I’m not going to get much into the craziness going on with some of the rivalries in this game and crowd chants but I will say that, despite my friendly joking about Rick Mount, I respect Robbie Hummel and this was one of the few times I actually felt bad for an opposing player – not in an insulting, pitying sort of way, no – but watching Hummel exit East Lansing for the last time in a Purdue @ MSU game in what was for him and his team an absolute debacle was bittersweet. Good luck, Robbie, and see you in West Lafayette.

But let’s talk about the sweetness! For the second time this year, Michigan State really took apart a conference opponent at the Breslin. The final was 83-58 (statsheet boxscore here) and I would not have guessed this morning that the margin would exceed the previous two games. I’m going to cheat a little bit and rely on my own preview to do some analysis.

Point 1:
Robbie Hummel vs. Draymond Green
Green was awesome and pulled one basketball’s great tricks: to be effective and make plays for your team when only taking a limited amount of shots (credit Keith Appling with the same). On top of his 8 pts, he had 12 rebounds and 7 assists, leading the team in both. Hummel had a horrible night and his 0-11 performance from the field was only supplemented by 2 successful free throws. This one-on-one contest was a landslide.

Point 2:
Control the game by dominating in the post.
Derrick Nix did his best jumbo Green impression and reminded everyone who had forgotten what a valuable asset he is moving the ball out of the post. Statesheet only counts two assists but they were both excellent plays that required Nix to think fast and make the right pass accurately. He was also alert when receiving passes and took advantage of his junior year quickness to get the ball up without hesitation. After struggling with the offensive motion of both Northwestern and Purdue, Adreian Payne came back around for a better showing and didn't let defensive lapses keep him out of the game. The combined numbers for Aderrian Nipaynx were 21 pts (8 of 12), 7 rebs, 2 asts, and 1 block in 35 minutes. Not bad for the two-headed center beast. Purdue played small much of the game but the time spent for the Purdue post players Jacob Lawson, Travis Carroll, and Sandi Marcius was not memorable. Purdue never consistently addressed their shooting woes by going inside and those three players combined for only 3 shot attempts in 41 minutes. Again, landslide.

Point 3:
Get Dawson going.
I anticipated that the history between Izzo and Painter over recruiting Dawson might be an issue tonight and I guess I nailed that one. After a quiet first half, Dawson’s explosive performance helped turn a big win into a laugher. His 14 were a basket behind Branden's season high. I’m excited about the possibility of Trice and Dawson developing chemistry for more of those easy alley-oops. On top of the offensive glassman and dunker we know him to be, fans also caught hints of where Dawson can go. He hit his free throws, popped a beautiful jumpshot, and anticipated a pass for a breakaway steal. If all that becomes routine, Dawson turns into a monster. The trip to play at Purdue should be very interesting.

Less systematic analysis after the jump...

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Statsheet game link.

So, who is ready to get back to the days when wins flowed like science from the lips of Chuck D? How about Branden Dawson grabbing offensive rebounds and getting garbage points? How about Brandon Wood nailing open threes? Brandan Kearney continuing to be a surprise off the bench? Brandon Walsh home with Kelly Taylor like he belongs! Whoa, sorry, got carried away.

There's a lot to check out today besides the adventures of people named Brandon/-en/-an. I assume today is Robbie Hummel's final trip to the Breslin as a Purdue player but I'm looking into loopholes for this. Derrick Nix continues to show his improved conditioning and we learned that Adreian Payne has a ceiling for his. Regardless, those guys will be needed today to take advantage of size in the post.

Interesting note already: According to Dan Dankich, Purdue was stuck on the tarmac for three hours and will be headed straight to the Breslin Center after arriving this morning. Will this influence and hamper their play?

The rules: No links to illegal game threads, no slurs, and be groovy to one another. Very groovy.

More after the jump...

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I’m quite sure Wisconsin didn’t plan on welcoming Michigan State tonight reeling from a home loss to Iowa. It’ll be interesting to see how Wisconsin responds. Is this evidence of real trouble in Badgerland or is Wisconsin going to come out plodding on all cylinders and deliver a classic Kohl Center strangulation?

