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Tampa subregional
© St. Petersburg Times, published March 21, 2003
THREE-POINT SHOOTING
Not the forte of either school, as both make just five 3s a game and fewer than their opponents. Michigan State, aside from leading scorer Chris Hill (84-of-208, 40 percent), shoots primarily from inside the arc. Colorado's Blair Wilson, like Hill, is the only Buffalo in his comfort zone from long range. CU guard James "Mookie" Wright hit the winning 3 against Kansas State in the Big 12 tournament, but he banked it in. Overall, MSU shoots 4 percent better (36.6-32.6).
The Spartans have been solid from the line, and among their regulars, Paul Davis' 66 percent and Aloysius Anagonye's 67.1 percent are the worst, which is very respectable. Colorado's team average is 6 percentage points worse than MSU's (73.5-67.5). Surprisingly, one of the best Buffs from the line is bulky senior power forward Stephane Pelle, who shoots 80 percent and has made 90 or more free throws each of his four seasons. Center David Harrison is the shakiest regular (56.7).
A strong suit for both teams, especially Michigan State. The Spartans' strong man-to-man defense and stout rebounding have been the hallmarks of their success during the Tom Izzo era. Colorado has a big lineup centered around 7-foot shot-blocker Harrison (3.2 a game), and Pelle is 250 pounds of muscle. MSU holds its opponents to 40.1 percent shooting and 61 points a game, Colorado's opponents average 70.1 points and shoot the same percentage as MSU's (40.1).
Michigan State annually ranks among the leading rebounding teams in the nation. One of the more deceptive statistics is the relatively low 5.4 average of MSU's leading rebounder, Anagonye. That's because everyone on MSU rebounds and seven players average more than three. Pelle is CU's career leader in rebounds, and, like MSU, CU's entire team attacks the glass. Guard/forward Michel Morandais, CU's leading scorer, also averages 5.3 rebounds.
Before immediately giving a huge advantage to Izzo, know this: CU's Ricardo Patton inherited a program in 1996 that hadn't won 20 or been to the NCAA Tournament since 1969. He brought the Buffaloes to the NCAAs and the 20-win mark twice. Izzo, however, turned Michigan State from a middling Big Ten team into a national power, making three straight Final Fours (1999, 2000, 2001) and winning a national title (2000).