For the Fans
YOUR Thoughts and Mine on the Illinoius-Michigan St. game.
Posted by: Tom Young
Monday, March 2, 2009 7:13 AM
#9 MICHIGAN STATE 74 #20 ILLINOIS 66
We knew this was going to be a tough game. We knew that Illinois had to play their A game in order to beat Michigan State. Illinois played a B+ game. It’s easy to be upset with the outcome of this game, but I am just glad that this Illini team has twice hung in there against a very solid Michigan St. team. The one thing that we were worried about going into this game was rebounding, since we were coming off a rough rebounding performance against Minnesota, and Michigan St is the #2 rebounding team in the country. I think we did a decent job there (got out rebounded 35-30). Michigan St. only had seven second chance points, which isn’t bad at all.
The problems were transition defense and down low defense. Just like in our first game against the Spartans, MSU had 14 fast break points. If you don’t get back against this team, you will get burned, and that is exactly what happened a few times. Also in our first meeting with Sparty, MSU had 30 points in the paint, which is pretty decent. Yesterday, they had 42, which is insane. They did an excellent job of driving the lane, and they also did a nice job of moving around without the ball. This led to some wide open looks at the basket in a half court set.
Some other things that stuck out to me:
- 37 total fouls. You would have though this was an ACC game. Both teams were pretty physical, and the refs actually made an attempt at calling fouls, even thought there were still a number of them they missed.
- If Trent Meacham’s foul late in the game was really a flagrant, then I accidentally committed three flagrant yesterday (two on handshakes and one on a high five)).
- I like to see Demetri McCamey drive the lane. I don’t like to see McCamey drive the lane, jump up in the air, and have no idea what he is going to do after he has jumped. This led to a few unnecessary turnovers.
- One more thing on fouls. I don’t like to be on of those guys that complains about the fouls all the time, but I feel the refs took Illinois out of the game with their officiating in the final few minutes. Michigan St. got away with fouls that we didn’t get away with, and that is the reason why the Spartans ended up winning by eight points. I don’t know if Illinois would have won if the fouls were called evenly, but they would of at least had a chance to.
- Jeff Jordan was fouled on his lay up he made and they didn’t call it. He should have had a chance to give the Illini the lead (okay, I’m done with the fouls, seriously).
- Trent Meacham missed two three pointers back to back that would have been massively gigantically humungous. The second one was wide open on top of the arch. Who knows what would have happened if he made that?
Once again, let me know what you guys thought about the game. I still enjoyed reading those comments and thoughts.
I-L-L…
Comments
I sadly didnt get a chance to see the game or listen to it. Sounds to me thou that MSU has what Illinois lacks to be a great team, and thats the dribble drive. I understand that passing around the perimeter works well for us, but man McCamey is at his best when he goes to the hole and kicks it out. No one watches Frazier when he goes to the hole because they know he wont finish it. We need someone that can do that to be succesful.
HAHA your comment about Meachems flagrent foul was SO funny. I laughed for a good 5 mins than. Then thought bout all the fouls I would have committed in your thought proscess and realized I probably fouled out of everygame this year in one day.
Id like to say that Izzo's postgame comments about Frazier were probably some of the highest anyone can say about a person.
Posted by Jshaw on March 2, 2009 at 8:45 AM
Didnt Illinois only get called for 3 more fouls that MSU?
Posted by Jshaw on March 2, 2009 at 10:11 AM
Yeah, Illinois had 20, and MSU had 17. I just seemed like in the final 3-4 minutes Illinois was the one getting all the fouls. That could just be the fan in me talking, I don't know, but I feel a chance for Illinois to win that game was taken away from them. Outside of the fouls, Illinois didn't help themselves with that massive field goal drought late in the second half. That reminded me too much of last year, lol.
Posted by try122583 on March 2, 2009 at 10:22 AM
Yeah and like I said previously I didnt get to see the game, but from everyone keeps saying that it seemed like the final minuetes all went to MSU for fouls, if thats the case the game should have been outta hand before then if we were ahead in the fouls called. I will say that it sounds like the fouls were called differantly in the 2nd half... with by halfs it was 12-25
Posted by Jshaw on March 2, 2009 at 11:36 AM
I watched the game this weekend and i was lucky enough to watch it with a buddy. It seemed like the game was taken away at the end, however, i refuse to blame the refs even though i really wanna blame them. I was in complete shock when Ed "I had to be High"tower called that foul intentional... i have seen harder fouls in the special olympics not called. Overall i felt illinois solidified themselfs as a tourny team and proved we can compete with anyone in the country. When the ncaa tourny rolls around i see us as a sweet 16 team but just making the field will put all those media neysayers to bed..... illinois is a well coached team but we are a few peices away from being an elite team.
Posted by jweeks on March 2, 2009 at 1:57 PM
Cant deny we are a well coached team. I just dont wanna see a team with a good dribble drive guard or a dominate big man. I mean for how good Frazier is defensively, other teams guards regulary drive the lane when needed, look at the last 3 games, Lucas yesterday, Minnesota had all but 4 points on layups or dunks... minus free throws made, and Battle for PSU killed us getting inside.
Posted by Jshaw on March 2, 2009 at 2:08 PM
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