We feeling better out there, guys?

Sure, IU got murdered this evening. But all the worries about this team in recent days, that they were lacking effort and hustle and heart and resolve wasn’t the case tonight. They took some charges. When absolutely everything was going Michigan State’s way, they found a way to stay in the game with an almost perfect night at the free-throw line. They trapped and defended their tails off in the final minutes of the game when a win was far out of reach.

They looked more like the scrappy, hard-working underdogs tonight than the team that wasn’t even showing up.

That being said, this evening was a rough one.

IU’s lack of size was exploited time and again. The Spartans pumped in the points inside — 40 of their 72 points came in the paint — and stymied the Hoosiers around the basket on the offensive end — IU only had eight points in the paint this evening, and that was a large reason why they shot so poorly — 34.9 percent — tonight; unless you are hot, hot, hot from the outside, it’s tough to shoot a high-percentage if you’re not also getting some bunnies in the paint. IU did win the rebounding battle tonight, as they snatched 30 (17 offensive) to the Spartans’  24 (11 offensive). But the Hoosiers are a solid offensive rebounding team to begin with, and when you miss so many shots, those offensive-rebounding opportunities present themselves more often.

And in the second half, the Hoosiers had a hard time defending in the pick-and-pop game, as Kalin Lucas seemed to score at will off of high-post screens. Michigan State simply has more talent and experience at every position on the floor and took care of business on the road. This is what good teams do. Steve Lavin talked about this potentially being a trap game for the Spartans tonight, but that wasn’t the case, as they shot a ridiculous 59.3 percent from the floor — a season high.

IU also had one of their typical scoring droughts tonight, but it was — I think — the most extreme of the season: they went the final 10:16 without a bucket in the first half, and it took until the 17:01 mark in the second half until they finally hit one — a layup by Christian Watford. Total that up and it’s 13:15 of not putting the ball in the hole. We talk about low margin for error all the time with this team, but it reared its ugly head again tonight: you just can’t have a lapse like that against a team as skilled and experienced as Michigan State is and expect to have much of a fighting chance. The Hoosiers also only had a measly five assists to 16 turnovers, turnovers that led to 23 points for the Spartans.

But you know what? IU wasn’t really out of this game until late in the second half, and it’s because they shot a terrific 89.3 percent from the foul line, knocking down 25-of-28 attempts. Remember when this team couldn’t hit a free throw to save its life? When they didn’t score those last 10 minutes of the first half, they hit 13 free throws during that time frame instead. For the game, they dominated on the line, as Michigan State only had 10 attempts.

It’s a bit of an outlier, because Michigan State is usually pretty good at defensive free-throw rate. They entered tonight’s contest holding opponents to 27.6 percent on FTA/FGA, good for 13th in the country. Yet,  IU is also 80th in the country at getting to the line with a free-throw rate of 41.8 percent, so they deserve some credit for winning the free-throw battle tonight.

It’s another loss — IU’s seven straight.

But it’s a loss we can all feel better about. And for this moment in IU’s slow and steady climb to relevancy, I’ll take it.

BONUS FUN:

Maurice Creek got credited with a rebound tonight:

Thanks to reader VP for the e-mail on that.

+ The Big Ten Network has video interviews with most of the coaches in the conference (Tom Crean not included). {Big Ten Network}

+ The media selected Michigan State as the preseason favorite to win the Big Ten and also announced its all-league team, headlined by Kalin Lucas. {Big Ten Conference}

+ Fred Glass confirmed that he talked to Bob Knight and the former coach will not attend his Hall of Fame induction. His reason? He didn’t want to detract from the other inductees. {IU Athletics}

+ Michigan State coach Tom Izzo says the Big Ten is the best its been in a decade. And Bruce Weber chimes in on Indiana. {The Hoosier Scoop}

Big Ten Media Day Tom Crean Audio (Thanks to The Hoosier Scoop)

Or if you prefer video

Family and friends ascended upon Bloomington to say farewell to the senior captain. Chants of ‘Ky-le Ta-ber’ were heard throughout Assembly Hall. And in a game in which IU was a heavy underdog, the Hoosiers had a chance to knock off a legitimate top ten opponent.

But alas, as has been the case throughout most of this season of transition for Indiana basketball, the Hoosiers couldn’t come up with a big play down the stretch. The final result: A hard fought 64-59 loss to Michigan State.

“Unfortunately, it didn’t come out right,” Taber said. “We battled and it was a great game. It was fun to be apart of something like that.”

Despite going 8:43 without a field goal in the second half, the Spartans (24-5, 14-3 Big Ten) clinched the Big Ten title outright for the first time since 1999.

Kalin Lucas scored 15 points to lead Michigan State and Raymar Morgan added 14 points, including a thunderous put back dunk with 27 seconds remaining to give MSU a four-point cushion.

The Hoosiers (6-23, 1-16) cut the lead to two on a pair of Nick Williams free throws with just under 16 seconds remaining, but Lucas answered with a pair of free throws to wrap up the victory.

