Michigan St

Jon Teitel's McDonald's All-American Lineup Projections

Jon Teitel — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:04:19 -0400

Projected lineups for all 31 teams with McDonald's High School All-Americans on their rosters,
Plus 2 teams whose All-American will no longer be with his prior team
(All-American year in parentheses)
Incoming 2012 All-Americans in Bold
Underclassmen who have declared for draft in italics
TRANSFERS IN UPPERCASE

UCLA (7)
G: Larry Drew II (2008)
G: Tyler Lamb
F: Shabazz Muhammad (2012)
F: Travis Wear (2009)
F: David Wear (2009)
BENCH: Kyle Anderson (2012), Tony Parker (2012), Joshua Smith (2010)
KEY LOSSES: Lazeric Jones

DUKE (6)
G: Quinn Cook (2011)
G: Seth Curry
F: Rasheed Sulaimon (2012)
F: Mason Plumlee (2009)
F: Ryan Kelly (2009)
BENCH: Marshall Plumlee (2011), Amile Jefferson (2012)
KEY LOSSES: Austin Rivers (2011)

NORTH CAROLINA (5)
G: Dexter Strickland (2009)
G: Reggie Bullock (2010)
G: PJ Hairston (2011)
F: James Michael McAdoo (2011)
F: Desmond Hubert
BENCH: Marcus Paige (2012)
KEY LOSSES: Tyler Zeller (2008), Kendall Marshall (2010), Harrison Barnes (2010), John Henson (2009)

NC STATE (4)
G: Rodney Purvis (2012)
G: Lorenzo Brown
F: CJ Leslie (2010)
F: Scott Wood
F: Richard Howell
BENCH: Tyler Lewis (2012), TJ Warren (2012), RALSTON TURNER
KEY LOSSES: CJ Williams

KENTUCKY (3)
G: Archie Goodwin (2012)
G: Ryan Harrow
F: Alex Poythress (2012)
F: Kyle Wiltjer (2011)
C: Nerlens Noel
KEY LOSSES: Doron Lamb (2010), Terrence Jones (2010), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (2011), Anthony Davis (2011), Marquis Teague (2011), Darius Miller

FLORIDA (3)
G: Kenny Boynton (2009)
G: Mike Rosario (2008)
F: Patric Young (2010)
F: Erik Murphy
F: Will Yeguete
KEY LOSSES: Bradley Beal (2011), Erving Walker

OHIO STATE (3)
G: Shannon Scott (2011)
G: Aaron Craft
G: Lenzelle Smith, Jr.
F: Deshaun Thomas (2010)
C: Amir Williams (2011)
KEY LOSSES: William Buford (2008), Jared Sullinger (2010)

SYRACUSE (3)
G: Michael Carter-Williams (2011)
G: Brandon Triche
F: DaJuan Coleman (2012)
F: Rakeem Christmas (2011)
F: CJ Fair
KEY LOSSES: Kris Joseph, Scoop Jardine, Fab Melo (2010), Dion Waiters

MICHIGAN STATE (3)
G: Gary Harris (2012)
G: Branden Dawson (2011)
G: Keith Appling (2010)
C: Derrick Nix
C: Adreian Payne
KEY LOSSES: Draymond Green, Brandon Wood

MEMPHIS (3)
G: Joe Jackson (2010)
G: Chris Crawford
F: Shaq Goodwin (2012)
F: Adonis Thomas (2011)
F: Tarik Black
KEY LOSSES: Will Barton

LOUISVILLE (3)
G: Wayne Blackshear (2011)
G: Peyton Siva (2009)
G: Russ Smith
F: Chane Behanan (2011)
C: Gorgui Dieng
KEY LOSSES: Kyle Kuric, Chris Smith

ARIZONA (2)
G: Nick Johnson
G: Kevin Parrom
F: Brandon Ashley (2012)
F: Grant Jerrett (2012)
F: Solomon Hill
KEY LOSSES: Kyle Fogg, Jesse Perry

INDIANA (2)
G: Yogi Ferrell (2012)
G: Jordan Hulls
G: Victor Oladipo
F: Cody Zeller (2011)
F: Christian Watford
KEY LOSSES: None

TEXAS (2)
G: Myck Kabongo (2011)
G: Julien Lewis
G: Sheldon McClellan
F: Jonathan Holmes
C: Cameron Ridley (2012)
KEY LOSSES: J'Covan Brown

OKLAHOMA STATE (2)
G: Marcus Smart (2012)
G: Markel Brown
G: Brian Williams
F: Le'Bryan Nash (2011)
F: Michael Cobbins
KEY LOSSES: Keiton Page

UNLV (2)
G: Anthony Marshall
G: Justin Hawkins
F: Anthony Bennett (2012)
F: Mike Moser
F: Carlos Lopez
BENCH: KHEM BIRCH (2011)
KEY LOSSES: Chace Stanback

PITTSBURGH (1)
G: Travon Woodall
G: Lamar Patterson
F: Dante Taylor (2009)
F: Talib Zanna
F: JJ Moore
KEY LOSSES: Ashton Gibbs, Nasir Robinson

VILLANOVA (1)
G: James Bell
G: Darrun Hilliard
F: JayVaughn Pinkston (2010)
F: Maurice Sutton
C: Mouphtaou Yarou
KEY LOSSES: Maalik Wayns (2009), Dominic Cheek (2009)

