Unconventional.
That was the primary adjective MSU men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo used to describe certain aspects of Northwestern’s gameplay.
Wildcats have ammo for upset against MSU
Junior center Goran Suton leaps for the rebound after senior center Drew Naymick missed a layup against Minnesota on Jan. 5 at Breslin Center. MSU head coach Tom Izzo said on Tuesday that Northwestern excels in 3-pointers and defensive trapping.
And although it’s unconventional, Izzo said the Wildcats (6-9 overall, 0-5 Big Ten) definitely have a style of play that could go right for the No. 10 Spartans’ jugular (16-2, 4-1) at 9 p.m. tonight in Evanston, Ill.
Northwestern’s ammunition?
Superb 3-point shooting and a pesky trapping defense — two components that often play a factor in shocking a top-10 team.
“This is how upsets happen,” Izzo said. “Usually with the 3-point shot. And they are leading the league in 3-point shooting as far as the number of made 3-pointers.”
The Wildcats have made 130 3-pointers this season — 48 more than MSU.
And that’s not even the Spartans’ biggest concern.
Cutting down turnovers will be the most important aspect of tonight’s game — which Northwestern is infamous for forcing on opponents, at 17 per game.
Not only that, but the Wildcats average the fewest amount of turnovers per game in the Big Ten, with 11.5.
“It’ll be a challenge for us,” Izzo said.
Senior guard Drew Neitzel said the team is keeping the motto “Never relax” in the front of their minds — because prevailing against Northwestern will only help later in the season when MSU faces off against teams who play different brands of basketball.
“It’s the way they run the clock and constantly move the ball,” Neitzel said. “The second you stop and lose your man, he’s cutting backdoor for an open layup. If we can make them earn their baskets, we should be in good shape.”
Junior center Goran Suton, who averages 10.4 rebounds in conference games, said it’s no secret MSU towers above Northwestern in size.
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But getting burned in aspects of the game they should prevail in — such as rebounding and fighting for position — will only hurt the team. Northwestern is at the bottom of the Big Ten when it comes to rebounding, averaging just less than 25 a game compared to MSU’s 40.4.
“It’ll happen a couple times,” Suton said. “But not the entire game.”
MSU and Northwestern come into tonight’s game as the No. 1 and No. 2 Big Ten assist leaders at 18.3 and 17.4 respectively.
The Spartans record an assist on 67 percent of their baskets — a fact that Izzo said impresses him.
“When people sometimes question whether this guy gets along with this guy, I think the proof’s in the pudding,” Izzo said. “We do a great job in that area.”
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