Monday, March 14, 2011

MSU a 2-pt favorite over UCLA

Spartans an early 2-point favorite over UCLA. Tipoff is 9:20 pm on TBS (that's Turner, not CBS). Love the commentary out of Pat Forde: "Michigan State (15). Why the Spartans are dangerous: They're always dangerous this time of year, and they showed it in routing Purdue at the Big Ten tournament. This has been the most inconsistent, dysfunctional and puzzling Tom Izzo team in quite a while, but it'sstill a Tom Izzo team. Pick against them at your peril."

Take the Spartans and then we're...

LOOKING AHEAD
A potential second round matchup against University of Florida? LOVING IT.? Back in 2003, Florida was a No. 2 seed and was sent to Tampa to play in its home state. That same year, Michigan State had a disappointing campaign and was a No. 10 seed. The Spartans beat Temple in their first-round game and then got the Gators in the second round. What did we do? Tom Izzo’s team dominated in a 68-46 blowout victory over UF. Sparty also bested Florida in the national-title game in 2000. That's right. We got them Gators.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

#10 Michigan State to face #7 UCLA in Southeast on Thursday

Michigan State lands #10 seed in Southeast vs. #7 UCLA on Thursday. A victory moves onto the third round vs. #2 Florida or #15 UCSB on Saturday. Sweet 16 includes St Johns/Gonzaga, BYU/Wofford. Love the first two rounds. ES feels comfy about a Sweet 16 run...

Washington DC
  • 1 PITT vs UNCA/UALR
  • 8 BUT vs 9 ODU 3/17
  • Tucson
  • 5 KSU vs 12 USU 3/17
  • 4 WIS vs 13 BEL 3/17
  • Denver
  • 6 SJU vs 11 GONZ 3/17
  • 3 BYU vs 14 WOF 3/17
  • Tampa
  • 7 UCLA vs 10 MSU 3/17
  • 2 FLA vs 15 UCSB 3/17
  • Sunday Morning Bracketology: MSU #11 in SE

    Following MSU's running out of gas in its 61-48 loss to Penn State in the Big Ten semifinals, the Big Green drop to a #11 in the SE region, per ESPN's Bracketology.

    Interesting - Seven teams from the Big Ten now projected to make the dance. Michigan is a #11 seed in the West, and Penn State is now a #12 seed in the SouthWest. Purdue is #4 in the West, Wisconsin is #4 in SE, Ohio State is #1 in the East, and Illinois is #11 in the East.

    The 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament will be announced at 6 pm tonight.

    Saturday, March 12, 2011

    MSU at #9 in Lunardi's Bracketology; Predicts a Spartan win over JoePa

    OK, Lunardi finally posts his Bracketology, and Michigan State moves up to a #9 in the West.

    As for today? ES prediction... Michigan State 67, Penn State 55. Any team (Penn State) that wins a game scoring less than 40 points (scoring 36 in yesterday's win over Wisconsin) has no offense -- and MSU can relate to that! MSU has its mojo back, and enough offense to move on.

    Mich State a 2-1/2 pt fave over Penn State; move up to #9 in Bracketology

    OK, the ES is excited post-Purdue destruction.... Some early thoughts heading into today's Big Ten semi-finals. Early line out of Vegas has Michigan State favored by 2 1/2 over Penn State. The game tips at 4 pm, on CBS television.

    Bracketology update: Joe Lunardi is still nursing his hangover as of 10 am on Saturday. What's ESPN paying him the big bucks if he can't wake up during tourney time to update his bracket? MSU still listed as last one in, #12 SE.

    Bracketology #2 update: But, give Bruce Marshall over at VegasInsider.com some kudos for updating his bracket. He inks in Michigan State right now as a #9 seed in the East.

    Jeff Sagarin: Even the MIT guru punched his numbers this morning, moving MSU up to #34 overall. That's IN my friends.

    See you at the Peanut Barrell at 4 pm!

    Spartan FB rap sheet

    Ooops.... not what you want to hear in the off-season.

    Max Bullough (projected starting LB) and Brian Linthicum (projected starting TE) arrested in Colorado.