BAYLOR (1)
G: Pierre Jackson
G: Brady Heslip
G: AJ Walton
F: Cory Jefferson
F: Isaiah Austin (2012)
KEY LOSSES: Quincy Acy, Perry Jones III (2010), Quincy Miller

WASHINGTON (1)
G: Abdul Gaddy (2009)
G: CJ Wilcox
F: Desmond Simmons
F: Shawn Kemp, Jr.
C: Aziz N'Diaye
KEY LOSSES: Terrence Ross, Tony Wroten

FLORIDA STATE (1)
G: Michael Snaer (2009)
G: Ian Miller
G: Terry Whisnant II
F: Terrance Shannon
F: Okaro White
KEY LOSSES: Bernard James

CLEMSON (1)
G: Rod Hall
G: TJ Sapp
F: Milton Jennings (2009)
F: Devin Booker
F: KJ McDaniels
KEY LOSSES: Andre Young, Tanner Smith

DETROIT (1)
G: Ray McCallum (2010)
G: Jason Calliste
G: Donovan Foster
F: Doug Anderson
F: Evan Bruinsma
KEY LOSSES: Eli Holman, Chase Simon, Nick Minnerath

LSU (1)
G: Andre Stringer
G: Anthony Hickey
F: Johnny O'Bryant III (2011)
F: Eddie Ludwig
F: Jalen Courtney
KEY LOSSES: Justin Hamilton, RALSTON TURNER

KANSAS (1)
G: Travis Releford
G: Elijah Johnson
F: Perry Ellis (2012)
F: Kevin Young
C: Jeff Withey
KEY LOSSES: Tyshawn Taylor, Thomas Robinson

PROVIDENCE (1)
G: Kris Dunn (2012)
G: Vincent Council
G: Bryce Cotton
F: LaDontae Henton
F: Kadeem Batts
KEY LOSSES: GERARD COLEMAN

GEORGIA (1)
G: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (2011)
G: Vincent Williams
F: Donte Williams
F: Marcus Thornton
F: Nemanja Djurisic
KEY LOSSES: Gerald Robinson

MISSISSIPPI (1)
G: Jelan Kendrick (2010)
G: Nick Williams
G: Jarvis Summers
F: Murphy Holloway
F: Reginald Buckner
KEY LOSSES: Terrance Henry

RUTGERS (1)
G: Eli Carter
G: Myles Mack
G: Jerome Seagears
F: Wally Judge (2009)
F: Dane Miller
KEY LOSSES: None

MISSOURI (1)
G: Michael Dixon
G: Phil Pressey
G: KEION BELL
F: ALEX ORIAKHI (2009)
F: Laurence Bowers
KEY LOSSES: Marcus Denmon, Ricardo Ratliffe, Kim English

ALABAMA (1)
G: Trevor Releford
G: Trevor Lacey
G: Levi Randolph
F: Devonta Pollard (2012)
F: Nick Jacobs?
KEY LOSSES: JaMychal Green (2008)

MISSISSIPPI STATE (0)
G: Jalen Steele
G: Shaun Smith
G: Tyson Cunningham
F: Roquez Johnson
C: Wendell Lewis
KEY LOSSES: RODNEY HOOD, Dee Bost, Renardo Sidney (2009), Arnett Moultrie

CONNECTICUT (0)
G: Shabazz Napier
G: Ryan Boatright
F: Tyler Olander
F: DeAndre Daniels
F: Niels Giffey
KEY LOSSES: ALEX ORIAKHI (2009), Jeremy Lamb, Andre Drummond, ROSCOE SMITH

Thursday's Sweet 16 Thoughts

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:25:02 -0400

With the Sweet 16 not tipping off for another two days, this seemed like a good time to offer up some basic thoughts on the match-ups. Here are the four games in the East and West regions, where play will begin on Thursday night.

East Region (Boston)

(1) Syracuse vs. (4) Wisconsin (7:15 PM, CBS)
This will be an interesting matchup due to the 3-point shot. Playing against a zone defense tends to lead teams in the direction of attempting more shots from beyond the arc than they normally do, but Wisconsin may be fine with that. Bo Ryan's team scores 36.3% of its points on the 3-pointer, and they've got multiple players who can and will fire away.

Rob Wilson's played well down the stretch for Wisconsin, providing another perimeter scorer to go along with senior point guard Jordan Taylor. Mike Bruesewitz and Ryan Evans will both step out on the perimeter, and there's also Ben Brust and Josh Gasser for Syracuse to account for. However if there's one thing that Syracuse does well in defending the three (30.7%) it that they know who they want taking those shots.

Syracuse can also extend their defense due to the activity of a guard like Dion Waiters and the length of their wings. The three will be the most discussed factor going into Thursday's contest, but there's also the matter of how well Rakeem Christmas plays. The freshman had a very good second half against Kansas State, and he'll need to do that for all 40 minutes against Jared Berggren.

How well will the Syracuse guards play in what should be a slower tempo than they prefer (Wisconsin averages eight fewer possessions per game)? Waiters, Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche can't get out of control in hopes of speeding things up, and the same likely goes for a Kris Joseph as well. Lastly keep an eye on how well Syracuse cleans up the offensive glass. The Badgers aren't world-beaters when it comes to offensive rebounds, but there will be opportunities against a team that allows opponents to grab 39.7% of their misses.

(2) Ohio State vs. (6) Cincinnati (9:45 PM, CBS)
It's a chore to get these two schools to play each other, and that will add intrigue to the second half of Thursday's doubleheader in Boston. While Cincinnati has gone small they do have bodies in the paint, led by Yancy Gates and Justin Jackson. But the question for Cincinnati is how do they go about slowing down Deshaun Thomas. With Jaquon Parker at the "4" to start things off, look for the Buckeyes to try to get Thomas going early.

