Nebraska at Michigan State today

[kctom]

And another thing, both MICH teams were favorites to win today, and they both kinda got run out of their own gyms.
It's one thing to get beaten in a close, back and forth game, but it's totally another to get beaten wire to wire with the most competitiveness you could generate was a single 2 possession game before the opposition pushed it into that comfortable lead area again.

MICH was not competitive, and the best Sparty could do was make it a 3 or 4 pt game before fading onto 10pt loss oblivion.

 

[tm3308]

And another thing, both MICH teams were favorites to win today, and they both kinda got run out of their own gyms.
It's one thing to get beaten in a close, back and forth game, but it's totally another to get beaten wire to wire with the most competitiveness you could generate was a single 2 possession game before the opposition pushed it into that comfortable lead area again.

MICH was not competitive, and the best Sparty could do was make it a 3 or 4 pt game before fading onto 10pt loss oblivion.

MSU was actually within two points for quite a while down the stretch.

 

[DDThompson]

I think the NCAA selection committee is going to have a difficult time seeding B1G teams based upon this.

IMO, the BTT is going to play a more-significant-than-usual role in NCAA seeding this year.

So true. There is no way the B1G champion shouldn't have a #2 seed. The way it looks now the B1G champ is headed for a #3 seed which would, of course, be ridiculous. So it won't happen unless the letter MSU aren't in the B1G champ's name.

I think the B1G is deeper than what most people are saying since so many mid-conference are winning on the road.

 

[kctom]

MSU was actually within two points for quite a while down the stretch...."

Only one time, when Payne blew the transition lay up. Then Pettaway converts the lay up and one, and never a1 possession game.

 

[JonnyGuido]

But I thought we had no chance at the Breslin Center...

You said we "can win out." No one said we have "no chance" just that the chances are slim. They still are.

 

[volhawk50]

MICH was not competitive, and the best Sparty could do was make it a 3 or 4 pt game before fading onto 10pt loss oblivion.

You're wrong on both of those. In the last minute of the first half and first 14 minutes of the second half, Michigan cut an 18 point deficit to 3. State was down 2 with 3 minutes left and down 3 with 1:15 left, and they didn't lose by 10. Both were competitive but couldn't get the win.

 

[kctom]

"...After Payne's layup cut Michigan State's deficit to 51-49, the Spartans grabbed a defensive rebound and called timeout.
After Kenny Kaminski airballed a 3 from the left wing, the Cornhuskers built the lead back to five on a 3-pointer by Petteway. The Spartans never got closer than three the rest of the way...." (from espn recap)

I stand corrected, thank you, they lost by 9, not 10....thank you for pointing that glaring omission of fact....

 

[tm3308]

"...After Payne's layup cut Michigan State's deficit to 51-49, the Spartans grabbed a defensive rebound and called timeout.
After Kenny Kaminski airballed a 3 from the left wing, the Cornhuskers built the lead back to five on a 3-pointer by Petteway. The Spartans never got closer than three the rest of the way...." (from espn recap)

I stand corrected, thank you, they lost by 9, not 10....thank you for pointing that glaring omission of fact....

They also were never down by more than 8 after the U8 TO, until the final minute foul fest. They were competitive, and so was Michigan. They just didn't win.

 

[kctom]

Agree that both games were competitive.

However, both MICH teams never led, never tied, rarely with in a 1-2 possession, and both faced large enough deficits late that were forced to foul, and both saw the leads increase in the end game.

For sure, Applings poor play, wire to wire home loss to 65-ish Nebraska raise doubts not there before today.

 

[bcl20]

You said we "can win out." No one said we have "no chance" just that the chances are slim. They still are.

*sigh* Something that has as 30 to 40-some percent chance of happening isn't slim.

 

[glidinghawk]

For sure, Applings poor play, wire to wire home loss to 65-ish Nebraska raise doubts not there before today.

That guard getting a lot of Appling's minutes, Travis Trice, also stunk it up today.

 

[kctom]

"...That guard getting a lot of Appling's minutes, Travis Trice, also stunk it up today...."

