Blake Froling

Payne Has Career Game as Spartans Down Longhorns

DEC 23 – Erwin Center was rocking on Saturday, as the upstart Texas Longhorns hosted number five-ranked Sparty. Rick Barnes’ squad was looking to avenge their 67-56 loss from last year in East Lansing.

Texas surprised many experts this year, starting the season 10-1 with an impressive win over North Carolina in Chapel Hill. MSU came into the game shorthanded, with Matt Costello out due to illness and a banged-up Gary Harris coming off the bench.The Longhorns raced out of the gate, taking an early 11-4 lead in the first five minutes. But two quick buckets by Adreian Payne cut the gap to two. With Harris coming off the bench, Denzel Valentine was placed in the starting lineup and Travis Trice was also used heavily in the rotation.

There were questions about how Gary would play on a bum ankle, but his first basket erased those doubts. He exploded off that ankle along the baseline and finished with an acrobatic reverse layup.

MSU was in foul trouble for most of the first half, and Texas capitalized. They pounded the paint and out-rebounded the Spartans 20-18. With Alex Gauna barely seeing the court and Costello not playing, the Spartans were extremely thin in the post.

Texas’ big man Cameron Ridley had his way with whoever tried to guard him, scoring 13 and adding five boards in the first half. A last second shot by the Longhorns gave them a slim 38-36 lead at the half.

Travis Trice provided a much-needed spark off the bench for the Spartans in the first half, scoring eight points on 3-4 shooting from the field. Payne was hot from the outside, scoring 14 in the first frame on 6-7 shooting, to go along with two three-pointers. Harris was more of a distributor in the first, tallying four dimes.

The Spartans’ defense held the Longhorns to 35 percent first half shooting from the field, but Texas got to the charity stripe 13 times, converting on 11.

Adreian Payne continued his dominance in the second half. He was able to back down a much heavier Cameron Ridley on multiple occasions, and Texas was forced to double team him in the post. Texas had foul trouble in the second half, putting MSU in the bonus within the first eight minutes.

Payne picked up his third foul with just over 12 to play in the game, forcing Izzo to put him on the bench. But he returned two minutes later.

With about 10 minutes remaining in the game, MSU began a 14-4 run to take a 68-58 lead with just over five to play. MSU kept getting to the line and were actually making most of their free throws. MSU kept pulling away late, and with just over three minutes left, Valentine went on a fast break, lobbed the ball off the backboard for Dawson to flush down a commanding 13-point lead.

Texas could not cut the lead past 10, and MSU came away with the impressive road victory, 92-78. The Spartans heated up in the second half, scoring 56 points.

Payne had a career game in Austin, finishing with 33 points on 10-13 shooting from the field and 11-12 from the stripe. MSU as a team shot nearly 82 percent from the line. Harris showed that the ankle was not an issue, scoring 19 points with five assists. Dawson was a handful in the paint, with five offensive rebounds and numerous tip-ins. Trice added 11 points off the bench and Valentine had eight and 11.

Texas’ Cameron Ridley had a quiet second half, tallying only four points in the second frame. Freshman guard Isaiah Taylor scored 16 and dished out five assists. The Spartans out rebounded the Longhorns by 10 and held them to 39 percent shooting. The Spartans were efficient from the field, shooting an impressive 50 percent from the field.

The Spartans (10-1) appeared unfazed in their first true road game of the season. MSU has New Orleans up next at the Breslin Center on the 28th.

– See more at: http://impact89fm.org/sports/2013/12/23/payne-has-career-game-as-spartans-down-longhorns/#sthash.ycY9R0Ss.dpuf

Pistons Recap: December 4-13

DEC 15 – BMO Harris Bradley Center hosted the Pistons, on December 4, to take on the struggling Bucks. Detroit jumped out to a seven-point lead after the first quarter. Andre Drummond was a force early in the paint, scoring seven points and grabbing six boards to lead the Pistons.

But the Bucks charged back, opening the second quarter on a 19-5 run to take a 38-31 lead midway through the frame. Ersan Ilyasova was a key part of the Milwaukee comeback, scoring 12 points and adding five rebounds in the second. The Pistons made up a little ground and went into halftime trailing 50-45.

