Iowa's Clemmons returns home to face Spartans

IOWA CITY — Iowa guard Anthony Clemmons spent his youth attending games at Michigan State and his teens playing alongside current Spartans Denzel Valentine and Bryn Forbes.

The trio was inseparable when they guided Lansing Sexton to consecutive state championships under Valentine's father, former Michigan State star Carlton Valentine. Even now in the summers they get together for workouts in Lansing. But when they go head-to-head on the court, it's cutthroat.

'It's the competitive nature that we have,' Clemmons said. 'I was talking trash before the (Dec. 29) game. But it's all competitive, it's all love at the end of the day. If they win, I'm happy for them. If we win, they're happy for me.'

Clemmons, a senior, gets his final chance to play in his hometown Thursday. He expects a mixed reception at the Breslin Center.

'It's been a while since I've been back home and playing in front of a home crowd,' he said. 'I'm really excited and ready to get things jumping.

'It's going to be a 50-50, mutual respect. I've got a lot of people that's coming and a lot of people seeing me play that's there. On one end it's, 'Happy to see you here.' On the other end, 'We want to beat you.''

But the game is far more than a homecoming for Clemmons. His No. 19-ranked Hawkeyes (12-3, 3-0) travel to No. 4 Michigan State (16-1, 3-1) in a pivotal early game for both teams. Iowa vies for its first 4-0 Big Ten start since 1998-99. Michigan State hopes to avoid a regular-season sweep by the Hawkeyes for the first time since 1993.

Iowa ended a nine-game skid to Michigan State with an 83-70 victory at Carver-Hawkeye Arena two weeks ago. It marked Iowa's first home win over a top-ranked team. The Hawkeyes started strong and led by 14 at halftime. They shot nearly 64 percent in the second half to hold off the Spartans.

It was an important win for Clemmons, who had lost all five previous meetings to Michigan State.

'The feeling was surreal,' Clemmons said. 'That was the only team I hadn't beaten in the Big Ten. To be able to check them off, it just relieves a lot of pressure. To be able to say you got that win and that we've beaten them before, now we know what to do to be able to beat them.'

It won't be as easy in East Lansing, where the Hawkeyes have dropped 18 consecutive games. They last won at the Breslin Center in 1993, and they've lost by an average of 19 points in their last 14 trips.

Clemmons has watched plenty of good Big Ten teams fall apart in East Lansing. He knows the environment will be raucous. He's also aware the competition is out for blood after their last meeting. Clemmons locked down Forbes for most of the night, holding his friend to three points.

'Unfortunately, I think Clemmons from our place has given them some toughness in that team,' Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo said last week.

Izzo's praise is dubious because Clemmons knows he's a marked man. But he's also got the backing of his teammates and coaches.

'Obviously he's going home,' Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery said. 'Any time anybody goes home, it's a different feel. He's played a million games; under pressure. But you go home, it's a different situation. He will have a ton of family there. But I'm not worried about him that way, at all.'

'Getting to play against high school friends on the college level is a lot of fun,' Iowa guard Mike Gesell said. 'I know from experience being able to play against Marcus (Paige at North Carolina), and I know it would mean a lot to get a win at their place.'

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