Reminder: It's Been 722 Days Since MSU Has Beaten Us in Basketball
I wish Maryland had shown up tonight, but for all your Sparty friends who are feeling pretty full of themselves on social media tonight, please remind them (as I have) that they haven't beaten us in basketball in 722 days.
They haven't beaten us in ANYTHING (basketball or football) in 471 days.
January 21st, 2019 at 9:08 PM ^
It seems like a bunch of teams "don't show up" against them.
They're good. Their defense is improving. It will be a dog fight both times we play them, and I hope that day streak somehow doesn't end this season
January 21st, 2019 at 9:16 PM ^
Seriously. Unless our guys play out of their minds, and MSU has an off game, they will give us all we can handle. They are very legit this year, shitty as that is.
January 21st, 2019 at 9:23 PM ^
You're a Sparty troll. You know we can check your post history, right? Not fooling anybody.
January 21st, 2019 at 9:29 PM ^
Nope. I just don't get as emotionally invested into this stuff as a lot of you on here. So when I offer an objective opinion, it may look like I'm not a fan.
I'm a big fan. But after going through college athletics myself and coaching a bunch of kids into college, I realized how trivial rivalries are and I don't judge kids solely on the team they play for.
They're just games to me
January 21st, 2019 at 9:37 PM ^
Still think Sparty's Texas win is more impressive than Michigan's UNC win?
January 21st, 2019 at 9:40 PM ^
What? I have never said that. I do think UNC is a team that's hard to figure out, though.
January 21st, 2019 at 9:42 PM ^
Please refer me to where I said that. I mean it is a fact that all those teams played in a tourney and Texas beat UNC, then MSU beat Texas. But that doesn't mean that MSU would have beaten UNC - basketball is all about matchups.
Not sure if you're confusing that with saying the Texas win is better than UNC? Those are mutually exclusive things
January 22nd, 2019 at 9:14 AM ^
lil' bro
January 22nd, 2019 at 12:10 PM ^
Yeah, MSU is going to be tough. They are solid defensively and can shoot the lights out. It'll be interesting to see how they look against UM's level of defensive intensity, but they're definitely a legit team. The only thing I wonder is if they might be "peaking" a bit early; sadly, I think Michigan might have as well, though Beilein's teams have a history of finding another gear offensively as they move toward March.
January 22nd, 2019 at 12:29 PM ^
I think Michigan could get better, but I think Iggy may have peaked. Not saying he won't do really well, but I don't see him out performing his early season success - more teams know who he is, and know what to do to defend him.
But even if they peaked, they showed what they can do to win against pretty much anybody. They have a few games where they scored 30 points in about 8 minutes, which is a flurry that will beat anybody.
January 22nd, 2019 at 12:38 PM ^
I think you're somewhat right about Iggy, in the sense that he's finding out now how well prepared teams can defend him better than teams earlier in the season. I don't think he's peaked by any means. He's just going to have to adjust to their adjustments.
And I think Poole has a lot of room to grow. If he starts making better decisions and taking better shots and drawing defenses to open things up for other guys, this team can absolutely get better. We've seen it too often from Beilein teams. They'll make the necessary adjustments.
January 22nd, 2019 at 12:41 PM ^
They're "peaking" without arguably their best player? Interesting take. However I am wondering if they ever get Langford back- still in a heavy duty looking boot
January 22nd, 2019 at 1:51 PM ^
Are you suggesting that Langford may be their best player? Get out of here with that nonsense. Just a shooter and even that is generous given that his True shooting % is worse than everyone except for Goins out of their contributors. He doesn't rebound, he has more TO's than assists and he is literally the worst offensive player on the team. Even if you give him the lofty praise of being their "best defender", the team defense has went from 29th the day he got injured to 9th now so he can't be too important on that end.
MSU is likely better without Langford unless you consider depth purposes, but if the only reason you would rather have a guy back is for depth, he is no where near your best player.
January 22nd, 2019 at 2:09 PM ^
Eh, I don't know. He can be streaky, but he is a better player and scorer than the other options they have. Winston and Ward are better, and that Henry kid seems to be pretty good too, but Langford has the ability to create his own shot and can score in bunches.
He is definitely hot and cold, but there is no way MSU is better off without him. That's like saying we're better off without Matthews.
January 22nd, 2019 at 6:41 PM ^
I change my mind - langford sucks and they are better without him ?
Tied 2nd in scoring but "worst offensive player on the team" ??
Sounds legit!
January 23rd, 2019 at 2:01 PM ^
If you reference scoring as your clear point of determining offensive value, it is probably not worth arguing with you because you don't understand the in's and out's of the game, but I'll bite. The team has drastically improved by getting Henry and Gabe Brown more minutes since Langford's injury. And yes, he is their worst offensive player in their generous 10 man rotation according to Kenpom's Offensive Rating (Which I'm sure you don't have because all the information you could ever need is in the box score). He has a 106 offensive rating, most good offensive players are at least around 115.