Detroit came out firing in the second half, going on a 16-0 run to take a 64-54 lead with six minutes left in the third. The Pistons were able to maintain their lead through the third quarter thanks to the continued strong play of Drummond. He scored seven and added four rebounds.

The Bucks had no answer for the Pistons frontcourt, as Detroit had their way on the glass throughout the game. Milwaukee could never make a sizeable dent in the Pistons lead, and Detroit came away with the road win 105-98.

Drummond has had an All-Star caliber season in his sophomore campaign, and he continued his hot streak in Milwaukee. The former Huskie finished with 24 points and 19 rebounds to go along with three blocks.

Monroe had an equally impressive night, scoring 18 and adding 17 rebounds. The frontcourt trio of Josh Smith, Drummond and Monroe had 43 out of the 55 rebounds for the Pistons.

The Pistons headed to Chicago for the last game of their road trip on the seventh to face the Derrick Rose-less Bulls. Whenever these two teams get together, it’s always a knockdown, drag-out battle. A rash of injuries have plagued the Bulls and made them offensively challenged. With Rose and Luol Deng missing the game, Chicago struggled at times to fill the cylinder.

The game was tied 47-47 at halftime, but then the Pistons defense tightened up and brought the Chicago offense to a screeching halt. The Bulls could only muster nine third quarter points while shooting under 25 percent from the field. The Pistons were able to open up a commanding 15-point lead going into the final frame.

The fourth quarter was slightly better for the Bulls, but they could not close the gap on the Pistons and ended up losing 92-75.

Brandon Jennings exploded in Chicago, scoring 33 points including five three-pointers. He also added five dimes on the night, while being the only starter to score in double digits. Kyle Singler was effective off the bench with 12 points.

The Pistons rode their four-game win streak back to the Palace to square off against the defending champion Miami Heat. Lebron and company were looking for revenge after a disappointing loss in South Beach just five days earlier. Dwayne Wade was again held out of the game; he also missed the last matchup against the Pistons.

Miami started off red hot, taking a 16-5 lead midway through the first. The Pistons struggled to keep up with the high-powered Heat offense and ended the first quarter trailing by seven.

Within the first two minutes of the second quarter, the Pistons scored eight straight points before Miami was forced to call timeout. The Heat opened the lead back up to seven, where it hovered around for much of the second quarter. Miami led Detroit 59-53 after two.

It was all Miami in the third quarter. They outscored the Pistons by fifteen in the frame and left the Pistons no chance to make a comeback. The Heat went on to win the game 110-95 and evened up the season series. Drummond was once again dominant for the Pistons, scoring 19 to go along with 14 rebounds. Jennings added 19 with six assists.

On Tuesday, the Pistons hosted the high-scoring Minnesota Timberwolves. This game promised to be a shootout, and the Pistons were able to keep up through the first quarter. Twelve second quarter points from Kevin Martin helped Minnesota pull away to a 13-point lead at halftime. Kevin Love was on fire for the T-Wolves, scoring 19 of his 26 points in the first half.

The Pistons had no answer for Minnesota’s high-powered assault. The second half was much of the same, with Minnesota outscoring the Pistons in both the third and fourth quarters. Detroit eventually lost 121-94. This was the most points the Pistons gave up in a game so far this season.

Minnesota was able to match the Pistons in the paint, with both teams scoring 44 points down low. The Timberwolves shot an impressive 48 percent from beyond the arc, while the Pistons shot a paltry 28.6 percent. Brandon Jennings led the Pistons with 20 points and seven assists. Smith finally bounced back with 17 points, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 16.

The Pistons then traveled down to New Orleans to square off with the Pelicans. Detroit was down nine points to begin the fourth quarter, but a 9-0 run within the first few minutes quickly erased the deficit. A Ryan Anderson three-pointer with 2:14 remaining put the Pelicans up by four. But back-to-back baskets by J-Smoove tied the game with just over a minute remaining. Jennings missed a three-pointer at the buzzer, and the fans in New Orleans were treated to free basketball.

Anderson caught fire in the overtime, scoring eight points for the Pelicans to keep them ahead during the extra frame. The Pistons were forced to foul near the end, and New Orleans was hitting their free throws. They went on to win 111-106.

Greg Monroe was money all night, stuffing the stat sheet with 28 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Brandon Jennings was feeling it once again, putting up 25 and swiping the ball six times. Rodney Stuckey added 20 coming off the bench.

