Izzo -Fest on break as sluggish spartans sputter

On By Littum

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East Lansing – Tom Izzo warned that there would be days like this. But no one figured it would happen on an evening like this, with friends and family packing the house to witness a little story.

Bob Knights Big Ten -Sejrrekord survived for another game, or maybe two or three. In a predictably unpredictable conference season where apparently every game comes down to a few shots or a few seconds, Michigan State came short Tuesday night at the Breslin Center, emptying the party balloons.

Indiana’s 71-67 victory was a bit of a shocker, but it probably shouldn’t be. The Hoosians (15-10, 6-8) came in with a five-match’s losing row and a limp and coach, but they had the necessary ingredients to knock the Spartans (19-5, 10-3) out of first place. Indiana had talented big guys to patrol the paint and a suffocating zone defense to Stymie MSU’s stagnant shooting game.

No one is fighting for Izzo’s persecution of Knight’s record, still tied up in the history of the conference with 353 wins. But there may be some fretting about the other persecution. Knight is tied up with Purdue’s “Piggie” Lambert with 11 large ten-season championships, one in front of Izzo. With Logjam at the top, a home loss for 11th place is the team a stroke. Michigan (19-5,11-2) now sits only after a tense 75-73 victory over Purdue (19-6, 11-3).

It’s the bigger blow than just a milestone -celebration delayed. It will be delayed longer if the Spartans do not figure out how to get good shots and make them. They visit Illinois on Saturday night, then hosts Purdue, then plays in Michigan and in Maryland.

“To say it was a disappointment, would be an understatement,” said Izzo, more glum than angry. “We had an opportunity for a special evening. I don’t think the players played very well and I don’t think the coaches coached very well. It’s a bad combination against a team that was desperate. “

After jumping to a 20-8 lead, the Spartans were strangled by a surprise zone from Mike Woodson, a smart wrinkle for a coach departing after the season. MSU couldn’t solve it and shoot four-for-23 on 3-Pointers. The guards Jaden Akins and Jase Richardson were a combined 3-for-15, and Indiana hung on as the game developed into a free-casting competition at the end.

Izzo said he didn’t see this type of shaking performance coming from his team that night, but he expected to see it eventually. Even when the Spartans started 9-0 at the conference and climbed into the top 10 of the rankings, he knew the league was too competitive to roll through and his team’s evil was too clear. MSU has died last in the Big Ten in 3-point shooting of 29.3% and has the third most revenue.

All teams that are at the top have talent and imperfections. Purdue may still be the favorite, but Michigan says a strong case in Dusty May’s first season. Wolverines have a dynamic big-man duo in Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf, but are also plagued by revenue.

How tight is it? Not much separates the candidates and UM and MSU meet twice in the last three weeks. After early blowouts, the Spartans have won conference games with seven, five, two and seven and lost three of their last four by six, two and four. Wolverines go an even narrower edge and winning conference game with three, two, four, four, three, four, three and two.

Really amazing Big Ten Race

It is truly amazing how close it is and how close it is likely to remain.

“I tried to explain when we were 9-0, what was going on,” Izzo said. “I told you that four to five losses would win the league and I haven’t changed one bit. We sat down in a hole now because we didn’t do our job at home. “

Even Indiana, an 11-point underdog on Tuesday night, was a favorite president. Forward Malik Reneau has returned from an injury and dominated with 19 points and 12 rebounds. Seven-Footer Oumar Ballo joined him low, and Hoosiers shot a blistering 64% in the second half.

“We couldn’t double the post, but we could certainly have dug down, and we didn’t,” said Izzo. “I take full responsibility for it. They just knocked the ball inside, knocked the ball inside, knocked the ball inside. “

It has been the underestimated concern for the Spartans using a 10-man rotation while searching for the right combinations, especially on duty. It was Richardson in the comeback victory over Oregon, and also three Holloman, and recently Jeremy Jr.

They are good players, but if more teams slam a zone defense on them, is there a take-care murder-instinct guy?

“I felt we just weren’t ready to play tonight,” said Richardson, who started his second start. “I don’t think it was any pressure. I think we just got into the game a little too relaxed, a little too calm. “

It can happen when everyone in the building is there to celebrate Izzo’s historical expertise, but the players still have work to do. On a late Tuesday night, not many recognized guests and former players were present, but Steve Smith, Mark Dantonio and Steve Mariucci were there.

Izzo has tried not to let his team or himself be distracted by the persecution of an honor he has essentially already achieved. He talks respectfully about Knight and all the players who won games for him, but for the most part he talks about coaxing more out of his team that started the season, which was not uneasy, and then showed an unexpected promise.

The promise remains and the hunt continues, and so does the challenge of a wildly competitive Big Ten race.

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@Bobwojnowski