MSU v IU : woo...hoo?

I would be lying if I said I was looking forward to this game. I would also be lying if I said MSU football has been watchable.  The defense has been somewhat better than good, but nowhere near great.  The offense has been every bit as bad as people have complained, and then some.

I'm waiting for Gholston and company to have a breakout and truly harass a QB.  I'm waiting to see the corners and safeties frustrate the QB and come up with multiple picks, tips, breakups, and blitzes.  So far the defense has been very good at controlling the scoreboard (most points have come on short field scores because of the offense) but not individually dominant.  Almost a bend don't break mentality.  Everything comes together when you get a push on the defensive line; the QB has less time, he gets worried, he dumps quick passes, the corners and safeties can play more on talent and instinct than discipline.  That hasn't happened much yet.

I'm waiting for the offense to show some life, period.  The problem is the same on both sides of the ball: the lines aren't getting any push.  The offensive line has been abysmal.  So routes aren't crisp, throws aren't always great (or are perfectly placed and timed but too hard for new receivers) and the running game earns every inch.  This was supposed to be the strength of this team between talent and depth.  Neither the talent nor the depth have proven to be quite as good as advertised.

Indiana is an interesting team.  I mean, I'm sure Indiana is an interesting team.  Right?  Let's just agree that something interesting is going on down there in Hoosier land.  Their best (and only) hope this year, QB Tre Roberson, was out early with a season ending injury.  Sort of like the Hoosier's without Jimmy Chitwood.  It isn't pretty.

Things to watch this week: who is the best team in the B10?  Watch Purdue, Ohio State, and Nebraska.  The best team in the B10 is between the winner or OSU/Huskers and Purdue, should they beat mushagain.  And I truly think Purdue will beat mushagain.

Back to the game at hand.  Teams score on Indiana at will.  I mean, they gave up 85 points the last two weeks, including allowing 41 against Ball State.  Make it:

MSU - 38
Hoopsters: 17

MSU v THE Braxton Buckeyes

Gameday is in town and I love the location. Beaumont Tower is a great backdrop, and a perfect distraction when Desmond Pupu is attempting to string together words and sentences into complete thoughts.  Speaking of Dezmund, he just can't help but take a shot at MSU. Either MSU missed on its receivers recruits or it can't develop them. Well, they've dropped some passes. A lot of passes. But I'm pretty sure none of them has enough experience yet -- either by virtue of being behind 4 seniors last year or being redshirt/true freshmen this year.

Face it Desmond.  You weren't posing for the Heisman, you were dancing.  Also, you dropped that pass.

I like MSU's chances to break out a little today on defense. Braxton will get his, and probably equally on the ground and in the air, but the defense will also make some plays.

The difference will be in the return games and breaking up passes at the corners.

Short and sweet today coming off my last debacle of a prediction.  OSU is strong and deep, but not there yet.


MSU - 20
OSU - 17

Eastern Michigan

Yup. Eastern Michigan. Mike Hart. Ron English. EMU 120th against the run out of 120 teams.

MSU coming off a bad performance on offense and a mediocre performance on defense.

LeVeon Bell looking to get on track.  Receivers hoping to, well, receive.  MSU defense with 2 sacks on the season and looking to double that, by halftime.

Not much else to add.

MSU - 45
EMU - 17

UPDATE: Glen Mason? Really? He is basically John L. Smith on happy pills. All the unpredictable nonsense chitter-chatter but all of it happy, all the time.

Gameday!

Welcome back!  And just in time for another installment of Nightgame Notre Dame No Shame in the Game.

And LeVeon is gonna be the night train.  He may start off slow, but by the end of the 3rd quarter, he'll be running downhill.  Bell for 110 yards on 33 carries, with a 4th down conversion.

The big test will be whether the offensive line can give Bell the line of scrimmage.  If he's caught in the backfield as he takes the ball, he isn't quick enough laterally to avoid the tackle.  Although he's strong enough to shed tacklers he has to get his feet going before the second man arrives.  Second, the line has to protect Maxwell long enough to run medium length routes.  Not necessarily deep, but it can't come down to all tight end and running back dumps or heaves for receivers to run under.  Maxwell will need time.

I'm also anxious to see if White (NT) and Allen (LB) can pick up their game.  White takes over in the middle  this season as the dominant force now that Jerel Worthy is in the NFL.  Last season Allen was the sack leader for a very good defense, with 11, but has yet to come up with a tackle for loss this season.  White could help with that by drawing more attention.  Also, there is reason to believe the defense has been pretty vanilla so far, limiting the LB blitzes in early games to keep a few tricks in the bag.

