UM at Ohio State

As the Big Ten moves into the second half of the season it appears Michigan is falling back into the pack.

It wasn’t especially a ‘break out’ day for Ohio State yesterday but they did everything that was required to dominate the Wolverines 64-49. And it would be fair to say, Ohio State demonstrated why they are one of the top teams in the Big Ten while Michigan demonstrated why they are likely to fall back into the pack. Short story: the Wolverines failed to demonstrate an appetite for taking the ball into the paint which means they were simply comfortable ‘jump shooting’ from the outside…and ‘jump shooting’ becomes a fickle friend against a team like Ohio State.

The Wolverines shot a meager 8 of 25 (32%) beyond the arc…and 19 of 53 (36%) from the Field. Moreover, due to their reluctance to take the ball to the glass, the Wolverines only got to the stripe 4 times…and that’s not a good recipe for winning Basketball games in the Big Ten considering that Ohio State was 15 of 18 (83%) at the stripe.

On the other hand, the Wolverines didn’t help themselves on the Defensive end either. Yesterday, I highlighted Michigan’s problematic’ defensive stats and it becomes clear that a savvy team like Ohio State doesn’t need a remedial lesson in Offense to understand how to exploit the Wolverine defensive shortcomings. Based upon National Rankings (see below), Michigan is amongst the ‘weakest’ in the country in critical defensive stats and those stats make it easy to understand why Ohio State controlled the game for all but the first 10 minutes.

Michigan (National Rankings)

·         #121 Rebound Margin                   2.3

·         #140 in Defensive FG%                  42%

·         #282 Blocks per game                    2.4

·         #314 Steals per game                     4.9

In summary, as the Big Ten moves into the second half of the season…the Wolverines need to dramatically improve their appetite for Defense otherwise, they will simply fall back into the pack. They get another opportunity next Sunday when they play the Spartans in East Lansing. Are Michigan Defensive stats an aberration?

We’ll see!

Team 1 2 Score Michigan 21 28 49 Ohio State 24 40 64 Officials: Ted Valentine, John Higgins, Tim Clougherty Attendance: 18809 Michigan MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA OR DR TOT A PF ST TO BL PTS Jordan Morgan 23 4 7 0 0 0 0 2 3 5 0 4 1 1 0 8 Zack Novak 33 0 4 0 1 0 0 2 2 4 0 4 0 1 0 0 Stu Douglass 31 3 9 1 5 0 0 0 2 2 1 1 1 3 0 7 Trey Burke 39 5 11 3 6 0 0 0 1 1 5 1 2 5 0 13 Tim Hardaway Jr 38 5 12 2 7 3 4 1 4 5 3 1 1 2 1 15 Matt Vogrich 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Blake McLimans 8 1 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 Evan Smotrycz 18 1 6 1 4 0 0 0 1 1 1 4 0 1 0 3 Colton Christian 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 TEAM 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 3 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 TEAM TOTALS 200 19 53 8 25 3 4 10 19 29 10 16 5 13 1 49 PERCENTAGES FG: 35.8% 3PT: 32% FT: 75% TOTAL TO: 13 Ohio State MIN FG FGA 3P 3PA FT FTA OR DR TOT A PF ST TO BL PTS Jared Sullinger 28 5 11 0 1 3 3 1 4 5 1 4 1 1 1 13 Deshaun Thomas 35 4 9 1 5 3 4 2 3 5 1 3 0 1 0 12 Aaron Craft 36 3 4 1 1 0 1 0 2 2 4 2 2 2 1 7 Lenzelle Smith Jr. 33 6 12 0 2 5 5 8 4 12 1 2 0 0 0 17 William Buford 39 5 13 1 5 1 1 1 4 5 2 1 1 6 0 12 Shannon Scott 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 Sam Thompson 9 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 J.D. Weatherspoon 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 Evan Ravenel 14 0 2 0 0 3 4 2 2 4 0 1 0 0 0 3 TEAM 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 TEAM TOTALS 200 23 54 3 15 15 18 14 24 38 10 13 6 11 2 64 PERCENTAGES FG: 42.6% 3PT: 20% FT: 83.3% TOTAL TO: 11

Big Ten Sunday

Today the 6-2 Wolverines play the 6-2 Buckeyes in Columbus…while the 6-2 Spartans are idle!

