Whiteout woes
MSU comeback falls short as Spartans drop third straight conference game
By Joey Nowak (Last updated: 02/10/10 12:59am)When Big Ten opponents come up against the MSU men’s basketball team, it’s common for them to give the Spartans their best shot.
But what the Spartans have been seeing lately is that mantra taken to an entirely different level.
The latest blow was a worrisome 76-64 loss to No. 6 Purdue (20-3 overall, 8-3 Big Ten) on Tuesday night, one of MSU’s sloppiest performances of the season and the team’s third straight loss. It was the Spartans’ worst loss at home since they lost to Illinois 81-68 in 2005.
“We just seemed inept at times, and I can’t figure that out,” head coach Tom Izzo said to the Spartan Sports Network. “When you start out bad, it’s hard to come back in the second half, and we almost did it.”
In the three losses — to Wisconsin, Illinois and Purdue — the Spartans’ opponents have shot high field-goal percentages. MSU’s last three foes shot a combined 53.4 percent, but the Spartans had allowed just three opponents to shoot above 44 percent entering the three-game losing streak.
Just like against the Illini on Saturday, each time the No. 10 Spartans (19-6 overall, 9-3 Big Ten) mounted a comeback or showed signs of a jab, their opponent struck right back with a haymaker.
“To beat Michigan State, you have to put yourself in a position to beat them,” said Purdue head coach Matt Painter, whose team snapped a nine-game losing streak in East Lansing dating back to 1998. “And we were able to do that. I think it was kind of icing on the cake the way we shot in the first half.”
Down as much as 18 in the second half, the Spartans narrowed it to three when junior guard Chris Allen hit a 3-pointer to cut No. 6 Purdue’s lead to 65-62 with 4:29 left in the game.
It was all part of a valiant comeback by the Spartans and injured junior guard Kalin Lucas, but the wound was too deep.
“(It was a) heroic effort for what (Lucas has) gone through,” Izzo said. “I feel bad for him but he did a good job of hanging in there.”
The Spartans have been skidding backward for a week. Now, they’re in danger of the wheels falling off, losing their outright hold on first place in the Big Ten. Tuesday night, Purdue was finding open layups, MSU was turning it over on in-bounds plays after made baskets and there were scattered boos in the crowd at one point.
Instead of being in the driver’s seat for the conference’s February race, the Spartans are now watching foes pass them by.
“We’re still in first place and I know we’re not playing real well but we have to regroup,” Izzo said.
It didn’t take long for the Boilermakers to take a snowed-in Breslin Center crowd out of the game.
The teams matched wits for the first seven minutes before Purdue went on a 13-0 run to blow it open. The Spartans went nearly seven minutes without a field goal in that time.
Although Lucas didn’t start, he entered at the 14:25 mark of the first half and remained effective at driving into the lane and running the point.
But a week without conditioning wore on him by the end and neither he, nor the team, had enough in the tank to finish the comeback.
Other than from Allen, who scored a quick 10 points early and led the Spartans with 21, MSU couldn’t get anything going as Purdue shot 65 percent from the field and 92 percent from the free-throw line in the first 20 minutes.
“There are a couple of guys who are just not working as hard as they need to work, and we have to adjust to that,” Izzo said.
Originally Published: 02/09/10 11:30pm
Brian
02/10/10 12:05amI don’t want to see another comment about the IZZONE crowd. This team doesn’t deserve an all out IZZONE effort. Golden boy TOM IZZO needs to “step” it up like he is always telling the IZZONE. Hold up your end of the bargain Tommy or don’t say anything about the crowd at all. Korie Luscious sucks.
ahem
02/10/10 12:06amIZZO OUT NOW!
alum 2000
02/10/10 12:14amIzzo can’t play defense for them. It’s 90% effort and it’s obvious when they don’t even try.
Ursus
02/10/10 12:25amWow – this team is 9 and 3 in a conference that is beating the tar out of each other and you all have complaints? Really? Come on just buck up and be a fan. There’s no whinning in Basketball – ‘specially Big 10 basketball.
Randall
02/10/10 12:43amBrian – you’re a moron. First of all, it’s Korie Lucious, not Luscious, so right away I can tell you’re an idiot. 2nd, the inexperienced sophomore did not have a great shooting game (4-11 from field, 1-6 from 3), but 9 points and only 1 Turnover stepping up to fill arguably the best PG in America’s spot is nothing to shake a stick at. When Raymar Morgan and Durrell Summers disappear completely, with Raymar missing gimmes and Durrell not showing any effort, and being benched for the 2nd half, it’s tough for guards like Allen and Lucious to carry a team, especially with Draymond having a rough night.
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Ryan
02/10/10 1:03amRandall, it’s good to see someone who has perspective. My only confusion during the game is why Morgan didn’t get benched right alongside Summers. When he was in, we might as well have just been playing with four players.
As for the Izzone, it was pretty good tonight. The negativity isn’t coming toward the Izzone for not getting up for the what is debatably the biggest game of the year. The problem with the Izzone this year is they don’t get up for the games against weaker opponents.
IZZO OUT
02/10/10 2:59amIZZO OUT NOW!
Anon
02/10/10 7:56amI don’t have a problem with losses, they’re expected in our conference. What I do have a problem with is the obvious lack of effort or caring by our team.