I'm also anxious to see how Rush (DE) and Gholston (DE) can limit Notre Dame's athletic QB Golson.  Although his skill set is similar to that of Russel Wilson (not a marriage of athletic gear families) I think it might actually lead to more sacks if Golson leaves the pocket.

Manti Te'o had a rough week, and it doesn't get any better matching up with Bell and Sims.  MSU players call Spartan Stadium "The Woodshed."  My guess is both QB's get sacked today at least twice.  Because I think Golson will move outside the pocket, that could lead to a defensive back or defensive end picking up a fumble and running it up the sideline.  Whereas Maxwell is much more likely to take his hits in the pocket, in a pile, with any potential fumble recovered by a lineman.  I like MSU to win the turnover battle.

Trick plays?  Sure.  How about "Twitter Giants?"  MSU tweets its way to a win by sending out the All Tweet Team, captained by you're complaining about playing time already? Deanthony "Aretoo" Arnett.  The trick is when they tell Arnett to go in the game for a triple reverse qb throwback ... and then throw the ball to Fowler on a slant whilst Arnett roams around in the backfield staring at his map.

Make it:

MSU - 28
ND    - 17

Mic Check 1-2, 1-2

Its been a while, friends.

I'll be back tomorrow with a football related post.

I'm also working on a blog that explores the AWESOME responses you get when you try to sell things on craigslist.  Pure gold.

LIE-VAH

This blog will be presented, as best I can, in a manner that is honest, but efficient with words, and not crude. In dedication.

Michigan State does not have to win this game. They are in the tournament, as of now. But, don't lose big. Don't lay an egg. Show up and play hard. Keep it to 10 all game.

Lucas will be important. Bigger? The bench. Will Nix move his feet? Will Sherman catch the ball? Will Thornton use his fouls well? Will everyone guard the perimeter? Will every Spartan hit the boards, relentlessly? We will see.

MSU looks FOCUSED early. They look like the have a Swagger. I like it.

TIMEOUT PURDUE!

Lucas doesn't look 100%, but everyone else has a swag, a fire a basketball IQ we haven't seen in a long, long while.

Then Sherman comes in. Then Purdue turns up their hand check 1000%. We shall see.

Since the time they were freshmen, I thought Johnson had, by far, the most upside in this Purdue class. You can't coach length. However, this turnaround he has come up with in his senior year is crazy.

I like the look here. I just described it as MSU Florida 2000. Why? Thornton just got the ball and, with no hesitation, pulled up and hit. That team had no fear and just did what it did. This team looks like it is playing with confidence.

Win or lose, I'm telling you. This team has a different look. The pace is different. Nix is at the line following a nice possession.

21-10 MSU and there is NO DELAY. If there is 1/2 inch of open space, the spartans are shooting. Come out and defend us. If not, hope we miss. We aren't waiting. We are shooting.

And for once, the problem with the whole season? MSU is hitting shots. Hitting a lot of shots.

Kalin Lucas is a straight baller. He just hit a shot clock beater. Love it.

Which brings me to my next point. Draymond Green is a bad, bad free throw shooter. He would average about 2.5 more points per game if he could hit at an average clip.

3 for LUCAS!!

27 -15 MSU!

And now Kebler with a shot. You have got to be a threat if you are on the floor. Nice hit by Kb's.

Jujuan Johnson is a horse. He is absolutely a next level player. Purdue would be down 20 right now w/out him. Who is Moore?

Barlow on Lucas is brilliant by Painter. Lucas isn't mobile. If he were, Lucas would make him look stupid. But, as a much, much bigger defender Barlow is a tough guy to put on Lucas.

And Johnson comes up big again. He is holding this Purdue team in.

AND SO IS KALIN! Lucas is KILLING right now.

I love Keith Appling. He is a baller. He has heart. He has game.

35 -23 MSU.

Timeout.

Well, Haltime and MSU is looking like the team most of us thought we would see all year. Aggressive, strong and .... well ... good.

Part of it is Purdue looking a little slow, as the bye team. But a lot of it is MSU being the aggressor. The Spartans are finding shots early, and without hesitation, pulling the trigger. They are finding gaps and seams and making plays. This team is reacting rather than thinking. For year, upon years, upon years I have said that, to be great, a team must react rather than think. Instinct is the answer.

This team is finally just doing, rather than [over]thinking.

_________________________HALFTIME______________________________

MSU comes out and weathers the Purdue technical call, for now. Ball don't lie.

This is turning around a bit, in terms of fouls, as Purdue gets a few "make-up" calls. Weak, if you will.

And Summers shows his true colors. Running the floor MSU finds Summers on the break in the lane annnnd...it bounces off his ping-pong-paddle hands. I can imagine it would be hard to drive the ball wing ping-pong paddles for hands. Tough to rebound, too.

45 -28 MSU.

Lucas 3 pt play. 48 -30. Ballin.