I jest about Wisconsin plodding but over their opening games Bo Ryan’s team is back up to their standard 60 possessions/game after dipping last year to a "slow-for-them" 57.7. Sixty per game still ranks them among the lowest in the nation and Iowa made some points by getting 66 possessions out of the stingy Badgers. The Hawkeyes also won by hitting nearly 50% of their FGs while showing restraint from behind the arc (2 of 6). In turn, Wisconsin played the exact opposite game, launching 28 deep shots but only hitting 3.

Much has been made about the drop-off in production by Jordan Taylor. He was supposed to be prepping for a monster senior year as the unquestioned focal point of the Wisconsin attack but his PPG are down by 5.4 and his shooting has suffered greatly. Getting him going is a key to keeping Wisconsin from continuing to slide against MSU. In juxtaposition, this is great opportunity for a hot Keith Appling to confirm himself as one of the Big Ten’s elite point guards. Who gets the best of this match-up could be the difference.

After Taylor, Wisconsin has a classic Badger forward in 6’10" junior Jared Berggren. With the departure of Jon Leuer and Kenton Kankivil, Berggren has seen his minutes jump from 7 to almost 27. Like his predecessors, he’s not afraid to shoot from any distance but he was ice cold against Iowa. Berggren has struggled early since a very productive non-conference performance. Wisconsin also has a response to Branden Dawson with Ryan Evans, another junior and 6’6" wing. Evans leads the Badgers in rebounding from his wing spot and had a big start to conference play getting 22 and 6 against Nebraska. He’s also been in double figures for 8 of Wisconsin’s 15 games and averages 10.4.

Two straight road wins to start the Big Ten season would be huge for MSU and a victory would still be an upset tonight. MSU's respectable ball security and unselfish play should help the Spartans make the most of those scant possessions. This isn’t a Wisconsin team with great size and it may be difficult for them to challenge the frontline of Green, Nix, Payne, and Dawson. It’s difficult to predict a victory @Wisconsin but the Badgers definitely look vulnerable tonight. Let’s steal one on the road!

Demetrius Jackson, a 2013 Mishawaka point guard, stated on his own (public) twitter account that he has moved up his decision timetable unexpectedly and then later confirmed to others that he plans on making a decision by or during Christmas Break. For Michigan State, it appears to be Jackson or bust at point guard for 2013. Prospects such as Jalen James and Derrick Walton are headed to opposing Big Ten schools while other in-state players like Monte Morris and Denzel Watts are not receiving significant interest from MSU. Even though Dowagiac G Dontel Highsmith has been destroying the competition, he stills appears to be a darkhorse to garner an MSU offer.

Jackson's sudden announcement suggests that something has happened to change his recruitment. Earlier this month, he stated no intention to rush things and wanted to take his time. It's not crystal clear who has given Demetrius committable offers but it appears that Notre Dame, Butler, MSU, and possibly Indiana are the leaders vying for his services. He would be a curious fit for Michigan State. The 2013 roster may already have a senior Keith Appling, a junior Trice, and sophomore Denzel Valentine. Looking beyond, Michigan State has been heavily pursuing elite 2014 PG Tyus Jones of Minnesota. There are currently only two open scholarship spots for 2013 with the possibility of one more being available due to attrition. With one almost definitely reserved for Jabari Parker and the academic waiting-game on James Young, accepting a commitment from Jackson would pack the house a bit and fill a position that isn't a need. Recently, ND's Mike Brey was in to watch Demetrius and this smells like a Fighting Irish commitment to me but that's just a guess.

On the flip, Jackson has been someone who gets more and more praise as his game develops and might end up a solid college talent. There are definitely opinions out there preferring him to the other PGs I've previously mentioned. In the name of brevity and spreading the blog love, Indiana's InsidetheHall has a nice recruit page on Jackson and has collected the numerous videos of him in action. You can judge for yourself how he'd look in Green & White.