This loss dropped their record to 10-13. While they continue to be inconsistent, Detroit is starting to improve their chemistry. With a weak Eastern Conference, Detroit should have no problem making the playoffs.

– See more at: http://impact89fm.org/sports/2013/12/15/pistons-recap-december-4-13/#sthash.0lEd8t2P.dpuf

Pistons Recap: Philadelphia and Miami

DEC 4 – The Pistons took on Michael Carter-Williams and the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday at the Palace. Philly had been coming off a tough stretch, losing seven of their last eight before facing Detroit. The 76ers struggle on defense, giving up the most points per game in the league. This proved to be their downfall in Detroit.

Detroit got off to a red-hot start, scoring a whopping 40 points in the first quarter and taking a 15-point lead. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope broke out of his shooting funk, scoring eight points in the first frame. He had been averaging 6.5 points per game in the last four games, so it was good to see the rookie heat up.

The Pistons kept their foot on the pedal in the second quarter, outscoring the 76ers by nine to take a 70-46 halftime lead. Andre Drummond entered beast-mode, scoring 12 in the first half and grabbing 10 rebounds. The Pistons flat-out outplayed the Sixers in almost every aspect of the game. They controlled the boards and shot surprisingly well from beyond the arc.

The 76ers finally got things going in the third quarter, outscoring the Pistons by 12 in the frame. Thaddeus Young scored 12 for Philadelphia and brought the deficit back down to 12. But that’s as close as they would get. The Pistons crushed any chance of a Philly comeback and went on to win by 15.

Drummond had the best game of his career and the best of any big man since Hakeem Olajuwon in 1990. He finished with 31 points, 19 rebounds, and six steals. This game showed just how bright the 20 year-old’s future is in the league. Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings had 20 points each, with Smith hitting 3-5 three-pointers and Jennings dishing out 12 assists. Rodney Stuckey came off of the bench and added 17 points. Rodney is having a breakout season, leading the team in scoring at the perfect time; he’s in the final year of his contract and wants to cash in. The Pistons could get much more for him in a trade than they anticipated at the beginning of the season.

Thaddeus Young led the way for Philadelphia, scoring 24 and grabbing five rebounds. Former Buckeye Evan Turner continued his impressive season with 20 points and three steals. Carter-Williams is making a strong case for rookie of the year, scoring 15 points, and adding six assists and six steals.

The Pistons took their talents to South Beach on Tuesday to face the defending champion Miami Heat. Detroit continued their hot shooting and took a 10-point lead after the first quarter. Kyle Singler and KCP both had six in the frame. In the second, Miami stayed with the Pistons, but couldn’t make up any ground on the Pistons’ lead. They went into halftime trailing 54-43.

Singler began to hit a groove in the third, scoring 10 points in the quarter and helping the Pistons extend their lead to 14. The Heat were without Dwyane Wade, and Lebron James couldn’t do much against the fearsome Pistons frontcourt. Detroit held on to their lead in the final frame despite a furious Miami rally and went on to beat the Heat 107-97. The win brought their record up to 8-10, good enough for sixth in the Eastern Conference.

Singler led the team in scoring, coming off the bench and adding 18 points. The frontcourt trio of Smith, Drummond and Greg Monroe combined for 41 points and 28 rebounds. The Heat have no post presence and it proved to be their downfall. Detroit had their way with Miami in the paint, scoring 60 down low. Jennings scored 15 with five assists and Stuckey added 16. The Pistons, who are known for bricking jump shots left and right, shot over 50% in the game. Detroit travels to Milwaukee on Wednesday to take on the struggling Bucks.

– See more at: http://impact89fm.org/sports/2013/12/04/pistons-recap-philadelphia-and-miami/#sthash.xPUe7nlw.dpuf

Scouting Report: North Carolina Tar Heels

DEC 3 – In what could be the biggest challenge of the season since Kentucky, the North Carolina Tar Heels come to the Breslin Center on Wednesday as part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. The two teams will meet for the fifth time in 15 years.

