[NU Sports] the MSU Game

[Michael Vance]

We held our own for the middle twenty minutes, with the MSU lead 
fluctuating between 11 and 15.  We were never able to get it to single 
digits, but they were never able to bust it open, either.  The early 
turnovers and the late fatigue (because of the three flu cases and the foul 
trouble) were the differences in the ballgame.  I'm not saying that we 
would have won at Breslin -- very few teams not wearing green do that -- 
but it would have been a lot more competitive with a full squad.

-Michael

At 1/9/2005 02:35 AM, sjtruog at jorsm.com wrote:
>Pretty accurate list. I'd add one more ...
>
>* MSU is the thorn in our side for style of play. We can break a lot of
>other teams down with backdoor cuts or making them play 30 seconds of
>defense with our O. But not MSU. They're just a big matchup problem for us
>- always have been. Add the factors below and you get a harsh trip back to
>earth.
>
>Someone get these kids some chicken soup or something for that flu fast!:)
>We have a tough opening stretch with a trip to Ann Arbor and Illinois
>coming up -- gotta get healthy soon.
>
>GO CATS!!!
>-SjT
>
> > Here's my take on what happened:
> >
> > * We played a better team, on their home floor, where they rarely lose.
> > * we played without TJ Parker, who started but could not continue
> > playing after 5 minutes because of his illness
> > * we played without Davor Duvancic, who is also ill.
> > * we played a long stretch without Vedran, who left the game in severe
> > pain with a shoulder injury.  Fortunately, it wasn't a recurrence of
> > the shoulder injury that plagued him for two years but a severe bruise.
> > * We got into serious foul trouble with Mike Thompson, and Vince Scott
> > had to play for a huge part of the game.  Tolic wasn't an option - he
> > didn't travel either.
> > * We committed 9 turnovers in the first ten minutes (and 12 in the
> > first half) largely because MSU's defense was so good that we had a
> > number of shot clock violations when, without TJ, we didn't have a good
> > look during the offensive possession.
> > *Hachad and Jenkins also found themselves in foul trouble.
> >
> > that's about it.
>
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