The combo of Thomas and Jared Sullinger is tough for just about any team to stop, and that could be the case for the Bearcats if Yates were to land in early foul trouble. The key to limiting their paint touches may actually lie on the perimeter, where it's imperative that Cincinnati not allow Aaron Craft and others clean looks into the post. William Buford can hurt teams in a variety of ways offensively, but forcing him to take challenged shots is the way to go there.

Which UC guard is the most important one for the Buckeyes to slow down? That would be Cashmere Wright, as he runs the show. Wright has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.1, and to reach that number (if not better) against Craft would bode well for the Bearcats' chances. He'll have help from Dion Dixon and Sean Kilpatrick is a very good perimeter shooter who can get hot, but Wright's play may determine the outcome.

Both teams have done well when it comes to forcing turnovers (UC: 14.1, OSU: 14.7) but the Buckeyes have been the more efficient of the two on both ends of the floor. Paint touches for the Buckeyes and the number of 3-pointers that Cincinnati can make (they will take a lot of them) are areas to keep an eye on in the nightcap.

West Region (Phoenix)

(1) Michigan State vs. (4) Louisville (7:47 PM, TBS)
A rematch of the 2009 Midwest regional final, these two teams enter in different roles this time around. That season Louisville was the top overall seed in the tournament coming off of a blowout win over Arizona, only to see the Spartans advance to the Final Four. While Louisville has played their best basketball of the season over the last two weeks, they'll be the underdog against Michigan State.

The biggest question for the Cardinals is how they go about defending Draymond Green, who is as influential a players as you'll find in the country. He can score inside or out, is a good distributor and will also hit the glass. Louisville will pressure and then use an active 2-3 zone, so that may help slow Green down some. But one would have to think that he'll spend a lot of time in the high post, an important area to target in regards to cracking the 2-3 zone.

From an efficieny standpoint the Spartans are the better offensive team and that has a lot to do with the fact that they don't settle for bad shots. The same can't always be said for Louisville, especially guards Peyton Siva and Russ Smith. Both are going to play fast and that's fine, but the Cardinals can't afford for them to play reckless. Keith Appling will be dared to shoot by Louisville, and Michigan State will hope that his big shot against Saint Louis gives the sophomore some added confidence in his ability to make the Cardinals pay.

Two other players to watch for Michigan State are Derrick Nix and Adriean Payne, who have both played well down the stretch for the Spartans. Michigan State is the superior rebounding team, and if these two can build on what they've been able to produce (especially last weekend in Columbus) it will be a tough match-up for Chane Behanan and Gorgui Dieng. Louisville needs Kyle Kuric and Chris Smith to be productive on the wings, and with MSU's Branden Dawson done for the year it may be even more important that the Cardinals take advantage of his absence and do so.

(3) Marquette vs. (7) Florida (10:17 PM, TBS)
While both teams have rotations dominated by guards the big men may have the final say as to which team advances to the Elite 8. Marquette was able to get 12 minutes out of Davante Gardner on Saturday in spite of his balky knee, but it remains to be seen how effective he can be against Florida. The days off should help Gardner recuperate some, and that's crucial as he'll likely see a lot of Patric Young when on the floor.

Young is a highly-athletic big man who gets high-percentage looks around the rim. The key for Young is whether his teammates fall in love with the three. If Florida takes smart perimeter shots they're tough to beat, but clearly that hasn't always been the case. Erik Murphy can step out and knock down threes, giving Florida a "stretch 4" that's tough for most teams to match up with.

Marquette can counter with Jae Crowder however, so Murphy's impact could most likely be lessened on Thursday. Jamil Wilson will be in the rotation of forwards who get a shot at defending Young, and if he can get Marquette in some early foul trouble that would bode well for the Florida. On the perimeter Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker have to make sound decisions with the basketball, and that includes making sure Bradley Beal gets his touches. The freshman is a tough matchup for anyone, and that includes Marquette despite their perimeter skill.

Can Florida slow down Darius Johnson-Odom? One would think that Boynton and Beal would be the two most likely given this task, and if they can mix things up in terms of the looks that Johnson-Odom sees that would be optimal. Vander Blue, Junior Cadougan and Todd Mayo will also factor into the Marquette attack, and with Mayo playing well last week that gives them another perimeter option who can get things done.

Marquette's done a good job of defending the three but they haven't been as good on the defensive glass, allowing opponents to grab 35.5% of their misses. Florida scores 38% of their points on 3-pointers while Marquette allows teams just 27% of their points on the shot, so something has to give there.

Tempo neutral stats courtesy of statsheet.com.