North Carolina has had an interesting season, beating No. 3 Louisville but also losing to Belmont and UAB. Take a look at this box of chocolates from North Carolina:

Head Coach: Roy Williams (286-80, 11th season)

Last season: 24-10, lost in Third Round of NCAA Tournament

This season: 4-2

Key Players: Marcus Paige, James Michael McAdoo, P.J Hairston (suspended)

What an interesting season the Tar Heels have had so far. They have shown glimpses of brilliance and moments (or full games) of ineptitude. UNC came into the season ranked No. 12 in the nation, only to lose at home to a weak Belmont team, 83-80. They also dropped a road game against Alabama-Birmingham 63-59. In those two losses, North Carolina shot a combined 26-59 (44%) from the free-throw line.

In their impressive win against a highly-ranked Louisville squad, the Tar Heels shot 26-38 from the stripe. Is there a pattern here?

If the Spartans force UNC to earn their points at the line, their chances could be high.

James Michael-McAdoo and Marcus Paige are the leaders of the Tar Heels. McAdoo, a 6-9 junior, is averaging 13.8 points and six rebounds per game. Paige, a 6-1 sophomore, is averaging over 20 points per game while shooting 50% from the field. In their win over Louisville, Paige exploded for 32 points while shooting 9-12 from the field. McAdoo struggled in that game, scoring only nine points on 3-11 shooting. In UNC’s recent loss to UAB, the two combined for only 19 points on 9-29 shooting. Only two North Carolina players scored in double figures in that game. Keith Appling will have his hands full defensively with Paige, and Branden Dawson will most likely match up with McAdoo.

Last season, P.J Hairston was a big factor in the Tar Heels’ success. He led the team in scoring, but has not played a single minute this year due to suspension. According to the Associated Press, he had been cited twice during the offseason while driving a rental vehicle that had been linked to a party promoter, who was also a felon. This raised the possibility of an improper benefits violation. Hairston’s status for Wednesday’s game is still uncertain, but he would provide a huge lift for the Tar Heels if he were declared eligible.

North Carolina leads the all-time series 11-3, winning the last six games in a row. The last time these two teams met, the Tar Heels got the better of the Spartans, winning 67-55. The game was played as part of the Carrier Classic on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier. In 2009, North Carolina also beat MSU in the National Championship game at Ford Field.

My prediction for the game: The Tar Heels stay with the Spartans most of the game. It will be a high-scoring affair, but the Spartans with the home-court advantage will get the win 84-76. The game can be seen at 9 p.m. on ESPN.

– See more at: http://impact89fm.org/sports/2013/12/03/scouting-report-north-carolina-tar-heels/#sthash.xUDAQU29.dpuf

Pistons Recap: New York and Atlanta

NOV 22 – The Pistons finally returned home from their grueling West Coast road trip to face Carmelo Anthony and the struggling New York Knicks. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope found himself in the starting lineup due to the absence of Will Bynum and Chauncey Billups, and looked to make the most out of the opportunity. With the depth of this roster, KCP has often found himself to be the odd man out, lucky to play more than five minutes.

The Pistons led by a slim two-point margin after the first quarter of play. KCP did not disappoint, scoring seven points in the frame. The Knicks were able to turn things around in the second quarter, charging out to a six-point lead halfway through the second. Italian sharpshooter Luigi Datome knocked down a three-pointer with three seconds left to tie the game going into halftime. That was the only shot he made in the game.

With under four minutes to go in the third quarter, the Pistons went on a seven-point run, capped off by a Kyle Singler three. The Knicks could not cut into the Pistons’ lead, and trailed 71-63 going into the final quarter of play. Rodney Stuckey scored five points in a row for the Pistons to open up the fourth quarter. They eventually extended their lead to 15 before the Knicks were forced to call timeout. A pair of free throws by J.R. Smith brought the Pistons’ lead down to five with 3:34 remaining. But that was as close as the Knicks would get, eventually losing 92-86.

Rodney Stuckey had a phenomenal game coming off the bench, scoring 21 points on 8-14 shooting. He’s been playing surprisingly well this season, only increasing his value should the Pistons decide to trade him before the deadline. Josh Smith added 19 points while taking 19 shots. The fearsome Pistons frontcourt of Smith, Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond combined for a beastly 48 points and 27 rebounds. KCP finished with 13 points.

Carmelo Anthony did all he could to keep his Knicks in the game, leading all scorers with 25 points. J.R. Smith pitched in with 18 points off the bench in the losing effort. The Pistons had not previously beaten the Knicks since 2011.