Michigan State athletics received two great victories tonight beating No. 22 Gonzaga 74-67 on the road in Men's Basketball and getting a 4-3 shootout victory in Men's Hockey over arch-rival Michigan! Tonight is a good night to be Green! We'll have recaps coming up later but, for now, it's celebration time! That Draymond guy is good, huh?
Music's my choice this time! Excuse the noise and let your Spartan love come down!

Michigan State came back after a rough first half to move past Central Connecticut St. on Wednesday night 89-69. The star of the effort was sharpshooting Travis Trice who lit it up like dynamite for a new career high of 20. He hit all four of his long-range attempts and made 2/4 from inside the arc. He did this while finding the opportunities for 5 assists with only 1 turnover. Overall, this was a night when Coach Izzo was not pleased with the team’s play and Trice, along with Nix, was one of the few players who you could say had a "good game."

In the interviews leading up to yesterday’s contest, much was made out of Michigan State’s need to get more out of its wing players. With Travis Trice exceeding most expectations and Keith Appling looking increasingly comfortable in his role as a point guard, pressure is building on Branden Dawson, Brandon Wood, Russell Byrd, and Austin Thornton to do more on both ends of the court. Unfortunately, Wednesday night didn’t do much to satisfy Coach Izzo’s aspirations. Largely because of poor defensive performance, MSU swapped out both of its starting wings (Wood and Dawson; Payne also) in favor of Thornton and Trice (along with Nix) in the second half. This didn't come as a huge surprise. The opening defense by MSU was rather disastrous. CCSU had already put up 26 points and built an 11-point lead with barely eight minutes gone by on the game. It looked like MSU might have to score 100 to win the game.

What changed? Four factors and player bullets after the jump…

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Michigan State performed what could fairly be called a "hurtin’" on the court today, beating Eastern Michigan 72-40.  Despite my best attempt to manufacture drama and Con-T’s reminder about the greater powers of the MAC, Eastern didn’t have the firepower to overcome Michigan State’s defense, athleticism, and ball movement.  Michigan State regained a double-digit lead with five minutes left in the second half and held it for the rest of the game.  An 8-2 run would help EMU pull within 13 in the second half but that was as close as it would be.

Michigan State continues to rely on two staples that will help the team win many games this year – defense and rebounding.   Eastern Michigan came into the game averaging just a flea’s whisker over 40% in field goal percentage and MSU held them to 28.6%.  EMU did themselves no favors by going 5-13 when sent to the line.  Six different Spartans registered a block and that checks with what was overall a solid effort of team defense.  There was still a mix-up or two typical of this new squad but it looks like MSU continues to defend well enough to keep them in most games.  The head man himself came away pleased.  Tom Izzo said after the game, "I've been so impressed with us defensively, and I'm never impressed with us defensively." 

Off the glass, Draymond Green has established himself as an elite rebounder and pulled down 13 today.  That’s his fourth time in double-digits in a season that started with 18 against North Carolina.  Adreian Payne was the other big help with 8.  If you scan the box score, it reveals a team-wide rebounding effort. Everyone who saw time was credited with a rebound and 10 Spartans got at least 2 for a total of 45 against the Eagle’s 25.

Four Factors and player bullets after the jump...

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This game is the last portion of the Auto-Owners Insurance Spartan Invitational which means that MSU and EMU have some common opponents recently. Both teams played to victories over Arkansas-Little Rock with MSU getting a 22-point win and EMU's margin being half that at 11.  Unfortunately for EMU, the same Texas Southern team who MSU topped 76-41 used a huge second half of offense to defeat the Eagles 66-49.  That's just one indication of the uphill battle that Eastern Michigan will be having today on top of playing to a court that may feel more neutral than "home.' 

