(East Lansing) – The MSU men’s basketball cheering section, the Izzone, may
not be in full force on Wednesday, but that won’t keep the team from gunning for a
perfect conference record at home.
While most co-eds are busy enjoying their spring break, the Spartans (16-11 overall,
8-6 Big Ten) will play host to the Iowa Hawkeyes (14-11, 6-8) at the Breslin Center, where
MSU has notched a perfect 7-0 record against Big Ten foes.
The Spartans have started to play better basketball in the last two games, picking up
wins over Minnesota and Purdue last week. MSU will look to continue its winning ways
against an Iowa team that has shown some improvements.
The Hawkeyes are coming off a 91-88 overtime loss to Indiana in Bloomington, Ind. In
that game Iowa was trailing by 15 points at halftime, but came back to knot it up at 78-78
and sent the game into the extra frame.
Although Iowa did not pick up the "W," they did get a nice performance from
6-foot-11 center Jared Reiner. Reiner had a career-night scoring 25 points and snatching
17 rebounds to lead the Hawkeyes.
On Monday, Reiner was awarded the Big Ten Player of the Week for his efforts against
Ohio State, earlier in the week, and Indiana. The Iowa big man averaged 20.5 points per
game and 13.5 rebounds per game.
MSU head coach Tom Izzo said on his Big Ten weekly press conference that Reiner has
really elevated his game since suffering a sprained knee a few weeks back.
"He’s improving and he looks more aggressive," Izzo said.
"He’s using a variety of different moves and is becoming more aggressive on the
offensive end."
Reiner remains the Big Ten leader in rebounding with 8.5 boards per game.
In addition to Reiner, the Hawkeyes use a three-guard set in their motion offense.
Chauncey Leslie, Jeff Horner and Brody Boyd can all provide instant offense for Iowa.
Leslie is the league’s eighth best scorer at 15.9 points per game, while Horner
puts up 9.0 ppg and is among the leaders in assists per game at 4.52. Boyd has a dangerous
outside touch and is not afraid to use it.
Glen Worley, whose name was heard all afternoon in the first meeting, rounds out the
starting five for the Hawkeyes. On Jan. 11, the 6-foot-7 Worley scored a career-high 29
points on 4-of-5 shooting from 3-point territory to lead the Hawkeyes to a 68-64 victory
in Iowa City.
In that game the Spartans overcome a horrible first half filled with turnovers and poor
shooting to take a 61-60 lead with 1:50 to play. The Hawkeyes scored the next seven points
to hold on for the win.
That win gave the Hawkeyes a strong 11-3 start and hopes of making a serious Big Ten
championship run. After that win, the Hawkeyes hit a lull and have gone just 3-8, but Izzo
said he will not take this team lightly.
The lone bright spot for the Spartans in the first meeting was sophomore guard Chris
Hill. Hill led the Spartans with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting from behind the arc and
that hasn’t been a fluke.
The 6-foot-5 guard has averaged 13 points in three games against the Hawkeyes and has
been getting more shots since sophomore swingman Alan Anderson has returned to the lineup.
In the last three games the Spartans as a team have shot the ball more and it’s
starting to pay off. MSU is averaging 71.7 points per game over this stretch and have been
deadly from behind the arc, knocking down 40 percent of its 3-point attempts.
Free-throw shooting has also boosted the offense in the three-game. MSU is getting to
the line almost 30 times a game and are hitting 81.6 percent of them.
Game time is set for 8 p.m.
In other news
The Hawkeyes have two key players with tender ankles, but Iowa coach Steve Alford said
on Monday that he doesn’t expect them to miss any action. Leslie and Horner, both
suffered ankle injuries the day before the Indiana game, but were able to go against the
Hoosiers.
The injury didn’t seem to bother Leslie, who finished with 17 points in 42
minutes. Horner played 33 minutes and had 7 points.
Wednesday also marks senior day for a quartet of Spartans. Forwards Adam Ballinger, Al
Anagonye and Brian Westrick were thought to be MSU’s only seniors to be honored, but
one other Spartan announced his decision to forgo another season.
Forward Adam Wolfe told the Associated Press that this would be his last season playing
for the Green and White. Instead of using another year of eligibility, following a medical
redshirt, the 6-foot-9 forward has decided to go out with this year’s senior class.
Wolfe has seen limited action this season, after coming back from a gruesome hamstring
pull last season.