    Game chatter from Purdue

    ES having a good time going back and reading the game chatter over at Hammer and Rails. Bring your hanky, it's a beauty of a read. And, the best posted pic?

    Friday, March 11, 2011

    We Kicked Boiler Arse!!!

    OMG - where has this team been all year? Just total in-your-face defense, but shots finally fell!!! God bless Kalin Lucas, with his 30 points he hit shot after shot. But, the bigger deal was MSU's interior defense, with Roe, Green, and Nix, blocking shots and with body blows that made it impossible for Purdue.

    This was Michigan State's best game of the year. At exactly the right time. And, we didn't just win - we kicked their arse!!!! MSU wins by 18: a dominating 74-56 win (video).

    Michigan St.
    Name FG 3Pt FT Off Reb Ast PF Pts
    Keith Appling 3-4 2-2 2-2 2 6 2 4 10
    Draymond Green 2-9 1-4 3-4 1 13 5 2 8
    Mike Kebler 3-6 0-0 2-2 0 1 1 1 8
    Kalin Lucas 8-16 4-7 10-11 0 1 3 2 30
    Derrick Nix 0-0 0-0 3-6 0 0 1 2 3
    Adreian Payne 0-2 0-0 0-0 1 2 0 1 0
    Delvon Roe 2-8 0-0 3-4 4 8 2 3 7
    Garrick Sherman 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0
    Durrell Summers 2-4 0-1 2-2 0 5 0 3 6
    Austin Thornton 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 1 1 2

    Totals 21-51 7-14 25-31 8 36 15 19 74
    Percentages: .412 .500 .806

    Purdue
    Name FG 3Pt FT Off Reb Ast PF Pts
    Kelsey Barlow 0-3 0-2 1-4 0 1 1 3 1
    D.J. Byrd 1-2 1-2 0-0 0 0 1 3 3
    Travis Carroll 0-1 0-0 0-0 1 1 0 2 0
    Lewis Jackson 1-4 0-1 0-1 0 2 3 4 2
    JaJuan Johnson 9-19 0-3 3-4 1 9 0 1 21
    Terone Johnson 1-8 0-4 3-4 0 3 0 4 5
    Sandi Marcius 0-0 0-0 1-2 0 0 0 1 1
    E'Twaun Moore 5-10 1-2 6-9 0 3 4 2 17
    Ryne Smith 2-5 1-4 1-1 0 4 1 0 6

    Totals 19-52 3-18 15-25 2 23 10 20 56
    Percentages: .365 .167 .600

    MSU dominates Purdue.... in the first half

    At least it looks good for a half. MSU 37-23 DOMINATING Purdue.

    Michigan St.
    Name FG 3Pt FT Off Reb Ast PF Pts
    Keith Appling 2-3 2-2 0-0 1 3 2 1 6
    Draymond Green 1-4 1-2 1-2 0 7 3 0 4
    Mike Kebler 1-3 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 2
    Kalin Lucas 7-10 4-5 0-0 0 1 3 1 18
    Derrick Nix 0-0 0-0 1-2 0 0 1 1 1
    Adreian Payne 0-2 0-0 0-0 1 1 0 0 0
    Delvon Roe 0-3 0-0 0-0 0 1 2 1 0
    Garrick Sherman 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0
    Durrell Summers 2-3 0-1 0-0 0 4 0 0 4
    Austin Thornton 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 1 1 2

    Totals 14-30 7-11 2-4 2 17 12 6 37
    Percentages: .467 .636 .500

    Purdue
    Name FG 3Pt FT Off Reb Ast PF Pts
    Kelsey Barlow 0-1 0-1 1-2 0 1 0 1 1
    D.J. Byrd 1-2 1-2 0-0 0 0 1 1 3
    Travis Carroll 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 2 0
    Lewis Jackson 1-3 0-1 0-1 0 2 2 1 2
    JaJuan Johnson 5-8 0-2 0-0 0 3 0 0 10
    Terone Johnson 0-2 0-1 2-2 0 3 0 0 2
    Sandi Marcius 0-0 0-0 1-2 0 0 0 1 1
    E'Twaun Moore 2-7 0-1 0-0 0 2 3 0 4
    Ryne Smith 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 2 0 0 0

    Totals 9-25 1-9 4-7 0 13 6 6 23
    Percentages: .360 .111 .571

    Bracketology sez MSU is LAST ONE IN. Purdue prediction

    Will the bubble burst on Tom Izzo and Michigan State? Bracketologist Joe Lunardi has Michigan State now as THE LAST TEAM in the field of 68, a #12 seed in the Southeast.

