March 8, 2011
The Big Ten tournament had become an unnecessary potential waste of energy for Michigan State.
The Spartans have never needed it to make the NCAA Tournament field, and they often played like it, getting knocked out in their first or second conference tournament game nine of the last 10 years. That includes a 5-5 record against lower-seeded teams.
"People think I put nothing into it because we haven't fared well in it," coach Tom Izzo said.
Motivation certainly was a factor. For teams from the power conferences, it takes a special group to make a run in both the conference tournament and then the NCAA Tournament. Most teams, at best, are capable of only one or the other.
This year, the Big Ten tournament is taking on much greater significance for the Spartans. It's not about NCAA seeding for them at this point; it's just about getting invited.
Izzo's team, seeded No. 7, is firmly on the NCAA bubble with a mediocre 16-13 record against Division I opponents entering Thursday's Big Ten opening-round game against No. 10 seed Iowa (approximately 5 p.m. at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis).
"It's a whole new season," senior guard Kalin Lucas said.
Never has that felt so good for an Izzo team to say.
"It's the one great thing about basketball compared to football," Izzo said. "There's a lot at stake in this Big Ten tournament."
Michigan State (17-13 overall, 9-9 Big Ten) split the season series with Iowa, losing by 20 on the road and winning by 19 at home.
A victory moves the Spartans into Friday's quarterfinals against No. 2 seed Purdue, which defeated MSU twice, by 10 in West Lafayette, Ind., and by 20 in East Lansing.
Iowa (11-19, 4-14) is coming off what coach Fran McCaffery called his team's "best 40-minute effort of the season" -- a surprising, 67-65 victory at home last Saturday over Purdue.
Michigan State, on the other hand, must regroup once again after losing its season finale at Michigan.
To win the conference tournament, which MSU hasn't done since back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000, the Spartans will have to win four games in four days.
Only one team -- Iowa, a No. 6 seed, in 2001 -- has done that in the 13 years of the Big Ten tournament. Five others, including No. 6 seed Minnesota last year, won three games to get to the championship before losing.
The way Michigan State's season has gone, winning four straight seems unlikely. The Spartans, in fact, haven't done it all season. After a 3-0 start, they never won more than two in a row the rest of the way.
Beating Iowa won't necessarily assure MSU of its 14th straight NCAA bid, but a loss could end all hopes.
Asked about the importance of at least winning that first game, Lucas said, "The mindset is to win every game in the Big Ten tournament. That's my mindset. I know that's the players' mindset, as well."
The Spartans have had a knack for flipping the switch and taking their performance to a higher level when March Madness arrives. It's arriving a week earlier for them this time.
Lucas and teammate Durrell Summers have excelled with the pressure on, being part of 11 NCAA Tournament victories the last three years.
Juniors Draymond Green and Delvon Roe have played in 11 NCAA Tournament games the last two seasons, including nine victories.
"They know they can win at one-and-done time because they've done it," Izzo said. "That's one of the few things we've got going for us."
Green (ankle) and Roe (knee) apparently have recovered from recent injuries.
"Unless someone trips coming in -- this year that could happen -- we should be as healthy as we've been (in a while)," Izzo said. "That's an encouraging thing."
And what if Michigan State does fail to make the NCAA Tournament? Will it indicate the Izzo empire -- six Final Four appearances in 12 years -- is ready to fall?
Consider this: Since MSU's streak of NCAA appearances started in 1998, only Kansas (21 straight) and Duke (15) have avoided a down year.
Here's how many tournaments some other teams have missed during that time: Georgetown (eight), Villanova (six), Ohio State (five), Purdue (five), Pittsburgh (four), Louisville (four), Tennessee (four), North Carolina (three), Syracuse (three), Connecticut (three), Florida (three), UCLA (three), Kentucky (one), Arizona (one) and Texas (one).
Those are some quality programs there. They've all had some tough years over the last decade-plus.
So while the panic button will be pushed by some if the Spartans end up in the NIT, it's an unfair overreaction.
That's not what one-and-done means.