The following night, the Pistons headed down to Atlanta to face Josh Smith’s former team, the Hawks. It was a defensive battle in the first quarter, with Detroit only able to score 13 points. Yet they found themselves merely down by two. Then someone flipped a switch, and the Pistons scored 33 in the second quarter. Stuckey scored 10 points in the frame, and it appeared as though both teams forgot how to play defense. Detroit took a 46-43 lead into halftime.

The third quarter was just as entertaining, with both teams trading buckets and neither able to pull away. With less than two minutes remaining in the third, Lou Williams made a three-pointer to give the Hawks a two-point lead that they would not relinquish. Atlanta went on a seven-point run midway through the fourth that the Pistons simply could not come back from. They eventually fell 95-83.

Monroe had a disappointing night, scoring only seven points and grabbing four rebounds. Smith was ice cold as well, shooting 5-15 from the field and 0-4 from behind the arc for 11 points. Brandon Jennings had to do most of the work himself, scoring 21 points. He had to take 21 shots to get there, however. That number is way too high for any point guard, but the Pistons knew what they were getting when they signed Jennings in the offseason. Stuckey continued his hot streak with 18 points off the bench.

The Hawks shot an impressive 50.7% from the field, something that Coach Cheeks will definitely have to address with his players on defense. Big man Paul Millsap scored 18 points, but was a virtual non-factor on the boards. The Hawks as a team had only five offensive rebounds, compared to 15 for the Pistons. Detroit will get another shot at Atlanta on Friday when they return to the Palace for a rematch.

The Pistons are only 1-5 on the road, giving them a 4-7 record overall. The fans might not be happy, but if the season ended today, the Pistons would have the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Prediction: I know, I know, it’s early, but Detroit is right in the thick of it, and as the season goes along, they will improve. The chemistry between Jennings and the big men will improve, and they will start winning more close games.

– See more at: http://impact89fm.org/sports/2013/11/22/pistons-recap-new-york-and-atlanta/#sthash.hOQWBp2u.dpuf

Scouting Report: Virginia Tech Hokies

NOV 21, 2013 – The Spartans, fresh off their 15-point win over Portland on Monday, head to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Friday and Saturday as part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. Their first opponent is the Virginia Tech Hokies.

Let’s take a closer look at the Hokies:

Head Coach: James Johnson (16-20, 2nd season)

Last season: 13-19

This season: 3-1

Key Players: Jarell Eddie, Ben Emelogu

James Johnson’s first season as head coach of the Hokies did not go as well as planned. They finished the season with only 13 wins, including a mid-season nine-game losing streak. Virginia Tech was able to notch one impressive win during the season, defeating #15 Oklahoma State 81-71 in December.

The lone bright spot of this team was senior guard Erick Green. He was a third-team AP All-America selection and led the nation in scoring. He was named ACC Player of the Year and earned First Team All-ACC honors from both the media and coaches.

Now, they have to move on without him. They will depend on Jarell Eddie to be their main scorer. Through four games, he’s averaging over 16 points with around six rebounds per game. The senior averaged just over 12 points per game last year. Freshman Ben Emelogu has been off to a great start in his career, averaging 15.8 points per game. He should present a challenge to Gary Harris on both sides of the ball.

The Hokies are 3-1 on the season, with a bad loss to USC Upstate by one point in the season opener. They also gave up 92 points to Virginia Military Institute on Monday, so they are a bit defensively challenged. This could be a high-scoring, possibly one-sided affair.

Michigan State finally shook off the ice and knocked down some three-pointers against Portland. If they can continue their hot shooting, the Spartans could run away with this one early. Keith Appling nailed all five of his three-point attempts against Portland and could present a challenge for the Hokies defensively.

VT’s main inside presence is 6-11 Trevor Thompson. He leads the team with 7.3 rebounds per game but only plays around 18 minutes. Adreian Payne, Alex Gauna and Matt Costello should have no problem on the boards, no matter who starts where.

Prediction: Hokies will hang around for the first half, but the Spartans’ offense is firing on all cylinders. MSU runs away with this one 83-62.

If Michigan State wins, they will face the winner of Oklahoma vs. Seton Hall in the championship game. If they lose, they will face the loser in the consolation game. Friday’s game will be at 9:30 pm on TruTV. If they win, the game on Saturday will also be at 9:30. If they lose, it will be played at 7:00.

