Michigan State MBB Stats
19-4 (9-2)
Wins vs Top 100
| Wins (RPI 1-50) | |||
| RPI | DATE | OPPONENT | SCORE |
| 10 | Nov. 13 | Kansas* | 67-64 |
| 45 | Nov. 20 | Boise State | 74-70 |
| 22 | Jan. 19 | Ohio State | 59-56 |
| 31 | Jan. 22 | @ Wisconsin | 49-47 |
| 26 | Jan. 31 | Illinois | 80-75 |
| 13 | Feb. 6 | Minnesota | 61-50 |
| Wins (RPI 51-100) | |||
| RPI | DATE | OPPONENT | SCORE |
| 91 | Jan. 10 | @ Iowa | 62-59 |
| 93 | Jan. 13 | Nebraska | |
Losses
| Losses (RPI 1-50) | |||
| RPI | DATE | OPPONENT | SCORE |
| 24 | Nov. 9 | Connecticut* | 62-66 |
| 2 | Nov. 28 | @ Miami (FL) | 59-67 |
| 13 | Dec. 31 | @ Minnesota | 63-76 |
| 11 | Jan. 27 | @ Indiana | 70-75 |
Starting Five
FR. Gary Harris. G. 6'4" 205lbs.
12.7 PTS. 4.6 3PA. 43% 3PT.
JR. Keith Appling. G. 6'1" 190lbs.
14.1 PTS. 4.1 AST. 3.5 REB
SO. Branden Dawson. F. 6'6" 230lbs.
10.9 PTS. 6.5 REB. 1.8 STL
JR. Adreian Payne. F. 6'10" 240lbs.
9.5 PTS. 6.8 REB. 1.2 BLK.
SR. Derrick Nix. F. 6'9" 270lbs.
9.2 PTS. 6.3 REB. 52% FG.
Key Bench Players
FR, Denzel Valentine. G. 6'5" 220lbs.
21.0 MIN. 5.3 PTS. 4.0 REB.
SO. Travis Trice. G. 6'0" 170lbs. (Has not played last two games)
20.2 MIN. 5.5 PTS. 3.2 3PA. 41% 3PT.
How they compare to Big Ten
The Good
1st - ST/Game (8.63)
3rd - FG% (47%)
3rd - FT% (71%)
4th - 3PT% (36%)
The Bad
11th - TO/Game (13.7)
9th - Asst/TO (1.01)
8th - Off Reb (11)
February 11th, 2013 at 12:34 PM ^
Nice write-up!
They have very balanced scoring- so it's hard to defend them. At home this game will be very hard to win- if we do though our chances of a conference championship shoot up. I don't expect a win however. Even with a loss we can be alright if we take care of business at home against Indiana and MSU later in the year. Let's hope I'm wrong and we take this game though! It'd be nice if we don't get down early for the big road game!
February 11th, 2013 at 1:14 PM ^
I think MSU puts us away by 11-16. MSU is playing their best bball right now, and we're playing some of our worst of the season. GRIII and Stauskas disappear for big road games (see Ohio State, Indiana, Wisconsin) and in some cases home games (GRIII against OSU Tuesday). So, 40% of our starting lineup disappears for big road games.
We will probably find ourselves quickly into a 10-15 point deficit but our mild comeback won't be enough as it were against OSU or Indiana because MSU plays tough defense a la OSU, except, you know, MSU has an offense to go with that defense. The game will be interesting, and just without of Michigan's reach until free throws at the end add up to State's double digit win.
It may sound overly pessimistic, but one can't help but feel that way and point to our performances against the top of the conference: L @OSU, L @IND, L @WISC. Our wins are not impressive: 2 against Northwestern (T-8th in the conference), 1 against Iowa (T-8th in the conference), 1 against Nebraksa (11th in the conference), 1 against Minnesota (T-6th in the conference), 1 against Purdue (T-6th in the conference), Illinois (T-8th in the conference)
Our only "good" conference win comes against Ohio State, a 2 point decision at Crisler in OT, and even they currently sit 5th in the conference.
We have lost to everyone good in the conference, and have yet to beat* anyone good in the conference.
*Ohio State a borderline, possible exception.
We must have what we are: a good team that's usually fun to watch but reliant on freshman contribution.
February 11th, 2013 at 1:16 PM ^
All of what you said is true and I don't blame you for your pessismism but its about the schedule. Top teams win at home- if we lost big games at home then I undetrstand the concern and claim we may not be a top conference team. We just happened to play the top teasm on the road first- when we play them at home things should be better. If we can only win at home and cnat take any road games them I understand not being an elite team- but until we play the top teams at home it will be hard to judge just how well we stack up against the Big Ten top teams. If we had the opposite and played all those teams at home and run first the same thing would have applied in reverse.
February 11th, 2013 at 1:26 PM ^
I realize things can quickly change, and I know a 14-4 conference record for Michigan is definitely feasible (almost a guarantee IMO if we happen to win tomorrow night), so while my post is quite negative, I fully understand that in the grand scheme of the conference race, Michigan has the easiest (or at least, most friendly) schedule remaining.
February 11th, 2013 at 1:56 PM ^
If Burke takes Appling, then do we put THJ on Dawson? Staukas on him would likely be a nightmare.
Also, are we forced to play two bigs more in this game? I don't see GRIII doing well against Payne at all, and certainly not Nix who has about 60 pounds on him.
We had better be on offensively in this because I see this being yet another game where our defense looks frustratingly porous and overmatched down low.
February 11th, 2013 at 2:17 PM ^
especially as far as the B1G title's concerned. I'm not wildly optimistic; I think that both Robinson AND Stauskas are pretty weary, and after a deflating loss just two days ago. . . I think we'll need that stretch run of lesser opponents to get back into form.
February 11th, 2013 at 3:28 PM ^
combined with Michigan's ability to take care of the ball and not fouling should help Michigan. They really lack outside shooting but teams seem to hit 3s at will against Michigan so if they play up to their season average.
Michigan should win this one if they revert back to their mean.
February 11th, 2013 at 5:35 PM ^
Having the stats right in front of me, two matchups stick out: Timmy vs Dawson and GRII vs Payne/Nix.
This could be a tough matchup for Timmy beause Dawson will be stronger and appears to be completely recovered and confident in his quickness following his knee injury last year.
GRIII will be more athletic and quicker than the Payne/Nix matchup he ends up with. However, as we know, he hasn't shown much in the way of creating his own offense and opportunities for rebounds may be limited going against a bigger natural post like Payne and Nix.
I think we have a huge advantage with Trey. Hopefully we wipes the floor with Appling like he did last season. That being said, I think we need to win one of the above matchups and at least have a push on the other to win tomorrow night. Certainly doable, but going to need to show some moxie and killer instinct that we've lacked in our losses this year.
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