3…2…1…SWISH!
I just turned and hugged Grace. It was all I could really do after the most emotionally exhausting two minutes of a game I had ever witnessed. The blown lead, the lead changes, and the clutch shots- I had run through the gamut of emotions. My entire body was literally shaking from the ending of that game. And yet it was one of the best feelings ever.
The game, at least to me, felt as big as any of our Elite 8 or Final Four games. After a season of inconsistent play, injuries, suspensions, and uninspired basketball, I just wanted something to hang my hat on. Something that wouldn’t make this season feel like a letdown.
We had been criticized all year for our lack of leadership and team chemistry, as well as our inconsistent play- and rightfully so. But like so many past Spartan teams, this one showed up when it mattered- in the tournament- to prove all doubters wrong. We are a team, and a damn good one.
“Looks like you guys got lucky,” was a text I received from a colleague from work after the game.
No, not this time. This was our game. This was us outrebounding Maryland by fifteen. This was us shooting 55% from the field, and 78% from the free throw line. For 39 out of 40 minutes, we controlled this game and led.
“But you guys hit a ridiculous amount of 3’s!” was the follow-up text. Guess how many three’s Maryland hit? Nine. Guess how many State hit? Ten. The tenth, of course, the most important.
Look, I give Maryland credit for mounting a furious comeback, but this was not a game in which we were the lucky team, this was a game Maryland was lucky to be in.
And the best part of this win was that we did it playing together, as one unit. Finally. We came together as a team because we had to. Everyone needed to step up and contribute, and they all did. It was a gutsy effort and one I will never forget. This was the win I had been waiting for all season long. This was Michigan State Spartan basketball.
We may bow out next Friday or Sunday, but I’m okay with that. It will be hard to win going forward without our best player. I’m sure we can all accept that as fact. But if we go down with the same type of effort and cohesiveness we displayed today, I’ll be a happy Spartan.
I’m so proud of this team. I’ll be wearing the green and white with pride this coming week.
~Mikey D
7 comments:
Wait, you have a popcorn machine in your house??
I completely agree that it is exhiliarating that they played as a team and some guys who we've been waiting on have really stepped up (Nix- 8 pts, Summers 10-14 FG, Lucious 13 pts). That level of effort is all you can ask for and they seem to have the necessary level of team chemistry. BUT, Lucas' likely torn achilles tendon (wow) and Roe's lagging knee injury and Allen's still questionable foot injury give me a very sour stomach. This tournament run saves their season from being called a "disappointment" but I am not ready to label it a "success".
Call me the pessimist, but I don't think we will beat Northern Iowa without Lucas. It makes me angry for "what could have been" if we were 100% and not what I feel is 60%.
Haha, no popcorn machine. One of Grace's friends who lives in South Carolina sent that to her. They had a Spartan party today =).
I can label it a success. Even at full strength, we are not an elite team because we lack the inside presence. Yes, Green/Nix/Morgan do a decent enough job, but they can't hold their own against some of the true bigs in college basketball.
But we are a good-great team if we play together. And we did today. So for finally playing up to our potential, even without Lucas and Allen, I am happy and satisfied. It's what I've wanted all year.
And I'm sure on Friday I will be sad Lucas isn't out on the floor and I will be going through the "what could have been" thoughts as well.
Let's enjoy this moment though, because it is a very very very good one. We can worry about Northern Iowa later =).
I was thinking about our "elite status," about the fact that we're a top program, but not one of THE top programs. I see Kentucky, UNC, Duke fluctuating between an "A" and a "C". Every few years, they will have the lottery talent to win a championship. For UNC, you have the Tyler Hansborough years, but you also have the Matt Doerhty era. I think MSU is a little more consistent, although usually at a slightly lower tier. We are usually a "B+" but the Flintstones take us up to an "A-" (ok, maybe an "A") whereas the first round to Nevada a few years ago takes us down to a "B". The question is, would you prefer to be consistently good with a few Final Fours sprinkled in, or would you prefer to be great every 4 years or so and have to deal with some NIT appearances? Call it the "Atlanta Braves/Florida Marlins paradox"
I say I like our situation because we ALWAYS have hope for success.
You're 27 by the way - your profile still says 26 by the way.
If we cut down on the turnovers and play the same high-level, team-oriented game that we did today, I will be satisfied win or lose against Northern Iowa.
I think Adam is right, I'm not quite ready to call the season a success, but after this game I don't think anyone can call this season a failure.
And I would rather have the B+ team than the A/C team too.
I don't ever want to see us in the NIT.
Haha, the Atlanta Braves/Florida Marlins paradox. I like it.
Definitely would rather be a B+. I love that every year we have hope. And hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies...couldn't resist =).
In our defense though, the Nevada thing doesn't happen all too often. Under Izzo, haven't we gone to the sweet sixteen 9 out of the past 13 years? Not only are we making the tournament, but we are consistently getting to that second day. First round upsets are few and far between (and fuck you Marcus Taylor for leaving early and leaving us shorthanded those years). That's elite program work right there.
I still think the performance during the regular season needs to be stronger in order for us to get into the A- range...
As far as a successful season goes, did we play our best basketball when it mattered most? Did we come together to do it? Again, this team was never a Final Four caliber team (in comparison to the other big boys), and they erased that disappointment label by reaching the sweet sixteen and turned the season into a successful one by the way they beat Maryland.
Post a Comment