Friday, March 29, 2024

Team improves play in Classic victory

December 3, 2001
Sophomore guard Marcus Taylor goes in for a lay-up past Lamar forward Lewis Arline and guard Ron Austin in the Spartan’s 80-71 win over the Cardinals in the championship game of the Spartan Coca-Cola Classic Saturday at Breslin Center. Taylor led the Spartans with 17 points and 8 assists. —

The weekend was all about improvements for the MSU men’s basketball team in the Spartan Coca-Cola Classic.

MSU defeated Indiana Purdue-Fort Wayne 81-68 in the Classic opener Friday and then defeated Lamar 80-71 on Saturday for their sixth straight Spartan Coca-Cola Classic championship.

“What we did is we played the spots, I thought the best we have all year,” head coach Tom Izzo said after the championship game.

MSU was able to utilize the fastbreaking style Izzo-coached teams have become famous for and limited turnovers to 26 for the weekend and only 10 against Lamar.

“I should give them three days off for that performance, for this team, we did a great job of that,” Izzo said of the turnover reduction. “People are in positions now to receive passes and we just look better.

“Our running game looks 10 times better, and it’s because our point guard is directing and our two wings are starting to run and we’re getting guys down the middle. We’re doing a better job of those things.”

The weekend’s improvements can be attributed to the play of sophomore guard Marcus Taylor, who took home the Spartan Coca-Cola Classic MVP award.

Taylor, who compiled a weekend total of 33 points and 17 assists, said confidence and determination to get the offense rolling was what led to the Lansing native’s excellent weekend.

“I came out with a lot of confidence this weekend,” Taylor said. “I just focused on trying to run the team and hitting the open shots. I think I got the wings running a lot more and that created an open lane for me to penetrate and kick it to the big guys.”

Against Lamar, MSU had a balanced attack with five players scoring in double figures. Izzo said he was happy to see freshman guard Kelvin Torbert and junior forwards Adam Ballinger and Al Anagonye step up in areas where they have been almost non-factors for most of the season.

“As far as we go, we’re making progress, we’re getting better,” Izzo said. “I thought all-and-all you saw another great game out of Marcus. I think Torbert’s getting better again, he’s got a few things to work on, but he’s making some progress. I think both Ballinger and Anagonye had their moments.”

Taylor said the weekend served as a tutorial for the team in preparing for a tough road contest in Gainesville, Fla. against Florida on Wednesday night.

“I think it was a confidence builder for us,” Taylor said. “I think some guys realized the positives and the negatives of this weekend. We didn’t play top college teams this week, but I think it was a great experience for us coming off of four tough games. So going into Florida I think we realize what we have to pull out a tough game.”

Freshman guard Chris Hill, sophomore forward Adam Wolfe and Ballinger made the all-tournament team.

The Fizzone?

Depleted crowds won’t last long if Izzo has anything to say about it. And he does.

This season might not be reminiscent of 2000, but the fizzled crowds at MSU games have the Spartan chief scratching his head. Izzo said he asks that the Breslin Center still be one of the most intimidating venues in all of college basketball.

Both games were recorded as sell-outs, but those ticket buyers didn’t fill the seats, leaving gaping holes in the crowd.

“I don’t like the Champagne crowd,” Izzo said. “I don’t like people coming late, which I can’t stop most people, but I’m going to stop the Izzone, that’s a guarantee.

“And I think our players deserve to have the place packed. I don’t appreciate people buying tickets and not coming. We play as good a schedule as anyone in the country and so we’re not trying to play 10 weak teams at home so people shouldn’t be interested.

“We play the best or one of the best schedules in the country and all I’m saying is be there for these kids all the time. Let’s not get spoiled and be there during just the big games. That would be ridiculous. That would not be a very good program.”

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