EMU's major weapon is their scoring leader, senior guard Darrell Lampley.  He has scored in double-figures in every one of Eastern's games and is registering 15 PPG.  After not attempting a deep shot in their first game, Lampley went on a three-game streak of hitting 10/19 from behind the arc, until he cooled off in the last game against Rochester College and only made 1-6.  If he can shake that one-game slump and get hot, he may be able to exploit lapses in Michigan State's perimeter defense.  After Lampley, the team has a balanced scoring attack and four players average between 7 and 10 PPG.  In addition, unlike some MAC teams, EMU has the post size to look MSU in the eye.  Their rebounding leader is 6-9 junior F Jamell Harris (7.4 a game) and they've been getting over 20 minutes each night out of another junior Matt Balkema, who measures in at 6'10, 285 lbs.

This leads me to talk about what Michigan State will want out of this game.  After a Duke performance that I attempted to have banished from my memory, Derrick Nix has been a brightspot over the past few games.   One of Michigan State's goals has been to get consistent performances out of their centers so it's important that Nix and especially Adreian Payne continue to build confidence.  In addition to those two, it'd be nice to see Alex Gauna make the most of his opportunities in preparation for the Big Ten season.  The limited size of some of MSU's recent opponents has given minutes at the 4-spot to Russell Byrd and even Austin Thornton.  With the height of EMU, this may be a day for Gauna to do more in extra minutes. Keith Appling is quietly second for the Spartans in scoring with 10.6 PPG but everyone (especially Detroit Pershing fans) knows that he hasn't reached near his potential yet.  To see him continue to push the break while finding his own points off the attack (and return to freshman FT form) would be another bonus.

Despite the obvious advantage, MSU can't come out lackadaisical today.  Not only is this their last prep for Florida State on Wednesday, but Ohio University already took No. 7 Louisville to the wire this weekend (intrpdtrvlr gratuitous Bobcat reference) and reminded everyone how dangerous a mid-major team can be.  The goal for Michigan State should be a convincing victory that refines the rotation, gets shots to fall, and bolsters confidence into the Big Ten-ACC Challenge.

Michigan State topped 76-41 Texas Southern in what I can call a joyous victory.  Basketball was clearly fun tonight for the Spartans with players smiling and celebrating throughout the game.  The camaraderie and smart basketball was reflected in the bunching at the top for team scoring.  Four players hit double digits - Dawson (13), Green (12), Trice (11), and Payne (10).  MSU’s best teams of recent years haven’t always been known for blowouts and this was a nice exception. You don't want to make too much of one game but enough happened out there to keep fans feeling good about the prospects of not just on-the-court success but off-court harmony this season. 

One of the biggest stories for me was Tom Izzo’s aggression in trying out different line-ups and roles.  With the intense spotlight and daunting opponents of MSU’s first two games, there was little opportunity to take risks and experiment.  With a large lead that never wavered, Coach Izzo worked players in unlikely combinations and new circumstances.  The first sign that something unique was happening was Russell Byrd’s early entry into the game as a post player against a smaller TSU line-up eight minutes in.  A lot was made of the upper-body work Byrd had done starting during the end of his high school career and the possibility that he could put the "forward" in "wing-forward."  I don’t know that new PF Byrd made a huge impact but that wasn’t the point; it was seeing him tried out in the role that stood out.

The real interest was in negotiating the backcourt.  Keith Appling looked much more comfortable whether running the team or playing alongside Travis Trice.  I thought he was playing faster and lacked the uncertainty and hesitation that had been holding his game back.  At one point, MSU ran with Brandon Wood, Trice, and Appling all at once.  Playing alongside Draymond Green, there were four players who could immediately attack off the defensive glass and push the break.  The ability to attack and also move the ball in the halfcourt was a major feature throughout the game.  The result was a surprisingly hot shooting night with MSU notching a 54% eFG rate (pops out in the Four Factors) and hitting a respectable (by comparison) 33% of their threes.  To really mix it up, Brandon Kearney played  in the first half and closed the game by running the point himself.  It looks like Kearney’s solid week of practice paid off in earning him minutes and trust. 

We should also mention the defense which held Texas Southern to only 41 points in a 72 possession game.  This wasn’t some MSU vs. Wisconsin 52-46 slugfest and that makes the defensive effort look even more impressive.  Adreian Payne picked up two blocks and the team as a whole accounted for 10 steals.

