Michigan State holds off USC 74-69

by Paragon SC on Mar 22, 2009 4:57 PM PDT in USC Basketball

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For me it's hard to be upset with this game. With the way the season went and how SC made it into the tournament when most of us left the team for dead I have a hard time getting upset with this loss...the string couldn't last forever

MSU did exactly what we knew they would do. They controlled the boards and they were able to rotate in some depth when a couple of their guys got into foul trouble. There were a couple of times where SC fell asleep on defense but for the most part they hung in there.

As I said in the game thread I was not unhappy with how this game was called. There were a couple of phantom calls and few no calls near the end but for the most part the officials did a pretty good job. No game is ever called perfectly.

I was terribly disappointed that Taj could not break out from Suton who pretty much bottled him up when he was in the game. I really didn't see Floyd calling a bad game. SC had their chances and they did have the lead a few times but MSU was hot from beyond the arc and they had some decent touch around the paint, they had a lot of shots fall. SC on the other hand only hit 1-of-10 from 3-point range. They were better from the charity stripe

Lewis was great to ight with 19 points while DeRozan had a pretty good game scoring 18 points but his presence was not as prononced as it was in the game against BC. Again, without Taj we had little inside presence but that we almost pulled this one out without Taj's numbers is testament to this teams grittiness.

So that's it, an interesting season to say the least. There were some definite high point but there were also a lot nights where there was some gnashing of teeth. I'm pretty sure DeRozan is gone probably Taj too though he still needs some work.

We'll have more on that as the off season moves along but for now a tip of the hat to the team and the staff for making the later part of the season fun and interesting. Leave your comments and rants here...this is our seaon ending post game thread.

FIGHT ON!

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Depth Overcomes

Travis Walton avgs 5 ppg, and has a career night with 18. Also, MSU goes 6-13 from the 3 point line. MSU outrebounded by 8, I think, but SC kept it even with more steals and blocks. Great defense. Impossible to close out all of their quick guards on the threes.
Key was Taj only played 23 minutes. We were ahead 47-42 when Taj went down with 4 fouls. He only played 1 more minute after that. Izzo just kept running bodies at Taj, and Taj got some terrible foul calls.

This was a perfect example of how depth wins. Izzo is a great coach. We were badly outrebounded, and yet, Floyd’s awesome Def had us in it until the end. Great game, Trojans. 3 weeks ago, we were out of the dance. Today, we lose a nailbiter to a #2 seed (who may go very far, could win it all). Trojans should be proud. Our boys played well and bled cardinal and gold. Bravo, Trojans! Can’t wait until next season! The future is bright!. Only one team walks away happy from the dance.

by DFWTrojan on Mar 22, 2009 5:58 PM PDT reply actions

FIGHT ON to the 08-09 Trojan Basketball Team!

Certainly an up and down season, but what a great way to end it. Looking at the roster along with the incoming recruits, I really feel like Floyd has USC headed in a very positive direction, and a lot of the things would have to go wrong for SC to not have a great season next year.

Look for a season retrospective and some future gazing over the next week or two.

by Laughing Stock on Mar 22, 2009 7:18 PM PDT reply actions

We needed to play perfect

to win and we didn’t. Taj needed to stay out of foul trouble and he didn’t. Overall great end to a mediocre season with the tournament victory and the 1st round win. The salvaged the season at the end, and I’m proud of how they didn’t give up. That game was anyone’s to take with less than 2 minutes to go.

Taj, and DeMar are most likely gone. Good luck to them.

by frak on Mar 23, 2009 9:15 AM PDT reply actions

Season turned out to be on the positive!

Know lets just hope these guys stick around to have a super team next year, Demar is the really only 1st rounder.

Paul D. Kelley

by so.cal.native1952 on Mar 23, 2009 11:23 AM PDT reply actions

Additional 2008 -09 in-coming freshman WALK-ONS!

Coach Floyd, apart from having S.A.T.-killa, Renardo Sidney to work in his lineup rotation next year- may very well have the two best walk-ons in the country next year. Defensive ends Kevin Greene (6’3" 230 lbs 4.65; San Fran- Sacred Heart Cathedral) and James Boyd (6’4" 221 4.8; Los Angeles Jordan) are coming this fall on football scholarship, but both have also asked USC coaches to play basketball for Coach Floyd.

James Boyd (guard) might very well be one of three “2008 High School All-City Basketball” team members playing for the Trojans next year.

Add to that Kevin Greene, a bodacious badass from The City, Greene, who will play football at USC, sparked Sacred Heart Cathedral to a 57-35 edge on the boards with his 20 rebounds against Huntington Beach Ocean View, which broke a 24-year-old Division III title game record set by Mike Doyle of Folsom in 1985.

Get at ’em Coach Floyd. Thanks for all those frazzling and epic games this post season. You know you just barely got this “Get Out of Jail For Free” cards. Better not lose it! (pun IS INDEED intended) By the by there Coach, I hope your having our boys shooting 50,000 free throws EACH this off-season. Make that 50,000 MADE free throws.

Why I ought ta?

Comer4tide to Nico2.0: "How come I've never heard of any of your random songs?"
Todd to Comer: "Because if you had, he wouldn't listen to it. BOOM. Roasted."
Nico to Todd: "Shouldn't you be off voguing somewhere?"

by BixBeiderbecke on Mar 23, 2009 11:30 AM PDT reply actions

I meant to write. . .

. . . .(these doth sucketh greatly) ‘You know, you just barely RECEIVED this "Get Outta Jail Fo’ Free" card, right?"

“By the bye, there Coach! I hope you’re having our boys join a "50K ‘MADE’ FREE-THROW DISTANCE TEAM” training club?
(If not, . . . . . .then perhaps create one NOW, no?

Why I ought ’ta!!!!

by BixBeiderbecke on Mar 23, 2009 1:07 PM PDT up reply actions

Bix Boyd is actually 6-5 1/2 and ave. 22 rebs a game.

With Jordan Cameron, and Washington and these too think what havick they would bring, put them in to rough up teams.

Paul D. Kelley

by so.cal.native1952 on Mar 23, 2009 1:33 PM PDT up reply actions

It didn't help

that every MSU player had a career night from the FT line. They were 168th in the nation in FT shooting coming in and they seemed to be unstoppable from the line.

You know what? Fuck you Sports Gods, fuck you.

by bluemax on Mar 23, 2009 12:16 PM PDT reply actions

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