Just watched the 2003 game at Michigan State

[IthacaMatt]

on ESPN while I'm hope recuperating today. Boy, that team was a delicately balance collection of pieces, kind of like the 2009 team was.

The other thing I noticed is that the 2003 team could not hold a candle to this team - or the 2009 team, for that matter - on defense. My God, our rotations on jump shooters (McNamara, cough) would get you yanked today, but in fairness, Gerry was logging a lot more than 22 minutes a game. But Edelin was a little slow on the perimeter, too.

It was like McNeil, Pace and Duany were the designated defenders. Melo got the defense boards late in games when they were needed, but conserved energy on the boards earlier in games. Hak was still too thin to defend well other than blocking shots, but was incredible on the offensive boards. We really could score in a variety of ways on that 2003 team. Great, great offensive talent.

 

[Etancuse]

McNeil got blocks, but he was a horrible defender, always out of position.

 

[stuckinbig11]

I was at the game. It was fun walking back to the car afterwards and seeing all the dejected MSU fans.

 

[IthacaMatt]

McNeil got blocks, but he was a horrible defender, always out of position.

He actually was pretty good this game. Forth was in foul trouble (as was Germ).

 

[sufandu]

It seemed like teams around that time would play less than stellar defense early in the season and then pick it up around tournament time. The '09-'10 team was the first that I can remember that played lock down defense right out of the blocks (except the m2m against Lemoyne haha).

That 2003 team had everything offensively. Hak had some game with his back to the basket, Duany and GMac could shoot the three, Pace and Edelin had those little floaters in the lane, and Melo just did everything. I remember going to the first exhibition game that year and coming away saying, "I don't know how good this team is gonna be, but it's gonna be fun to watch."