– See more at: http://impact89fm.org/sports/2013/11/21/scouting-report-virginia-tech-hokies/#sthash.C06lhSIB.dpuf

Appling Leads Spartans Past Pilots

NOV 19, 2013 – The Spartans squared off against the Portland Pilots on Monday night as part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. After surviving a scare against Columbia on Friday, Coach Izzo decided to shake up the starting lineup. Gauna and Denzel Valentine started in place of Branden Dawson and Matt Costello. Dawson had eight points and seven rebounds against Columbia, and Costello failed to score in only 10 minutes of action.

Both teams traded blows during the entire first half, with Michigan State taking a seven-point lead with just over six minutes to play. Portland then went on a 9-1 run to take the lead with just over three minutes remaining in the half.

Back-and-forth play ensued, with the Spartans never being able to pull away from the Pilots. MSU held on to a slim four-point lead at halftime, largely due to the hot hand of Keith Appling. The senior scored 16 points on 4-4 shooting from beyond the arc, all in the first half.

In the second half, the Spartans finally started to pull away. After back-to-back threes by Gary Harris, MSU took a 10-point lead with just over nine minutes remaining in the game.

State wouldn’t look back after that, eventually extending their lead to 18 with 3:52 left. Appling continued his hot streak, scoring nine second-half points for a total of 25. The Spartans went on to win the game 82-67.

Appling’s 25 points tied his career high. Izzo said it was “one of the greatest point guard performances in many many years.”

Keith responded well after a disappointing three-point performance against Columbia. Izzo said he thinks Appling is becoming a leader, but just needs to work on communication. He went on to say that Appling is not the same player from last year. Hopefully he can continue his hot streak into conference season.

Adreian Payne scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds. With Costello and Gauna playing a combined 19 minutes, Dawson was forced to play much of the game at the power forward position. He was effective on the boards, with a team-high 10 rebounds. Dawson also had a huge impact on the offensive side, with numerous offensive rebounds and tip-ins.

The Spartans need to figure out who is going to anchor the five position. Gauna got the start, but was only used sparingly. Costello was effective when he was on the court, grabbing five rebounds in 10 minutes. It will be interesting to see how Izzo will handle the rotation going forward.

Although the Spartans won by 15, they did not look like the No. 1 team in the nation. Izzo jokingly said that he doesn’t have to worry about peaking in November. The Spartans head to Brooklyn on Friday and Saturday for the Coaches vs. Cancer Championship rounds.

– See more at: http://impact89fm.org/sports/2013/11/20/appling-leads-past-pilots/#sthash.B0SQCm8A.dpuf

Scouting Report: Columbia Lions

NOV 14, 2013 –

The Columbia Lions visit the Breslin Center on Friday night at 9 p.m., as part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. Here is a quick rundown on the Lions as they prepare to take on the Spartans:

Head Coach: Kyle Smith (42-45, fourth season)

Last Season: 12-16

This season: 1-1

Key Players: Grant Mullins, Cory Osetkowski

The Columbia Lions come into this game as heavy underdogs. The Ivy Leaguers have virtually no chance against a soon-to-be number one ranked Michigan State team. Head coach Kyle Smith has done fairly well in his tenure at Columbia. 12-16 may be considered a disappointing season for a Big Ten team. But for a small school like Columbia, they are pleased.

Last year, the Lions were giant killers, knocking off two eventual NCAA tourney teams in Villanova (75-57) and Harvard (78-63). Columbia finished last in the Ivy League with a 4-10 record. However, they gave up the second fewest points in the Ivy League.

Two key players to watch out for are sophomore Grant Mullins and Cory Osetkowski. Mullins is the team’s leading scorer, averaging 18 points per game. He’s shooting at an amazing 69% from the field and is 5-9 from behind the arc. At 6’3”, he will most likely be matched up against Gary Harris. Junior Osetkowski is the tallest player on the Columbia roster at 6’11”. He’s averaging 12.5 points and seven rebounds per game this season. Matt Costello or Adreian Payne will most likely draw this matchup. I don’t expect either player to struggle defensively or on the boards against Osetkowski.

