April 10, 2008
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
Michigan State finished the 2007-08 season with a 27-9 record and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. In a year that saw many notable accomplishments from both the team and individuals, the Spartans were ranked No. 13 in the final ESPN/USA Today Poll.
TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• 11th-straight NCAA Tournament appearance - the fifth-longest active streak in the nation and second-longest streak in Big Ten history
• Seventh Sweet 16 appearance in last 11 years - only Duke (9) has more appearances in the last 11 years, while UCLA also has seven
• Won 27 games - the fifth most in school history
• Won 24 regular-season games - the third-largest regular-season win total in school history
• Perfect 17-0 record at home - only Big Ten team with perfect home record - first perfect home season since 2001 and just the fourth in Breslin Center history
• Opened the season 19-2 - the best 21-game start in school history
• Through March 31 - ranked ninth nationally in rebound margin, 12th in assists, 17th in assist-to-turnover ratio, 16th in field-goal percentage, and 29th in field-goal percentage defense
• Out-rebounded 29 of 36 opponents
• Held 19 of 36 opponents below 40-percent shooting and 33 of 36 below 50-percent shooting
• Led the Big Ten in shooting percentage for a fifth-straight season
• Led the Big Ten in rebound margin for the 9th time in the last 11 seasons
• Recorded an assist on 66.5 percent of all field goals
• Blocked 152 shots - the second-highest single-season total in school history
• Ranked second in the Big Ten in scoring at 71.2 ppg - scored 75 or more points in 17 games
INDIVIDUAL NOTABLES
Drew Neitzel
• Second-team Academic All-American - just the fifth Academic All-American in MSU history (Ralph Simpson, Greg Kelser, Matt Steigenga, Chris Hill)
• First-team All-Big Ten as selected by the league's coaches - became the first Spartan to earn first-team honors in back-to-back years since Mateen Cleaves and Morris Peterson in 2000
• USBWA and NABC All-District honoree
• CBE Classic All-Tournament Team
• Finished career as just the third Spartan and 12th player in Big Ten history with 1,500 points and 500 assists
• Finished 14th in Michigan State history in career scoring (1,534 points), 4th in career assists (582 asts), 3rd in career 3-pointers made (273) and attempted (684) and the school's career leader in free-throw percentage (.866)
• Finished 10th in career assists (582) in Big Ten history
• Made 97 3-pointers in 2007-08 - the third-best single-season total in MSU history
• As of March 31 - ranked 7th in the nation and first in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio
• Ranked fourth in the Big Ten in assists, 3-point field goals made and free-throw percentage, and seventh in scoring
• Led MSU in scoring in 16 games and in assists in 16 games
• Had seven games of 20 points or more
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Raymar Morgan
• Ranked sixth in the Big Ten in scoring, ninth in rebounding and fourth in field-goal percentage
• Two-time Big Ten Player of the Week
• Second-Team All-Big Ten after earning All-Freshman honors last season
• USBWA and NABC All-District honoree
• CBE Classic East Lansing Regional MVP
• His 31-point, 10-rebound effort was MSU's first 30-point, 10-rebound effort against a Big Ten opponent since
Morris Peterson in 2000 (vs. Michigan)
• Led MSU in scoring in 16 games and in rebounding in 10 games
• Had seven games of 20 points or more
• Tied for the team lead with 26 dunks
Goran Suton
• Finished season ranked second in the Big Ten in rebounding (8.2 rpg)
• Averaged 11.3 points and 9.3 rebounds in the last nine games of the season
• Became first Spartan since Kevin Willis in 1983 to grab 20 rebounds in a game with 20 boards vs. Oakland
• Had 10 games with 10 rebounds and 10 more contests with nine rebounds
• Led team with eight double-doubles
• Led MSU in rebounding in 23 games
• Scored in double figures in 17 games
Drew Naymick
• Finished career as MSU's all-time leader in blocked shots (134)
• Blocked 60 shots in 2007-08 - the second-best single-season total in MSU history
• Ranked third in the Big Ten in blocks (1.67 bpg) - ranked second in conference games (2.11 bpg)
• Scored in double figures in four games and grabbed double-figure rebounds in one contest
• Led team in rebounding in three games
Travis Walton
• Made Big Ten All-Defensive Team for second-straight season
• Ranked second in the Big Ten in assists (4.33 apg) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.40)
• As of March 31 - ranked 24th in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio
• Led MSU in assists in 16 games, including three games with double-figure assists
Kalin Lucas
• Averaged 11.5 points and 3.8 assists in the final 26 games of the season
• Four of his six games with 18 points or more came against ranked teams
• Recorded 137 assists - the fourth-best freshman total in MSU history
• Ranked 5th in the Big Ten in assists (3.81 apg) and seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.88)
• Led MSU in assists in nine games and in scoring in six games
• Scored in double figures in 17 games
Chris Allen
• Made 36 3-pointers - the third-best freshman total in MSU history
• Had 13 games with at least two 3-pointers
• Scored in double figures in nine games - including two in the NCAA Tournament
• Scored 13 points in his Spartan debut - tying for the fifth most in an MSU freshman debut
Durrell Summers
• Scored in double figures in six games
• Recorded 12 points and six rebounds in his Spartan debut - tying for the eighth-most points and six-most rebounds in a Spartan freshman debut
Marquise Gray
• Tied for the team lead with 26 dunks
• Led MSU in rebounding in two games
• Scored in double figures in three games
Tom Izzo
• Recorded 300th career victory with MSU's 66-52 win over Iowa on Feb. 23
• Moved into 11th place in Big Ten history with 145 conference victories
• Named Dick Vitale's "Coach of the Week" on Dec. 10 after leading the Spartans to victory at Bradley and against BYU in Salt Lake City