Here’s the Four Factors and a few player bullets after the jump...

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Approaching a season in which MSU’s expectations were uncharacteristically low, what many Spartan fans wanted was a basketball team who played high-effort, cohesive basketball as a unit, a team whose demeanor and attitude made you excited to stand behind them no matter the odds.  I’m thrilled to say that we got exactly that last night.  No, Michigan State did not win the game and, during the second half, never really got that close.  However, with serious foul-trouble and a true freshman point guard pressed into extended service, this game was much closer than many (myself included) had expected.  MSU also got caught up on a night in which John Henson looked every bit the high lottery pick he's been heralded as.  He scored 12 points from the field, added 7 rebounds, and no one missed his absurd 9 blocks.  As the announcers accurately told us all night, that block number doesn't even reflect the number of shots he altered.

Without a doubt, the key stretch of the game was the end of the first half when the fouls really caught up to Michigan State.  Both Nix and Payne (and an injured Dawson) sat on the bench at the same time and a noticeable drop appeared in the MSU frontcourt.  The offensive rebounds that had been vital to taxing UNC now became defensive rebounds in the hands of Zeller, Henson, and Barnes. A game that had rested at 17-12 MSU at 10 minutes unraveled as UNC extended a their run into a 43-27 lead at the top of the second half. In a contest that was mostly silver lining for me, I’m encouraged by this.  What it tells us is that both Nix and Payne have improved to the point that they’re major pluses when on the floor against the number one team in the country. 

Now, I’m a bit more of a novice on the Four Factors chart as opposed to the Con-T and the infamous KJ.  However, I think I can interpret this one to confirm what any fan watching the game already knew: Michigan State shot terribly and North Carolina made a whole lot of free throws.  Appropriately, that was the story.  In the mythic world of "could have’s," if MSU had made more of their shots (especially 3’s – 2/20 – egads!) and kept UNC off the line, we might be talking about a major upset this morning.   

For the rest of the recap, I'm going Clint Eastwood, and I don't mean The Gorillas

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It’s been over a year since Michigan State received three verbal commitments for the 2012 class in less than two weeks, adding first Ohio forward Kenny Kaminski, then Lansing’s own Denzel Valentine, and, very quickly after that, the state’s top player in PF/C Matt Costello.  Anyone who feared that Tom Izzo’s brush with the NBA might slow him down or dull his energy for the recruiting road was quickly proven wrong. He was armed not only with more resources for travel but also the recruiting pitch that he had a shot at Lebron but chose to recruit "you" instead.  By taking two local players and another Midwest standout, my friend Con-T has suggested to me that "the class of 2012 looks to be the last traditional Izzo class for at least a couple of seasons. That class is stocked with top local players, but no big-name national stars."  There is definitely some truth to this.  As you look ahead, MSU’s focus has shifted.  Chicago is now a huge recruiting ground and Izzo is earnestly reaching out to more five-star players than in recent years. Meanwhile, players like the 2013 Michigan point guard class that we talked so much about have received less attention. 

That said, it’s my opinion that each of Tom Izzo’s new additions to the Spartan family is underrated by national analysts. I sincerely believe this isn’t merely green-colored glasses and fan bias, and I’m looking forward to being proven correct on the court. Michigan State is adding a do-it-all, playmaking guard (Valentine), an outstanding shooter with a football frame (Kaminski), and (in the opinion of someone who might know), the best Michigan post prospect since Al Horford (Costello).  With every class, you’re looking to fill needs and this is pretty clear in some instances.  Kenny Kaminski and Matt Costello both will help compensate for the graduation of Draymond Green and the earlier departue of Delvon Roe.  At 6’5"and possessing point guard ball skills, Denzel Valentine will be able to provide minutes at any perimeter position and improve depth while battling the incumbents for PT. 

Because of travel plans concerning the Carrier Classic on Friday, Coach Izzo will not be holding a press conference today to comment on the signees.  Also, it is possible that MSU might add an additional player to be named later. 

A look at each player individually after the jump....