YES. YES. YES.

Deflection Green [on the shot] and rebound Appling.

Lovc eit.

50 -33 MSU.

Appling at the line. Hit the first. He is money...Count the second.

Johnson gets the ball really, really deep. That is either a bucker or a foul. He gets the foul.

Johnson hits both. Purdue with the full court pressure [hacks defense].

Foul.

MSU keeps afloat.

1 and 1 for Lucas. He gets THE BONUS!

54 -37 MSU.

Appling turns it over but Barlow is a bad, bad shooter. Nice work.

MSU ball 54-37.

Foul MSU, after about 15 Purdue fouls [that weren't called]. 56 - 40 MSU.

After about 25 no call defensive possessions for Purdue we have a timeout. Which is the time I choose to take to pontificate. What if...

Mateen Cleaves was given free rein on defending in the half court.

Travis Walton had free rein in defending men twice his size.

Charlie Bell could defend with free rein in the second half.

No. You didn't hear that.

That is why [*$(&#$]'s don't get "free rein" on defense. So pay attention, my bloody valentine.

I have hated a whole lot of things this year. Coaches. Players. Shots. Shots. Shots.

But this takes the cake. Purdue is in the middle of HACKFEST 2010 but getting called for 1/3 of the fouls they commit.

MSU has to hold on. Justice demands it.

And Delvon Roe draws a foul. What number? His 1st. With 6:39 left. Awesome. Seems totally legit.

60 - 51 MSU after a hoop and a shot. Moore is getting warmed up. But Misses!

Delvon gets both. Money.

Kebler for the layup!

64 - 51 MSU!

Jujuan Johnson has a cramp. Mark it down. MSU wins. Mark it down!

66 -51 is a nice lead, which I would feel not so good about normally. But if Johnson has a cramp...I like it. It is juuuuust enough.

Summers still has some of the softest hands in the b10. So many rebounds/steals/etc end up in D.Summers touches and turnovers. Secure it.

K.Looooooo. Love him. Do it. 70 -53 MSU.

FINAL! MSU Wins and Convincingly!

30 pts for Lucas. Baller. Remember that.

Gameday, Game day

In honor of the recent valentines holiday comes the "I love you but I don't love you, love you" Gameday, Game day preview.

I love MSU basketball, but I don't love, love this team. To be fair, things appear to be getting better, sort of. The effort against OSU was excellent and it would be interesting to see what would have happened if bucksnorts hadn't taken 23 more free throws than MSU and been whistled for more than 12 total fouls (for the game, 12 (twelve)).

What I like: Lucas is looking much more like the Lucas of old, getting into, and out of, the lane and scoring (21+ per game average over the last 6). Green is playing more of what his game should be; spending most of his time midrange where his mismatch skills are most effective. Payne and Nix looked excellent against OSU, and Sherman showed an ability to use positioning. The defense was solid, although heavily penalized. Even Kebler, Thornton and Roe looked good in their limited time. Roe was obviously very limited.

Has anyone seen D. Summers? If you've seen his body you surely haven't seen his heart. It is missing.

This team seems to be on the cusp of figuring things out. The Roe injury does not help for a team just appearing to come together. There is no room for error. This isn't a team solidly in the tournament that can afford to lose a few games. Unfortunately, at 14-11 with 5 games left, MSU likely needs to win 4 to get in or 3 with a run to the Big10 Tournament championship game. Either way, today's home game is a must get.

Which is interesting because Illinois is in a similar situation. Although at 17-9, Illinois is really underachieving for having so much experience and talent. I feel stronger each year in saying that Weber is a good guy and a pretty good recruiter, but not a great coach. That isn't to say Illinois doesn't jump up from time to time to beat teams it shouldn't. Much to the contrary, they do (Purdue) but then lose to crap teams like Illinois Chicago, Indiana and Penn State.

I predict a close game today if Illinois doesn't shoot 70% from the floor. That seems to be as big a factor this year as anything; teams that shoot well despite the defense applied break the will of this team. By halftime this team will check out mentally if their defensive efforts aren't paying off with stops on the defensive end.

McCamey is a tough matchup without Roe. Davis and Tisdale are agile and can step out to the perimeter as well. Tisdale is more up and down this season than I expected for the 8th year senior (and what about lighty for osu? didn't he play with scoonie penn?).

Lucas has to get in the lane on offense and Summers has to, has to show up. He has to make his defender work on both ends. The bigs will have to help because McCamey is big and strong, far too strong for Appling to guard alone. Closing out defensive stands with rebounds is key against a team like this. Nix and Sherman have to take Tisdale out of the game by being legit threats.

It will remain close, but Lucas wins it down the stretch.

MSU -- 69

iLL -- 66