State Beat Illinois 81-72
Helps UM in their bid for a regular-season crown
Helps solidify Izzo's case for B1G Coach of the Year /s
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game?gameId=401286699
February 24th, 2021 at 9:12 AM ^
This. at one point in the 2nd half Illinois couldve cut it to 6, but missed all the free throws. MSU was basically begging them to take the game away and they couldn't do it. Illinois, while a good team physically, looked very soft mentally.
February 24th, 2021 at 11:22 AM ^
Wasn’t that the flagrant too? Where they got the ball back and could have made it a one possession game.
February 24th, 2021 at 4:21 PM ^
yep, bricked the easiest shot in the game - twice
February 24th, 2021 at 11:33 AM ^
Wasn't it Illinois who called Michigan a white collar team a few years back?
February 24th, 2021 at 10:02 AM ^
Not to mention 0-12 on layups in the first half for Illinois. I remember cursing when Teske missed one or two last year in several games. I can't (yet) imagine missing that many in one-half of play.
February 24th, 2021 at 8:45 AM ^
cockburn is 7 ft tall. why in the hell would they triple team dickinson?
February 24th, 2021 at 9:48 AM ^
I think they were talking about MSU here- since MSU's strategy was essentially to double/triple Cockburn and make him try to pass (he doesn't pass, has 2 assists in conference play).
February 24th, 2021 at 7:34 AM ^
I've seen this horror movie before, the monster apparently dead instead rises and . . .
February 24th, 2021 at 7:39 AM ^
I don't disagree but this feels very different from previous years. Illinois played like absolute garbage last night and still had chances at the end. I didn't see anything from MSU that makes me think they're a good team.
I also didn't see anything that suggests they won't try everything they can to drag us down to their level though, so who knows what happens when we play them.
February 24th, 2021 at 8:04 AM ^
They had chances at the end? They were down like 15-20 the whole second half?
February 24th, 2021 at 8:14 AM ^
Sure they did, at the flagrant 2 mark, if they hit free throws and score on the awarded possession its a 6, possibly 5 point game with 4 min left.
February 24th, 2021 at 8:22 AM ^
Ayo missing the two FTs after the flagrant, and then I believe got fouled again and made 1 FT.
That was the moment when the game was officially over. If Illinois hit those FTs and then scored on that possession, you are looking at a massive swing.
Illinois had their chances. Credit MSU to shutting Ayo down. When he goes, that team falls apart.
February 24th, 2021 at 10:58 AM ^
It was a 10-point game at the time of the flagrant foul. Dosunmu then missed three straight free throws. Illinois had opportunities to make it a game but were putrid at the line and around the rim.
February 24th, 2021 at 10:07 AM ^
Yeah, I'm not sure sparty would have won if they didn't have the whistle, but that's fine with me for that particular game. Both of those teams looked much more beatable than osu.
February 24th, 2021 at 7:59 AM ^
Double tap the sparty monster!
February 24th, 2021 at 7:54 AM ^
Every team in this conference, and in every other major conference, by this time of the year is capable of beating every other team...that's the nature of conference play-as last night's upsets and near upsets show. There are no gimmes in these next five games for Michigan. And for all who believe otherwise-and there seems to be quite the gaggle of them/you-hang on to your seats...it could be a rough ride. Reading through the recent posts...the assumptions being made-oh my! While I, too, believe Michigan has the coaching and character to avert a disaster there are no guarantees here.
February 24th, 2021 at 7:54 AM ^
I don't trust anything msu...even what I see with my very own eyes...they will probably have a walk on named Jebron Lames make his season debut against UM who becomes the best basketball player the earth has seen. They play dirty, they are dirty, I cant stand anything about their bball program.
I want UM to beat them so bad to end this season back to back. Frankly, I think there is a great learning opportunity to end the season. Lot of games in a short time against some decent teams, a rival (twice), etc. They may lose one or have some close calls and that may be ok. The team seems to learn and grow every time they face a challenge which is a sign of a GREAT coach and a team willing to learn.
February 24th, 2021 at 8:13 AM ^
JeBron Lames is not as good as Jichael Mordan. Not even close.
February 24th, 2021 at 9:13 AM ^
Wrong sport, but I hear Bom Trady is pretty good.
February 24th, 2021 at 10:05 AM ^
JeBron would have played last Sunday.
February 24th, 2021 at 8:14 AM ^
Does anyone remember which front page article talked about the weird results of back to back games between the same teams? I didn’t see it in the UVs. The mid majors have been playing back to back all year and from memory there were like 40 point swings over the 2 games. I wanted to look back at those type of results to see how we can avoid going 1-1 against state
February 24th, 2021 at 1:05 PM ^
I don't remember the specific article but there is one important thing to note. Many of those mid-major games were back to back with no rest days to cut down on travel. Like Drake plays Bradley on Feb 26 & 27.
February 24th, 2021 at 8:17 AM ^
I have been relatively consistent about my thoughts with Illinois all season long- they are a two man show. The difference between them and OSU is that OSU has a ton more depth around them after Washington and Liddell.
Young is solid around the rim. Walker is a very reliable PG. Sueing is an excellent role player.