In most polls, the Wolverines are ranked #20…while the Buckeyes are ranked #4…and the Spartans are ranked #10. But if you refer to the RPI rankings you see a little different story: the Spartans are ranked #5…Buckeyes are ranked #9…whilst Michigan is ranked #18. Needless to say, the rankings are a bit arbitrary but there is a method to the RPI rankings. The RPI is based less on popularity vote and more on methodology. The methodology, while not perfect, is based upon key stats such as: Overall record; strength of schedule; wins & losses vs Top 25, etc…but it also takes into consideration more nuanced stats…such as Defense.

I won’t spend a lot of time writing a long preview of Michigan game in Columbus or spend emotional energy predicting a winner…but while Michigan enjoys a winning percentage their Defensive stats are ‘troublesome’. As it relates to the ‘key’ Defensive stats, specifically: Defensive FG%...Blocks…Steals…and Rebound Margin…Michigan is significantly behind their top competitors in the Big Ten based upon Division 1 Rankings of 338 teams. Here’s a look:

·         Defensive FG%

o   #2 Wis                   36.3%

o   #11 MSU              38%

o   #34 OSU               39.3

o   #140 UM              42%

·         Blocks per game

o   #44 MSU              9.5

o   #137 Wis              5.5

o   #213 OSU            3.0

o   #314 UM              2.4

·         Steals per game

o   #43 OSU               8.2

o   #46 MSU              8.1

o   #285 Wis              5.5

o   # 314 UM             4.9

·         Rebound Margin per game

o   #4 MSU                9.5

o   #12 OSU               7.5

o   #69 Wis                3.9

o   #121 UM              2.3

Bottom line: Michigan ranks last amongst the Top 4 Big Ten teams in each ‘critical’ Defensive category (based upon national rankings)…in fact UM ranks lower than 100 in Defensive FG% & Rebound Margin…and lower than 300 in Blocks per game and Steals per game. So, as the Big Ten moves into the second half of the season…those stats do not bode well for the Wolverines.

Game time is 1:00 at Value City Arena…and weather is not expected to be a factor (said with a smile)!

Reflections on Izzo's 400th (400 and counting)

The game at Breslin Wednesday night seemed ‘matter of fact’ really inasmuch as the # 10 Spartans beat Minnesota 68-52 (as expected) and in so doing, the Spartans clipped win number 400 for Coach Izzo and that put a prodigious milestone into the record books!

If you are unfamiliar with Coach Izzo’s journey, a little reflection is due. Let us not forget, it’s been a rather improbable journey for Coach Izzo. From ‘walk on’ scholar/athlete at Northern Michigan University (Football, Basketball & Track)…to third team Division II Basketball All American…to Basketball coach at Ishpeming High School…to Northern Michigan assistant coach…to ‘part time’ assistant at MSU…to Assistant Coach for Jud Heathcote…to Spartan Head Coach where he unfairly earned the moniker of ‘Tom Fizzo’ for a modest 16-16 record during his first season…to 6 Big Ten titles…to 14 consecutive NCAA appearances…to 6 Final Fours in the past 13 years…and, of course…a National Championship.

Not bad for a kid from Iron Mountain, Michigan…population 8,000.

And, by clipping win #400, Coach Izzo joins a rather prestigious Big Ten club including Bob Knight…Lou Henson…and Gene Keady. But Spartan Nation needs to extend a special note of thanks to Coach Izzo because there was a time when the entire Spartan athletic program seemed to teeter precipitously due to a lack of direction and leadership but yet Tom Izzo stood alone…and Tom Izzo stood strong…and Coach Izzo was the Michigan States Atlas if you will…single handedly carrying Spartan Athletics on his shoulders until help arrived. Thank You Coach!!!

At any measure, Tom Izzo got win # 400 Wednesday night and while there were a few moments of drama…in the grand scheme of things…it was classic Izzo basketball inasmuch as the Spartans appeared to be in control most of the game, sprinting away at the end to extend their record to 17-4 overall and 6-2 Big Ten. The Spartans played a slightly ‘shorter bench’ than usual but on the surface it was normal stuff: 9 Spartans got game time…8 players got double digit minutes…7 players scored…and two players scored in double figures including Draymond Green with 22…and freshman Branden Dawson with 16…and along the way the Spartans ‘unselfishly’ distributed 17 Assists. So, like most Izzo wins…it was a team win!

