It's going to be weird, MSU officially out

• Heretic

  

  MSU's completely fallen off the tracks. A couple guys who just aren't the same (or never became what they could have been) because of injuries in Lucas and Roe; a couple of highly-regarded freshmen who haven't made that much of an impact (particularly Payne) and a collection of interchangeable post players who can't consistently bring anything to the table. A bunch of factors have made this season a debacle for Izzo.
• september63

  

  Atleast Izzo isnt stuck coaching the Cavs this season.
• reclegend22

  

  Cleveland Buck wrote:It really shows how tough the Big Ten is this year. Most of those guys were a minute away from playing for the national championship last year and now they are losing by 20+ at Iowa and by 30 at Wisconsin. Hell, MSU only lost by 5 at Duke and it took some questionable officiating for that to happen.

  First off, last season's Final Four Spartan team included Raymar Morgen, Chris Allen and Korie Lucious. Morgen, of course, graduated and Allen was given his walking papers for conduct detrimental to the team before the 2010-11 season began. Secondly, Lucious was the hot hand for Michigan State at Duke, scoring 20 points on 4-of-7 three-point shooting in helping the Spartans battle back from a 20-point second half deficit. He did not play versus Iowa or Wisconsin, as he was kicked off the team four games ago.
  
  This is a completely different Michigan State team, both in comparison to last year's Final Four participant and this year's Spartan team that visited Cameron Indoor. With a 13-10 record, they have packed their duffle bags and are ready to go home for the summer. Tom's current team, as it stands now, would get beat NBA Jam-style if it were to return to Durham.
• CinciX12

  

  Cleveland Buck;667427 wrote:It really shows how tough the Big Ten is this year. Most of those guys were a minute away from playing for the national championship last year and now they are losing by 20+ at Iowa and by 30 at Wisconsin. Hell, MSU only lost by 5 at Duke and it took some questionable officiating for that to happen.

  
  No it doesn't. This is the same logic that SEC football fans use that piss all of you OSU fans off. A team is sometimes just bad, it has nothing to do with the conference. They weren't rolling over teams in OOC play. Everyone just assumed they were finding their footing. Turns out they are awful. You cannot use Iowa as an example of the strength of the Big Ten.
• wildcats20

  

  As bad as they have looked, it would not surprise me one bit if they win some games they aren't supposed to(OSU). And make a run in the B10 Tourny.
• gerb131

  

  I agree they are always good for a run no doubt they have the pieces. They just seem out of it in the games I have watched.
• wildcats20

  

  Oh absolutely, but it's still an Izzo coached team.
  
  I don't think they have the run in them, but it's always there.
• mallymal614

  Knowing Michigan State and Tom Izzo, I wouldn't be shocked if they win the Big Ten tournament and advance to the sweet 16.
• september63

  

  This Spartan team has QUIT on Coach Izzo!!!
• centralbucksfan

  mallymal614;669040 wrote:Knowing Michigan State and Tom Izzo, I wouldn't be shocked if they win the Big Ten tournament and advance to the sweet 16.

  
  If they were losing close games, I wouldn't disagree. But this team is in complete disarray. They have some talent, but its very one dimensional talent at that. They lack some pieces. Add in all the urmoil with players leaving and getting the boot, and it adds up to a disaster. Izzo just didn't accumulate the character type players who have always bought into his coaching.
  There is still some time though and they do have enough talent to create and upset or two. But to win consistantly enough to make any kid of run, no way...I don't see it. At this point in the season, you don't just flip a switch and go from bad to good that quickly.
• reclegend22

  

  On a normal year, I would believe in Tom Izzo's chances of reaching the Final Four if he were coaching a team that consisted of a solitary hot-air balloon. This is not that year. Michigan State is as cold as Gary Coleman at this point. They're going nowhere and doing it very fast.
• CinciX12

  

  Gary Coleman I'm fairly certain is in hell. So if they rise to his current temperature they will win it all and go down as the greatest team in the history of college basketball.
• reclegend22

  

  CinciX12 wrote:Gary Coleman I'm fairly certain is in hell. So if they rise to his current temperature they will win it all and go down as the greatest team in the history of college basketball.

  A person who enjoys the art of black humor is a fine person in my book. Thanks for the laugh.
• vball10set

  september63;669047 wrote:This Spartan team has QUIT on Coach Izzo!!!

  
  Why do you say that? I've always respected Izzo as a coach and have really enjoyed watching his teams play over the years, so I'm just curious as to what gives you this impression.
• Cleveland Buck

  

  I don't know if Michigan State is out of the tournament. Looking at resumes of other bubble teams, they have a better schedule, more top 50 RPI and top 100 RPI wins than any of them and only 1 100+ RPI loss (#135 Iowa on the road). There are a lot of teams that have more bad losses and fewer good wins than Michigan State. They obviously can't lose anymore games to Iowa and need to get to .500 in the conference, but if they do that they should still get in.
• september63

  

  vball10set;669721 wrote:Why do you say that? I've always respected Izzo as a coach and have really enjoyed watching his teams play over the years, so I'm just curious as to what gives you this impression.

  
  Lost their last 2 games by a combined 46 pts. Lost 5 of the last 6. Defense is all about desire, and in MSU's last 6 games they are allowing 55% shooting to their opponents.
• Heretic

  

  vball10set;669721 wrote:Why do you say that? I've always respected Izzo as a coach and have really enjoyed watching his teams play over the years, so I'm just curious as to what gives you this impression.

  
  I'd look at the Iowa game as at the very least, a sign that they're in a LOT of turmoil. Good teams don't get utterly demolished by a team like Iowa. And the margin they lost to Wisconsin by is a bad sign. I can see MSU losing to teams, but when they're currently getting obliterated by both good and blah teams, something is wrong. I didn't watch any of the Wisconsin game other than a few late minutes during halftime of the OSU game, but did see the Iowa game. They just didn't look like their heads were in the game and they really showed no fortitude, which is something I never thought I'd be saying about an Izzo team.
• centralbucksfan

  Cleveland Buck;669800 wrote:I don't know if Michigan State is out of the tournament. Looking at resumes of other bubble teams, they have a better schedule, more top 50 RPI and top 100 RPI wins than any of them and only 1 100+ RPI loss (#135 Iowa on the road). There are a lot of teams that have more bad losses and fewer good wins than Michigan State. They obviously can't lose anymore games to Iowa and need to get to .500 in the conference, but if they do that they should still get in.

  
  The schedule doesn't mean squat unless you beat some of those teams. MSU has not. Izzo difficult scheduling has come back to bite him in the ass this year. On top of that, after the PSU game tomorrow (a MUST win), MSU has consecutive games @OSU, Ill, @Minny then Purdue. They finish with Iowa and @ UM. They are currently 13-10...to have any chance to get in, they will have to finish, at the very least, 5-2(which isnt' going to happen IMO). That would get them to 18-12. Then a chance to get a win or two in Big Ten. But With the way they are playing currently, they are in deep shit as far as the NCAA is concerned IMO.
• jordo212000

  

  karen lotz;665753 wrote:So that would put him around 13 or so? Sounds about right.

  
  under
• Big Gain

  They have quit on Izzo, couldn't happen to a nicer guy. The first clue for a coach is by how hard your team plays defense. Compare MSU's effort on defense to Indiana, PSU, Iowa and Northwestern.