Tom's article.
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It's not often that the #1 team in the country comes to Iowa City, but that's what will be happening on Tuesday night when Michigan State plays at Carver-Hawkeye. With Denzel Valentine sidelined the stage is set for a potential upset of the top team in the nation. Can Anthony Clemmons and the Hawkeyes pull it off? We preview the huge game in Iowa City.
Michigan State Spartans (13-0) vs. Iowa Hawkeyes (9-3)
Tip Time: 8:00 p.m.
TV: BTN - Kevin Kugler and Shon Morris on the call
Location: Carver Hawkeye Arena
History: Michigan State leads the all-time series 71-53. Iowa leads the series in games played in Iowa City 34-24. Fran McCaffery is 1-9 against Michigan State. Tom Izzo is 29-9 in his career against Iowa. In the last meeting in Iowa City, Michigan State defeated Iowa 75-61. Michigan State has won 14 of the last 15 contests between the two schools.
THE LINE: Iowa is a 2.5 point favorite
THE LINEUPS
IOWA
Adam Woodbury - 8.8 ppg
Jarrod Uthoff - 18.3 ppg
Peter Jok - 13.3 ppg
Anthony Clemmons - 8.8 ppg
Mike Gesell - 7.9 ppg
MICHIGAN STATE
Matt Costello - 7.6 ppg
Javon Bess -5.5 ppg
Eron Harris - 8.5 ppg
Bryn Forbes - 14.2 ppg
Tum Tum Narin - 4.1 ppg
PLAYER TO WATCH
Eron Harris - With All American Denzel Valentine sidelined due to knee surgery, the Spartans needed a boost on the offensive end and Harris appears to be prepared to provide it. The West Virginia transfer is in his first year being allowed to play for the Spartans after sitting out last season due to NCAA rules. He is averaging 8.5 points per game, but with Valentine out the 6-foot-3 guard poured in 27 points against Oakland University last week. Harris was a very strong scorer in his second year at West Virginia and with Valentine out, he is ready to step into a larger role as a scorer. Harris can score from distance, but he is really good off the bounce and has shown that since getting going with Michigan State. Iowa will need to keep him in check if they want to pull off the upset.
KEY MATCH-UP
Anthony Clemmons vs. Bryn Forbes - This has to be the match-up of the night because my guess is both players know the others game almost as well as they know their own. Clemmons and Forbes (along with Denzel Valentine) were teammates at Sexton High School in Lansing, MI where they won a couple of state titles together. Clemmons is Iowa's best defender in the backcourt and Forbes is Michigan State's top scorer with Valentine out. In the Spartans last game, Forbes scored 32 points, so he really filled the void left by Valentine's absence. Perhaps just as important will Clemmons and what he does on the offensive end of the floor. He is desperate to win a game against his home town school and this could be his best shot at getting it. Iowa will need his offense as much as his defense because the Hawkeyes will want to make Forbes work on both ends of the floor.
STATS AND NOTES
Fran McCaffery announced that junior forward Dale Jones will miss the rest of the 2015-16 season due to a knee injury. Freshman Brandon Hutton has joined Isaiah Moss in redshirting this season. Tuesday is "Be Bold, Wear Gold" and fans attending the game are encouraged to wear gold. Iowa will be wearing their gold uniforms for the game. Iowa is 1-0 this season when wearing their gold uniforms and 13-4 overall wearing gold under Fran McCaffery. Iowa is 2-0 this season in games played on the Big Ten Network and 1-0 on games on a Tuesday. All University of Iowa students will be admitted free to the game. Tom Izzo will be coaching this game with a heavy heart. It was announced on Monday evening that his father, Carl, passed away earlier in the day at the age of 90. Iowa has won their last two Big Ten conference openers. Mike Gesell has now scored 900 points in his Iowa career. He has also dished out 436 assists, which is good for 6th all-time at Iowa. Jarrod Uthoff is 7 points away from scoring 900 points in his three year Iowa career.
THE PICK
The stage is certainly set for the Hawkeyes. They have the #1 team in the country coming to Iowa City and they will be without their best player. Denzel Valentine isn't just the best player on the Spartans team, he might be the best all-around player in the country this season. To say his absence leaves a huge void in the Spartans attack would be an understatement.
But, Iowa has traveled down this road before with Michigan State hobbling into town short-handed and a little beat up only to see the opportunity slip thru their hands. Iowa's RPI is currently a very strong 36, but a win, well that could go a long way to furthering their cause come March because this would be what they call a signature victory. Even without Valentine on the floor, beating Michigan State for Iowa is a mountain that the Hawkeyes need to climb.
Even without Valentine, Iowa is going to be at the very best because the Spartans are a deep, talented, and tested team. They won't do down without a fight. The keys for Iowa will be winning the glass, hitting shots, and not turning the ball over. We all know that the Spartans under Izzo pound the glass and Iowa has been decent in the rebounding category, but they will need to win this area. Jarrod Uthoff and Peter Jok will need to provide their usual scoring punch and a third Hawkeye needs to come up big as well. Three point shooting will be critical. Iowa has shot the ball well from three this year and that will need to continue. The Spartans have some very good three point shooters in Forbes, Harris, and Matt McQuaid. Those Spartans cannot be allowed to get going like Travis Trice did last year. Mike Gesell will be hugely important in this game. He has been very good at distributing the ball and not turning it over this season and this will be a huge spot for him. If he can control the tempo and find open shooters, Iowa has a shot at knocking off #1. This is all set up for Iowa to get what might be the biggest win of the Fran McCaffery era. The opportunity to knock off #1 doesn't come along too often and this is the night they get it done. IOWA 70 MICHIGAN STATE 66
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It's not often that the #1 team in the country comes to Iowa City, but that's what will be happening on Tuesday night when Michigan State plays at Carver-Hawkeye. With Denzel Valentine sidelined the stage is set for a potential upset of the top team in the nation. Can Anthony Clemmons and the Hawkeyes pull it off? We preview the huge game in Iowa City.
