Evidently, coach Tom Izzo’s No. 13-ranked Spartans are taking that seriously, so they’ve made a decision to break out a familiar throwback uniform for their duel with coach Bill Self’s No. 4-ranked Jayhawks. If they get a few penetration from Frank Mason III and Devonte’ Graham, creating a few drive-and-kick scenarios, that’s where Perry Ellis and Wayne Selden can have a big impact. Bryn Forbes has 1,249 career points, 905 of which came in his first two seasons at Cleveland State.
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Then Denzel Valentine happened.
Valentine, meanwhile, became the first player to record a triple double against Kansas since Magic Johnson accomplished the feat in 1979. “And that’s kind of what you’ve got to do to do that”.
Matt Costello: It was an up and down performance for Costello.
Coaching Stability MI State has had just two basketball coaches in the last 40 seasons and three in the last 47.
Valentine, like Ellis and Traylor, played in a Sweet 16 as a freshman. His foul trouble hinders his grade a bit, but he was still vital to the success of the team when he was in. Matt Costello is averaging 15 points and seven rebounds while Deyonta Davis is averaging 13 points and 11 rebounds. “Izzo started Javon Bess at the 4 in the opener but he’s only 6’5” and might struggle to contain whoever he’s guarding in the post. Foul trouble also contributed to his absence. He ranked sixth on the team in scoring, averaging 7.4 points, while shooting. “I want to quit at times.” But he lived up to his expectations and took the lid off the basket for the Spartans after an early first half rut.
With Self, whoever can come in and guard on defense, that’s who’s going to play.
Almost 17 years later, Self and Izzo will meet once more tonight in Chicago, two future Hall of Famers guiding teams into the fifth annual Champions Classic at the United Center. Nairn is clearly the best perimeter defender on the team.
Much of the success could be contributed to the improved offense in the second half.
Kansas starts a pair of seniors and two juniors, and the depth down low will be a challenge, especially with junior Gavin Schilling missing his second game with a turf toe injury and sophomore Marvin Clark still working his way back from a broken foot.
It’s a mid-November loss for KU Basketball, nothing more and nothing less.
Kenny Goins: In just four minutes he had one block and one rebound. And Self, who is 5-6 in his career against Izzo, including a 2-3 mark while at KU, can even another score in the process.
The MI State senior guard had 29 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists – the 13th triple-double in school history – and the 13th-ranked Spartans rallied for a 79-73 victory over the fourth-ranked Jayhawks on Tuesday night in the Champions Classic at United Center. With the absence of both Branden Dawson and Travis Trice, there is reason to believe MI State will take a step back offensively, at least in the early going.
One key for MSU will be whether or not Valentine can create space to be the playmaker that MSU needs him to be in the halfcourt. He will have trouble handling the pressure teams like Louisville will apply. After a so-so game for the most part, McQuaid turned into a local celebrity in East Lansing.
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Kansas had a 13-point lead twice in the first half and the Jayhawks were able to open a six-point halftime lead into another double-figure advantage with nearly 10 minutes to play. The Jayhawks were battered by MI State’s Denzel Valentine – who finished with 29 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists – and sunk by a barrage of late three-pointers from Spartans reserve Matt McQuaid.
