·         Mark Scarpinato (Fr)                       6’3” & 270#         Milwaukee, Wis

·         Brandon Clemons (Fr)                    6’3” & 262#         Milford, PA

Of course, there are plenty of D-Linemen and D-Ends who are returning from the #5 Defense in the land.

Returning D-Linemen:

·         Micajah Reynolds (Sr)                    6’5” & 320#         Lansing, MI (Sexton)

·         Jordan Sanders (Jr)                         6’1” & 288#         Rochester, MI (Adams)

·         Anthony Rashad White (Sr)         6’2” & 316            Battle Creek, MI

Returning D-Ends:

·         Tyler Hoover (Sr)                              6’7” & 270            Novi, MI (missed 2011 due to injury)

·         Denzel Drone (Sr)                            6’2” & 262            Plant City, FL

·         Marcus Rush (So)                             6’2” & 260            Cincinnati, O (Moeller)

·         William Gholston (Jr)                      6’7” & 280#         Detroit, MI (Southeastern)

·         Corey Freeman (Sr)                        6’2” & 250#         Cleveland Hts, O

·         Taylor Calero (Jr)                              6’3” & 245#         Beverly Hills, MI (Southfield Christian)

So, the bad news is…the Spartans will lose Pickelman and Worthy from one of the best D-Line’s in the country but don’t fret because there is extraordinary depth to fulfill 4 Line Spots…in fact, from the list above…there are 10 D-Linemen to fill 2 Line Spots…and 6 D-Ends to fulfill 2 End Spots. In that context, the Spartan D is so well stocked it will difficult to spread playing time.

And, if you’re worried about the Linebackers and D-Backs…don’t!

Other than the graduation of Free Safety, Trenton Robinson, the Spartans return their entire ‘two-deep’ roster for each Linebacker spot…as well as the 4 D-Back spots…which means, the Spartans have so much depth at Linebacker…that 5-Star, ‘Redshirt’ Linebacker, Lawrence Thomas, from the 2011 class, will have a hard time cracking the lineup.

So, as we begin 2012, let’s congratulate Jerel Worthy, Kevin Pickelman and Trenton Robinson who helped restore pride in the Spartans Defense. We wish each of them well as they pursue their life goals…but the next edition of Spartan D will proudly stand on their shoulders and reach for the next star.

Could that mean becoming the #1 Defense?

Early look at Big Ten Basketball

The Bowl Season isn’t complete…and the Basketball season is young…but the Basketball season is far enough along that we can see a bit of separation amongst the top Big Ten teams...and that brings me to the Spartans!

Purdue and Michigan both lost last night and the Big Ten standings look a lot different than predicted by the so called experts at the beginning of the season. This just in…the Spartans (dismissed by pundits prior to the season as a lower tier Big Ten team)…are 14-2 overall…3-0 Big Ten (first place)…and # 10 in the AP poll. I guess the pundits didn’t look at the Spartan roster prior to submitting their pre season predictions such as…returning players…incoming 5-Star recruits…Senior transfers…or the Head Coach who has achieved unprecedented success in East Lansing for the past 16 years…otherwise the ‘so called’ experts may have come to a different conclusion.

According to the record books, the Spartans have compiled 14 consecutive wins…the most consecutive wins by a Spartan team since a 22 game winning streak in 1998-99…(that’s the year before the Spartans won their last National Championship) and the Spartans seem to be jelling and getting stronger with each succeeding game. I’m not suggesting (or, maybe I am) the Spartans will become the next National Champions…but don’t take them off your list!

Of course, the Spartans lost two consecutive games to commence the season. The Spartans opened the season November 11 (which seems like 100 years ago) and lost to (then) #1 North Carolina 67-55 in the Aircraft Carrier game. Then, lost on Nov 15 to Duke, 74-69. And if you’re keeping track, as of Jan 6, Duke is 12-2 and ranked #5…and North Carolina is 13-2 and ranked #3 but, ask North Carolina or Duke if they would like to play the Spartans today?

But, before either NC or Duke answer that question…let’s look closer to home.

It’s worth remembering, Ohio State was ‘odds on’ favorites to ‘run away’ with the Big Ten (according to the so called experts) but…not so fast my friends. Ohio State is 14-2 and 2-1 Big Ten. Good but not great! The Buckeyes lost to Kansas 78-67 (no shame) on Dec 10…but then lost 74-70 at Indiana on Dec 31. Maybe the Buckeyes were focused on New Year’s Eve and forgot to prepare for the Hoosiers nevertheless the Buckeyes lost by 4 points to Indiana. Keep in mind, the Spartans beat Indiana 80-65…a 15 point margin.

Well, how about Wisconsin? The Badgers were supposed to chase the Buckeyes for the Big Ten Championship. The (now) # 18 ranked Badgers are 12-4 and most recently lost ‘back to back’ home games to Iowa 72-65…as well as the Spartans 63-60. Moreover, the Badgers lost on November 30 to North Carolina 60-57 (no shame) and then lost to Marquette 61-54 on Dec 3 (again, no shame) but 4 losses overall and two Big Ten losses at home is not a good trend. With 2 Big Ten losses only 3 games into their Big Ten season, suggest to me, the Badgers are not likely to compete for the Big Ten title. Speed is not their best friend. Nevertheless, Wisconsin visits Ann Arbor on Sunday…we’ll see what happens!

How about Michigan? Michigan…12-3 overall…2-1 Big Ten, has wins over Penn State (1-2 Big Ten) and Minnesota (0-3 Big Ten)…but lost to Indiana last night 73-71. The Hoosiers lead by as much as 15 points in the first half…and lead 65-55 with 7 minutes remaining but Michigan clawed back to give it a run. Michigan is methodically getting a better under Beilein but their propensity to ‘jack up’ trey’s in lieu of working inside…will continue to be shortcomings against teams who are fast enough defensively…and aggressive enough to shut down the Three.  

Indiana, on the other hand, is separating themselves and becoming a Big Ten power once again. The Hoosiers lead by Tom Crean are 14-1 overall…2-1 Big Ten, including wins over (then) #1 Kentucky and (then) #3 Ohio State but suffered a loss to the Spartans 80-65. Nevertheless, Tom Crean (a member of the Tom Izzo coaching tree) is building an impressive product in Bloomington!

So, what does all this mean for the Spartans? After the Spartans beat Indiana…I suggested this would be a remarkable season for the Spartans. The win at Wisconsin has only confirmed my belief that the Spartans are poised to have a remarkable season and if you’re seeking a reason why the Spartans are winning these tough games…then look no further than Rebound Margin.

The Spartans rank #6 Nationally in Rebound Margin and #1 in Big Ten. Here is a look at the top Big Ten teams:

·         # 6 MSU = 10.5

·         #18 OSU = 7.7

·         #40 Penn State = 5.9

·         #54 Wis = 5.1

·         Tie #106 MIch = 3.2

·         Tie #106 Ind = 3.2

·         # 137 Iowa = 2.2

·         #152 Purdue = 1.5

Needless to say, the Spartans are doing all the other things to win games: distributing the ball; balanced scoring; good at the stripe…but it’s their relentless Defense and ‘pounding’ on the ‘boards’ that are wearing down opponents and tipping the balance in favor of the Spartans. Chemistry! Did I mention chemistry? The chemistry of this Spartan team is unique and they are demonstrating a cooperative ‘Will’ to win. Easy to talk about but difficult to implement!

I didn’t say the Spartans will win the National Championship…but you might want to book your tickets for the Final Four…Go Spartans!!!