Mchigan St vs Louisville: Prediction

Greg Mengelt — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:46:27 -0400

(1) Michigan State vs. (4) Louisville: West Region

Records

Michigan State 29-7, 13-5 Big Ten (Regular season and Conference Tournament Champions)

Louisville 28-9, 10-8 Big East (Conference Tournament Champions)

Time: 7:47 p.m. Thursday

TV: TBS

Location: U.S. Airways Arena in Phoenix

Winner will face: (3) Marquette or (7) Florida, Sunday

Tournament Results

Michigan State def. Long Island, 89-67; def. Saint Louis, 65-61

Louisville def. Davidson, 69-62; def. New Mexico, 59-56

Rankings

Michigan State No. 5 AP; No. 4 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll

Louisville No. 17 AP; No. 18 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll

RPI Ratings

Michigan State 2

Louisville 10

Line: Michigan State -5 (O/U 125)

Players to Watch

Michigan State: F Draymond Green, 6-7 Sr. (16.3 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 3.8 apg); C Derrick Nix, 6-9 Jr. (8.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 55.9% FG); G Keith Appling, 6-1 So. (11.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.2 spg). Green – the Big Ten Player of the Year – was at his best in the Spartans’ first two rounds of the tournament, including a triple-double in an 89-67 win over Long Island. He has 42 points, 25 rebounds, 16 assists, three steals and he has made 16 of his 28 field goal attempts and four of his eight 3s.

Louisville: G Peyton Siva, 6-0 Jr. (9.2 ppg, 5.5 apg, 1.8 spg); C Gorgui Dieng, 6-11 So. (9.3 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 3.1 bpg); G Russ Smith, 6-0 So. (11.4 ppg, 2.3 spg, 1.9 apg). Smith can be spectacular and … let’s just say inconsistent. On Saturday he was definitely the former, scoring 17 points, hitting all three of his 3-point shots, getting three steals and playing great overall defense in the win over New Mexico.

Why Each Team Dangerous

Michigan State: Draymond Green. If they have nothing else, the Spartans have Green, one of the toughest, smartest and best leaders in college basketball. Having a star is always a key to winning a national championship, and Green seems to be on the level of Magic Johnson and Mateen Cleaves. Michigan State shoots 48.2 percent from the field, thanks to a bulky, savvy frontline. The Spartans are a very good rebounding team and out-rebound opponents by 8.3 points per game. They rarely allow an offensive rebound and they rebound 37 percent of their own misses.

Louisville: The Cardinals have one of the best defenses in the country, holding opponents to 61.1 points, 37.9 percent from the floor and 30.2 from the 3-point line. They force 15.6 turnovers and get nine steals per game. During their 6-game winning streak, U of L has held five of the opponents to under 40 percent from the field, including a 23-for-58 outing for a hot New Mexico squad. Siva is an outstanding playmaker and floor leader and the Cardinals have very good depth.

Why Each Team is Vulnerable

Michigan State: Because of their style, pace and lack of perimeter offense, the Spartans have a hard time pulling away from anyone. That could put them in jeopardy late in the tournament. Against Saint Louis, MSU shot 54 percent and the Billikens managed just 35, yet because of the Spartans’ lack of explosiveness, the final margin was just four points. The Michigan State defense applies almost no perimeter pressure, forcing only 12.7 turnovers per game and they have a minus-0.2 turnover margin. Although the frontline is the Spartans’ strength, without injured Branden Dawson, they have almost no frontline depth, so foul trouble has the potential to be damaging.

Louisville: The Cardinals have really struggled to put the ball in the basket. They shoot just 42.5 percent from the floor, 31.3 from behind the arc and 68.7 from the stripe. Louisville turns the ball over 14.4 times per game and has a negative assist-to-turnover ratio. For the season, the Cardinals out-rebound opponents 37.9-36.3 per game, but they were dominated by the Lobos, 34-23 on the boards, allowing 15 offensive rebounds.

The Bottom Line: Louisville has played above its head. Green will bring the Cardinals back down to Earth.

The Pick: Michigan State 61, Louisville 51

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 214-164-6

NCAA Tournament (through first two rounds): 27-21-1

Poll: How Many of the #1 Seeds Will Advance to the Final Four?

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:55:08 -0400

Top 10 Performances of 2nd Round: 2012 Tournament

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 00:41:07 -0400

The top 10 performances of the 2nd Round. No more intro is needed:

1 Brady Heslip, Baylor - 27 pts, 4 rbs, 9-12 from three. Against a Colorado team that had been winning with defense, Heslip exploded with 9 threes.

2 Kenny Frease, Xavier - 25 pts, 13 rbs, 2 blks - The biggest game of Frease's career. Previously had only 4 double-doubles all season and not a single 20 point game.

3 Draymond Green, Michigan St - 16 pts, 13 rbs, 6 asts, 2 stls - Where would MSU be without him? Majerus sung Green's praises after SLU fell.

4 Walter Offutt, Ohio - 21 pts, 3 rbs, 4 stls, 4-4 from three. Offutt's hot shooting helped a team put 60 on the board vs. USF for first time since February.

5 Jae Crowder, Marquette - 17 pts, 13 rbs, 3 asts, 3 stls, 2 blks - There's a reason he earned so many Big East plaudits. Was the difference in a game that was closer than the score suggests.

6 Royce White, Iowa St - 23 pts, 9 rbs, 4 asts, 3 stls, 1 blk. Stat-sheet filler isn't greatest shooter, but take him off Iowa St and they're not even an NIT team.

7 Drew Gordon, New Mexico - 21 pts, 14 rbs, 2 asts - He accounted for 38% of the Lobos offense in a close loss to Louisville.

8 Robbie Hummel, Purdue - 26 pts, 9 rbs, 3 asts - Had monster 22 point first half, but faded along with Purdue's upset hopes. Still managed 43% of Purdue's points.

9 Aaron Craft, Ohio St - 17 pts, 10 asts, 3 rbs, 3 stls - Had his first 10 assist game of the season. Owned Gonzaga's opposing guards.

10 Marquis Teague, Kentucky - 24 pts, 7 asts, 4 rbs, 10-14 shooting. First 20-point game of the freshman's career. Where was this Teague 2 months ago?

