On-court chemistry a concern for Spartans

By Sean Ely | Originally Published: 11/26/07 7:33pm |Modified: 11/26/07 8:26pm | No comments

Nick Dentamaro | The State News

From left, Junior guard Travis Walton, sophomore forward Raymar Morgan, senior guard Drew Neitzel and junior center Goran Suton help Neitzel up and talk on the court during the game against Oakland on Saturday. In his Monday press conference, head coach Tom Izzo expressed concern about the chemistry of the players on the court.

At his Monday press conference, men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo said there’s nothing to worry about in regard to the Spartans’ chemistry off the court — it’s the on-court chemistry that needs work.

“One of my biggest concerns with the new and the old was court chemistry,” Izzo said. “At key positions, which is the guard position, we are almost (playing) more rookies than veterans … There are a lot more pluses than minuses, but we just don’t seem real smooth yet.”

But Izzo said this is something all NCAA teams are going through at such an early stage in the season.

“All of us are really trying to get a handle on what we really have in our teams right now,” he said. “I, for one, should quit panicking about what we don’t have and realize it’s November … we’re going to have our sixth game and some years we are really only playing our first or second game.”

Izzo said he and his team won’t have a handle for a while, but they need to find ways to win games and practice, improving as they go along.

Turnovers

The Spartans have turned the ball over 84 times in their first five games — which is 25 more than their opponents.

Izzo said at certain times, MSU’s turnovers are “a ridiculous nature and inexcusable.”

“And it’s not one guy,” he said. “Ironically, it’s not the freshmen, it’s other people.”

Izzo said his team could start pulling away from opponents in games if they eliminate turnovers.

Striving for consistency

Izzo said a crucial component for improvement is to shy away from streaky gameplay — flying up and down the court one half and barely trudging across the hardwood another.

“We just have to get consistent effort from five guys on the floor at a time,” senior guard Drew Neitzel said after Saturday’s 75-71 win against Oakland.

“I think that’s the reason for some of our inconsistency — and that leads to breakdowns and mishaps, turnovers, things like that.”

Neitzel said if the Spartans can get five guys in sync for an entire game, the sky is the limit.

Young and gunnin’

Although Izzo said he’d like to see more out of his three freshman guards, he said he has still graded them quite well early on.

“At times, Kalin (Lucas) has been very, very good — better than I thought he would be defensively,” Izzo said.

Chris Allen is another freshman who Izzo says has stepped up his defensive skills, but he’s been disappointed in him because he hasn’t shot well, and he knows Allen can be lights-out, he said.