“It was a great game. Our guys were in it the entire way, to the very end,” Indiana coach Tom Crean said.

Indiana missed eight free throws and several opportunities to tie the game after cutting Michigan State’s lead to two with 3:31 remaining.

Verdell Jones led four Hoosier scorers in double figures with 15 points. Malik Story and Williams added 11 each and Matt Roth had 10.

Taber finished with three points, five rebounds and two assists in his final home game.

“We went down with a fight,” IU’s lone senior added. “I’m proud of what my teammates were able to do for me.”

Up next: Indiana concludes the regular season with a 7PM ET matchup on Sunday at Wisconsin. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

Bawa sighting: 7-0 signee Bawa Muniru was in attendance and Jared Poertner of the H-T/Hoosier Scoop talked to the big man.

• Box score
• Postgame Quotes
• Tom Crean Audio
• Malik Story Audio
• Kyle Taber Audio
• Verdell Jones Audio

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The tradition of quality guard play (Cleaves, Charlie Bell, Mo Pete, Jason Richardson, Neitzel, shall I continue?) for Tom Izzo coached teams continues in East Lansing as Izzo hands the keys to the Spartans to Kalin Lucas.

Lucas, a sophomore, averaged a shade over 10 points and just under four assists per game last season. After splitting time with Travis Walton a year ago, he’s looking forward to taking the reigns.

“I feel like this is my team now,” Lucas recently told The Detroit News.

Lucas is a unique combination of power and ridiculous speed. He’s a bit undersized at a shade under 6-0, but his quickness is unmatched by anyone in the conference and perhaps, the country. In fact, Izzo recently commented that Lucas is the fastest player he’s ever coached.

More importantly, however, will be his ability to lead and get the most out of a loaded MSU roster. He’ll have plenty of options up front with Marquise Gray, Goran Suton, Delvon Roe and a candidate for player of the year in the league, Raymar Morgan. The backcourt is just as loaded with Chris Allen, Durrell Summers, Walton and freshman Korie Lucious.

“You can’t be a leader if you don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lucas said at Michigan State’s media day. “I’ve been coming in and watching more film. I’ve become a gym rat. I’ve gotta be more vocal and be more of a leader.”

Inside the Hall: With Drew Neitzel and Raymar Morgan returning and a solid incoming freshman class, what are the expectations going to be like this year in East Lansing?

Steve Grinczel: While MSU has had some terrific NBA-caliber talent and experience come through the tunnel in recent seasons, the most the program seemed to generate is a hopeful hum. That said, I expect a buzz that’s been conspicuous by its absence in recent years will be back in 2007-08. To some, the Spartans are building toward a run to the Final Four that will be played in Detroit in 2009. However, Neitzel’s reputation for not being denied preceded him to East Lansing and as a senior he’s down to his final season of eligibility. This is a payoff year for him, and I’m certain he’s expecting nothing less than leading MSU to its first Big Ten title since ‘01 and a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. Neitzel has the credentials as a scorer and set-up man to justify likely preseason All-America honors. And, the backcourt should be as good as any in the country with point guard Travis Walton establishing himself as a lock-down defender. Morgan showed why he’s considered a special player during his injury-slowed freshman season and should make a big jump with a year under his belt.

Goran Suton and Marquise Gray struggled to find consistency in the frontcourt, but should have ironed out those problems with experience. I look for lanky 7-foot Tom Herzog, who redshirted last season as a freshman, to be the surprise player of the Big Ten. A true postman who likes to play with his back to the basket, his skills and athleticism defy the first impression of being ungainly. Then there’s senior Drew Naymick, whose breakout second-half-of-the-season was critical to the Spartans’ 10th straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

A lack of depth forced Coach Tom Izzo to go against everything he holds near and dear and slow things down last season. With three athletic freshmen coming in, MSU will be back to its withering, up-tempo game. All-in-all, things are falling back into place for the Spartans.

ITH: Tom Izzo is rumored to be a candidate for a vacant coaching position every off-season. Do you see him finishing his coaching career with Michigan State?

Grinczel: I see him finishing only a chapter of his career at MSU in the not-too-distant future. Anybody who knows Izzo knows he’s all about “the experience.” That’s why over the years he’s played games in every hallowed gymnasium — from Cameron Indoor to Rupp Arena to the Smith Center to Allen Fieldhouse to Pauley Pavillion — in the nation. That’s why he jumped at a chance to play at Wisconsin-Green Bay a couple of seasons ago. He took the players on a tour of Lambeau Field, and when it began to snow, almost on cue, those goose bumps weren’t because the Upper Peninsula native was chilled.

Izzo is all about making memories, and he doesn’t exclude himself from that process. If he can make a few more at the collegiate level in the next few years it shouldn’t surprise anyone if he jumps at a chance — that’s right for him and his family — to coach the game at its highest level. And, he clearly enjoys being a talking head when given the opportunity by CBS and ESPN.