In fact, if you consider the top teams in the B1G: Michigan, MSU, Maryland, Purdue, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Nebraska, Langford is only a better offensive player than Matthews and Charles Thomas of Wisconsin when considering significant contributors (20% or higher usage). And that is with him missing a large portion of the B1G season. He is simply not a good offensive player.
It would obviously be worth having him back for depth purposes, but that is largely it.
January 21st, 2019 at 9:09 PM ^
Very RCMB esque thread.
January 21st, 2019 at 9:27 PM ^
Seriously, let's not do this.
January 22nd, 2019 at 11:02 AM ^
It's always stupid to do the "XXXX days since..." when both sports' seasons last only ~4 months
January 22nd, 2019 at 12:03 AM ^
This is the kind of stupid thread that comes just before a terrible loss. MSU is a good team. Michigan is a good team. It will be interesting to see who wins.
January 22nd, 2019 at 8:07 AM ^
Let’s see: rationale we state a fact, team loses because of a thread that was posted on mgoblog.
Yep, there you have it JPC strikes again. When other teams post a streak against Michigan we’re guaranteed to win!!!
January 22nd, 2019 at 9:07 AM ^
Don't ever mention a shut out or perfect game in the 7th inning.... you know the pitcher is checking social media between innings.
January 22nd, 2019 at 9:21 AM ^
I post that stuff all the time. But only if the opposing team is throwing one against my team. #reversejinx
January 22nd, 2019 at 11:38 AM ^
Ha. My dad and I have kind of a running joke when we're watching games to call everything a streak or a shutout if the end of that trend would be good for us. Announcer mentions the opposing team has converted their last two third downs? "Wow, they have a streak going!" Graphic that says the opposing kicker is 7-for-7 on extra points this year? "Hey, he's perfect on his kicks!"
If you do that often enough, it works sometimes.
January 22nd, 2019 at 11:49 AM ^
"God bless you"
you didn't sneeze you say? oh but you will.....just wait, you will
January 22nd, 2019 at 11:14 AM ^
Go sit in the corner, you weirdo.
January 22nd, 2019 at 8:26 AM ^
Yup. I thought the same thing, Hei2man. This is a ridiculous thread.
January 21st, 2019 at 9:11 PM ^
My hate for them, which once surpassed my hate for OSU, has slowly reverted back to normal. And by normal I mean out of my consciousness until Michigan plays them.
Just as it should be.
January 21st, 2019 at 9:13 PM ^
I'd be happy never playing MSU in any sport again. I'd also be happy with a B1G minus MSU, PSU, and the add-ons.
January 21st, 2019 at 9:15 PM ^
So, you want to be one of these guys?
January 21st, 2019 at 9:39 PM ^
Man, I was a fucking idiot in my youth, but these guys put me to shame.
January 21st, 2019 at 11:13 PM ^
Honestly anytime the tv cameras show a view of the Izzone, I just think to myself "Wow, what a bunch of shitty scumbags in that crowd"
January 22nd, 2019 at 9:09 AM ^
But you surely appreciate them when the pizza arrives in 30 minutes, don't you?
January 22nd, 2019 at 11:01 AM ^
But they are so adorable in their foam rubber Marvin Martian helmets.
January 22nd, 2019 at 12:21 AM ^
Wait, they went over 50,000 days without losing to us. Amazing.
January 22nd, 2019 at 9:14 AM ^
The picture is a useful reminder that the internet preserves childish douchbaggery forever.
January 22nd, 2019 at 10:30 AM ^
I'm forever thankful there was no internet in the 70's and 80's
January 22nd, 2019 at 10:44 AM ^
Couldn't agree more. Just win and let the result speak for you.
January 21st, 2019 at 9:26 PM ^
Glad we’re not playing MSU right now. They are the best team in the conference.
January 21st, 2019 at 9:28 PM ^
No better time to beat them...they were last year too...big deal.
January 22nd, 2019 at 3:03 AM ^
Since Novaks program changing anuerism they have been the better team. Until they werent, over and over again. This team is less talented, by a god margin, than the team that lost to MTSU. They are big, and tall, and play solid defense. Enough to get you through the big ten mostly unscathed, mostly.
January 22nd, 2019 at 12:55 PM ^
#retirethezero
January 22nd, 2019 at 10:17 AM ^
Oh, come on. Sack the fuck up, man. We no longer have to fear them. Beilein has shown us that. Beilein is a better coach and we have a great team. The first game is in Ann Arbor. Bring on those pussies.
January 21st, 2019 at 9:26 PM ^
Talk less. Score more.
January 21st, 2019 at 9:27 PM ^
Not worried about a January Beilein offense
January 21st, 2019 at 9:36 PM ^
I am. We only have 1 reliable jump shooter. The non-conference blowouts against UNC and Villanova gave us a false sense of security that the offense wouldn't miss a beat without Duncan, Rahk, and Mo.
We need to shoot better. Beilein is getting them the open looks. They have to start going in to compete for the Big Ten Conference Championship.
January 21st, 2019 at 9:26 PM ^
...and it has absolutely nothing to do with the next time these two teams play.
January 21st, 2019 at 9:40 PM ^
This is dumb. LMK when Michigan wins 4 in a row.