And, Derrick Nix. Did I mention Derrick Nix? Coach Izzo has brought him along slowly but his confidence is soaring. The 6’9” 270# ‘Aircraft Carrier’ is 14-21 (66%) from the field for the last three games…and that’s an unbelievable percentage for anything other than a throw down. If you haven’t watched Derrick Nix then check him out…he is literally ‘unstoppable’ down on the block! Fast feet…good hands…quick feeds for assists. For what it’s worth, Nix is literally unstoppable in any arena unless you mention NBA.

More importantly, Nix is the embodiment of the Izzo recruiting story. Coach Izzo recruited a ‘good kid’…and a ‘good talent’…from a distressed area of Detroit where dreams are not a normal part of the landscape and yet Coach Izzo has lighted a fire in a young man who is likely to accomplish Special things in the next two years but most importantly Nix is becoming a dedicated scholar/athlete! But back to the game…..

Just like every team assembled by  Coach Izzo during his previous 16 seasons…the Spartans relied upon team Rebounding and team Defense to put this win in the record books. The Spartans held Minnesota to 38% from the field…36% from the Arc…got a 32-25 edge on the glass…forced 10 steals and rejected 8 shots! In fact, the previous 3 games suggest the Spartan Defense is really hitting stride!

In the past 3 games, the Spartans have yielded 60 points or less and held 3 prolific Big Ten offenses well below their season scoring average:

Scoring Avg         Vs Spartans        Difference

·         Purdue                                 71.9                        58                           -14

·         Minnesota                          70.2                        52                           -18

·         Michigan                              68.6                        60                           -8

The preceding stats are especially meaningful given the extraordinary balance of the Big Ten: 11 teams have winning records (excluding Penn State)…and 6 teams are .500 or better in Big Ten. Moreover, no team has proven to be exempt from upsets: Illinois lost to Penn State; Indiana lost to Nebraska; Wisconsin lost 3 consecutive games including ‘back to back’ losses at home; Michigan lost to Iowa; Michigan State lost to Northwestern and Ohio State lost two road games at Indiana and Illinois respectively.

So it would be ill advised to take any team in the Big Ten for granted but as the season grinds thru the second half of the season, three elements should serve the Spartans well. Team Depth…Defensive FG%...and Rebound Margin. And don’t forget team chemistry. At any measure, the Spartans have compiled some impressive stats as it relates to Defensive FG% and Rebound Margin:

                                                                  Big Ten Rank                 National Rank

Spartans Defensive FG%=38%                   #2                                  #13

Spartans Rebound Margin = +9.7              #1                                  #5          

At the moment, 3 teams are tied atop of the Big Ten. Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State are tied with 6-2 Big Ten records…but by the end of the weekend there will only be two inasmuch as Michigan visits Ohio State on Sunday while the Spartans are idle until Jan 31.

Regardless, there is a lot of Basketball to play...road games will continue to be daunting…and upsets will fuel the competitive landscape which means there will be a major fight for the Big Ten title most likely amongst Ohio State, Michigan and the Spartans…and Wisconsin is good enough to spoil dreams…but when it’s all said and done…I’m betting on Coach Izzo add Big Ten title #7!

Joe Paterno (an unmitigated tragedy)

May the lord bless and keep Joe Paterno and may Joe Paterno rest in peace butttt…I have a comment for those of us who are left behind.

Perhaps Joe Paterno was an icon to some…but good or bad…right or wrong…his failure to render a decision more than a decade ago will define his career. Joe Paterno becomes a tragic hero like so many before him. In many ways, I respect Joe Paterno for the good things he accomplished but I don’t respect the ‘powerful’ icon who lorded over a public university for the ‘self serving’ mission of becoming the so called ‘winningest’ coach in football history. And make no mistake, Joe Paterno lorded over Penn State University under the guise of doing good work.

