January 26th, 2010 at 6:33 PM ^
Living with two Spartan fans, winning this game would make my week. Bring it on!
January 26th, 2010 at 6:46 PM ^
I will be watching the bball game until it becomes clear that gouging out my eyes with a barbecue skewer would be a better time, at which point I will change the channel and see what Barack is up to. Sounds like a plan.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:34 PM ^
Tomorrow night?
January 26th, 2010 at 7:53 PM ^
Fortunately, this is a game I want to watch.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:03 PM ^
Nothing to lose...
January 26th, 2010 at 7:20 PM ^
especially with Manny coming off the bench
January 26th, 2010 at 7:23 PM ^
15-14, Blue. Let's beat these cow-tippers!
January 26th, 2010 at 7:24 PM ^
Big 3! Go Blue!
January 26th, 2010 at 7:24 PM ^
Can you sit on a lead for 30 minutes in college basketball?
January 26th, 2010 at 7:26 PM ^
Sparty no.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:26 PM ^
Stuck at work... how is the crowd, student section. Any visible signs on tv.... or themes (aka ski masks?) Thanks in advance.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:27 PM ^
They did an interview with the student leader of the Maize Rage....It was pretty cool.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:30 PM ^
Any ski masks visible?
January 26th, 2010 at 7:37 PM ^
cause I'm fixing dinner for the family. Have seen no ski masks yet, no signs. I did see someone whose face was painted black and white jail stripes. I think I maybe saw someone wearing a similar jailhouse shirt. But, mostly a maize-out, no signs and no masks (at least what ESPN is showing us).
January 26th, 2010 at 7:31 PM ^
Keep on throwing the ball away, Sparty! GO BLUE!
January 26th, 2010 at 7:34 PM ^
This is the best I've seen the 1-3-1 all year. It's actually extending state out and that is where it's effective.
It looks Mich has gotten away with a few calls so far.
EDIT: n/m. Right as I wrote that, the And 1 in the lane...
Boooo!
January 26th, 2010 at 7:32 PM ^
but MSU seems to be turning it over a ton.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:32 PM ^
An official walked off to the locker room hurt. Looked like it tweaked at random.
Who knows what's going to happen with the officiating now...
January 26th, 2010 at 7:33 PM ^
Manny is playing ANGRY. I like angry.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:35 PM ^
Sims also wanted a travel... Weak
January 26th, 2010 at 7:35 PM ^
I love the 3, but too many fast break 3's.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:42 PM ^
Where's the outrage for that elbow, Bilas?
(Aware Lavin is doing the game)
January 26th, 2010 at 7:42 PM ^
Will there be a double standard...?
January 26th, 2010 at 7:43 PM ^
Accident. Just tried to clear space. Nothing flagrant - offensive foul was the right call.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:45 PM ^
It was iffy iffy
January 26th, 2010 at 7:52 PM ^
I agree he did go a little high...but I don't think he was looking at LLP when he swung. Don't think it was intentional.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:47 PM ^
When clearing space with your elbows, normally your arms are parallel to the floor. His elbow was high and only going higher as he swung.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:44 PM ^
However, I never thought Harris should have been ejected last year, so I do not think Lucas should be ejected for his.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:47 PM ^
Exactly right. I'd've loved to see it called flagrant as a make-up for the call on Manny, but considered in and of itself, this was probably the right call.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:44 PM ^
I don't think I've ever seen a ref have to bail on the game like that. Going to be a very wide-open game the rest of the way with only two whistles on the floor.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:44 PM ^
He should have been ejected... no question about it.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:47 PM ^
I'm guessing they're conceding the rebound they probably wouldn't get anyways in order to prevent a quick outlet pass leading to fast break points.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:47 PM ^
I imagine it has something to do with two things:
Michigan State's size
MSU's quickness in getting out after a missed FT. They score a lot by pushing after a miss.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:56 PM ^
I think Beilein is banking on the fact that we are a decent free throw shooting team and he wants to gaurantee seeting up in the 1-3-1...MSU is having a hard time handling it and I like the strategy.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:45 PM ^
See, I agree with Lavin that Lucas wasn't trying to hurt Perry, but Manny was suspended a game for basically the same thing. But because LLP didn't show his grit by collapsing to the floor and waving a bloody towel afterwards, the game will continue. Man, I really hate that Kramer kid.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:48 PM ^
Agreed. Just reinforces my opinion that Harris was thrown out soley b/c of the result of his elbow, not the act of it
January 26th, 2010 at 7:46 PM ^
No reason for him to be ejected.
