A great first step, and a huge second test

Yes, that's right, MSU has no chance unless Drew Neitzel scores 20-plus. Uhhhhhhhhh.......

    This was pretty much a blowout, without any offense from Neitzel. But then, that's what happens when everyone else produces, and when everyone -- freshmen included -- combines for one of the best team defensive efforts of the season. Izzo said it was the best defense "in a long time," and that may go back to last year.
    So now, since my brilliant pick of Oral Roberts over Pittsburgh didn't come through, the Spartans get perhaps the hottest team in the nation. And they are every bit as good as people say. Now that Pitt is healthy, it has all you need to be a championship team, as seen in last week's Big East tourney.
    I watched the Panthers from press row today, with Tom Izzo a couple seats over from me. The look on his face after several Pitt displays was telling: His team is going to have to play its absolute A game to get to the Sweet Sixteen.

   

Comments

[Rudedog]

Whatever, some people said that the Owls would beat us. If the Sparty's bring it they can hang with almost any team in the tourney. If they dont it doesnt matter who we are playing Let us enjoy the victory and hope the ride continues.

Go Green.

[griff325]

Don't kid yourself Joe, PITTs overrated, not to say that we weren't this season, but PITT is as beatable as Memphis is.

[Spartan Al]

Hey--don't use the Sparty name. We are the Spartans.
If we beat Pitt, and it will be a hard game, we can get to the Elite Eight.
Just have to have our A game

[DCSpartan]

Who can really say that Pitt is overrated? That's ridiculous. I'm not saying we can't beat them, but they did win the Big East tournament, beat Duke, beat Georgetown, and put an absolute clinic on against ORU. Walton needs to guard Levance Fields, Neitzel/Lucas on Ramon (that kid can shoot the 3), Morgan has to play even better defense against Young, and Naymick has to battle against DeJuan Blair, a beast under the net. Let's hope the green and white does indeed bring its A game. It will need it. GO STATE!!!!

[Psyc]

Saw both games (thank you satelite tv) and I agree that we will need a great game to beat Pitt. But they are going to have to do a whole lot more than put their jerseys on to top our Spartans. Great job RAYMAR!

Lets see if they can run their offense and then get back on d against us. Who does Pitt try to stop offensively? Who do they try to take advantage of defensively?

Pitt needs to respect the Spartans just as much as we need to respect them! I think this one comes down to coaching, and I'll take Izzo every time.

[Spartan Al]

I got to believe that we have to run like we did against Indiana. I have been watching Bob Knight in ESPN, and he believes that Pitt can get to the final 4. I respect hip opinions, but it is possible that the Spartans can get it done vs Pitt

[Spar10Larry]

Has anyone heard what Seth Davis had to say after we took care of Temple? What jerk that guy is ... three years ago he picks State to lose to Old Dominion. Now he picks Temple to beat the Spartans 5 seconds after the bracket was posted. Apparently he has no respect Izzo's program.

[Rudedog]

Spartan Al, I graduated from State and I dont have a problem with Sparty. If you do keep it to yourself.

Go State

[colorado spartan]

Joe is right. I was at the game, 11th row center court. While I was happy with our boys, Pitt was doing anything they wanted against ORU. Pitt is fast, strong and have great shooters. They pass to the open man, and hit the threes. Their post player goes up strong. They push it up court and play an up tempo game.

That said, their defense isn't as good as ours. If we can clamp down on them, we have a chance. We will need to have a great defensive game to stop them as they are very, very good.

If we win this game, it will be a victory against the toughest opponent this year, and our most impressive victory.

Go Green!

[Rudedog]

Please, we would have ruined ORU. consider the level of competition. Nobody was talking about Pitt going down in the 1st round because ORU sucks. If we come to play you can put a double digit defeat on Pitt.

Go State.

[griff325]

Yea exactly, once again who is to say PITT isn't overrated?? Duke was really overrated, so with them beating duke that sais nothing to me, but that Duke is beatable. Oral Roberts is a joke, they ran circles around them. They don't have as strong of a defense as we do. So they beat Georgetown, we beat Texas and I would say we were kind of overrated, but in the tourney, I would agree to take Izzo over their head coach.

[Rudedog]

If it comes down to coaching Izzo will carry us to the sweet sixteen. Let the unfaithful go do some spring cleaning. Rock on Spartys.......

[Shelly Waxman]

If State plays an A game, they can beat anybody. I'd call Temple game a B+. Bad on offensive rebounds. So they have 4 A games to go. We ground Pitt's football teams. Let's shoot the Panther.

[Pops]

We can all agree on THIS. MSU vs Pitt will be the best game of the week end.

[griff325]

haha OMG IF DUKE LOSES THIS OMG OMG!!!! HAHA

[tien_3]

All I can say is..........

GO GREEN GO WHITE

[Spartan95]

It is safe to say that only the Sparty nation believes in the green and white. If we keep winning, we will be underdogs for every game and all the espn big dogs will pick against us. Nobody outside of the faithful will pick us for Saturday. Perfect. It will take a Spartan effort, a little luck, and a really big Idong to get to the Sweet 16. It's our time and Neitzel will be huge.

[xwing]

so far both the big east and the big ten are looking tough this tournament. big east 3-0 (counting ND as a win because they are killing george mason) and big ten 2-0 with wis and v tech still left to play tonight.

no question that pitt is a good team but they aren't unbeatable and i think it is pretty much an even up game.

[Spartan in St Augustine]

xwing who is v tech? statement makes no sense

[Colorado Kos]

I was at this morning's game (chowing on free food and drinks in my company's Pepsi Center suite, no less!) and it was refreshing to see the Spartan team show up that we all know exists. When MSU and Temple took the floor, it looked like the varsity squad against the JVs. Temple never really had a chance. One thing the game did expose was that Coach better get the guys prepared for the press, because they didn't handle Temple's particularly well late in the 2nd half. Big team win, and huge props to the other Drew for his invaluable contributions.

But I have to say that Pitt is a damn good basketball team, and the game Saturday will be anything but a cakewalk. They're big, and they're tough. State's not going to be able to dominate them down low like against Temple. Do I think State will win? Absolutely. But I think some of you think all MSU has to do is just show up and it'll be a 20-point win. I bet you were thinking that when we went to Iowa and Penn State this year, too. This is no gimme.

Go Green!

[spartanpst]

Overall pretty good play today i give it a B. I realize we easily won without drew but we're about to play a very very good team who makes very few mistakes. I've been surprised by a couple of good wins without drew this year but were gonna need him in this one.

The only way i see us winning without him is if (very unlikely) Pitt plays to about a C grade and we have pretty balanced scoring throughout except for drew.

He's gotta play like it's his last game because it very well could be...

[ms cupcake]

If State can start lighting up from three like we have before they are unbeatable. Enough said.

[xwing]

Spartan in St Augustine:

sorry west virginia. they are the big east team i was talking about. i can't believe this wiscsonson team. they really do flop all over the court. i think marc v should start keeping track of that stat. i can't decide if i should be rooting for them to win or not...

[griff325]

Haha wow would I love to see Wisky one and done tonight, their havin a hard time so far.

[Spartan in St Augustine]

griff325 kind of agree with you, but that just leads to more fodder for the talking heads insions like sethie and dicking and diggie, so let win against a 3 name school and loose sat.