This season, the Lions are 1-1. They came out victorious in their first game against Maryland-Eastern Shore 73-54. Their second game they fell to mighty Manhattan 71-70.

Columbia might seem like a weak matchup for Michigan State, but the Spartans are coming off a huge win over Kentucky. Too often, teams have letdown games after a huge victory, which could be Columbia’s only chance of winning. They are overmatched in every single position and don’t have nearly the depth of MSU. The Spartans proved on Tuesday that they deserve to be the number one team in the nation, and absolutely dominated the Wildcats. The game should have never been as close as it ended up being, which further proves how good MSU really is.

There is no telling what the Spartans will do to the Ivy League cellar-dwellers. This game could get ugly.

– See more at: http://impact89fm.org/sports/2013/11/14/scouting-report-columbia-lions/#sthash.zagRW3Nm.dpuf

Pistons Recap: OKC and Portland

NOV 12, 2013 – The Oklahoma City Thunder came to the Palace of Auburn Hills on Friday for the first and only time this season.

The Pistons held on to a slim two-point lead after the first quarter, mostly due to 10 points by Josh Smith. But Kevin Durant and the Thunder charged back, taking an 11-point lead late in the second quarter. Less than two minutes into the third quarter, the Pistons tied the game back up at 56.

It was a game of runs, with one team racing out to a lead, then the other coming right back. A late third quarter run capped off by a Jeremy Lamb three-pointer at the buzzer gave the Thunder an eight-point lead. The Pistons were not able to overcome that deficit and ended up losing 119-110.

Durant led all scorers with 37 points on 9-15 shooting and 17-19 from the charity stripe. Russell Westbrook added 20 points and Serge Ibaka had 11 with nine rebounds. Rookie center Steven Adams looked impressive coming off the bench, scoring 17 and grabbing 10 boards. The Thunder dominated the inside, outscoring the Pistons 50-40 in the paint and also outrebounding the Pistons by 10. The Thunder move to a 4-1 record with the win.

Greg Monroe continued his hot streak, posting another double-double (20 points, 15 rebounds). Smith had perhaps his best game as a Piston, scoring a team-high 25 points and adding eight rebounds. Brandon Jennings seems to be over his injury and looked like the guard we saw in Milwaukee. He scored 22 points and dished out 11 assists. Rodney Stuckey came off the bench and scored 17 points.

Even though the Pistons are a big, physical team, they can also got out in transition with the best of them. They outscored a very athletic OKC in the fast break 25-12.

The Pistons then embarked on their four-game west coast road trip, starting in Portland. The Pistons have historically struggled in the west, going 1-43 in their last 44 road games against the Western Conference. They looked to change their fortune against the hot Trail Blazers.

Damian Lillard’s nine first quarter points helped the Blazers jump out to a four-point lead at the end of one. Midway through the second quarter, the Pistons came back and took a 43-42 lead on a Rodney Stuckey three-pointer. But the Blazers continued their hot shooting and eventually took a three-point lead into halftime. The Blazers controlled the third quarter, never giving up their lead. With 1:28 left in the fourth quarter, the Pistons charged right back, coming within four points after a Jennings layup. But the Pistons failed to score another point, and went on to lose 109-103.

Lillard had a hot hand the whole night, going 5-8 from beyond the arc and scoring 25 points. The frontcourt tandem of Robin Lopez and Lamarcus Aldridge combined for 35 points and 22 rebounds. Their defense, however, was a little suspect. They allowed the Pistons to score 60 points in the paint, compared to just 36 for the Blazers. Portland moves to 5-2 on the year.

Brandon Jennings did all he could to keep the Pistons in the game, scoring 28 points, including 13 in the fourth. Andre Drummond bounced back from an off night against the Thunder, scoring 16 and grabbing 16 rebounds. All of his points came in the paint. Greg Monroe continued his hot streak, scoring 19 points and snagging eight rebounds. Josh Smith scored 11 and Stuckey added 13 points off the bench. The Pistons fall to 2-4 on the season, including three losses in a row.

The Pistons move on to Oakland Tuesday to square off against Golden State at 10:30 pm. The game can be seen on Fox Sports Detroit, and heard on 97.1 the Ticket.