Harris shouldn't have been ejected last year. Two wrongs don't make a right.
Perry was hounding him defensively. A misplaced elbow is dangerous, but it is what it is--misplaced. It's a part of basketball
January 26th, 2010 at 8:31 PM ^
For those of you who didn't click on the link I provided earlier, the following comes from http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=Katz_andy&catID=Team~317…...
One of the officials in that Tuesday Purdue-Wisconsin game was Jim Burr. He also worked the Michigan-Purdue game Saturday. He made the call to eject Michigan's Manny Harris after Harris, on the top of the perimeter, swung his elbow to create space to make a move and connected with Purdue's Chris Kramer's face, breaking Kramer's nose. Harris was whistled for a foul, Burr went to the monitor and Harris was issued a flagrant foul and an ejection, much to the dismay of Harris and Michigan coach John Beilein. Michigan, which held a 26-25 lead with Harris in the game, lost 67-49 without its 17.2-points-a-game scorer.
"There was no intent to injure Kramer, but he makes contact,'' Adams said. "The only option for Burr is to call a flagrant foul and to eject him. [Harris] makes contact.''
Adams said he issues a bulletin every month to look at a specific issue. Increased incidents of elbow clears was one of these issues. Adams reiterated that an official can go to the monitor after a personal foul is called to see whether it is flagrant. He said there is heightened awareness for officials like Burr to look for contact resulting from an elbow.
"As soon as there is an excessive use of the elbow, there is no option for the official -- he must call a flagrant foul and eject the player by rule,'' Adams said. "You can't read intent. How would we read intent?''
Adams went on to say that once Harris had the ball, he was responsible for his actions.
"Manny Harris had an inadvertent elbow,'' Adams said. "It wasn't a judgment for Burr. Harris made contact, it's a flagrant foul. You tell the coach that's the rule. In this case, I'm defending [Burr] that he made the right call. But there was no intent for Harris to injure.''
January 26th, 2010 at 7:48 PM ^
Anyone else think that R. Morgan looks silly with that scowl of his? He does not look scary, more like he has to use the bathroom or something.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:49 PM ^
haha, they just showed a UM fan with ski goggles and winter hat on
January 26th, 2010 at 7:50 PM ^
Am I the only one who thought Novak clearly got fouled on that three at the end?
January 26th, 2010 at 7:57 PM ^
He got Spartied at the end
I must say I ref youth basketball (since i'm a senior in HS) and just doing that with only two total referees is tough
January 26th, 2010 at 7:51 PM ^
7 assists on 9 baskets is good
7 of 8 free throws is good
29% shooting is bad
2 for 14 on 3's is bad but seemingly typical
January 26th, 2010 at 7:55 PM ^
I like the fight in our guys after a half. Seriously active defense.
But someone has to start hitting some shots. Shooting 14% deep and 30% overall won't cut it. I think Izzo's team won't turn it over a dozen more times to help keep it close.
Regardless of the second half, wish I was there. The fans looked f-in pumped.
January 26th, 2010 at 7:59 PM ^
It is an ugly offensive game. Both team Off Efficiency are under 90 at the half. MSU = 80.6 and UM = 89.4
State turning the ball over on 35% of possessions. Michigan eFG% of 32.3.
It'll be interesting to see if Michigan can get a few more shots to fall and if MSU can break the 1-3-1 a bit better.
January 26th, 2010 at 8:08 PM ^
How many times can the announcers call Novak a "good shooter" who just isn't shooting well this season before he stops being a good shooter? Don't get me wrong, I love the kid to death, he's my favorite player. I'm just confused by that.