The win today kept the hope alive. The light is dim, but it is still there. A loss today and it was lights out.
At the beginning of 2021 I felt MSU would be barely in the field entering the BTT if they were 8-12. However, that was based on thinking Duke would rebound to a 5-6 caliber seed and give them a non con feather and I assume the losses would be normal. Turns out Duke will be lucky to make the NCAA and the losses to Rutgers/OSU/Iowa were brutal. If MSU can squeeze their way to 8-12 then they are a few spots out of the NCAA. That probably gives them a 10 seed in Indy. Beat say 7 seed Rutgers in the BTT and it is close to in/out. Might need to beat the 2 seed as well depending on how the national landscape plays out.
The MSU program has always been about toughness, but that mantra has been about being more athletic and bigger than the other team. When it comes to endurance, MSU has always been one of the softer teams in the Big Ten. Their endurance however is rarely tested by having a deep lineup and playing two games a week at most (remember how Keith Appling was on his knees after 31 minutes of defending Trey Burke in 2012.....or all the tired guys excuses he has over the years......weak team with endurance). With that said, Izzo is very smart on how to pace his team over a long season. Example, he understands it is useless to try and win a BTT title if he could end up a 4 seed and be sent to a Thursday NCAA game on the west coast unless Michigan is across the court. I think Izzo takes this approach for the rest of the year....
- Illinois (Tue) - plays this game as a do or die type of game knowing the Illini are shaky
- OSU (Thurs) - lays down, doesn't care, plays the bench as much as the starters, content with a 15 point loss, doesn't even prep for this game and focuses on Maryland and Indiana
If he can get to 7-11 at this point with the final two versus Michigan then I see him again content with taking a 20 point loss at Crisler by heavily playing the bench with the focus on trying to win the final game at Breslin to give them a fighters chance in Indianapolis. I actually see him taking this approach to the Michigan games regardless of his record. I think he is wise enough to not try and bang his head in the wall to lose by 10 at Crisler if he can save his team some energy for the final game.
In the end I think MSU will need to win whole thing in Indy to make the NCAA, but I believe Izzo will be crafty on how he allots his resources the next two weeks.
At the beginning of 2021 I felt MSU would be barely in the field entering the BTT if they were 8-12. However, that was based on thinking Duke would rebound to a 5-6 caliber seed and give them a non con feather and I assume the losses would be normal. Turns out Duke will be lucky to make the NCAA and the losses to Rutgers/OSU/Iowa were brutal. If MSU can squeeze their way to 8-12 then they are a few spots out of the NCAA. That probably gives them a 10 seed in Indy. Beat say 7 seed Rutgers in the BTT and it is close to in/out. Might need to beat the 2 seed as well depending on how the national landscape plays out.
The MSU program has always been about toughness, but that mantra has been about being more athletic and bigger than the other team. When it comes to endurance, MSU has always been one of the softer teams in the Big Ten. Their endurance however is rarely tested by having a deep lineup and playing two games a week at most (remember how Keith Appling was on his knees after 31 minutes of defending Trey Burke in 2012.....or all the tired guys excuses he has over the years......weak team with endurance). With that said, Izzo is very smart on how to pace his team over a long season. Example, he understands it is useless to try and win a BTT title if he could end up a 4 seed and be sent to a Thursday NCAA game on the west coast unless Michigan is across the court. I think Izzo takes this approach for the rest of the year....
- Illinois (Tue) - plays this game as a do or die type of game knowing the Illini are shaky
- OSU (Thurs) - lays down, doesn't care, plays the bench as much as the starters, content with a 15 point loss, doesn't even prep for this game and focuses on Maryland and Indiana
If he can get to 7-11 at this point with the final two versus Michigan then I see him again content with taking a 20 point loss at Crisler by heavily playing the bench with the focus on trying to win the final game at Breslin to give them a fighters chance in Indianapolis. I actually see him taking this approach to the Michigan games regardless of his record. I think he is wise enough to not try and bang his head in the wall to lose by 10 at Crisler if he can save his team some energy for the final game.
In the end I think MSU will need to win whole thing in Indy to make the NCAA, but I believe Izzo will be crafty on how he allots his resources the next two weeks.
