Mikey D

We're ten games in, and we have a little break over the next nine days with finals. Then it's a tune-up against IPFW and the big one against Texas (I want that win bad...). Here are more thoughts, both looking back and looking ahead.

Yes, Yes, and Yes!
That was it last night! I watched the game against Oakland last night and we finally put it all together. I know a thirty point win against an inferior team is nothing to beat our chests about, but the way we played was something that is probably going to make Mr. Izzo fairly happy over the next nine days. Not only did we have a reasonable amount of turnovers (12) and continue our rebounding dominance, but we hit a surprising 56% from the field- and they were good shots, too. Everyone was in-sync as a team, and despite off nights by Morgan and Summers shooting the ball, the rest of the team picked up the slack. For the first time all year we looked like a dominant top-10 team.

Nix and Sherman Will Be Damn Good Someday.
There is nothing spectacular about Sherman. He's like a cross between Suton and Herzog- Gumpy, skinny, and, um, stupid looking. But the kid can play. Of all our big men he's probably got the best post moves (maybe second to Draymond...although it's debatable if you would classify him as a true big man). He's a little hesitant to shoot the ball at times, but when he gets comfortable towards the end of this year or the next, he's going to be a real asset. He seems like he's going to fit into the Izzo system quite well (evident by the minutes he's already getting).

And Nix? He didn't get many meaningful minutes against the solid competition (Florida and UNC), but that's understandable. Those teams have premier athletes that are well conditioned. Nix just cannot keep up with them at his current playing weight. But he does have a lot of talent. Last night he chased down a dribbler from behind and poked the ball away from him that led to a fast break dunk. He also scrambled for a loose ball and threw a no-look over the shoulder pass to a man streaking on the fast break for a dunk. You can't teach that; it's just raw talent. I'm not going to expect too much from Nix this year, but if he can get his weight down and hit a free throw at the beginning of next year, he will be one of my favorite Spartans.

What's Wrong with Summers?
It's like he's been studying the career of Raymar Morgan: Show signs of brilliance, and then suck to the point that it's maddeningly frustrating for all who watch. The best part of Summers' game last year was that he was an energy guy that came in off the bench and came up with a big turnover or dunk. This year I don't think he has a single highlight reel dunk. He's provided no spark. And to make matters worse, he cannot hit an outside shot to save his life. His outside shots have been so far from the rim that you'd think he was shooting from half court every time. I'd be all in favor of a Lucas-Allen-Morgan-Roe-Sherman starting five and having Summers come back off the bench.

I'm Mostly Right About Roe.
In my last MSU post I said, "I think the most we can realistically expect from Roe is some solid rebounding games and 6-10 points on dunks and put-backs". I think that's still a fair assessment, as Roe in the post in a half court set is not a pretty sight. But of all the Spartans this year, Roe has probably been my favorite. That slow start he got off to at the beginning of the year is a thing of the past, as he's been in beast-mode lately. He's been crashing the boards hard. He's absolutely ferocious on the glass and he seems to have developed a knack for knowing where the ball is going to be. I like that. He's a hustle guy, but an explosive one at that. He's not going to just throw in lay-ups- he's going to slam it in your face if he's got the chance. He's been fun to watch, and I hope he keeps on doing what he's doing.

Big Ten Predictions:
I will still stick with my preseason prediction of being 3rd in the conference. I'll take Purdue to win it, and Ohio State to finish second. I know Evan Turner is out for OSU, but they don't face the toughest part of their schedule (two games against Illinois, and one apiece against Purdue and us) until the later part of February- when they might have Turner back. I think they have enough talent to still do very well in the conference, and I just don't trust us to be overly consistent. We will see though.

Fuck...
Fuck Florida.
Fuck North Carolina.
I hate you both.

~Mikey D