Also, Valentine goes 2-8, 0-3, 1A 4TOs as #2 guard... I always thought he was a bit of a power forward in a guards body, so his awkwardness along w Trices unproven consistency, leaves a huge question for this back court...

 

[kctom]

So Pettaway scores 14 of Nebbys last 16 pts, including at least 2 long 3s in face of defensive pressure. Wow.

That is probably the best I've seen live ths yr. marble going off to start the MICH game at home,isn't close to how Terran single handedly closed out the biggest road win in the last 5-6 yrs.

Hats off to TP, he deserves it.

 

[JonnyGuido]

*sigh* Something that has as 30 to 40-some percent chance of happening isn't slim.

*eye roll sigh* Who exactly calculated they have a 30-40% chance of winning in east Lansing? You? I'd put it at closer to 10-15% if and when MSU is at full strength.

 

[bcl20]

*eye roll sigh* Who exactly calculated they have a 30-40% chance of winning in east Lansing? You? I'd put it at closer to 10-15% if and when MSU is at full strength.

I'm assuming kenpom has it at around there as a match up like that typically is around there. You are pretty much making up some arbitrary percentage and applying it to this game. And your arbitrary percentage really makes no sense to be honest but whatever. Iowa lost to Michigan State in 1999 something, something so whatever.

 

[kctom]

KenPom has MSU winning that game vs Iowa 59.3% of times, or 6 of 10x.

So, closer to 50/50 than closer to 'slim'.

 

[TheIowaHawkGuy]

But I thought we had no chance at the Breslin Center...

The MSU team Nebraska played is much different than the MSU team Iowa will play in 2 weeks. MSU gets Dawson back and Appling will have more time to recover by then. Plus Payne is rounding back in shape. That game in East Lansing much more difficult than Nebraska just played. Iowa hasn't won in East Lansing since 1993 and those loses are by an average of 18.3 ppg. So not even close.

 

[HawkIPA]

The MSU team Nebraska played is much different than the MSU team Iowa will play in 2 weeks. MSU gets Dawson back and Appling will have more time to recover by then. Plus Payne is rounding back in shape. That game in East Lansing much more difficult than Nebraska just played. Iowa hasn't won in East Lansing since 1993 and those loses are by an average of 18.3 ppg. So not even close.

How do you know how well Appling is going to heal if he keeps playing with a bum wrist?

And the outcome of this years game will have nothing to do with the fact that Iowa has not won in East Lansing in 21 years. It is a pretty dumb argument for people to make when trying to find reasons why Iowa could/should lose a game.

 

[goldenhawk96]

It feels like bad karma to write about MSU so early. We need to start an Indiana thread. Hmmm. But here goes...

I would rank how we played against MSU has third worst played game of the year (In case your wondering: 1. Neb-Omaha, 2. Nebraska 3. MSU). We stunk up the joint: quick shots, lack of ball movement, zero flow. We were bad.

I attribute some of that to bright lights.

I actually also attribute that to the mental aspect of MSU missing players; it is difficult for teams to prepare when there are obvious advantages. A little side story to this: When I played junior college ball we played in league a team with former NBA point guard Rafer Alston. The first time we played them we were dialed into Rafer, the game plan, etc. and beat the #1 Juco team in the state. A strange thing happened the next time we played: Rafer was injured; we knew the rest of the team was goo; we knew it was a very important game. And we came out flat, and we lost. I know this example isn't the B1G, but those who have played in similar situations know what I mean (heck, ever had to play 5 on 4 in a men's league? Hard to get going).

At any rate, I expect a great effort from us at MSU. Of course, that still may not be enough.

 

[JonnyGuido]

KenPom has MSU winning that game vs Iowa 59.3% of times, or 6 of 10x.

So, closer to 50/50 than closer to 'slim'.

You boys may have a point. But do those numbers account for MSU being at full strength and at home? My original point was that if MSU is healthy and clicking when we play them I don't like our chances. But I will rescind my "slim" prediction.