Nov. 1, 2001
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
MSU Game Notes
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The Michigan State men's basketball team will open the 2001-02 season with an exhibition game Friday night, Nov. 2 vs. the Magic Johnson All-Stars. The Breslin Center, home to MSU's nation's best 44-game homecourt winning streak, will be sold out for the 9 pm contest as the Spartan fans welcome back one of MSU's all-time greats.
Friday night's game will mark Earvin "Magic" Johnson's first game in the Breslin Center since June 8, 1995 when he took part in the Jud Heathcote All-Star Tribute Game. In that contest, Johnson led all scorers with 39 points in addition to grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out eight assists. While Magic's return to his hometown will be sure to create a great deal of fanfare, the Spartans know that Johnson's primary goal will be to win the game.
"I'll bet you he's in the best shape he's been in the last six or seven years," said MSU head coach Tom Izzo. "This game is important to us, but I really think this is a big deal to Earvin, because how many times do you get to go back to your alma mater and play, especially 20 years later. I'll guarantee you, he's looking to win the game."
The players are equally convinced that Magic will be determined to win.
"You know Magic, when he plays he always comes to win," said freshman guard Kelvin Torbert. "That means we need to pick our level of play up a lot higher."
For Michigan State, this is a different exhibition contest than most people are used to watching. Gone are the days of playing the Polish National Team or Marathon Oil. One year after snapping the Harlem Globetrotters' 1,270-game winning streak in a nationally-televised exhibition contest, the Spartans will find themselves facing a team featuring one of the greatest players in the history of the game.
The early test should provide the Spartan coaching staff a chance to evaluate their team's progress after three weeks of practice. With a team featuring just six returning lettermen and nine scholarship players, Michigan State will use this game as a tune-up for the regular season, which opens Nov. 12 vs. Detroit in the Preseason NIT at the Breslin Center.
"This is going to be a big game for us because I think this team is the toughest we've played in the exhibition contests," said Izzo. "And we have one of the youngest teams we have ever had. What I'm really looking forward to is what it's like when you play eight guys. I don't get that feeling in practice.
"Winning and losing exhibition games was really big my first three years. Now, I'd rather get something out of it whether we win or lose. But I hope they're really good so I can get a good look at what we can do and how we can sub and stuff like that."
One of the reasons Coach Izzo is so excited to see his team play a game is so that he can get a look at his freshmen in game situations. The Spartan roster features three talented freshmen in Alan Anderson, Chris Hill and Kelvin Torbert. All three will be expected to be major contributors this season, and possibly more than one may find their way into the starting lineup.
For the freshmen, not only will Friday mark the opportunity to play against a living legend, but also their first opportunity to play in front of the nearly 15,000-seat Breslin Center crowd.
Torbert even admitted there might be a sense of awe playing against Magic Johnson.
"I think in the beginning of the game, there will be some guys in awe of Magic going out there and playing against him, knowing that it's the same guy that you've been watching on television since you were younger," said Torbert. "It will be like a dream come true."
That will not mean, however, that the Spartans will be satisfied with just competing.
"Every game we play we take as an important game," explained Torbert. "Exhibition, preseason, regular season, we take everything as an important game. Everyone on our team likes to win and has that winning tradition."
A win against Magic's squad would be quite an accomplishment for a young Spartan team. Forget about the talented players that could surround him, such as MSU's all-time leading scorer Shawn Respert. Magic's resume is among basketball's best, including 1979 NCAA Champion, two-time All-American, 1979 Big Ten Player of the Year, first pick in the 1979 NBA Draft, five-time NBA Champion, three-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Playoffs MVP, 12-time NBA All-Star, two-time All-Star Game MVP and 1992 Olympic Gold Medalist.
But beyond the laundry list of accomplishments, it's Magic's smile and charisma that make his return to East Lansing most exciting. But as one reporter asked Coach Izzo on Monday, in the wake of Michael Jordan's return to the NBA this past week, could Magic still play in the league?
"I'll tell you more on Friday night," said a smiling Izzo.
