Over a career in which he garnered six National Coach of the Year trophies, Gene Keady inculcated to all those around him the value of basketball fundamentals, principal among them, how to make a good pass. In an 80-61 loss to Indiana, Michigan State furthered their trend of poor fundamentals with bad passes, bad decisions and poor composure. College basketball often affords second chances and the Spartans get one on March 2 in East Lansing. What they do with it is anyone’s guess.
Composure Deficit
In two methodically surgical outings against Indiana (21-4, 10-2), the Wisconsin Badgers turned back a fierce offensive barrage mounted by Eric Gordon (games 1 & 2) and DJ White (game 2). In both games, the Badgers demonstrated exceptional self-confidence and conviction to the precepts of their team, the Swing Offense and gritty defense. When pushed, challenged and knocked down, the Badgers never wavered from their fundamentals. They belief was resolute.
Conversely, the Spartans (20-5, 8-4) when blitzed by Eric Gordon shortly after DJ White went down appeared disoriented and weak. After losing an early 11 point lead, Michigan State far too abruptly jettisoned any semblance of their offense and their defense was not far behind. Tom Izzo could only watch from the sidelines with a red face and scowl as DeAndre Thomas and Lance Stemler scored seemingly without contest. In Assembly Hall, the Spartans lost their composure and the game.
As Spartan Weblog observes, Michigan State has been weak with the basketball not just against IU on Saturday but for two consecutive seasons. While the players bear the responsibility for their play and decisions, it’s apparent a disconnect exists between Izzo’s mantra and his players’ lack of execution. The explanation is elusive and many heads are scratching in East Lansing. Perhaps one hint is found in Michigan State’s strong start.
Quick, Not Fast
Up 15-4, the Spartans gorged themselves on their beauty and promptly flitted away the lead with successive, ill-advised alley-op passes. When given the opportunity to destroy the confidence of the Hoosiers with good possessions, the Spartans placed their bets on the dramatic. The bad passes turned into turnovers and, given a reprieve, IU responded with confidence. And confidence, when fueled with a home crowd desperate for a reason to celebrate, is combustible.
Whatever the explanation for the Spartans’ contagious weakness with the ball, whether it’s a belief their talent will overcome bad decisions, overconfidence or a lack of mental toughness, the Spartans have yet to demonstrate the ability to take care of the basketball. Until they do, they will be one step away from being an afterthought to another team’s season.
Not Quite Failure
The turnovers resulted in IU buckets, which manifested into a brazen confidence freight train from which Michigan State recoiled. Even with DJ White leaving with an injured knee, the Spartans were nevertheless unable to capitalize by exploiting his absence. The Spartans had no post presence, on offense or defense, before White left and they had none after. If Raymar Morgan and Goran Suton contribute nothing, the Spartans are pedestrian.
Normally insightful Spartan beat writer Joe Rexrode, still reeling from the Eric Gordon show, summed up his frustration and that Spartan Nation: “[A]nother Big Ten season has eroded into failure and disappointment for the Michigan State Spartans.” Certainly, last night’s thumping by the Hoosiers constitutes a disappointment. Calling the season a failure, however, overstates one game not to mention the import of pre-season expectations and prognostications of the Big Ten print media. If Rexrode’s season as a “failure” rings true to Spartan Nation, the season was lost on the free throw line in State College or on the floor of Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
One More Shot
With the perfunctory belches of “overrated” ringing down from the rafters of Assembly Hall with three minutes left, it’s likely the Hoosier’s fans are, at this point in the season, correct. Despite the brutal beating the Spartans absorbed in Assembly Hall, the success of a season remains within their grasp. But, in order to get to the promised land, Michigan State must still resolve the disconnect between Keady’s first fundamental and the players’ carelessness.
The future of the Spartans and their ability to fulfill their promise is cloudy. With home games against Iowa and Penn State to get matters right before traveling to Madison, the Spartans have the benefit of a second chance to show whether they’ve made the essential connection on March 2 when the candystripes of IU arrive in the Breslin Center.
The two busted alley-oops actually didn’t bother me too much. At least those turnovers were made in an attempt to create a basket. It’s the turnovers that serve no purpose whatsoever that are most grating.
You’re right that it’s too early to call this season a failure. A Big Ten tournament championship could bring redemption, as could a 3-4 game run in the Big Dance.
Left by kj (spartans weblog) on February 18th, 2008