michigan st loses exhibition game

[mitchellrabbit]

division 2, grand valley st, beat preseason #8 michigan st last night in double OT. it was an exhibition game. guess it happens to the best teams too. at least we didnt lose

[NightHawk78]

Re: michigan st loses exhibition game

Winona State went 2-1 against D-I teams in exhibition play last year (beating Minnesota and Drake, losing to Bradley) and had to settle for two exhibition games against D-III schools this fall.

"We would've liked to play a couple of Division I teams again this year," coach Mike Leaf said. "We called around to some schools from the region, but we couldn't get a game."

http://www.startribune.com/reusse/story/1521173.html

Guessing GVSU will have to find some D-3 schools for exhibition play next year as well.

[Grizzled_Jack]

Re: michigan st loses exhibition game

I realize that it's just an exhibition but...

Winona could have very well won the Summit last year, and DWU is a NAIA DII team who sat their top scorer out for the game. Hopefully this will signify nothing, I certainly hope so.

[sfsd]

Re: michigan st loses exhibition game

division 2, grand valley st, beat preseason #8 michigan st last night in double OT. it was an exhibition game. guess it happens to the best teams too. at least we didnt lose

Not a good weekend at all to be around East Lansing. First this debaucle, then losing in football to Michigan yet again in heartbreaking fashion.

[thebluehatman]

Re: michigan st loses exhibition game

Not a good weekend at all to be around East Lansing. First this debaucle, then losing in football to Michigan yet again in heartbreaking fashion.

How do you deal with it Solari?

[boxerboy]

Re: michigan st loses exhibition game

No one likes to lose even an exhibition game but Coach Izzo always tries to prepare his guys to be playing their best for the conference games and for the tournament. Last year in an exhibition against Grand Valley, MSU nearly lost too. GVSU led for about 39 minutes only to lose. MSU still had a pretty good year and I expect they will again this year. GVSU is not nearly as well known for their mens BB program as football so this still shocks the Spartan faithful.
Gotta cheer for those land grants universities. Go SDSU go MSU.

[sfsd]

Re: michigan st loses exhibition game

No one likes to lose even an exhibition game but Coach Izzo always tries to prepare his guys to be playing their best for the conference games and for the tournament. Last year in an exhibition against Grand Valley, MSU nearly lost too. GVSU led for about 39 minutes only to lose. MSU still had a pretty good year and I expect they will again this year. GVSU is not nearly as well known for their mens BB program as football so this still shocks the Spartan faithful.
Gotta cheer for those land grants universities. Go SDSU go MSU.

I know Izzo was working different lineups and getting the stud freshman class work...

but to lose to Grand Valley State is inexcusable, plain and simple, exhibition or otherwise. This is a team that was voted THE BEST in college basketball over the last decade by Andy Katz and among the top two or three for others. This loss was No. 1 Virginia and Ralph Sampson falling to Chaminade, only it won't count for anything other than pride for GVSU.

I think the football pads and helmets will be out often this week at Izzo's practice, because the big guys need to toughen up. Otherwise, it's going to be a LONG year.

[boxerboy]

Re: michigan st loses exhibition game

I know Izzo was working different lineups and getting the stud freshman class work...

but to lose to Grand Valley State is inexcusable, plain and simple, exhibition or otherwise. This is a team that was voted THE BEST in college basketball over the last decade by Andy Katz and among the top two or three for others. This loss was No. 1 Virginia and Ralph Sampson falling to Chaminade, only it won't count for anything other than pride for GVSU.

I think the football pads and helmets will be out often this week at Izzo's practice, because the big guys need to toughen up. Otherwise, it's going to be a LONG year.

I agree with your assessment of Izzo this week. I wouldn't want to be at the Breslin this week under Izzo. That being said, the Spartans will still challenge for the Big Ten title. Izzo knows how to get guys ready when it counts, which is also my hope for Nagy and the Jacks.

[boxerboy]

Re: michigan st loses exhibition game

This just goes to show you how much exhibition games mean. That being said last time I looked GVSU is undeafeated and playing its way toward a Div II championship.

[1bunnies]

Re: michigan st loses exhibition game

This just goes to show you how much exhibition games mean. That being said last time I looked GVSU is undeafeated and playing its way toward a Div II championship.

Just how much does it mean. The last time I checked MSU defeated Pittsburgh and is in the Sweet Sixteen. Did the loss to GVSU in a exhibition game change the way they played their season?

[boxerboy]

Re: michigan st loses exhibition game

Just how much does it mean. The last time I checked MSU defeated Pittsburgh and is in the Sweet Sixteen. Did the loss to GVSU in a exhibition game change the way they played their season?

It's possible it did. Anyway one can get a team motivated to play well at tournament time is important. However it also shows that getting upset by a school from a lower division does not necessarily mean a poor season.

[sfsd]

Re: michigan st loses exhibition game

It's possible it did. Anyway one can get a team motivated to play well at tournament time is important. However it also shows that getting upset by a school from a lower division does not necessarily mean a poor season.

Izzo was working various lineups in the GVSU game. That game wasn't being played to be won, as Saturday's game with Pitt was. Still, it was an embarassing loss for Michigan State ... but long forgotten with even worse losses in the regular season to Iowa and Penn State.

Trust me, MSU fans could care less about Grand Valley or that exhibition game right now as they pack their bags for Houston. And no one in Michigan outside of the Allendale/Grand Rapids area is talking about GVSU with the Spartans in the Sweet 16. THIS is the difference between D1 and D2 around the country. There is more interest in Michigan and Michigan State spring football and recruiting across the state - hell, even Central, Eastern and Western Michigan, too - than there is in D2 basketball championships.

[jackrabit1]

Re: michigan st loses exhibition game

A loss to a lower-division opponent doesn't always spell disaster... look at Michigan's loss to Appalachian State in the first week of the college football season. Could have been easy to curl up and die after that, but they fought their way not only to a bowl game, but a bowl win.

Hell, look back a couple of years ago to "The Game That Shall Not Be Mentioned"... we were pretty upset, some of us even asking for Stig's head on a silver platter. But then we reeled off seven straight wins, was one half away from winning our first-ever Division I football conference title and finished ranked in the Top-25 in the I-FCS polls.

It's like what Janet Jackson sang nearly 20 years ago... "What have you done for me lately?"

[jackmd]

Re: michigan st loses exhibition game

A loss to a lower-division opponent doesn't always spell disaster... look at Michigan's loss to Appalachian State in the first week of the college football season. Could have been easy to curl up and die after that, but they fought their way not only to a bowl game, but a bowl win.

Hell, look back a couple of years ago to "The Game That Shall Not Be Mentioned"... we were pretty upset, some of us even asking for Stig's head on a silver platter. But then we reeled off seven straight wins, was one half away from winning our first-ever Division I football conference title and finished ranked in the Top-25 in the I-FCS polls.

It's like what Janet Jackson sang nearly 20 years ago... "What have you done for me lately?"

I think some people miss the larger point when discussing the results of these games. The discussion about MSU and Mich in no way applies to the performance of our men's BB team this year or to our FB team 2 years ago. Not comparable. Totally irrelevant.