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The denouement (HT: MSU film classes) of Gary Harris’ recruitment has finally arrived with his last official visit bringing him to East Lansing this weekend as the guest of Michigan State. Unlike some processes where a clear leader leaks publicly, all we have for Harris at this point are rumors, conjecture, and messageboard posters of unknown accuracy.  In fact, there appears to be two current, completely opposite stories being floated around.  The first says that this competition has come down to an in-state battle with Purdue and Indiana the only two teams left standing.  In contrast, you can find claims that both Hoosier State schools are out while Kentucky is making a final push against MSU’s strong position. Or then again, perhaps this is ultimately Indiana vs. MSU as many have speculated for months. It’s become a game of “believe who you want to believe” at least until the MSU visit concludes and a whole new batch of WOTS crops up.  The most encouraging words recently have come out of MSU's 24/7Sports affiliate SpartanTailgate ($). Their staff is cautiously optimistic about Harris to MSU.  One thing MSU fans can feel good about is that there are far worse positions to be in than the final visit.  If Harris is on the fence or even leaning in a different direction, I’m sure the Spartan coaches and players will do a great job of giving him something to think about.  If he's feeling MSU already, they'll seal the deal.

I've mentioned this before but it's appropriate to bring up here: in the weeks and days preceding his announcement, the widespread word was that Adreian Payne was down to Kentucky and West Virginia. Astute observers would discover that this was merely baseless internet rumor moving in a feedback loop until it was reinforced as gospel.  The morale is, regardless of what we might hear about Harris during the next week, take some caution before you make any bets. 

More updates on players not named "Gary Harris" after the jump...

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Yeah, it’s been quiet around here because, well, it’s been quiet(ish) in recruiting.  MSU still doesn’t have any players committed for the 2013 class and only a small handful of prospects are receiving intense attention.  Thus far, it’s looked like there’s Jabari Parker as Plan A then everyone else following behind.  However, Midnight Madness is coming up and this is a huge weekend for both football and basketball recruiting.  With the end of a busy contact period, MSU coaches have been on the road talking to players, scouting, and securing upcoming visits to East Lansing.  The list of uncommitted basketball recruits showing up on Friday is still being finalized but a few players are already confirmed visitors.

The biggest recent news was one long-confirmed Midnight Madness attendee, Demetrius Jackson, enthusiastically jumping on his twitter last night to claim to have received a coveted Michigan State offer.  Offers can be conditional so it may not be that Jackson has a fully open door to commit but it wouldn’t be a shock if he did.  The MSU staff has followed the Mishawaka point guard about as closely as any ’13 player not named Jabari Parker or James Young.  In just the past few weeks, both Dane Fife and Tom Izzo checked in to give Jackson more scouting and must have appreciated what they saw.  The apparent end of Dwaun Anderson’s brief time as a Spartan may been the last thing that pushed MSU to offer another guard.  With Jackson on campus in a few days, this recruitment could get very interesting in a hurry.  Jackson is also heavily involved with Notre Dame but he may have been biding his time waiting for an offer from the Green & White.

More after the jump...

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Jeff Goodman posted a blog today on his CBS site that gave added weight to the speculation of many pessimistic Spartan fans since August – that Dwaun Anderson is not returning to Michigan State.  Writing from a unnamed source, Goodman mentions teams courting Dwaun (Drexel, CMU, Georgetown, etc.) with no space devoted to the notion that Anderson might be coming back to MSU.  In fact, it is instead suggested that he could be playing elsewhere as early as January.  If the primary plan was to navigate Dwaun back to East Lansing as he continues counseling, I have to imagine that little of this exploration would be happening. 

Though you can’t close the door 100%, it looks increasingly like the original statement released by MSU was a placeholder to give Anderson some space and time to plan his course without making any final decisions.  Already, the loss of Anderson has added pressure to a perimeter group heavy with newcomers and made the possible redshirting of freshman guard Brandan Kearney less likely.  Going forward, whether we're talking about roster roles, scholarships for recruiting, etc., it's fair to start having those discussions without factoring in the highlight-dunking guard from Suttons Bay.  For everyone excited about Dwaun going from Youtube to the Breslin Center, that's a sad transition.

