March 31
On March 31, 2001, the Michigan State Spartans men’s basketball team lost to the Arizona Wildcats, 80-61. Losing 32-20 at the half, the Spartans proceeded to play their worst half of basketball in recent memory. Sophomore guard Jason Richardson managed only six points and Senior guard Charlie Bell notched just three on 1-10 shooting from the floor. Arizona’s Michael Wright proved to be the deciding factor, scoring all of his thirteen points in the second half. Jason Gardner scored a game high twenty-one for the Wildcats while Andre Hutson led the Spartans with twenty. When all is said and done, it appears that the Michigan State simply picked the wrong time to play one of their worst games. Still, a title last year and a Final Four berth this year are signs that the Spartans are one of college basketball’s few remaining powerhouses.
April 11
Freshman Zach Randolph and Sophomore Jason Richardson are leaving Michigan State and declaring for the NBA draft. Both should be first round picks, but that is testament to the pathetic state of basketball, not their talent. They have mounds of potential, but they are too raw. Both could use another year in school playing as opposed to sitting on the end of an NBA bench. But Randolph is a big body and Richardson no doubt has the athleticism to play in the NBA. The real loser is coach Tom Izzo, who has fallen victim to his own recruiting success. He can only give eight scholarships every two seasons (and up to five in one), and early entries deprive him of scholarship players.