College Basketball 23-24

[Honeyman]

One of the worst losses in Spartan history. Not that this team was gonna survive the 1st weekend of the tournament, but now we won't make it. Streak is over. Blowing a 12 point lead at home to an interim coached shitty squad without its 2nd best player is beyond inexcusable.

Izzo is the GOAT, but that loss really got me thinking it may be time for succession planning. There hasn't been a true Izzo team in several years. The fire is gone with these teams. Another top 5 ranked pre-season team that will finish in mediocrity.

Yep, I've had a lot of issues with Tom lately. Where was Booker the last 15 minutes yesterday? Playing Mady and Cooper together? You know there is an unused scholarship still on this team? Like there was nobody in the portal that could help this team? Why dies he refuse to use it considering Walker and Hauser are our 2 best players in the past 3 years?

This feels like Dantonios last year or two. The game is passing him by.

Agreed. I've been holding out hope that he had one more run in him, but I'm not seeing it. He's pretty much the only stable force at MSU at the moment, the glue that's kept things together from all the leadership incompetence, but it may be getting to be time.

The 2019-20 team had the potential to make a deep run in the tournament, but then the pandemic hit.

I've also been hoping that he will make at least one more solid run before he retires, but it feels like it's becoming increasingly unlikely.

Who knows what sort of succession plans/discussions have been taking place behind closed doors, but if MSU misses the tournament entirely this year, I think those conversations will start ramping up. He's had a successful enough career he should be able to retire on his own terms, and MSU should be given enough time to find the *right* person to fill Izzo's shoes when that time comes.

I would say that they would allow Izzo to name his successor, similar to when Jud retired. However, I don't see any of his assistant coaches being prime candidates to taking over.

Fair, but Izzo's been around long enough that there are plenty of his former assistants that have built up their own head coaching careers who he could contact and be like "so, I'm gonna retire, you interested?" and go from there.

Drew Valentine at Loyola is a possibility depending how the next 2 years go. Oats at Bama gets a lot of talk. I like the guy at Iowa State, and Collins at Northwestern would be a good choice.

[bmw]

Last night is the first time I've watched an MSU basketball this year. Honestly they didn't look that bad and for a brief moment, I thought maybe just maybe they were going to make the comeback. But it wasn't to be.

They desperately need to beat Northwestern.

[Honeyman]

Last night is the first time I've watched an MSU basketball this year. Honestly they didn't look that bad and for a brief moment, I thought maybe just maybe they were going to make the comeback. But it wasn't to be.

They desperately need to beat Northwestern.

They have to beat NW and Indiana to feel good about making the tournament. Maybe one in the BTT too.

Talking with a Spartan friend the other day and he said, "I don't enjoy watching this team play". So simple, yet so true. Possibly the first time I feel that watching an Izzo team. They always were hustling, fighting, scheming..... Izzo always talks about a player-led team. This team just doesn't have the same makeup, or resolve, or whatever. I don't like Izzos substitutions often. I'm not sure the team is fully bought in. There is clearly something missing.

I don't think they make the dance.

[moldyoldie]

Just as an aside, Caitlin Clark of Iowa's women's team is now the all-time NCAA Basketball scoring leader surpassing Pete Maravich.

[Honeyman]

NW getting 9 1/2 tonight?!? Seems WAAAAY too many.

[Honeyman]

Have no idea if this is accurate, but it rings true. And if not Storr, it probably has happened before and/or certainly will in the future.

https://badgerstripes.com/2024/04/22/it ... -aj-storr/