Others of Note:

DJ Cooper, Ohio - 19 pts, 7 rbs, 6 asts, 2 stls - Standard do-it-all performance from the Bobcats main main.

John Henson, North Carolina - 13 pts, 10 rbs, 4 blks, 2 steals - Back from injury, his presence was felt even more than his stats suggest.

Elijah Johnson, Kansas - 18 pts, 4 rbs, 3 asts, 2 stls - With Thomas Robinson struggling, he keyed Kansas to a comeback win.

Sean Kilpatrick, Cincinnati - 18 pts, 6 rbs, 2 stls - With Wright and Dixon 7-24 from the floor, Cincy needed Kilpatrick to step up.

Kendall Marshall, North Carolina - 18 pts, 11 asts, 4 rbs, 7-8 shooting. Every jumper he hit seemed to be worth 4 points to UNC.

Hollis Thompson, Georgetown - 23 pts, 5 rbs, 3 stls, 2 blks - Basically a one-man team in tough loss to NC State.

On to the Sweet Sixteen!

Michigan St vs Saint Louis: Prediction

Greg Mengelt — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 23:21:56 -0400

(1) Michigan State vs. (8) Saint Louis: West Region

Records

Michigan State 28-7, 13-5 Big Ten (Regular-season and Conference Tournament Champions

Saint Louis 26-7, 12-4 A-10 (At large)

Time: 2:45 p.m. Sunday

TV: CBS

Location: Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio

First round results

Michigan State def. Long Island, 89-67

Saint Louis def. Memphis, 61-54

Winner will face: (4) Louisville or (5) New Mexico, Thursday in Phoenix

Rankings

Michigan State No. 5 AP; No. 4 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll

Saint Louis No. 36 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll

RPI Ratings

Michigan State 3

Saint Louis 29

Line: Michigan State -6 (O/U 123)

Players to Watch

Michigan State: F Draymond Green, 6-7 Sr. (16.1 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 3.6 apg); C Derrick Nix, 6-9 Jr. (7.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 55.6% FG); G Keith Appling, 6-1 So. (11.3 ppg, 3.9 apg, 1.2 spg). Nix was huge off of the Spartan bench on Friday, going 8-for-13 in an 18-point, 8-rebound outing in the win. Five of Nix’s eight boards came on the offensive end and most came during MSU’s game-clinching second-half stretch run.

Saint Louis: F Brian Conklin, 6-6 Sr. (13.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 53.3% FG); G Kwamain Mitchell, 5-10 Jr. (12.1 ppg, 3.8 apg, 1.3 spg); F Dwayne Evans, 6-5 So. (8 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 46.4% FG). Mitchell, who was suspended for all of last season, was brilliant in his first NCAA appearance. He hit nine of his 14 field goal attempts, scored 22 points and had four rebounds, two assists and a steal in the win over Memphis.

Why Each Team Dangerous

Michigan State: After a slow first half, the Spartans dominated an athletic Long Island team Friday, outscoring the Blackbird 47-30. In the win, Michigan State dominated the boards, 42-19, including 15 offensive boards. Payne, Green and Nix combined for 27 rebounds, 12 of which were offensive. For the year, the Spartans are out-rebounding opponents by 8.5 per game, which ranks fifth in the nation. MSU held the Blackbirds to 22-of-50 shooting and that’s not a surprise. Opponents shoot just percent overall and 29.7 percent from the 3-point line against the Spartans this season.

Saint Louis: The Saint Louis defense was outstanding Friday against a Memphis team that was on fire. The Billikens controlled the pace, holding the Tigers to 54 points on 38.9 percent shooting, including 2-of-15 from the 3-point line. SLU out-rebounded the bigger Tigers 31-25. For the season, the Billikens hold their opponents to 41.1 percent from the field and 31.3 from the 3-point line. MSU will have a hard time getting anything from the perimeter.

Why Each Team is Vulnerable

Michigan State: With Branden Dawson out of the season with a knee injury, Michigan State’s bench is thin, aside from Nix. Only three players came off of the Spartan bench Friday (until the final four minutes), and two of them combine for combined for 6.1 points per game this season. Michigan State shoots 48 percent from the field this season but is not a great perimeter shooting team. Only 22.5 percent of the Spartan points come behind the 3-point line, so if they get behind, they are not capable of shooting their way back. And MSU has had some bad shooting game, including a recent 20-for-51 outing in a loss to Indiana.

Saint Louis: Saint Louis has a similar depth issue to Michigan State, and it could be more of an issue for the Billikens, since the Spartans are more rugged than Memphis. Only two Billiken reserves played more than four minutes and the bench combined for just 10 points, nine rebounds and two assists. While the Billikens were great on Friday, they did turn the ball over 16 times and forced just 11. SLU is usually careful with the ball, turning it over just over 11 times per game. The Bills out-rebound their opponents by just 1.7 boards per game, even after the great effort on the boards against Memphis. And Michigan State isn’t Memphis. They’ll have to keep the Spartans off of the boards to have a chance of advancing to the Sweet 16.

The Bottom Line: Another potential low scoring game, and since it is, six points is too many.

