Just before halftime a stat came up. Louisville has won 94 straight games when leading by 6 at the half. State was trailing by 6. Moments later the Cardinals scored again and led at the half 40-32. That didn’t sound promising.
Yet it didn’t seem like the Spartans were that far behind. Louisville plays a unique defense that shifts between trapping, zone and man to man – all in the same possession. They were forcing some turnovers and getting some easy points.
But State was hanging tough. They started the game grabbing rebounds, making some steals and hitting threes. The game was close. Until the threes started clanking and the intensity waned just a bit. The rebounds were going Louisville’s way and they had their biggest lead.
I hate to imagine what was really said at halftime but the intensity returned. A defense that allowed over 50% shooting in the first half suffocated the Cards into 5 of 25 shooting in the seconds half. State slowly crawled back.
One guy who didn’t get the message was Dawson. Two lazy passes resulted in pick sixes for Louisville and he was benched with four minutes to go in regulation. Izzo lit into him. It worked - for awhile
The game was physical and brutal inside. Schilling and Costello had fouled out. Dawson and freshman Marvin Clark would need to cover the paint. They were more than up for the job. Clark was incredible in getting a late rebound and getting fouled. But he’s a freshman in the biggest game of his life. Clark went to the foul line and missed two. State led by 1 with 12 seconds left.
Louisville drove and missed but Mangok Mathiang (playing with 4 fouls) grabbed the offensive rebound over Dawson and Clark had to foul. Izzo lights into Dawson again.
Mathiang clanks the first one but it bounces high and in. We are tied. And given the way it lucked in everyone, including Petino thought the second one would too. “I was positive we were going to win it when the first free throw went in because it shouldn't have gone in”
It didn’t. State grabs the rebound and a Trice half court heave at the buzzer missed. We’re headed to overtime.
The boys were texting. They weren’t optimistic. State has been horrible in OT including a crushing loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten tourney. An OT where they failed to even score.
Winning in OT is all about momentum. Forbes hits a three to start OT. Momentum was with State. Still, Louisville is well coached and tough too. They weren’t going away.
With 36 seconds left, Forbes jacks another three but misses and then this
Yet it didn’t seem like the Spartans were that far behind. Louisville plays a unique defense that shifts between trapping, zone and man to man – all in the same possession. They were forcing some turnovers and getting some easy points.
But State was hanging tough. They started the game grabbing rebounds, making some steals and hitting threes. The game was close. Until the threes started clanking and the intensity waned just a bit. The rebounds were going Louisville’s way and they had their biggest lead.
I hate to imagine what was really said at halftime but the intensity returned. A defense that allowed over 50% shooting in the first half suffocated the Cards into 5 of 25 shooting in the seconds half. State slowly crawled back.
One guy who didn’t get the message was Dawson. Two lazy passes resulted in pick sixes for Louisville and he was benched with four minutes to go in regulation. Izzo lit into him. It worked - for awhile
The game was physical and brutal inside. Schilling and Costello had fouled out. Dawson and freshman Marvin Clark would need to cover the paint. They were more than up for the job. Clark was incredible in getting a late rebound and getting fouled. But he’s a freshman in the biggest game of his life. Clark went to the foul line and missed two. State led by 1 with 12 seconds left.
Louisville drove and missed but Mangok Mathiang (playing with 4 fouls) grabbed the offensive rebound over Dawson and Clark had to foul. Izzo lights into Dawson again.
Mathiang clanks the first one but it bounces high and in. We are tied. And given the way it lucked in everyone, including Petino thought the second one would too. “I was positive we were going to win it when the first free throw went in because it shouldn't have gone in”
It didn’t. State grabs the rebound and a Trice half court heave at the buzzer missed. We’re headed to overtime.
The boys were texting. They weren’t optimistic. State has been horrible in OT including a crushing loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten tourney. An OT where they failed to even score.
Winning in OT is all about momentum. Forbes hits a three to start OT. Momentum was with State. Still, Louisville is well coached and tough too. They weren’t going away.
With 36 seconds left, Forbes jacks another three but misses and then this
For years, Izzo has been trying to get Dawson to play to his potential. His tactics would work and then Dawson would slack off again. Even within the same game. Twice Izzo had to try to light a fire under BJ only to see it flicker out.
But this time it stayed lit and did Dawson over come through. He skied over everyone for the game clinching put back. It was pure, unadulterated athleticism – at just the right time.
With the win, Izzo extends his record March Madness wins as lower seed to 13-9 the most in tourney history. Three of the four wins this year were as a lower seed.
And he hopes to do what UConn did last year – win it all as a seven seed. In fact, the coincidences between this year’s Spartan team and last year’s Husky team are amazing
1. Both finished 12-6 in conference play.
2. Both finished third in their conference.
3. Both were runners up in the conference tourney.
4. Both were 7 seeds.
5. Both beat a 10, 4, 3, 2 to get to the Final Four.
6. Both played a 1 seed in the Final Four.
7. Both had Wisconsin and Kentucky on the other side of the Final Four
8. Both were ranked No. 18 in the preseason AP poll
9. MSU scores 71.9 points per game - UConn scored 71.8 points per game
10. Both allowed 62.3 points per game
Here’s hoping it plays out exactly the same
Go Green
But this time it stayed lit and did Dawson over come through. He skied over everyone for the game clinching put back. It was pure, unadulterated athleticism – at just the right time.
With the win, Izzo extends his record March Madness wins as lower seed to 13-9 the most in tourney history. Three of the four wins this year were as a lower seed.
And he hopes to do what UConn did last year – win it all as a seven seed. In fact, the coincidences between this year’s Spartan team and last year’s Husky team are amazing
1. Both finished 12-6 in conference play.
2. Both finished third in their conference.
3. Both were runners up in the conference tourney.
4. Both were 7 seeds.
5. Both beat a 10, 4, 3, 2 to get to the Final Four.
6. Both played a 1 seed in the Final Four.
7. Both had Wisconsin and Kentucky on the other side of the Final Four
8. Both were ranked No. 18 in the preseason AP poll
9. MSU scores 71.9 points per game - UConn scored 71.8 points per game
10. Both allowed 62.3 points per game
Here’s hoping it plays out exactly the same
Go Green