It would be fair to say, all football decisions went thru Joe Paterno but when it mattered most, Joe Paterno remained silent and failed to make a proper decision. In that regard, Joe Paterno failed to do the right thing when it mattered most and while Paterno built a legacy as a football coach, he had detractors in the world of academia. One former Penn State professor called Paterno’s altruistic focus on academics a farce. But, regardless of those who liked or disliked Joe Paterno, in the end, Paterno failed to help those who were incapable of helping themselves.

A few weeks ago, Joe Paterno responded to his detractors and was quoted as saying (the following quotes are reprinted from the Associated Press):

"I didn't know which way to go ... and rather than get in there and make a mistake… "You know, (McQueary) didn't want to get specific," Paterno said. "And to be frank with you I don't know that it would have done any good, because I never heard of, of, rape and a man. So I just did what I thought was best. I talked to people that I thought would be, if there was a problem, that would be following up on it."

"This is a tragedy," he said. "It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more."

It’s a tragedy because Joe Paterno arguably knew what was right…he knew what to do and moreover he knew his silence was a mistake. Let’s put this into perspective. Joe Paterno spent 60 years at Penn State…45 years as Penn State Head Coach making thousands of decisions in the hottest caldron of all. Paterno made game day decisions…at game speed…where silence is not an option if one expects to be successful. Make no mistake, Paterno built a Kingdom because he was assured and decisive and in that capacity, he told people what to do and when to do it. If Paterno wasn’t good at ruling the monarchy or making decisions he would have never lasted as Head Coach for more than 45 years.

This is a sad lesson for humanity in general and specifically it’s a sad lesson for the NCAA and Universities throughout this land. Here is the lesson that should be taken away. Football is a grand game that should be honored by honoring the rules and metaphorically, playing between the white lines…and the game should never be bigger than the mission of the university…and never…ever…allow anyone…a president…an administrator…an educator…a coach…a clerk…to stay in ‘one’ position for 45 years to build their own little monarchy. And, the same lesson should be applied in corporate America. Maybe the US has it right as it relates to the US presidency. 2 terms…8 years. That’s it!

As it relates to hiring a coach, the rule for every university should be: Come to the job with the intent of doing your best work. Be prepared…work hard…but in the end…you get 4 years to build your program and 2 terms to coach…twelve years max to write your legacy. Thereafter, you can join the university in an advisory capacity. At the very minimum, after 12 years you must move over and allow a successor to bring in fresh ideas…but in no case will you stay on as head football coach thru 7 presidential administrations and recruit and coach young men who are young enough to be your great grandchildren.

May the lord bless and keep Joe Paterno but let us not forget his failure to make the boldest game day decision of all…he failed to protect the youth who were mentored by his staff!

Spartans get redemption (tough road day for Purdue)

The day didn’t start well for Purdue and it certainly didn’t end well.

Due to miserable winter weather including snow and frigid temperatures, the Boilermakers trekked to East Lansing via bus and didn’t arrive until 5:00 AM on the morning of the game. That was unfortunate because the Boilermakers day got worse thereafter. The day ended with the Spartans beating-down Purdue 83-58 for a 25 point victory but the 25 point margin didn’t tell the hopelessness of Purdue’s day in East Lansing.

In a game reminiscent of the Spartan ‘blow out’ at Iowa City on January 10, when the Spartans beat-down Iowa 95-61 for a 34 point victory, the Spartans stifled the beleaguered Bolermakers at every step. In addition to pounding the Boilermakers on the court…as a side note, the Boilermakers took a worse beating by the overly enthusiastic Izzone! In fact, when Coach Painter realized the game was out of control…he took to arguing with the Izzone while the game spun out of control on the floor.

How bad was Purdue’s day?

The shooting statistics provide the Cliffs Notes. At approximately the 15 minute mark of the second half, the Stat board at Breslin read:

·         Spartans              FG = 67%             3P% = 70%

·         Boilermakers     FG% =23%           3P% = 8%

What? I’m a Spartan and I view the world thru slightly tinted ‘Green & White’ lenses…but can that be right? The Spartans were shooting 67% from the field…and 70% from beyond the Arc? Yes indeed. No misprint! To finish the day, the Spartans were 30 of 50 (60%) from the Field…and 7 of 13 (54%) from beyond the Arc. Meanwhile the Spartan ‘D’ was resolute and relentless.

