Michigan State Spartans basketball

Michigan State defense shows Andy Enfield the standard for future USC seasons

Tom Izzo gets his players to raise their games in March. Andy Enfield surely took notice. A legend taught USC many lessons.

The USC Trojans hung tight with Michigan State in the first half, even taking the lead before the Spartans tied it up at 34 going into halftime.

Andy Enfield’s team seemed to be right where they wanted despite a sluggish start from Boogie Ellis. But, the second half was much different. USC scored just 28 points in the final 20 minutes, and both Drew Peterson and Boogie Ellis struggled, combining for 17 points on 7-22 from the field.

The change? It was the Spartans defense, according to Robert Bondy of Spartans Wire.

“Michigan State came out of the locker room with a much better defensive approach in the second half,” Bondy wrote. “The Spartans held the Trojans leading scorer Boogie Ellis to only six points, and hit a pair of big three-point shots to build a 15-point lead with five minutes left in the game. It wasn’t a particularly impressive finish, but the Spartans were able to comfortably hold on in the end.”

USC couldn’t overcome the feisty defense from Michigan State. MSU centers Carson Cooper and Mady Sissoko made it difficult to drive into the paint, even more difficult with USC playing without Vincent Iwuchukwu.

Tom Izzo and his staff made adjustments, and the defense held down the Trojans when it mattered most.

USC wasn’t a terrible defensive team this season, but the Trojans did lack the defensive bite they had when the Mobley brothers were around. With a lot of big men coming back for next season, the Trojans should expect to be tougher, nastier, and generally better on defense, especially in the paint. Andy Enfield knows he needs an elite defense, and he might have the ingredients which can make it happen.

Tom Izzo might have given Enfield a taste of what is possible at the defensive end of the floor.

Enfield shouldn’t be expected to be as good as Izzo, but he certainly can learn from a March master.

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Michigan State’s wins create a discussion about USC and college hoops success

Tom Izzo makes #MarchMadness success seem easy, but it’s not. Andy Enfield needs to improve, but demanding he match Izzo isn’t a fair ask.

The USC Trojans’ NCAA Tournament ended earlier than they had hoped with a 72-62 loss to Michigan State on the first game of the slate on Friday.

Boogie Ellis and Drew Peterson struggled offensively. Vincent Iwuchukwu did not suit up, although Joshua Morgan was a bright spot.

Joey Hauser led the Spartans with 17 points and 8 boards, and three others scored double figures for Tom Izzoo’s squad. However, there was one unsung hero for Michigan State, according to Cory Linsner of Spartans Wire.

“Carson Cooper had an outstanding game, playing a key role in the Spartans victory,” Linsner wrote. “In 13 minutes, Cooper played outstanding defense, posting an impressive +13 while scoring 6 points and grabbing 4 rebounds.

“A great day and great performance for a freshman on the rise in the MSU program.”

Freshman center Carson Cooper stepped up and took complete advantage of the absence of Iwuchukwu. Cooper finished with 6 points and 4 rebounds in 13 minutes, the most minutes he has plated in months, and more points than he scored in the past 10 games.

Andy Enfield’s team was prepared for a challenge with Mady Sissoko, but Carson Cooper was the unsung, surprising hero for the Spartans, and a thorn in the side for USC.

Michigan State beating USC raised some complaints from a minority faction of the Trojan fan base. Why couldn’t Andy Enfield outcoach Tom Izzo? Those complaints don’t hold as much weight after Michigan State then defeated second-seeded Marquette on Sunday. Izzo is in a class of his own. (Or, one could say, “Izzone.”)

What we need to realize about Andy Enfield is that, first of all, he hasn’t suffered an NCAA Tournament loss as a high seed … because USC has never been a high seed (No. 4 or better) under Enfield. That’s where the program needs to go, and it might have a chance to do so next season. However, if USC does get a high seed, it might run into a mid-level seed guided by an elite coach.

Success in college basketball is hard. Rare coaches such as Tom Izzo make it seem easy, even though it’s not.

Malik Hall is the X-factor for Michigan State versus USC

One @TheSpartansWire writer named #MichiganState’s Malik Hall as a key piece vs Drew Peterson & #USC. #MarchMadness

The USC Trojans and Michigan State Spartans face off on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. With the Trojans coming off a tough loss to Arizona State, there are a lot of questions to be answered.

However, the Spartans provide their own fair share of questions after losing to Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament. Nonetheless, the Trojans are underdogs, and they have their hands full.

