Look familiar?

Does this MSU team and star remind you at all of a well-documented former MSU team and star -- a team that won a lot of ugly games and a star with a penchant for hitting the shots to win them?

    Let's ask Tom Izzo.
    “Everybody, we all think that every game we won was easy," he said of the 1998-2000 stretch led by Mateen Cleaves. "It wasn’t. Sometimes even I forget that."
    Add another flash-bulb shot to Kalin Lucas' collection. And another classic to this series -- the first one, really, since MSU's win here in 2004. Another terrific performance to Raymar Morgan's string. Another example of how far Chris Allen's defense has come in a year. Another example of how turnovers are the Spartans' biggest issue.
    Another footprint for this team (best Big Ten start, unprecedented 12th win in 13 road games), and another brick in the wall for the rest of the Big Ten. How many expletives came hurling from Lafayette, Madison and Columbus tonight when DeShawn Sims' shot lipped out?
    On that play: Dwayne Stephens called it in MSU's huddle. In scouting U-M, he saw the play recently against Indiana, and he drew it up for the players. Stu Douglass got off a fantastic pass around Tom Herzog, and Sims had a good look. Durrell Summers had a brief handful of jersey, too, but Sims said he didn't expect a foul to be called at that point in the game. He was right.
    On MSU's winning play: The coaching staff was talking more about what Lucas said in the huddle than what he did on the court. He suggested a play (in the event that U-M played man-to-man) with an option for him or Morgan to take the shot. Lucas has not done that much in his time at MSU.
    Lucas also asked Izzo to put him in the middle of the zone, so he could get around Sims and make plays. It worked well on some key possessions.
    "I fall in love with guys that want to coach the team," Izzo said.
    Mike Garland told the story tonight of the win over Iowa State in 2000. Everyone knows about the lob play ("Screen Re-screen") that Cleaves and Peterson called to go ahead. But earlier, Cleaves and the players complained about an Izzo play to get Peterson a shot, with MSU down three.
    Cleaves wanted a play for Andre Hutson. Izzo obliged, Hutson scored and MSU was on its way. Garland said tonight reminded him of that game in a way.
    "You know what I saw?" Garland said. "I saw our kids look for things. That's what good teams do."
    This one is still a pretty hefty distance from playing its best basketball. But we've heard that kind of thing before around here.

Comments

[79_Spartan]

Nice breakdown of the game, Joe.

Thanks for sharing the inside stuff with us.

[FMatt]

Wow, nice win that tastes SO SWEET!! I am guessing we won't hear from bowels and rabbit until next year :-). This team has definitely grown by the feet and not inches in the last couple of games. Kalin is proving to be the go-to guy again just like last year. Excellent game, Ray. Keep it up. But boy, those TO's and missed FT's almost cost us the game and an unprecedented 8-0 start. Let's savor this one, folks :-D :-D, especially because UK just lost their first game tonight. No more unbeaten teams left in the top 25. Wonder if we will go up to No. 4 if we win on Sat. Keep it up, team. GO GREEEEN!!!

[Philly Spartan]

Raymar was the man again.

[rook34]

I don't want to hear any more crap about Raymar Morgan.

That is all.

[New Logo]

Joe, one little mistake - we won @ Crisler in 2005 as well.

[SpartyOn]

Does anybody know what the letters on the players' jerseys this year stand for? I assume somebody's initials. Maybe I missed the explanation earlier in the season.

[MLG4MSU]

Summers may have grabbed a little jersey, but don't ignore Sims push off right before it.

[nad]

spartyon...they stand for lupe's father that passed away not to long ago...good win green...the big green machine just keeps on rolling...go green

[GoSt8Go]

Nice win. Boy o Boy DayDay redeemed himself late for some awful play most of the game. He seemed in slow motion for "most" of the game. Another blood and guts finish. K and Ray are the men.

[From the Bowels of the Wolverine]

I want to own up to the Spartan Nation. You all are the best. To the victors go the spoils.

[Foss Moss]

Once again we "win and advance"! We stole one again- just like the victory in Minnesota!

We will be dominant whenever we decide to take care of the ball and play to our potential! The thing is we will probably have to wait on that as the Big 10 will always beat you up! These coaches/teams know each other so well that every game is decided on one to two possesions!

I'm glad we one those one to two possesions when they mattered the last two games! Big difference between 8-0 and 6-2 in conference!

Go State!