Of course, all our best goes out to Dwaun Anderson in his future on the court and beyond.  We hope this is just an opportunity for Dwaun to grow on his quest through a long, successful life in basketball.

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Scout has released their first extensive rankings for 2013 and ESPN recently updated theirs as well.  Rankings are an imperfect science and it’s great fun for fanbases to argue over who should be ranked where, what ranking service have a bias for whom, and whether a player is hurt by committing early.  In the end, rankings are useful for those of us who can’t get out to see all these players.  Because it's fun to debate and compare, I’ve updated the 2013 Hotlist to reflect any changes.

The recent shake-up has put some MSU targets in new positions.  The big news is the rise of Troy wing forward James Young to a consensus five-star player.  He still rests as a high four-star in the older Rivals appraisal but both ESPN and Scout have elevated him up a notch.  He’s currently all the way up to No. 10 in the country on ESPN and No. 16 on Scout.  This same summer that elevated his stock was viewed in person by Tom Izzo and staff so it may be difficult to hold off on offering much longer.  Does he have to wait over two months for Gary Harris to decide or will Young's situation with MSU change before November?  Can Izzo fit Gary Harris, Drake Harris, and Young all while holding a spot for Jabari Parker?  One thing to consider – Parker is likely to be a one-and-done, meaning he might not effect a ’14 player like Drake Harris much at all.

A few other player-of-interest notes on the newer rankings:

Dominic Woodson, a big PF and the latest player to claim an MSU offer, debuted in the first Scout rankings as a four-star and the No. 87 player in the country.  He’s leaving Texas and headed to prep school in Vermont.  Does this increased proximity to the Midwest help MSU stay in contact or make Woodson more likely to head somewhere like UConn on the East Coast?  MSU basketball historically does not pursue prep school athletes actively but they’re also looking at D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera so Izzo may be willing to make an exception.

After getting lots of good press over the summer, Flint PG Monte Morris has finally cracked a ranking, appearing at No. 50 on Scout (ahead of Derrick Walton and Demetrius Jackson. Curious.)  Once talked about as neck-and-neck with Walton, his MSU interest could pick up with Walton off the board to Michigan.  Right now, the staff appears to be focusing on Demetrius Jackson who intends to visit soon. Depending on how serious MSU is with him, the talk of passing on a 2013 point guard may have been hastier than originally thought. 

The continued buzz around Detroit wing Byron Zeigler has paid off.  His early rankings were surprisingly high but he’s done little to drop and now sits as the 37^th player in the country according to Scout.  In true ranking disparity, he’s only a low three-star on ESPN.  Despite the full-house at Indiana, Zeigler has serious interest from the Hoosiers along with Michigan State, Iowa State, Indiana, Central Michigan and Xavier.  Is Zeigler’s game strong enough to become a part of a busy wing roster at MSU as well? 

Oh, and this guy named Parker is still outstandingly good.

Yesterday, 2013 MSU basketball target Derrick Walton committed to Michigan.  First, I want to stress that I have no interest in one of those intolerable "sour grapes" posts – the ones where Team A’s recruiting target picks Team B so Team A’s writer goes on and grumpily diminishes the whole thing.  Ugh. No thanks. Derrick Walton is an outstanding rising junior, considered by many the state’s No. 1 point guard.  Walton is a great pick-up for Michigan and Coach Beilein will use his skills to be a pain against MSU over four years.  It’s clear MSU scouted him carefully with Walton on the verge of an MSU offer.  He may have received that full invitation had he waited, leading to reactions from Spartan basketball fans in the range of satisfied to very excited.  I myself was a proponent and enjoyed Walton's passing and court vision.  The fact that he was building a reputation as a scorer during a successful summer was icing on the cake. Exciting addition for the Wolverines; no doubt. 