With the game coming up, Spartans Wire has provided a ton of insights on Michigan State. Cory Linsner of Spartans Wire named Malik Hall as his X-factor for Michigan State:

“A 6-foot-9 wing strikes a clear matchup problem for the Spartans, but there is one man that can step up to make things happen on the defensive end of the court for MSU, and that is Malik Hall,” Linsner wrote. “Hall, a 6’8″ wing, can match Peterson’s size to avoid the post game, while having quick feet to stay with the Trojans’ standout. If MSU is to win this game, and move on to the Round of 32, Malik Hall is going to have to bring his A-game.”

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Hall is averaging 9.2 points per game with 4.2 rebounds on the year, but as Linsner mentions, his defense is going to be a factor for the Spartans against USC. With Drew Peterson expected to play despite battling injuries lately, Hall will likely have the tough task of guarding him.

Hall has also been dealing with injuries, so in many ways this could come down to which player feels better — and plays better — on Friday.

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USC has a few noticeable similarities when compared to Michigan State

#USC – #MichiganState really is a two-pronged battle: Whose strength will be stronger, whose weakness will be weaker?

The USC Trojans and Michigan State Spartans face off in a future Big Ten showdown. This should be a fun NCAA Tournament game. Believe it or not, there are some similarities between these teams, as mentioned by Graham Couch of The Lansing State Journal.

“The 10-seed Trojans have some similarities to MSU,” Couch wrote. “They’re guard-driven, led by Boogie Ellis, who averages 18 points per game and can score in a variety of ways and they don’t beat you up in the post. They’ve got a 6-foot-9 guard from Illinois, Drew Peterson, who’s their second-leading scorer and leading assist man, and a 6-11 freshman in Joshua Morgan who’s a rim protector and rebounder but not much of an offensive threat.

“The Trojans are capable of playing with anyone. But not overwhelming or consistent. They’re an average 3-point shooting team. They defend the paint well.

“USC doesn’t look as fierce as the last time it faced MSU as a 10 seed, back in 2009, when, Izzo will tell you, the Spartans — as a 2 seed — were lucky to survive. That was a dangerous game.”

Both teams are guard-driven, setting this game up for a clear battle of strength versus strength all the way through. The Trojans’ offense needs to step up, however, if they want to win this game. Boogie Ellis needs to play as he has over the past month.

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Michigan State will need perimeter defense to top USC

.@TheSpartansWire staff is unanimous about one central aspect of #MichiganState vs #USC. #MarchMadness

The USC Trojans and Michigan State Spartans face off on Friday in the NCAA Tournament. Many analysts believe this matchup isn’t particularly good for USC.

The Spartans got the higher seed, and USC has to travel to the Eastern time zone to play the game in Columbus, Ohio. The crew at Spartans Wire gave some thoughts on the upcoming game. Here are some things they are looking for from Michigan State if the Spartans want to beat USC:

“Andrew Brewster: I said it in the previous question: perimeter defense, perimeter defense, perimeter defense. And get yourself some easy buckets in the paint.

“Robert Bondy: Hit their open looks from outside and defend the perimeter as Andrew said. The Trojans aren’t imposing in the paint and when it comes to rebounding, so this is a great matchup for the Spartans if they can do what they do best.

“Cory Linsner: Defense wins championships. The Spartans will need to be strong on the perimeter, containing the Trojans fire power and limit second chance opportunities.”

With Boogie Ellis playing out of his mind lately, the Trojans’ star will need to step up on the biggest stage. The Spartans need to play solid perimeter defense, as mentioned above, and if so, it could be a long game for the Trojans.

If not? USC might advance to the Round of 32.

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Longtime Michigan State reporter, analyst evaluates Spartans’ matchup vs USC

What does the #USC – #MichiganState matchup look like to someone who has covered the Spartans for a long time?

The USC Trojans got a difficult first-round NCAA Tournament draw with a battle against Michigan State on Friday. However, this is a future Big Ten showdown with the Trojans making the move in 2024.

Ahead of the matchup, there is plenty to examine regarding the Spartans, and of course, legendary head coach Tom Izzo. Veteran Michigan State reporter and analyst Graham Couch of the Lansing State Journal examined the matchup with USC. He gave a few thoughts on this game and the next round as well:

“USC’s resume has some teeth to it, but also some warts and a lot of wins in a bad year for the Pac-12,” Couch wrote. “Marquette looked scary this past week, beating UConn and Xavier, but just before that, needed overtime to escape a St. John’s team that was about to fire its coach. Both USC and Marquette lost to Wisconsin. So they can be beaten. The best news for the Spartans in trying to win the weekend: USC ranks 328th in offensive rebounding, per kenpom, and Marquette is 319th. What a break for an MSU team whose biggest bugaboo is keeping certain opponents off the glass.”