[superspartan]

Great game, great play by Lucas. I believed he had an insight before that last shot: "I don't have to drive the ball into a crowd and risk get stripped, I can stop, rise, and pop 12 feet out." Lucas, Green, and Morgan are adding a new dimension to the spartan offense, the mid-range shot.

[Billssteak]

MLG4MSU has it right...ESPN made a big deal about the jersey grab, but what they did not mention, show, or put in fancy graphic lighting around was the push-off which prompted the jersey grab. It was a great no call, but I was yelling offensive interference when watching it live. It looked like a lob to the corner of the end zone in a football game where the refs just let them bang around a little.

This game was also another nice performance for Morgan where he used his imporved strength to stay inside instead of floating further from the basket when he has the ball or is moving.

[FMatt]

BarryTN, wasn't it you that said Ray wasn't doing it for you couple of weeks ago? Hmmmm.... I hope you see now why Izzo keeps saying Ray is the key to this team. Yes, Green had some costly errors in the game but he did redeem himself with some nice plays in the end. Roe is very good at rebounding and put backs but needs to work on his hook shot. Allen played very good D again but surprisingly, only took 2 shots, what was that about? Summers seems to have lost his long range shot but is hitting his mid-range shots, his rebounding is invaluable as is Ray, Roe, and Green's.

Way to go out and scrap for this win, team. Keep it up against NW and let's create a new footprint from 8-0 to 9-0 within matter of days!

[Bingo]

When you can win games like that in those environments it shows you have a good team. Great teams however, don't have 18 turnovers allowing 23 points off turnovers. Why is it certain players catch the ball in their fingertips instead of using the whole palm of their hand to GRAB the ball and hold on? I'm so happy we won I can't feel my legs but geez it really shouldn't have been close. I also know that bowels didn't need to use exlax last night because both of us darn near lost it on the last two plays. GO GREEN!!

[Tobacco Road Spartan]

SpartyOn - the initials belong to Lupe's father, who passed away in the last few weeks.

Last night was a great win. Survive and advance...

[Rose Bowl 87]

Breadtruck

You Magnificent Bastard

I love the smell of Napalm in the morning. Kill (Anonymous Kill)
and I thank you for your service.

Remember, no won ever won the Big 10 by (metaphorically) dying for his alma mater.
You win the Big 10 by making the other poor Bastard (metaphorically) die for his alma mater. I have to leave now to say farewell to a Spartan man of honor. You see Japinga had no use for Wolverines either. I will raise a glass in your name tonight.

Rose Bowl 87

[ChuckfromSt.Johns]

On the crapper, sits former "Rager" Bowels, Broken Hearted.

He ran three blocks, (thought his bowels were pungent and full)

But, He only Farted........

[zeke]

Gee Chuck, that's quite a soliloquy you wrote there.

My take on this game is this- remember Mike Hart's infamous "little brother" comment? Remember what Mark Dantonio said to reporters when they repeated Hart's comments to the coach?

"The pride come before the fall."

Truer words have not been spoken. What's um's record in football and basketball against the Spartans since?

'nuff said.

[zeke]

Had I been typing better this morning, the correct quote should have read:

"Pride comes before the fall."

But you get the gist.

[Baron DeBar]

MSU has the BEST coaching staff in the country! I heard Bilas say the other day that Calipari had done the best coaching job thus far in the season (what a joke) because of how fast UK had risen to the top, but have you seen their opponents? ESPN has no credibility as an expert on college basketball. Great job Tom, Mark, Dwayne, and Mike!

[fishiganstate]

great win when we did not come close to playing our best. MSU executed at the end and the other team didn't......same as Minny. Cardiac Kalin!

[Derrick in KC]

Kalin is turning into a flat out assassin.

[SpArTyOn1982]

It is funny you mentioned that Baron. Caliparis' freshman scored all of their points in the second half of last nights lost. That tells me one thing, that he isn't coaching his seniors and juniors. It was the same way with Memphis, get the best and let them play street basketball until they leave for the NBA. That kinda coach is not a foundation builder but a black mark on all coaches who represent real basketball.

[SpArTyOn1982]

Dont mean to harp on Lucas but most of you seem to forget what he had NOT accomplished earlier in the game. I know that one great shot negates all bad ones but I cant let it go away that easily. Lucas needs to be a floor general for more than just the last 1:30 in a game. His reckless shot selection and poor shooting in the first and into the middle of the second half really cost us some easy baskets. ok no more heckling from me, I know this team will pull it together when it means the most....

GO GREEN, GO WHITE, GO SPATANS!!!