Should the Spartans Go Dancing?

Big 10 Record: 9-9
Overall Record: 17-13
RPI: 48
SOS: 9
Good Wins: Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin
Bad Losses: Iowa

Joe Lunardi Prediction: Yes, has the Spartans as one of the last 4 teams in the Dance. This would shun Missouri State, USC, Georgia and Alabama.

My thoughts: As long as State wins their Big 10 tourney opening round game vs Iowa, then they are in. However, I don't personally think they deserve it. They started out the season ranked #2 in the nation and then played themselves right out of the Top 25 and into mediocrity. They did next to nothing during the season to prove they belong. My personal feeling is they had their shot at being a player this year and blew it. I would much rather see a good mid-major like Missouri State get a shot at making a run. Also, I honestly think Mizzou State could beat the Spartans on a neutral floor.

Spartans to Wear State of Michigan Helmet Decal

Michigan State football players will wear a decal of a silver outline of the state of Michigan on the backs of their helmets as a show for the down economy and struggling auto industry.

MSU coach Mark Dantonio came up with the idea, and athletic director Mark Hollis made the "Silver Lining" campaign a reality.

The state symbol is a take-off on the round "ANF" -- American Needs Farmers -- stickers affixed to Iowa's helmets in the 1980s as a show of support for that state's beleaguered agriculture industry.

"Given the challenging economic conditions that we face in the state of Michigan, we wanted to show support for the residents and businesses in our home state and encourage everyone to unite for our common good," Dantonio said in a statement issued by MSU.

Out on Bail, Fresh Outta Jail

Michigan State Spartans Head Coach Mark Dantonio has reinstated sophomore running back Glenn Winston who was recently released from jail four months after seriously injuring a Spartans hockey player with a sucker punch to the head. For his actions Winston was originally sentenced to 180 days in jail, how ever that sentence was reduced and he was released in July.

However, now Dantonio believes Glenn has paid for his actions and will be allowed to rejoin the Spartan football team.

Dantonio was quoted as saying "Glenn has done everything that he's been asked to do from a judicial and a team standpoint. He has paid the penalty for his actions -- publicly, legally and athletically -- and he worked hard to maintain his academic eligibility while doing so. We regret the entire incident, however at this time, it is important that we support Glenn socially, academically and athletically. He still has a lot of work to do."

I think this is an absolute crock. So let me get this straight, this guy goes and sucker punches a fellow Michigan State athlete, gives him a closed head injury, could have possibly killed him.... and you want him back on the team??? This is pathetic. Whether he has paid for his actions or not according to the judicial system, there are plenty of great athletes who have not committed a henious crime that would love to play for a Big Ten team.

Has the need to advance the program really come to this? Pathetic.

State of Michigan Power Rankings

Best NCAA Basketball Teams in the State of Michigan in Order

Michigan State
(14-3 Big Ten, 24-5 Overall)
RPI: 6
Strength of Schedule: 7
Key Wins: Oklahoma State, Texas, Kansas, Minnesota, Illinois
In-State Wins: Oakland, @ Michigan
In-State Losses: -


Michigan
(8-9 Big Ten, 18-12 Overall)
RPI: 48
Strength of Schedule: 9
Key Wins: UCLA, Duke, Illinois, Purdue
In-State Wins: Eastern, Oakland
In-State Losses: Michigan State


Oakland
(13-5 Summit, 20-11 Overall)
RPI: 130
Strength of Schedule: 286
Key Wins: Oregon, @ Wisc - Green Bay, North Dakota State
In-State Wins: @ Eastern
In-State Losses: Michigan, Michigan State


Detroit
(2-16 Horizon, 7-23 Overall)
RPI: 277
Strength of Schedule: 145
Key Wins: -
In-State Wins: Eastern, @ Central
In-State Losses: Western


Western
(6-8 MAC, 9-19 Overall)
RPI: 292
Strength of Schedule: 269
Key Wins: -
In-State Wins: Detroit, @ Central, @ Eastern, Eastern
In-State Losses: -


Central
(5-9 MAC, 9-18 Overall)
RPI: 300
Strength of Schedule: 275
Key Wins: -
In-State Wins: Detroit
In-State Losses: Detroit, Western, @ Eastern, Eastern


Eastern
(4-10 MAC, 6-23 Overall)
RPI: 329
Strength of Schedule: 240
Key Wins: -
In-State Wins: Central, @ Central
In-State Losses: @ Detroit, @ Michigan, Oakland, Western, @ Western

Sparty Shocked at Breslin Center by Penn State

Michigan State has won all five of their conference games on the road, but the Spartans have also now lost two consecutive games at home after being upset by Penn State on 72-68 on Sunday.