That said, when a player of interest commits to your rival before you’re confident enough to offer, it can’t be considered a disaster.  The ending of Derrick Walton’s recruitment is a hint on how MSU is playing the 2012-2014 classes.  Despite the well-deserved hype around the 2013 in-state guard class, MSU has been aggressive in other directions and may ultimately pass on a 2013 point guard.  The most obvious evidence is Michigan State offering a 2014 ball-handler ahead of anyone in the previous class.  Tyus Jones (ranked #9 overall by ESPN) of Minnesota had a great summer and added Michigan State to his list of offers.  Considering he's on the record as a long-time State fan, MSU is in good position on this one.  MSU has also been watching other 2014 point guards like Jaquan Lyle, who stated his opinion that MSU might offer soon after a recent visit.  The conventional reaction is correct on this - the staff looks comfortable with Appling, Trice, and Valentine into 2014 when they could land a big-time freshman PG.  Another point guard from the 2013 class is not a necessity.

Of course, this is fluid, and MSU may have been right on the verge of making a serious play for Walton. Also, the coaching staff is still watching 2013 Mishawaka point Demetrius Jackson who some believe to be superior to anyone in the Mitten State class. It will be interesting to see if the absence of Walton as an option shifts things.  Does another point guard now get more attention?  Jackson?  Monte Morris?  D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera?  Or does Izzo continue to look ahead at '14?  Coaches are off the road from the evaluation period and that's a prime time to refine recruiting priorities and make decisions with new information. 

The upshot for Michigan State is that when you can hold off on offering a player like Derrick Walton only to lose him to a rival and still not have a major cause for concern, it's a testament to where your program and its recruiting have risen. So, again, great recruiting week for UM.  "Boo-yah" to them, but, as Pete and others have suggested, there's more prospects like Jabari Parker, Drake Harris, Tyus Jones, Gary Harris, and James Young who should help to keep Michigan State's future recruiting success a likely proposition.

This week kicked off the July evaluation period in which college coaches can go out and observe AAU contests and scout their prospects.  Coaches aren't allowed to communicate directly with the players so the goal is to watch and get a better idea of the strengths and weaknesses of targeted players as well as be seen by players to whom you want to convey your interest.  With MSU having only a limited number of players with offers and many to be considered for the future, this month might be more about the former task than the latter.  With so many questions going into this recruiting cycle, here's my take on the new information.  These are seven things we've learned:

1. There’s a bit of drama between MSU and Derrick Walton.

UMHoops caught up with Derrick Walton during the week for an interview and Walton revealed that he had expected a Michigan State offer during his recent unofficial.  However, the MSU staff detected what they felt was a lack of enthusiasm from Walton and told him he would have to wait awhile longer for his offer.  Recruiting is a two-way street and Walton wouldn’t be the first MSU prospect to see his interest dissipate from playing it too cool.  No one really expects that scenario in this case and the consensus seems to be that Walton has an offer coming in the near future.  He also appears interested in making an early decision.  Later, there was a false alarm in which Walton claimed to have picked up the MSU offer only to have his camp backtrack and clarify that it was a joke/misunderstanding.  This was another lively reminder of what I always say in caution – offers are tricky things and it’s hard to know who has a full offer and who doesn’t, even when you’re talking to the recruit himself. 

2.  That said, Derrick Walton is good.  Real good.

This young point guard received widespread praise for his play over the past couple of days.  TJ Kelley called him "bonkers" on Thursday for his scoring from all over the court and when Brian Snow of Scout saw him in action, he referred to him as "destroying" the Michigan Mustangs.  Lastly, Steve Schwanda tallied him for 35pts in another matchup.  That was just Thursday.  Today, he got more recognition.  Jody Demling, primarily an Indiana/Kentucky guy, liked his game.  Mike "Peegs" Pegram, the highly respected proprietor of the Indiana Rivals site, called him "terrific" as numerous coaches looked on.  He’s always been considered one of if not the top point guard in the state and these AAU breakouts are only confirming that assessment.  This is an unrefined comparison but, if he comes to MSU, I would hope Walton's rare court vision and scoring potential at maaaaybe 6’ makes him a kind of rich man’s Korie Lucious. 

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