Brian Bennett of Black Shoe Diaries joins us for a little Q&A
Happy day before Valentine’s Day everyone. I hope you are all excited about the date we have tomorrow night. I’m talking about MSU’s matchup against the Penn State Nittany Lions, of course. It is the Spartans’ opportunity to sweep the season series against the 11th member of the Big Ten. As we did for the first game earlier this season, we sit down with Brian Bennett from Black Shoe Diaries to discuss the game.
TOC: Since PSU’s loss to MSU back on January 4, the Lions have gone 5-5. They are a part of the logjam in the middle of the conference standings that still have a chance at getting a top-4 seed for the Big Ten Tournament. Have there been any positive developments since these two teams faced each other last?
BB: The biggest positive development has been this team simply showing some life – especially away from home. Up until a couple weeks ago, the Lions had won only once away from the Bryce Jordan Center – and that was a pseudo home game at The Palestra against Michigan. But a recent three-game win streak included a pair of road wins at Rutgers and Indiana, giving PSU fans some hope in head coach Mike Rhoades’ first season.
TOC: With seven games remaining and only one of them against a ranked opponent (home vs. Illinois), does it feel like this team has a chance to go on a little run and capture a bid to the NCAA Tournament? How many wins do you think PSU needs down the stretch to secure a spot in the Dance?
BB: The Lions have been too wildly inconsistent even within singular games – see both a win against Ohio State and a home loss to Minnesota as perfect evidence of this – for me to really think there’s even a puncher’s chance of this happening.
There are some Quad 1 opportunities coming their way – and Penn State does have a legitimate signature win with a victory over Wisconsin. I’d think they’d need to go 4-3 (more likely 5-2) and win at least a pair of games in Minneapolis to even think about being on the bubble.
TOC: In that first game against MSU, Penn State’s 2nd leading scorer and leading scorer in the last four games, Ace Baldwin, was held to 2 points and 0-7 on FGs. Did you feel like he had a bad game or do the Spartans deserve the credit for shutting him down that day? How does he make sure he is not made irrelevant again on Wednesday?
BB: I think Michigan State always gets credit for their perimeter defense – unless they’re trying to guard Talor Battle. At the same time, I think it was a bit of an aberration especially watching Baldwin’s play of late. He has scored at least 15 points in six of the past seven games. The ball has been in Baldwin’s hands even more the past few games (see below for more on that), so I’d look for him to be on the attack early on Wednesday night.
TOC: This year’s leading scorer, Kanye Clary, has recently been coming off the bench. What is the story there? Is this a permanent adjustment? If not, how does he get back in the starting five?
BB: He was injured late in the home loss to Minnesota – a game that Penn State dominated in the first 20 minutes only to have everything come apart in spectacular fashion. He missed road wins at Rutgers and Indiana. He’s being eased back into the lineup and other guys – namely D’Marco Dunn and Jameel Brown – have had moments of really strong play. I don’t buy into the theory that Penn State is better without Clary. But I do think he’s pressed a little in coming off the bench and I think easing him into the starting lineup again soon can help him play better.
TOC: What does Penn State need to do to beat Michigan State on Wednesday?
BB: Hold its own in transition. Checking out Synergy Sports, I see that the Spartans rank excellently in both transition offense and transition defense. Penn State is not a great defensive team and MSU getting the ball out of the net and scoring before BTN can even update the graphic terrifies me.
You mentioned a couple of the key names in your questions – Baldwin needs to play as he’s been playing, Clary needs to get back to how he was prior to the injury, and I’ll add in big man Qudus Wahab having himself a good game and being a stabilizing force in the frontcourt.
TOC: Bonus Question: Predict the final score.
BB: I’ve long loved the way Michigan State plays basketball. I have coached the sport for a long time and if I could drop in the picture of me with Tom Izzo that I have on the floor of Breslin, I’d do that now. I also know that as good as MSU is in March, they are always due for a clunker or two during conference season. Unfortunately for Penn State fans, I think that game already happened for Sparty last week at Minnesota.
Michigan State 78, Penn State 66
TOC thanks Brian Bennett for his continued support. Here’s hoping his prediction is spot on.