In an arena where MSU (17-4, 7-2) has easily compiled double-digit winning streaks over multiple seasons, consecutive home losses have been nonexistent for more than a decade. The last time MSU fell twice in a row at home before Sunday was in the 1997-98 season, when the Spartans dropped back-to-back games against Temple and Detroit in the fall.

"It gave Penn State confidence when Northwestern beat us," said MSU senior guard Travis Walton. "They said it in the paper. They were talking about it, saying the Spartans looked beatable right now. Different players were making comments."

"You have to come in here and make baskets if you're going to beat a great team like Michigan State," said Penn State coach Ed DeChellis. "You're just not going to line up and beat them. You've got to do something special and special tonight was making threes."

The Nittany Lions (17-5, 6-3) were 50% (10-for-20) from three-point range and shot 56.3% overall.

Northwestern = Basketball Powerhouse

Spartan basketball had been on a roll. They had not lost since being drubbed by North Carolina on December 3rd. They had won 28 games in a row at the Breslin Center. They also hadn't lost to an unranked team in the regular season during a span of 80 games. Well, that all came to an end last night when the Northwestern Basketball Wildcats came to East Lansing and beat the Spartans on their own court.

Certainly NW has a much improved team this season (10-6 overall) with a couple of big ten wins and a couple of other big ten heartbreak losses. Sure Raymar Morgan had the flu and played only 18 minutes. Those are excuses. The Spartans once again started slow in the first half, turned the ball over at will (18), and couldn't solve the Wildcats 1-3-1 defense. Tom Izzo went as far as calling the team "dysfunctional." That would be a fitting description of what fans watched last night.

It will be interesting to see how the team responds on Sunday whey travel to Columbus to take on the 24th ranked Buckeyes (13-4).

Peterson to be Retired to the Rafters

Morris Peterson's #42 will soon be hanging in the rafters of the Breslin center in recognition of his contribution to the basketball program. The Spartans will retire his number at a ceremony 20 minutes before today's 4 p.m. game against Illinois.

Morris was quoted as saying:

"I remember going into the Breslin the first time, looking up to the rafters and seeing all the great guys who have been through Michigan State," Peterson said Friday. "To have my name mentioned with those guys is just a tremendous honor.

Peterson was an All-American and All-Big Ten selection after averaging 16.8 points and six rebounds per game as a senior. He is ranked 10th on MSU's all-time scoring list with 1,588 points, after playing on three Big Ten championship and two NCAA Final Four teams.

Spartans Slay Irish

The Spartans continued their winning ways Saturday behind another 200-yard rushing day from their All-American candidate Javon Ringer. Ringer once again looked impressive and the Spartan defense ended Notre Dame's win streak by doing something that SDSU and UofM couldn't do against the Irish in previous weeks, sack the QB. As many thought, State proved Notre Dame isn't as good as some analysts were leading us to believe after beating a weak Aztec team and a transitioning Wolverine squad.

Although as one fellow DGFer pointed out, the key to the Spartans becoming a Big Ten Championship contender is not how well Ringer performs, but how well Hoyer plays. Hoyer's throwing percentage was under 50% this afternoon with no passing touchdowns. Hoyer needs to get better if this team is going to be a contender.

Spartans Win Sign of More to Come?

The Michigan State Spartans shutout their opponent for the first time since 1999 against Northwestern, which ended in a 17-0 victory over mid-major Florida Atlantic. While this can be seen as a large accomplishment for the Spartans, I'd warn the fans to not get too excited just yet as it being a pre-cursor to future victories.

The Owls' had three significant blown opportunities that could have easily changed the game from a shut out loss to going into over time. As ridiculous as it sounds after a 17-0 shut out, I'd even venture to say FAU had enough dropped and misdirected passes that they might have won in regulation, if they just hit their wide open players.

The other thing to consider is it was a down pour for much of the game and FAU's bread and butter is the passing game, which of course was at a minimum due to slippery conditions.

So while State did in the end take care of business and Javon Ringer looked good on a muddy track, I'd caution Sparty fans to hope for better play then this from their team if they hope to crack the top 3 in the Big Ten this year or next.