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Coaches To Start Friendly Rivalry

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By BRETT McMURPHY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 29, 2008

Updated: 01/28/2008 11:55 pm

MILWAUKEE - Nearly a dozen years ago, Stan Heath and Tom Crean helped Tom Izzo build Michigan State into one of the nation's top college basketball programs.

Tonight, the former Michigan State assistants go head-to-head for the first time when the University of South Florida visits No. 17 Marquette.

Heath's Bulls are looking for their first Big East road win in three years against Crean's Golden Eagles, who have won 13 consecutive home games.

"Once we get past all the pregame talk, the conversations, at the end of the day, it will be five-on-five on the court," Heath said.

Heath has coached 209 games at Kent State, Arkansas and USF, but this will be his first as a head coach against someone he had previously coached with. Heath and Crean were at MSU together three seasons from 1996-97 to 1998-99.

"We went to the 1999 Final Four together," Heath said. "Anytime you win championships together, you have a bond together. I have a lot of respect for Tom.

"He is a very creative mind. I learned a lot of tricks in recruiting from him."

Heath said his favorite memory of Crean came before a Michigan State game when Crean was trying to motivate Morris Peterson.

"It was early in Morris' career and he was erratic and had a couple of bad games in a row," Heath said. "Tom got a milk carton and put a picture of Morris on there and it said, 'Missing In Action. If anyone has seen this guy, please report to the Michigan State basketball office' and it included a phone number.

"He put that on the table before a pregame meal and everyone busted out laughing."

Heath hopes the Bulls can bust out of a slide in which they have lost six consecutive games by double digits.

"I haven't done that the milk carton, but I need to," Heath said. "I could do that for Nos. 5-7 USF's fifth starter and first two reserves."

Crean's favorite memory of Heath was when Heath, then an assistant at Bowling Green, applied at MSU and sent a mannequin's arm in a box to Izzo with a note, "I'd give my right arm to work with you."

"I was there when it arrived," Crean said. "Stan had some great ideas, but that one was the best. He went after that job and he got it."

When Crean left Michigan State to become Marquette's coach in 1999, Crean tried to take the arm.

"I wanted to take it with me to Marquette, but Tom Izzo held on to it," Crean said. "We hung it on the door, scared a lot of secretaries with it."

Like Heath, Crean fondly remembers the 1999 Final Four season.

"We went to battle so many times," Crean said. "You remember the wins. You remember the Final Four. You remember the preparation, the late nights, the camaraderie. Stan was a huge part of our program.

"He's genuine, real, caring; he has got the confidence. I would think you could go back and everybody he has had, all the way to one of his first jobs at Albion College and they would have a great recollection of him. That's the kind of coach he is. You think of him, and you smile.

"We had all kind of people coming up to Michigan State, come to a game, come to a practice, to see Stan. Guys from his background who just wanted to stop by and see him, former players, friends, whatever. He attracts a lot of people. He's got the coaching acumen. He's genuine and real. That's how he recruits. That's how he establishes relationships."

But for two hours tonight the relationship between Heath and Crean will be put on hold.

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached at (813) 259-7928 or bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com

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