    They take on projected #3 SE seed Purdue today. Purdue is a 7-pt favorite. Looks like Kalin Lucas will play, and if Durrell Summers does not break out of his slump today (both offensively and defensively), the Spartans may find themselves OUT.

    Jeff Sagarin has MSU at #37, Purdue at #7, and an 8-pt Boilermaker win. Real time RPI has MSU at #47 and Purdue at #8.

    Sorry, but the ES just doesn't see how the Big Green can pull off a win today sans a 100% healthy Lucas. Purdue kicked our butt by 20 points in the Breslin Center last meeting, and we lost by 10 at Purdue. ES sez.... Purdue 76, Michigan State 62.

    Thursday, March 10, 2011

    ES sez Michigan State 68, Iowa 64

    Do we really want Purdue again? I'd rather play Ohio State... oh well, only in the Big Ten chumpionship game if we are lucky.

    First things first, to take care of the Ugly Chickens. Spartans are 7 point favorites against the I-Men. Make it: MSU 68, Iowa 64. Will Durrell Summers finally show up? We shall see....

    Bracketology still has MSU in, as the first of "Last Four In". A #11 Seed in the West, playing in DC vs Virginia Tech (that's a home crowd for the Purple and Pink).

    Jeff Sagarin has MSU at #39 (and Michigan #40, BTW). Iowa is at #105. Sagarin projects it as a five-point win for Sparty.

    RPI Ratings
    has MSU at #47... and Iowa at #172 (ouch!).

    So... a loss here and Michigan State is T O A S T. A win, and they are still on the bubble. To play PurDO.

    Saturday, March 05, 2011

    Basketball = put the ball in the hole or die

    We stink. MSU's offense has been problematic all year, but today was the perfect representation of the season: not enough. This Michigan State hoops team is the worst offensive team of the Tom Izzo era. Would love to make it to the tourney, but if you can't put the ball in the hoop, you have a really short ride. Why bother at this point. ' Nuff said.

    Playing to Dance: Michigan State at Michigan

    Wow, when was the last time a Michigan State vs Michigan basketball game actually into MATTERED? MSU, annually a lock for the tournament, finds itself matching its wits against the dreaded scUM in Ann Arbor, where they are scraping to get into the tourney. Vegas has the Yellow Bellies favored by 1 at home. When was the last time scUM was favored in this rivalry? Back in the 1990s is my guess, in the years of the Scab Five, with Tractor Trailor & the Crooks.

    Tipoff today: 2 pm EST, CBS television.

    The Spartans already lost at home to the Yellow Bellies, so it is tough to imagine the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee selecting the Spartans over scUM if scUM wins today and sweeps the regular season series.... unless Mich State were to advance to the Big Ten title game. But, if scUM doesn't win today, they will likely need to win the Big Ten tourney to win.

    Michigan State is 16-12 overall, 9-8 Big Ten. scUM is 17-12, 8-9 Big Ten.

    Bracketology: Lunardi has Mich State as a #10 East seed while scUM is one of the last four in at #12 East.
    Rpi Ratings: RealTime RPI has Michigan State at #43 and a #9 schedule strength, 3-10 vs Top 50 and 1-8 vs top 25, while scUM is 58 and a #24 schedule strength, 2-8 vs Top 50 and 0-7 vs Top 25.
    Sagarin Ratings: Mr. MIT has Michigan State at #36 and a #4 schedule strength and scUM at #43 and a #10 schedule strength.

    ES guess? MSU is out to avenge its earlier loss to the Yellow Bellies at home and should be inspired in a raucous environment. If Mich State doesn't win, it likely doesn't deserve the tourney... but the ES sees a tough battle with a little more offense out of the Spartans. MSU 68, scUM 62.