3-pointer aside, Lucious steps up to challenge
Spokane, Wash. — Against a team that lives off a pressure defense that forces turnovers, losing your starting point guard is a recipe for disaster.
When junior guard Kalin Lucas went down with a reportedly torn Achilles with two minutes to play in the first half of MSU’s 85-83 second-round victory against Maryland, sophomore guard Korie Lucious stepped into the fire.
The Terrapins had forced nine MSU turnovers in the first half and would undoubtedly continue to pressure the young backup.
But Lucious accepted the challenge. Although his game-winning 3-pointer grabbed the attention, he successfully ran the point, finishing with 13 points, two assists and only two turnovers.
“I don’t think they tried to turn up the press, but they had been pressing the whole game, even when Kalin was in there,” Lucious said. “So when (Lucas) went out, I just tried to take it upon myself to, whenever I got the ball, try to be solid as possible.”
With junior guard Chris Allen sitting for most of the game with an injured foot, Lucious was the only man with significant time running the point.
When Lucas missed time due to an injured ankle earlier in the season, Lucious ran the point with limited success during the team’s three-game losing streak from Feb. 2 to Feb. 9 and had trouble finding his shot.
“I just got in the gym a lot and worked on coming in at night and before practice and after practice and everything like that, just shooting, kept shooting and it all worked out for me” Lucious said of his turnaround. “I’ve been shooting very good these last couple games.”
With Lucas likely out for the remainder of the tournament, Lucious will be the man running the point, doing his best to imitate his proverbial brother, the two-time All-Big Ten selection.
“We all just celebrated with each other and I just hugged (Lucas) and just told him, ‘Man, I told you I got your back and don’t worry about nothing, because I’m here and all of us are here,’” Lucious said. “That’s why we talk about family every day on and off the court. We just try to be together.”
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the press
(03/24/10 5:36pm)Report
That press was brutal. Too bad Izzo couldn’t find the pieces to run that this season, I know he talked about it preseason, must not have panned out.Maybe next year!