Michigan State Spartans (13-0) vs. Iowa Hawkeyes (9-3)
Tip Time: 8:00 p.m.
TV: BTN - Kevin Kugler and Shon Morris on the call
Location: Carver Hawkeye Arena
History: Michigan State leads the all-time series 71-53. Iowa leads the series in games played in Iowa City 34-24. Fran McCaffery is 1-9 against Michigan State. Tom Izzo is 29-9 in his career against Iowa. In the last meeting in Iowa City, Michigan State defeated Iowa 75-61. Michigan State has won 14 of the last 15 contests between the two schools.
THE LINE: Iowa is a 2.5 point favorite
THE LINEUPS
IOWA
Adam Woodbury - 8.8 ppg
Jarrod Uthoff - 18.3 ppg
Peter Jok - 13.3 ppg
Anthony Clemmons - 8.8 ppg
Mike Gesell - 7.9 ppg
MICHIGAN STATE
Matt Costello - 7.6 ppg
Javon Bess -5.5 ppg
Eron Harris - 8.5 ppg
Bryn Forbes - 14.2 ppg
Tum Tum Narin - 4.1 ppg
PLAYER TO WATCH
Eron Harris - With All American Denzel Valentine sidelined due to knee surgery, the Spartans needed a boost on the offensive end and Harris appears to be prepared to provide it. The West Virginia transfer is in his first year being allowed to play for the Spartans after sitting out last season due to NCAA rules. He is averaging 8.5 points per game, but with Valentine out the 6-foot-3 guard poured in 27 points against Oakland University last week. Harris was a very strong scorer in his second year at West Virginia and with Valentine out, he is ready to step into a larger role as a scorer. Harris can score from distance, but he is really good off the bounce and has shown that since getting going with Michigan State. Iowa will need to keep him in check if they want to pull off the upset.
KEY MATCH-UP
Anthony Clemmons vs. Bryn Forbes - This has to be the match-up of the night because my guess is both players know the others game almost as well as they know their own. Clemmons and Forbes (along with Denzel Valentine) were teammates at Sexton High School in Lansing, MI where they won a couple of state titles together. Clemmons is Iowa's best defender in the backcourt and Forbes is Michigan State's top scorer with Valentine out. In the Spartans last game, Forbes scored 32 points, so he really filled the void left by Valentine's absence. Perhaps just as important will Clemmons and what he does on the offensive end of the floor. He is desperate to win a game against his home town school and this could be his best shot at getting it. Iowa will need his offense as much as his defense because the Hawkeyes will want to make Forbes work on both ends of the floor.
STATS AND NOTES
Fran McCaffery announced that junior forward Dale Jones will miss the rest of the 2015-16 season due to a knee injury. Freshman Brandon Hutton has joined Isaiah Moss in redshirting this season. Tuesday is "Be Bold, Wear Gold" and fans attending the game are encouraged to wear gold. Iowa will be wearing their gold uniforms for the game. Iowa is 1-0 this season when wearing their gold uniforms and 13-4 overall wearing gold under Fran McCaffery. Iowa is 2-0 this season in games played on the Big Ten Network and 1-0 on games on a Tuesday. All University of Iowa students will be admitted free to the game. Tom Izzo will be coaching this game with a heavy heart. It was announced on Monday evening that his father, Carl, passed away earlier in the day at the age of 90. Iowa has won their last two Big Ten conference openers. Mike Gesell has now scored 900 points in his Iowa career. He has also dished out 436 assists, which is good for 6th all-time at Iowa. Jarrod Uthoff is 7 points away from scoring 900 points in his three year Iowa career.
THE PICK
The stage is certainly set for the Hawkeyes. They have the #1 team in the country coming to Iowa City and they will be without their best player. Denzel Valentine isn't just the best player on the Spartans team, he might be the best all-around player in the country this season. To say his absence leaves a huge void in the Spartans attack would be an understatement.
But, Iowa has traveled down this road before with Michigan State hobbling into town short-handed and a little beat up only to see the opportunity slip thru their hands. Iowa's RPI is currently a very strong 36, but a win, well that could go a long way to furthering their cause come March because this would be what they call a signature victory. Even without Valentine on the floor, beating Michigan State for Iowa is a mountain that the Hawkeyes need to climb.
Even without Valentine, Iowa is going to be at the very best because the Spartans are a deep, talented, and tested team. They won't do down without a fight. The keys for Iowa will be winning the glass, hitting shots, and not turning the ball over. We all know that the Spartans under Izzo pound the glass and Iowa has been decent in the rebounding category, but they will need to win this area. Jarrod Uthoff and Peter Jok will need to provide their usual scoring punch and a third Hawkeye needs to come up big as well. Three point shooting will be critical. Iowa has shot the ball well from three this year and that will need to continue. The Spartans have some very good three point shooters in Forbes, Harris, and Matt McQuaid. Those Spartans cannot be allowed to get going like Travis Trice did last year. Mike Gesell will be hugely important in this game. He has been very good at distributing the ball and not turning it over this season and this will be a huge spot for him. If he can control the tempo and find open shooters, Iowa has a shot at knocking off #1. This is all set up for Iowa to get what might be the biggest win of the Fran McCaffery era. The opportunity to knock off #1 doesn't come along too often and this is the night they get it done. IOWA 70 MICHIGAN STATE 66