The Pick: Michigan State 57, Saint Louis 53

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 216-165-6 (Through Friday, March 17)

Round of 32 Against the Spread: 19-12-1

Michigan St vs LIU: Prediction

Greg Mengelt — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:26:12 -0400

(1) Michigan State vs. (16) Long Island: West Region

Records

Michigan State 27-7, 13-5 Big Ten (Regular-season and Conference Tournament Champions)

Long Island 25-8, 16-2 NEC (Regular-season and Conference Tournament Champions)

Time: 9:20 p.m. Friday

TV: TBS

Location: Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio

Winner will face: (8) Memphis or (9) Saint Louis, Sunday

Rankings

Michigan State No. 5 AP; No. 4 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll

RPI Ratings

Michigan State 3

LIU 88

Line: Michigan State -20 (O/U 154)

Players to Watch

Michigan State: F Draymond Green, 6-7 Sr. (16.1 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 3.6 apg); C Derrick Nix, 6-9 Jr. (7.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 55.6% FG); G Keith Appling, 6-1 So. (11.3 ppg, 3.9 apg, 1.2 spg). Green was the Big Ten Player of the Year after leading the conference in rebounds and finishing fifth in steals, sixth in scoring, eighth in assists and 10^th in blocked shots.

LIU: F Julian Boyd, 6-7 Jr. (17.4 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 55.7% FG); F Jamal Olasewere, 6-7 Jr. (16.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 57.7% FG); G Jason Brickman, 5-10 So. (9.7 ppg, 7.3 apg, 40.5% 3s). Boyd was named Northeast Conference Player of the Year after finishing fourth in the league in scoring, second in rebounding, seventh in offensive rebounds and seventh in field goal percentage.

Why Each Team Dangerous

Michigan State: The Spartans do a lot well, starting with an outstanding coach in Tom Izzo, who gets his team to the Final 4 with regularity. This year’s Spartans are shooting 47.6 percent from the field and averaging 72.1 points per game, while holding opponents to 37.8 and 59.1, respectively. MSU is out-rebounding opponents by 7.7 per game, including 7.6 against a tough Big Ten field. It averages 15.3 assists to 13 turnovers per game.

LIU: The NEC is underrated and Long Island is a very good 16 seed. LIU has gotten challenges all season from different styles and passed nearly every test, having won 11 of 12 and 20 of their last 22. The Blackhawks can score with anyone, averaging 81.9 points per game while shooting 47.5 percent from the field. Brickman is an excellent floor general and LIU have made 217 3s and are shooting 36.8 from behind the 3-point line this season.

Why Each Team is Vulnerable

Michigan State: At times, the Spartans have stood around and watched Green try to take over games. The Spartans don’t shoot often from behind the 3-point line. They force just 12.9 turnovers per game and get just 7.3 steals. Appling has done a decent job, but MSU doesn’t have the same kind of floor leader that usually leads it deep into the tournament. The loss of Branden Dawson for the season will also hurt.

LIU: The Blackhawks surrender 77.3 points and 44.5 percent from the floor. They have a negative assist-to-turnover ratio (0.92-to-1) and a negative turnover margin minus-2.4). Those are scary number heading into a game against Michigan State.

The Bottom Line: Michigan State will win. The Spartans have the overall superior athletes. However, a 20-point spread is way too much against a team that can shoot, score, run and rebound like the Blackhawks.

The Pick: Michigan State 77, Long Island 59

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 198-150-6 (Through Tuesday, March 14)

NCAA Tournament Preview: Frontcourts to Watch

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 23:27:10 -0400

While you definitely need guards to win a national title big men are very important in their own right. Whether a team has projected lottery picks or guys who have been solid throughout their careers, a team has to be able to hold their own in the paint. If not a tournament experience that can last two or three weeks gets derailed far sooner. Here are some front courts you'll need to know this week.

South Region

1. Kentucky
This one's pretty simple. The Wildcats have the nation's best freshman in Anthony Davis (who may also be the best player in the country regardless of class) and a wing in Michael Kidd-Gilchrist who is one of the best leaders as well as a very talented player. Terrence Jones has played well of late, and while the effort may still wane on occasion he's extremely talented. This group is a big reason why the Wildcats are the overwhelming favorite to win it all.

2. Baylor
The Bears aren't that far behind Kentucky as they can go five deep with a few lottery-caliber talents mixed in. The two lottery guys are Perry Jones III and Quincy Miller, with the former needing to remain engaged in the action consistently if the Bears are to make a deep run. Quincy Acy is the toughest of the bunch, a guy likely to enjoy a long pro career based on his effort and rebounding ability alone, with Cory Jefferson and Anthony Jones rounding out the group.

3. Connecticut
The Huskies may not win the vote in the South for best front court but it's a safe bet that they'd win for most frustrating. Andre Drummond and Alex Oriakhi get the most minutes while Tyler Olander and Roscoe Smith will also rotate in. If they all play consistently the Huskies can do some damage this week. If not, Iowa State's Royce White will put on a show in Louisville.

Biggest question mark: Ryan Kelly's foot (Duke)
Kelly missed the ACC tournament due to his foot injury, and the Blue Devils have been preparing for Lehigh as if they won't have him. Kelly's absence changes things offensively, as he's able to play on the perimeter. That opens things up for their guards, and without him Duke has two guys inside (Mason and Miles Plumlee) instead of one.

Guys you'll love: UNLV's Mike Moser and Wichita State's Garrett Stutz
Moser can play both inside and out for the Runnin' Rebels, and the UCLA transfer was instantly one of the best players in the Mountain West. As for Stutz, he played well enough to earn first team All-MVC honors, and the seven-footer is a tough matchup in the paint for most teams.