That is no secret: USC has good wins but bad losses, and giving away possessions can really hurt the Trojans. Moreover, Andy Enfield and his team are coming off a disappointing loss to Arizona State in the Pac-12 Tournament in a game whose final margin was deceptively close.

Rebounding is clearly a weak spot for both USC and Michigan State. That might be the central key to the game on Friday.

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Spartans Wire writer sees USC as a very tough opponent

One @TheSpartansWire writer sees #USC as an equal match for Michigan State. It’s a 7-10 game, so this checks out.

The Michigan State Spartans will be a tough matchup for Andy Enfield and the USC Trojans as they hope to avoid another first-round exit in the NCAA Tournament.

Both teams are coming off losses in their conference tournaments, with the Spartans falling to Ohio State and the Trojans losing to Arizona State just days after beating them to end the regular season.

The Trojans enter the game as underdogs, and two Spartans Wire writers love this matchup from the Michigan State perspective. However, Cory Linsner of Spartans Wire feels differently:

“Many people are ecstatic about the USC draw, but I cannot go that far, I see it as a very ‘fair’ draw. This is a unique matchup that has some big pros and some big cons. USC not having a strong front court and not defending the 3-point line well are huge pros for MSU. As for cons, USC has a lot of length and will almost be taller at every position than MSU and that is something that really bugs the MSU guards, while overall USC gives me Iowa vibes and we know MSU has struggled to play strong defense in those matchups,” Linsner wrote.

That’s a terrific point. USC can play solid, tough defense, which could give Michigan State some issues in this game. Only time will tell, but USC has its hands full either way.

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PHOTOS: Wisconsin drops second-straight in 69-65 loss to Michigan State

Wisconsin basketball drops its second-straight game in a 69-65 loss to Michigan State:

On Tuesday night, the Wisconsin Badgers were not able to close out their matchup against the Michigan State Spartans and fell 69-65 at the Kohl Center. This was also the Badgers’ second-straight game without star forward Tyler Wahl due to an ankle injury.

Wisconsin built a small lead in the second half, thanks to a 15-point second half from forward Steven Crowl, but the Badgers’ shooting went cold at the end of the game. Crowl finished the game with 19 points, three rebounds and two assists.

Hopefully, Wahl can make his return on Saturday, as the Badgers will face off against talented forward Trayce Jackson-Davis and the Indiana Hoosiers on the road.

Wisconsin basketball drops in the latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

Wisconsin basketball drops several spots in the latest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll:

After a split week with a victory against Minnesota and a loss to Illinois, the Wisconsin Badgers dropped three spots to No. 18 in the latest USA TODAY Sports Men’s Basketball Coaches Poll.

It was a tough week for the Big Ten in the latest poll, as three teams fell out including Illinois from No. 24, Ohio State from No. 23 and Indiana from No. 19. Even Purdue dropped two spots to No. 3, after falling to Rutgers 65-64 last Monday.

The USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll top 10 for this week includes Texas(10), Arizona(9), Gonzaga(8), Connecticut(7), UCLA(6), Tennessee(5), Alabama(4), Purdue(3), Kansas(2) and Houston(1).

The Badgers will have two chances to move up this week since they will match up against Michigan State and Indiana, who are some of the top teams outside the poll.

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How to watch: Wisconsin basketball vs. No. 17 Michigan State

How to watch, listen and stream Wisconsin basketball against No. 17 Michigan State:

On Tuesday night, the Wisconsin Badgers will head on the road to East Lansing, Mich. to play the No. 17-ranked Michigan State Spartans in a rematch of their loss earlier this season.

Both the Spartans and the Badgers have struggled as of late, with Michigan State’s upset blowout loss to Rutgers and Wisconsin’s rough offensive performance versus Penn State. Wisconsin will need leading scorers Jonathan Davis and Brad Davison to find their way out of their shooting slump for the Badgers to do well against the Spartans, who will be looking for redemption.

It will likely be a fantastic matchup to watch, as two top-20 teams will be looking to get things back on track in the final month of the Big Ten season.

Where: Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich.

When: Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, at 6 p.m. CST

Where to watch: BTN

Announcers:
- Play-by-Play: Brandon Gaudin
- Analyst: Stephen Bardo

Where to stream: Fox Sports App or foxsports.com/live

Where to listen: Badger Sports Network on the iHeartRadio app or Sirius Satellite Radio XM 195

Announcers:
- Play-by-Play: Matt Lepay
- Analyst: Mike Lucas

Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion and analysis.