Outside of Ayo and Cockburn, Illinois is void of anyone reliable.
MSU pained a pretty clear picture of how to stop Illinois. Make Dosummu go his opposite hand and he freaks out.
With that being said, Illinois was laughably off yesterday. Shooting 56% from the line ain't gonna get it done.
February 24th, 2021 at 10:25 AM ^
Outside of Ayo and Cockburn, Illinois is void of anyone reliable
Illinois also has Trent Frazier who is like a smaller diet Duane Washington, but besides those 3, they really don't have anyone
February 24th, 2021 at 10:40 AM ^
Miller is good too, but I total agree that Ayo and Kofi suck up all the possessions for UI. Stop them and Illinois collapses. Also, Illinois doesn't make a lot of 3pt shots (10th in B1G) . They rely on pts in the paint. Don't see that happening against UM.
February 24th, 2021 at 10:48 AM ^
Kofi literally has no post moves. He just basically slams into the guy and dunks or throws up something. I think a guy like Dickinson, as long as he stands his ground, can make his life tough.
February 24th, 2021 at 10:47 AM ^
Frazier's aight. The big difference between the two is that Washington has like 40+ pounds on Frazier. Washington is a big, stocky dude who can create. Frazier's a string bean that really can't make his own shot.
February 24th, 2021 at 8:19 AM ^
I don't think Michigan would take MSU lightly. But last night should solidify that. Sweep Tim and the Spartans.
February 24th, 2021 at 8:37 AM ^
If being a Michigan fan has taught me anything, it's that sparty will sneak into the tourney as a 16 seed play UM in the first round and beat them with the refs help. BPONE.
February 24th, 2021 at 9:06 AM ^
I remember BPONE retiring from basketball sometime this season, but I can't find that post on his user page. Nonetheless, I reject your BPONEity...
February 24th, 2021 at 10:20 AM ^
BPONE doesn’t exist with basketball. Not this year, anyway.
Wrong sport, pal.
February 24th, 2021 at 9:30 AM ^
I don't ever want to see sparty win. We don't need their help. We will win this title by busting thru the front door.
February 24th, 2021 at 10:04 AM ^
When the chips are down, Angry Midget comes out swinging. And so do his players. Literally.
February 24th, 2021 at 10:04 AM ^
I think we should have wanted MSU to lose, so they miss the tournament... we will win the BIG anyway.
February 24th, 2021 at 10:12 AM ^
I'm happy for the help in the Big Ten title race, but don't love that MSU may be rounding into form. OSU needs to take them down a notch on Thursday.
February 24th, 2021 at 10:40 AM ^
MSU isn't rounding into form, they have nothing to lose, and barring a 75% run, no tournament.
They don't have the talent.
Now, if Foster Loyer doesn't play another minute.......
February 24th, 2021 at 10:59 AM ^
He didn't play last night. Maybe you are on to something.
February 24th, 2021 at 10:51 AM ^
This is what we need. I’m a bit loathe to cheer for osu, but I wouldn’t be sad if they blew the doors off msu and set Michigan up to pull a finishing move keeping them out of the tourney. Until I see otherwise, I’m convinced the committee will bend over backwards to sneak them in.
February 24th, 2021 at 11:19 AM ^
It's a big win for MSU but they are also expected to lose the last 5 games per KenPom. I don't necessarily believe they'll lose all 5 of those games but Minnesota crushed UM at home and have basically cratered since then. MSU is playing a bit better but sometimes a bad team just gets the goat of a better team and that's it. I do think they'll win a couple of games down the stretch but this league is weird enough with its fluctuations that I don't read too much into MSU beating Illinois.
February 24th, 2021 at 11:21 AM ^
I stand corrected, previously stating that Ill should roll over sparty. Double edge sword for sure. It's good that Ill falls further behind our Maize and Blue but bad because sparty is surging.
The sparty victory tells Juwan on how to play Ill. However, when we play sparty, it will be not be a cake walk. Lots of time to watch sparty until those last two games.
Meanwhile, Michigan will take care of business and good luck tonight. Go Blue!
February 24th, 2021 at 11:36 AM ^
Illinois looked very unimpressive. MSU was able to get in Cockburns head just by being physical with him and he was very ineffective after that. Combine that with an off night for Dosunmu and Illinois doesn’t have anyone else that can really beat you. Illinois playing like garbage and missing half their FTs was the difference in this one. MSU isn’t good, they just played their typical brand of Izzo bully ball and it worked against a team that didn’t appear to have the mental fortitude to handle that type of thing.
February 24th, 2021 at 3:26 PM ^
In Martelli I trust
February 24th, 2021 at 3:38 PM ^
Quit worrying about MSU! Past (seasons) results are not a predictor of future performance. The jersey isn't going to jump up and beat us. Scott Skiles, Steve Smith, Magic...they ain't walking onto that court.
Illinois was terrible last night. MSU is not good! They can't shoot the ball, they can't defend the post, they don't score in the post. They don't get to the rim.
I mean, could they beat us? Sure. But I am about as concerned as I would be with a rematch versus Penn State.
They might have one or two wins in their last five games. They could beat IU, and they could beat Maryland, both are about a coin flip. Highly unlikely that they beat us or OSU.