The difference-maker: Cody Zeller (Indiana)
Other than the improvement of their returning players a big reason for Indiana's return to the national stage was the play of Zeller, who with Michigan's Trey Burke was the best freshman in the Big Ten. He opens things up for the Hoosiers' capable shooters, and he'll need to be at his best against a New Mexico State team that can hit the boards.

West Region

1. Michigan State
Two words, one man: Draymond Green. The Big Ten player of the year is the biggest reason why the Spartans won a share of the Big Ten regular season crown and followed that up with the Big Ten tournament title. But with Branden Dawson done for the year with a torn ACL the play of Derrick Nix and Adriean Payne has become even more important. They've done well to to this point, and if they can do so four more times a trip to New Orleans is more than possible.

2. Davidson
Surprised, huh? Don't be. De'Mon Brooks is one of the best players in the country who isn't a staple on "SportsCenter", winning SoCon Player of the Year as well as MVP of the conference tournament. Alongside him is Jake Cohen, whose game has progressed a great deal due in part to a stint with the Israeli national team over the summer. If the Wildcats beat Louisville it's a safe bet that these two are a big reason why.

3. BYU
Whether or not the Cougars reach the main field remains to be seen, but in all honesty their two big men are far better than what you'd generally find on a 14-seed. Noah Hartsock is effective either inside or out, and Brandon Davies is a handful in the paint. The key for BYU is to make sure they get the ball consistently, which can be an issue on occasion.

The X-factor: Tarik Black and foul trouble (Memphis)
This was a serious problem for the Tigers earlier this season, and there's no coincidence that as he's remained on the floor the Tigers have played their best basketball. Ferrakhon Hall helps but when Black gets the ball around the rim he's tough to stop. Keep him on the floor and Memphis can win multiple games in the tournament.

Guys you'll love: Drew Gordon (New Mexico) and Mike Scott (Virginia)
Both guys are familiar names by this point, which means that the choices could have been Julian Boyd (LIU Brooklyn) and T.J. Robinson (Long Beach State). But both Gordon and Scott had very good cases to win Player of the Year honors in their respective conferences but neither did. Virginia needs Scott to be the best player on the floor against Florida as they're low on numbers, and Gordon't the kind of interior presence that can lead a team to the Sweet 16 and beyond.

The difference-maker: Patric Young (Florida)
Young is a player talented enough to merit comparisons to Dwight Howard as a McDonald's All-American, and with his physical strength it's easy to see why. The key for Young: getting enough touches. That means no wild shot attempts from the Florida guards.

East Region

1. Ohio State
With Syracuse losing their most important piece Ohio State is now the favorite to win the East Region in the eyes of most people. Jared Sullinger and Deshaun Thomas are both tough to slow down, but Thomas will need to exercise good shot selection on a consistent basis. On the wing there's Lenzelle Smith Jr., a player most tend to underestimate offensively, and Evan Ravenel gives them solid defense off the bench.

2. Florida State
The Seminoles may not have an All-America candidate along the lines of Sullinger but they do have athleticism and depth, two factors that helped them win the ACC tournament. Bernard James and Xavier Gibson are the starters while Jon Kreft and Okaro White provide depth off the bench. FSU is one of the biggest teams in the country and all of these guys can move as well.

3. Kansas State
The Wildcat front court is the big reason why many are picking them to go to the Sweet 16, as they hit the offensive boards with the best of them and top-seed Syracuse is a subpar defensive rebounding team. Jamar Samuels was a big reason why they swept the season series with Missouri, and both Thomas Gipson and Jordan Henriquez-Roberts have improved as the season's worn on.

Biggest question mark: Syracuse without Fab Melo
The Orange have plenty of front court talent without the sophomore from Brazil (and would have a very good argument to be on the above list), but on a team blessed with so much depth Melo was the closest to being indispensable. Without him both Rakeem Christmas and Baye Keita will have to pick up the torch in the middle of their 2-3 zone.

Guys you'll love: Andrew Nicholson (St. Bonaventure) and Keith Wright (Harvard)
Vanderbilt's Jeffery Taylor deserves some mention here as well, but we'll go with the A-10 Player of the Year and one of the big reasons why Harvard's back in the Dance for the first time since 1946 instead. Nicholson finished two blocks short of a triple-double in the A-10 tournament final and his name will be called in June. Wright is the man the Crimson run their offense through and he's been extremely productive as a result.

The workhorse: Kevin Jones (West Virginia)
There are few players in America more valuable than Jones. Without him the Mountaineers most likely aren't playing in any tournament much less the Big Dance. The senior from Mount Vernon, NY led the Big East in both scoring and rebounding this season. "Money earnin'" indeed (that's the nickname for Mount Vernon).

Midwest Region

1. North Carolina
The expectation is that John Henson's left wrist is ready to go this week, and his presence on the court beside ACC Player of the Year Tyler Zeller makes UNC a much better defensive team. Henson's averaging more than three blocked shots per game, and when that's missing the Carolina perimeter defenders can get exposed some. James Michael McAdoo and Justin Watts will also see some time, with the undersized Watts more than willing to fill in wherever needed.

2. Kansas
If Anthony Davis doesn't win a particular National Player of the Year award it should go to Robinson. That's how much those two have separated themselves from the rest of the country. Robinson is essentially an automatic double-double for the Jayhawks, who also need Jeff Withey to show on the big stage that his improved play throughout the conference slate wasn't a mirage. It's highly likely that he will, although their battle with Detroit will provide a good test.

