Should have won by 10+

[Money cardinal]

This team is going to be really good come seasons end.

Cry baby Izzo spent more time yelling at the refs then he did coaching his team and it paid off. We missed wayyyy to many gimmes around the basket and went on multiple scoring droughts which won't happen often this season. Too much zone after we had a comfortable lead and was in foul trouble (thanks Izzo) Horrible charge call against Lee pretty much drove the nail in the coffin.

Either way I'll take this team against any other in the country and feel damn good about my chances!
GO CARDS!

 

[zipp]

Our done-and-one guys are keepers...

 

[bloodguard13]

It wouldn't have hurt for someone to guard the 3 point shot in the 2nd half.

 

[zipp]

They didn't rotate over quickly enough. The very kinda thing you expect the first of December...

 

[KerryRhodes]

Needed a low post player to match the efforts of Lee and Lewis.

Jaylen missing a bunny.
Onuaku foul trouble,air ball fade away
Anas missing lay ups, missing FTs, air ball fade away
None of the bigs rebounding effectively.

 

[Steelers2012]

Give the opponent their due credit; they made more plays than we did when it counted. It was an extremely close game that could have gone either way. Tip your cap to the winner and work on being the team that executes well enough to pull out the next close game.

 

[nccardfan]

Granted I thought that Mich St would win because we have too many new players, but does anyone else have a concern that it seems that in the big games lately, we establish leads, even double digit leads and we just can't finish? Whereas when State got the lead, it seemed impossible for us to make ground? I thought we played well and I will give them the credit but too much one on one dribbling which I didn't see in any of the previous games, relatively no contribution from the bench, which our depth was considered a strength, couldn't exploit their bigs, which I thought we should have clearly had an advantage, didn't press enough when even the announcers said their weakest link was at the point guard position. Our inability to hit 3s also became an issue. I agree that we have a lot of upside but I hope we learn from this, especially Onuaku.

 

[CashCard]

Gotta learn how to close out close games. Defense let up late in the second half

 

[Louisvillian]

Needed a low post player to match the efforts of Lee and Lewis.

Jaylen missing a bunny.
Onuaku foul trouble,air ball fade away
Anas missing lay ups, missing FTs, air ball fade away
None of the bigs rebounding effectively.

Pretty much wraps up the 2nd half.

 

[Cue Card]

Needed a low post player to match the efforts of Lee and Lewis.

Jaylen missing a bunny.
Onuaku foul trouble,air ball fade away
Anas missing lay ups, missing FTs, air ball fade away
None of the bigs rebounding effectively.

All true but in the 6th game of the year with over 80% of the team gone from last year, it wasn't a bad effort. It was a learning experience. It was a win left on the floor and one that can and will be won in post season play. We're going to get a whole lot better.

 

[turducken71]

All true but in the 6th game of the year with over 80% of the team gone from last year, it wasn't a bad effort. It was a learning experience. It was a win left on the floor and one that can and will be won in post season play. We're going to get a whole lot better.

Right on. It's time to finish games, hit close shots and make free throws!

 

[davecmc]

Not to mention the low percentage shots that went in for them.... Blind tip from forearm, triple step fling at end of half, etc.

Add to it that We missed bunnies. Crazy ref call to waive off the and 1 and call a charge. This does feel like a 4 point loss where everything fell perfectly for the opponent. Probably a good sign for tourney games on a neutral court.

 

[rockycard]

You're not going to beat a quality team with only 7 assists, our bigs have to be able to finish at the rim.

 

[nccardfan]

Rocky - you hit it right on the head, assists or lack of assists. Up till now, this team has been unselfish but saw too much one on one. Guess I need to give Sparty the credit there, but it pretty much hinges on snider and Lewis to get the ball to our bigs. Valentine had 7 assists so he passed the ball as well as scored.

 

[earsky]

I think our coach can take quite a bit away from this one,and maybe the best thing is their ability to guard man to man.

 

[Louisvillian]

They didn't rotate over quickly enough. The very kinda thing you expect the first of December...

There is no doubt that some of these guys are struggling to learn the zone that Rick wants to employ. Damion Lee understandably is one them.

It also doesn't help when they kept letting MSU players knife in and grab offensive boards in the 2nd half. Lots of room for us to get better and we gave them all they wanted at their place.

 

[OneEarWonder]

There is no doubt that some of these guys are struggling to learn the zone that Rick wants to employ. Damion Lee understandably is one them.

It also doesn't help when they kept letting MSU players knife in and grab offensive boards in the 2nd half. Lots of room for us to get better and we gave them all they wanted at their place.

This is why I think tough early season Out of Conference games are so important. You can't learn much playing cream puffs week in and week out. the Cards will learn more from this game than those empty victories.

 

[nccardfan]

Offensive rebounding has always been a strength of MSU. Give me a guy who's 6-7, 225 lbs (like a Rodney McCray) with a big tail and I will take him every time over a 6-11, 205 lb finesse player.