Fan for life
02/10/10 8:05amI’m not one to hate on the team when they lose like most other posters on this site, but we looked like a bunch of hungover stoners out there. I’m looking at you Green, it seemed like you were playing on roller skates.
Johnny
02/10/10 8:24amThe team is still overrated; they haven’t beaten anyone of substance this year and hang onto their ranking based on reputation only.
MyBloodIsGreen
02/10/10 9:02amRyan, I couldn’t agree more! Morgan has been “missing” for the entire season, yet he continues to see playing time. It’s time to cut looses, bench Morgan, and develop other talent while there is still playing time available prior to the “big dance.”
Sparty
02/10/10 9:12amDid you even bother to read the article? Izzo never said anything about the crowd, the author wrote that. Seriously learn to read.
Anyone b*tching about Izzo when we’re in 1st place is
1)a lunatic
and
2) Not a Spartan (probably a Walmart wolverine)
Tough loss and we were sloppy but i’m confident we’ll regroup and move forward.
Go State!
Come On
02/10/10 9:24amYou people that think this team is going to anything in March are delusional (i.e. Randall). This wasn’t a one game fluke. They’ve played consistently moist all season, and it shows against even mediocre teams. It has become clear over the past few weeks that they have but one solid player – Lucas.
Alum 2006
02/10/10 9:37amI agree with Come On. They have not beat anyone good yet, and to loose to anyone in the Big Ten really is pathetic. How are they still ranked? I love the Spartans, but we need to stop playing down to the level of comp. and come out playing like we do when we are down 20 and its too late.
KO
02/10/10 9:43amYou know, I was on here defending this team after the loss in Wisconsin last week. I stand by my reasoning at the time, that we were due for a loss after winning 9 straight to open conference play, playing on the road in an extremely tough environment, and lost our best player to injury. That loss still doesn’t bother me that much.
The illinois loss is tolerable considering we were without Lucas.
But last night was a travesty.
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SpartanServitto
02/10/10 10:07amThis is reality.
1. We are way to inconsistent, sometimes we look amazing, our athleticism is unmatched… other times we look lost.
2. Summers disappears. A player with more pro potential being benched for the entire second half in the biggest game of the year… something is going on with him.
3. Lucious turnovers. Key turnovers at critical times, he’s only a soph. but still, the pass into the second row when it was a 6 pt basically made a dagger moment.
4. Our defense is bad… really bad. This is the worst Defensive team I have seem. I used to think teams shot really well against us and it was just a fluke… after the last two games, its us. These guys are wide open.
green
02/10/10 10:10amany person writing ‘izzo out now’ needs to be shot.
how quickly we forget that we played in the national championship game last year. and are currently tied for first place in the big ten. not to mention this was our first 3-game skid in 12 years.
thing i’m mad about is that our big man shot 1for12 from the floor against a team that izzo said didn’t have a lot of size inside…whats up with that??
March
02/10/10 10:15amOur defense has been lacking all season. Last night it really showed when combined with the lack of effort.
We’re barely hanging onto our first place standing, it could easily and quickly turn into fifth place. If the team continues to play down our March run will be a poor seeding, short-lived run.
To Delusional Posts on Here
02/10/10 10:40amKorie Lucious is not fit to be a backup point guard. He is too small, loose with the ball, and subpar defender at most. And Izzo has said that the crowd hasn’t been at a consistent level in the article you moron and that the IZZONE needs to step it up.
TrollsBeGone
02/10/10 11:37amIzzo out now. Yeah, right. Go back to your Michigan Daily rag or resume writing about you dirty parts on the stalls in the men’s room, troll idiot
Dallas
02/10/10 11:47amI go to Purdue, and although watching last nights game was an outrageously good feeling for all of us here, MSU wasn’t looking like the normal team we always watch. Jajuan was getting easy points down low because State’s D wasn’t watching him closely enough. Just because he isn’t the biggest center in the big ten doesn’t mean that he isn’t going to score easy points if you give him the chance.
MSU can’t continue to think that just because they have the biggest guys they are going to walk all over everyone.
Boiler UP!
Spartygold
02/10/10 11:52amI love the Spartans but can’t understand the lack of effort by some..What is the deal with Raymar Morgan ? He is a senior..looks uncoachable to me..sick of his dissapearing and whining, lack of taking the ball strong to hoop, and general uselessness..Love that “ Whatever “ look he gets when Izzo tries to talk to him..Bench Him..Let someone who will give effort play..He is one of the best athletes on this team..That is what is so sickening !!
BoilerTrollsBeGone
02/10/10 12:14pmThanks for the insight, Dallas (really). Here’s another nugget: nobody gives a rat’s tail about your analysis from the days you toiled as the equipment mgr on your high school’s JV squad. Boiler UP
ZT
02/10/10 12:24pmSorry if this was answered, but what was with those jerseys? We were undefeated at home in our normal whites!
Amanda
02/10/10 12:30pmWhat a tough loss. I don’t know about the rest of the IZZONE or Spartan fans, but I am just flat out SICK of the way our team is playing. It’s like they have their heads up their you-know-whats. We are lucky if 3 guys show up to play. I’m sick of the “let’s get down by a lot and see if we can dig ourselves out” game. It’s just tiresome.
Something needs to change- scouting (how does Purdue run the same 2 plays all night that we can’t defend?), the apparent apathy, etc.
On the other hand, the IZZONE showed up last night. Too bad we can’t play the game for them.