3. Creighton
The Bluejays have one of the best players in the country in sophomore Doug McDermott, who can score both inside and out for the Missouri Valley tournament champs. But there's also banger Gregory Echenique to account for, and those two have the ability to lead Creighton on a special run. The key for them will be defense, especially with a matchup with North Carolina awaiting them should the Bluejays take care of Alabama.

Most Improved: Henry Sims (Georgetown)
For three seasons Sims was essentially an afterthought for the Hoyas. Now he's an essential figure, leading the team in assists while also proving to be a capable scorer out to about 15 feet or so. If he's playing well the Hoyas offensively will prosper as a whole.

Guys you'll love: Rob Jones (Saint Mary's) and C.J. Leslie (NC State)
Jones has been a double-double machine this season for the Gaels, and while he's undersized at the four the senior can put opposing teams at a disadvantage regardless of his height. As for Leslie it would have been difficult to imagine him being in this spot a season ago, but that only displays how much he's improved. And he can finish well above the rim as well.

One last hurrah: Robbie Hummel (Purdue)
Hummel's absence last season due to a torn ACL was a major reason why the Boilermakers were bounced by VCU (but by no means should that take away from how well the Rams played). No JaJuan Johnson or E'Twaun Moore but the fifth-year senior can still get it done, and he'll have to if the Boilers are to get past Saint Mary's.

Michigan State Earns a One Seed: West Region Thoughts

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:35:19 -0400

,pdf bracket

The West Region is where the S-curve, a tool used to rank the teams from 1 to 68, went to die apparently and that means some tough matchups on the way to New Orleans. Top-seed Michigan State was rewarded for their non-conference slate and winning the Big Ten tournament crown with the fourth number one seed, and while LIU Brooklyn can pose some problems a 16-seed has never beaten a one. Of greater interest is the 8/9 matchup, which consists of a battle between Memphis and Saint Louis.

Rick Majerus is one of the great tacticians in college basketball and it's going to be interesting to see what he put together in the game preparation when it comes to slowing down a Memphis team playing its best basketball of the year. Josh Pastner has an All-America caliber wing in Will Barton, and the move to make Chris Crawford more of a playmaker has both relieved some of the pressure on Joe Jackson and make the Tigers a better team. Either team can win this one, and either team can also reach the Sweet 16.

Memphis has to be considered one of the most underseeded teams in the field, but while they receive a two-seed the Missouri Tigers likely belong in the discussion as well. The selection committee cited their non-conference strength of schedule as the reason why, but if Frank Haith's team is considered to be the weakest two...well, not really sure what to say about that. But the Tigers, who have one of the best backcourts in the country led by Phil Pressey and Marcus Denmon, are more than capable of winning a national title.

Their pod features a seven-seed in Florida that has enough talent to get to New Orleans, provided guards Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker make sound decisions. One of those would be to make sure that wing Bradley Beal and power forward Patric Young get more touches. Virginia's been hit hard by the injury bug and outside of Mike Scott really aren't playing well, and 15-seed Norfolk State has Kyle O'Quinn but the Tigers should be fine there. And should Missouri reach the Sweet 16, there's a matchup with a similarly-sized power conference team on the horizon.

Three-seed Marquette has seen Chris Otule (torn ACL) go down for the year and Davante Gardner have to deal with a sprained knee, and while that has limited them in the paint Buzz Williams' team did finish second in the Big East. Jae Crowder, Big East Player of the Year, and Darius Johnson-Odom are two big reasons why, but they're going to need improved play from point guard Junior Cadougan in order to go far. They'll get either BYU or Iona on Thursday, and that matchup is the best First Four contest. Can Iona defend well enough to slow down Brandon Davies and Noah Hartsock? Can BYU slow down one of the best offenses in the country led by Scott Machado? That's going to be fun to watch.

Also in Louisville is six-seed Murray State, who's led by junior point guard Isaiah Canaan and he's going to be on more than a few All-America teams. They may not be thrilled with their seed but the Racers did draw a similarly-sized team in Colorado State, but don't sleep on Tim Miles' guards either. Jesse Carr, Wes Eikmeier and Dorian Green can all get it done, but the most important question for the Rams is the health of wing Greg Smith. He missed the Mountain West tournament with a sprained ankle but has been given a clean bill of health for this week.

The four-seed in the West is Louisville, who likely jumped a couple lines with their winning the Big East Championship. But which team makes the trip out the Portland: the one that struggled with turnovers throughout the regular season, or the one that tightened things up in New York? Either way the Cardinals had better be wary of Davidson, as the Wildcats have a very good frontcourt tandem (De'Mon Brooks and Jake Cohen) to go along with a very good guard in J.P. Kuhlman.

The 5/12 battle will also be fun to watch as New Mexico, who is playing arguably their best basketball of the season, takes on Long Beach State. The Lobos feature Drew Gordon inside and guards Tony Snell and Kendall Williams on the perimeter, but the 49ers can counter with Casper Ware and T.J. Robinson. How well they defend Gordon will be a key factor as will the health of Larry Anderson, who missed the Big West tournament with a knee injury. Michigan State may be on top of the bracket, but there are a number of teams with the talent needed to take them down.

Winner: Missouri

Best second round matchup: Louisville vs. Davidson

All-Region Team
G Marcus Denmon (Missouri)
G Casper Ware (Long Beach State)
G Scott Machado (Iona)
F Jae Crowder (Marquette)
F Draymond Green (Michigan State)

Tournament Poll: Who Is Going To Win the Title?

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 23:34:19 -0400