BleedGopher
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2008
- Messages
- 60,698
- Reaction score
- 15,935
- Points
- 113
per the Lansing State Journal:
So we meet again...
The Spartans routed Minnesota, 79-55, in the Breslin Center on Feb. 9.
MSU honored its 1979 National Championship team, including Spartan greats Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Gregory Kelser. Nick Ward had 22 points and Matt McQuaid scored what was at the time a season-high 18. The victory helped the Spartans end a mid-season three-game skid.
The Spartans’ defense smothered the Gophers’ stars. Murphy and Coffey combined for just nine points while shooting just 3-of-10 from the field.
Will that familiarity help on Saturday?
"They’re a completely different team," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. "(Dupree) McBrair and Coffey are like 10 times different players."
Injury concerns?
Murphy played through pain during the second half of Thursday's game, but said he plans to be ready on Saturday.
"My back just locked up on me," he said. "I don't know what else I can do about it. But for now just get treatment and take care of it."
Pitino said there's "absolutely no doubt" in his mind that Murphy will play.
"He'll find a way even if we tell him he can't," Pitino said.
Style points
Minnesota ranks 40th in defensive efficiency, holding opponents to 0.96 points per possession. The Gophers are 56th in offensive efficiency, scoring 1.1 points per possession.
Minnesota ranked in the bottom half of the league in most offensive categories, including 3-point shooting percentage (32.5 percent) and 2-point percentage (48.6 percent). However, the Gophers get to the line a ton. When you control for tempo, the Gophers get to the line more than all but 15 teams in college basketball. Thursday, for example, they attempted 26 free throws.
"They're playing really good basketball right now," Goins said. "Their two wings are putting the ball on the rim like none other. And Murphy is always good. We're just going to look at the tapes again and see what the report says and we'll adjust accordingly."
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com...caa-tournament-scouting-minnesota/3238144002/
Go Gophers!!
So we meet again...
The Spartans routed Minnesota, 79-55, in the Breslin Center on Feb. 9.
MSU honored its 1979 National Championship team, including Spartan greats Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Gregory Kelser. Nick Ward had 22 points and Matt McQuaid scored what was at the time a season-high 18. The victory helped the Spartans end a mid-season three-game skid.
The Spartans’ defense smothered the Gophers’ stars. Murphy and Coffey combined for just nine points while shooting just 3-of-10 from the field.
Will that familiarity help on Saturday?
"They’re a completely different team," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. "(Dupree) McBrair and Coffey are like 10 times different players."
Injury concerns?
Murphy played through pain during the second half of Thursday's game, but said he plans to be ready on Saturday.
"My back just locked up on me," he said. "I don't know what else I can do about it. But for now just get treatment and take care of it."
Pitino said there's "absolutely no doubt" in his mind that Murphy will play.
"He'll find a way even if we tell him he can't," Pitino said.
Style points
Minnesota ranks 40th in defensive efficiency, holding opponents to 0.96 points per possession. The Gophers are 56th in offensive efficiency, scoring 1.1 points per possession.
Minnesota ranked in the bottom half of the league in most offensive categories, including 3-point shooting percentage (32.5 percent) and 2-point percentage (48.6 percent). However, the Gophers get to the line a ton. When you control for tempo, the Gophers get to the line more than all but 15 teams in college basketball. Thursday, for example, they attempted 26 free throws.
"They're playing really good basketball right now," Goins said. "Their two wings are putting the ball on the rim like none other. And Murphy is always good. We're just going to look at the tapes again and see what the report says and we'll adjust accordingly."
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com...caa-tournament-scouting-minnesota/3238144002/
Go Gophers!!