ITH: Let’s talk a bit about Drew Neitzel. By my estimation, he’ll be one of the favorites for Big Ten Player of the Year. I’ve been impressed with how much he’s improved over the past few seasons. What’s the biggest reason for his metamorphosis from a role player into an All-Conference star?

Grinczel: First and foremost, he’s an indefatigable gym rat that shoots with either paw – er, hand — at that. And, in keeping with this Noah’s Ark theme, he’s also a bit of a chameleon. He came to MSU as Michigan’s Mr. Basketball, an undeserving one in some views. But with three future NBA players on the team, Izzo didn’t need Neitzel to be a star so he excelled as a role player even though he was the team’s best outside shooter all the while. Last year, when Izzo desperately needed a scorer, Neitzel defied everybody who thought opponents would nullify him with their best defender and double-teams by simply outworking everybody on the floor from start to finish. Simply put, he’s a painstaking student of the game who gains a step with knowledge. And, he’s a much better defender than Izzo ever expected.

ITH: On paper, it looks like an outstanding recruiting class coming in for the Spartans. Tell us a little bit about each player and the impact they’ll have.

Grinczel: Chris Allen (6-3, 190) has continued to turn heads since signing his letter-of-intent. Former Spartan All-American Steve Smith was the latest to be wowed by his advanced all-around game this summer. Kalin Lucas (6-0, 165) is a ready-made college point guard and Durrell Summers (6-5, 195) has the speed and athleticism Izzo loves on the wing.

As a group, they will be expected to come in and contribute minutes right away so Neitzel and Walton won’t evaporate from overuse. Most importantly, all three have high basketball I.Q.s because Izzo is counting on them to assimilate his playbook, which is the size of the Manhattan phone book, rather quickly. Izzo wants to get back to running every chance MSU gets, even after made baskets, and these three jets will make that possible in spite of their youth.

ITH: We realize it’s only August, but give me your top 3 teams in the Big Ten when it’s all said in done next March.

Grinczel: Oh man, I haven’t even figured out Big Ten football yet, but here goes:

1. Michigan State
2. Indiana
3. Wisconsin

As the countdown to October 12 (yes, I’m already counting) continues, Inside the Hall will break down the conference piece-by-piece each week.

Our first stop on the countdown to October is breaking down the top five newcomers to watch in 2007-2008. Here are the names, in no particular order:

- Corperryale “Manny” Harris, 6′4″, guard, Michigan

Harris is the type of player who will thrive under new head coach John Beilein’s style of play. An aggressive offensive player who loves to make things happen, Harris can score the ball with the best of them. He’s got a knack for making tough shots when they count the most. He was Mr. Basketball in the state of Michigan this past season, beating out the likes of Durrell Summers, Darquavis Tucker and Kalin Lucas. If the Wolverines are to find themselves back in the NCAA tournament, Harris will be front and center in leading the charge.

- Eric Gordon, 6′4″, guard, Indiana

Gordon is a scoring machine who can attack the basket and get to the foul line or burn you from beyond the three-point arc. His range is truly unlimited. Ranked by some analysts as the top player nationally in the class of 2007, Gordon was both a McDonald’s All-American and a Jordan Brand All-Star. Projected to slot in immediately as a do-it-all guard for the Hoosiers, Gordon will likely be a frontrunner for Big 10 Player of the Year.

- E’Twaun Moore, 6′3″, guard, Purdue

Under the tutelage of former East Chicago Central coach Pete Trgovich, Moore developed into an all-around leader on the floor. It all came together in March when he led his team to the 4A state championship, knocking off Gordon and Indianapolis North Central. An intelligent player who has a genuine feel for the game, Moore can bury the three, defend and handle the ball. Expect him to be the top contributor amongst the stacked recruiting class coach Matt Painter is bringing to West Lafayette.

- Kalin Lucas, 6′0″, guard, Michigan State

As quick as they come in the class of 2007, Lucas loves to penetrate and get others involved. And even better for Lucas, he’ll have plenty of weapons to choose from. Look for him to immediately battle incumbent point guard Travis Walton for playing time. He’ll fit in perfectly with Tom Izzo’s desire to push the ball up the floor and should be a four-year standout for the Spartans.

- Kosta Koufos, 7′0″, center, Ohio State

The departure of Greg Oden to the NBA opens immediate minutes for Koufos and he’ll take full advantage of the opportunity. Not your prototypical 7-footer, Koufos can run the floor and hit the mid-range jump shot. Possessing an array of offensive moves, Koufos is said to be nearly unstoppable from 15 feet in. He’s an unselfish player who prides himself on positioning while playing defense and excellent footwork on offense.

10 others to watch:

Indiana: Jamarcus Ellis

Illinois: Demetri McCamey

Michigan State: Chris Allen and Durrell Summers

Ohio State: Evan Turner and Jon Diebler

Purdue: Jajuan Johnson and Scott Martin

Penn State: Talor Battle

Wisconsin: Jon Leuer