The Spartan ‘D’ held Purdue to 4-21 in the first half…and finished the day 18 of 62 (29%) from the field…and 3 of 20 (15%) from beyond the Arc. To underscore the Boilermakers miserable day…Robbie Hummel had two points for the day (no misprint). Hummel, the #5 scorer in the Big Ten was held to ‘two’ points on 0 for 11 from the field (as in Zero)…and 0 for 6 from beyond the Arc. Hummel collected a mere two points on 2 for 2 from the stripe. That’s it. I haven’t checked historical stats but this was arguably Hummel’s lowest point production of his career. Bad travel day, yes…but credit the Spartan ‘D’!

Hummel played 22 minutes overall but every time Hummel went to the bench for a ‘breather’…the Izzone relentlessly chanted: We want Robbeee…We want Robbeee…We want Robbeee…

With respect to the Boilermakers and their travel drama…and the attendant fatigue related to their unfortunate travel day…I acknowledge, the Boilermakers may have been suffering ‘bus lag’…but you have to give credit to where credit is due. The usually good Spartan ‘D’…was extraordinarily relentless on this day. There literally were ‘no’ open shots!

The Spartan D was fast to  the ball…they anticipated and Defended ahead of the ball…they closed the lane…they contested points at the Arc…they contested drives at the Baseline…and they were not about to lose the ‘street fight’ under the basket. At about the 10 minute mark of the second half…the Purdue players and coaches looked as if they wanted to throw in the Towel…take a hot shower…and prepare for a pleasant bus ride back to West Lafayette!

About the only highlight for the Boilermakers was 19 of 24 (79%) from the stripe. You could also say, the Boilermakers got a fair number of rebounds (34) but a little analysis is due. Most of their rebounds came off of long caroms as the result of twenty futile 3 point attempts that resulted in long rebounds ‘right back’ to the shooter. Rebounds yes…hustle rebounds…NO!

In the end, the Spartans atoned for two losses in the past week with a ‘break out’ day versus Purdue who was 14-5 overall and 4-2 Big Ten and tied with the Spartans to start the day. In all, 16 Spartan players saw action…8 players logged ‘double digit’ minutes…11 players scored…4 players scored in double figures…and there was incredible scoring efficiency because no player took more than 8 shots. Meanwhile, the shooting percentage was off the charts…and the Spartans got 34 Rebounds…6 Steals and 5 Blocks.

And how about 6’9” & 270# Derrick Nix? He has been much maligned during his career but, I’m defending Derrick Nix because I’m taking the Derrick Nix bus all the way thru the Tournaments…hopefully to something Special. As a friendly reminder, Nix recommitted himself to Spartan Basketball last summer. He lost ‘more’ than 30 pounds…stayed in East Lansing over the summer and holidays to work out and stay on mission…and last Tuesday Nix was 6 of 9 (66%) from the field…1 of 1 from the stripe…3 Rebounds and 1 steal and 13 points in a mere 24 minutes.

Today, Nix was 5 of 7 (71%) from the field…2 of 4 from the stripe…4 Rebounds…2 Assists and 12 points in a mere 17 minutes. Nix is a magician with the ball down low…he doesn’t miss and his defensive footwork is extraordinary for a Big Man. On the other hand, his partners in the middle…specifically 6’10”…long & lean…Adreian Payne (18 min…3 Rebounds and 9 Points) and 6’9”…sturdy…Alex Gauna (5 min…2 Rebounds and 2 points) means the Spartan ‘BIGS’ contributed 9 Rebounds…2 Assists…1 Block and 23 Points for the day. All in all…a pretty fair day for the BIGS and arguably a position group unmatched (in my opinion) in college Basketball.

With 7 games into the 18 game Big Ten season…Ohio State, Michigan & Michigan State are tied at 5-2!

As it relates to the balance of the season…road games will continue to make Big Ten teams pay a painful price but team depth (just like football) will be the difference maker…and in my opinion, no team has more depth than the Spartans. There is an enormous amount of talent on this Spartan team and the Spartan ‘BIGS’ really make this team special.

Will Derrick Nix continue to improve and lead the way to something special?

I think so…we’ll see…stay tuned!