– See more at: http://impact89fm.org/sports/2013/11/12/pistons-recap-oklahoma-city-and-portland/#sthash.09eaHAKp.dpuf

Scouting Report: Kentucky Wildcats vs. Michigan State Spartans

Nov 10, 2013

Head Coach: John Calipari (124-26 at Kentucky, 5th season)

Last Season: 21-12, Lost in first round of NIT to Robert Morris

2013-14 record: 2-0

Key Additions: Julius Randle, Andrew Harrison, Dakari Johnson, James Young, Aaron Harrison, Marcus Lee (All in ESPN Top 100 Prospects)

Key Losses: Nerlens Noel, Archie Goodwin

John Calipari worked his recruiting magic once again this year. He landed six five-star recruits this year. That’s unheard of in college basketball (except at Kentucky, they do it just about every year). It’s likely that four of these recruits will make the starting lineup (Randle, Young, Harrison twins), which means that they’re vulnerable early in the season. A lack of experience and team chemistry could outweigh their extreme amount of talent.

It’s tough to gauge how this year’s team will fare because of how different it is from last year’s disappointment. The 2012-13 team entered the season ranked number three in the nation and failed to make the NCAA Tournament. They ended up losing in the first round of the NIT to Robert Morris. Their star big-man Nerlens Noel tore his ACL in February and missed the remainder of the season. After that loss, Kentucky wasn’t the same team.

Willie Cauley-Stein, the only returning player projected to be in the starting lineup, averaged 8.3 points and 6.2 rebounds last year. Alex Poythress will most likely be the first off the bench for the Wildcats this year. The sophomore averaged 11.2 points and 6.0 rebounds per game last season.

The Wildcats are undefeated in their first two games of the season, beating UNC-Asheville 89-57 on Friday and Northern Kentucky 93-63 on Sunday. Julius Randle, arguably the most talented player on the team, is averaging 22.5 points and 14.5 rebounds through the first two games. Marcus Lee added 17 points off the bench in the first game, but only scored five in the second.

How will the Wildcats match up against the Spartans? Lets take a look:

Pos.	Kentucky Projected Starters	Michigan State Projected Starters
C	Willie Cauley-Stein (So, 7’0”, 244 lbs.)	Adreian Payne (Sr, 6’10”, 245 lbs.)
F	Julius Randle (Fr, 6’9”, 250 lbs.)	Matt Costello (So, 6’9”, 240 lbs.)
F/G	James Young (Fr, 6’6”, 215 lbs.)	Branden Dawson (Jr, 6’6”, 225 lbs.)
G	Aaron Harrison (Fr, 6’6”, 218 lbs.)	Keith Appling (Sr, 6’1”, 185 lbs.)
G	Andrew Harrison (Fr, 6’6”, 215 lbs.)	Gary Harris (So, 6’4”, 210 lbs.)

Julius Randle will be a handful for MSU’s frontcourt. He has been on a tear thus far (although against subpar competition). He can score at will and is a beast on the boards. The Harrison twins have a big size advantage over Harris and Appling. Look for them to be physical and take it to the rim against smaller defenders. The Harrisons are averaging a combined 23.5 ppg compared to 31 points for the Harris/Appling combo.

The most intriguing matchup will be Dawson against Young. Both are the same height but Dawson has a 10-pound advantage. Dawson scored 12 points and grabbed 12 rebounds off the bench against McNeese State. Coach Izzo held him out of the starting lineup because he was late to a team meeting. Dawson should return to the lineup on Tuesday. Young is averaging eight points and 2.5 rebounds per game. If Dawson can consistently hit jumpers in the 15-foot range, he could become a nightmare to defend.

The Spartans obviously have a huge advantage when it comes to experience, which could prove to be the difference. Look for MSU to pressure the Wildcats early and try to rattle the young players. With Kentucky being so athletic, MSU has to be careful in transition. If this game goes down to the wire, which it most likely will, MSU will be the cooler team. Kentucky isn’t used to pressure situations. Most of their players have never played in a close college basketball game.

Bottom Line: The Spartans will come away with a hard-fought victory 84-79. The game will come down to free throws, and the Spartans will come up clutch in that department.

The game is on Tuesday, November 12 in Chicago at the United Center. Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN and heard on the Spartan Sports Network.

– Original link to article: http://impact89fm.org/sports/2013/11/10/scouting-report-kentucky-wildcats-vs-michigan-state/#sthash.fNvx1dXB.dpuf