#1 Michigan State Spartans Cruise To Exhibition Win To Open 2019-2020 Campaign!
Breslin Student Events Center
East Lansing, MI
The #1 Michigan State Spartans kicked off the 2019-2020 season tonight with an anticipated 85-50 blowout win over Albion College. It was a festive fun night for the Spartan Nation as Player of the Year Cassius Winston has two brothers on the Albion Team.
The Spartans were led in the scoring department by Xavier Tillman who had 19 points, eight rebounds and three steals. Cassius Winston was the only other double-digit scorer, he had 16 and nine assists.
I asked Albion Head Coach Jody May how good he thinks this Spartan team really is, “I think they are like anybody else in this early season – we don't know. I don't know how good my team is right now; we have had 12 practices. I do know that when you have a really good basketball player on your team it makes your team much better. Cassius Winston is a very, very good college basketball player and makes everyone on the floor better. I think early in the season we are all trying to figure out what lineups we can play and what works really well together. None of us are playing our best basketball at this time. I know how Coach Izzo is and how things are going to go and there might be some growing pains that everybody goes through early in the season. They have got some guys out injured which so do we. I think you will see the best Michigan State team come February and March.”
The Spartans had a disappointing 17 turnovers compared to Albion’s 20. But MSU had an astounding 25 assists on 32 baskets. The Spartans also 34% from the three and a disappointing 46% from the field and 6-% from the charity stripe.
Izzo said of the performance, “Well, there are a lot of things to feel good about and a lot of things you realize we need a lot more work. I thought Rocket (Watts) played awfully well for a freshman that came in and had to do what he had to do, but you know missed some good shots, I guess. But, that first group, four of the five played really well. Aaron (Henry) struggled and he struggled into the second half. Thank god Gabe (Brown) picked us up a lot, did some good things and I thought two of my three stars were really good. Xavier (Tillman) was good. Cassius (Winston) - I told him at half time, 'Are you boycotting here? You've only taken two shots.' Second-half he did a little better job, but really played within himself to get 16 points, nine assists, zero rebounds. As I told him down there, I'm going to have to come out for the first time in my career and say four steals, he's probably turning into a first-team defensive player now, so the four steals. All kidding aside, I think the added strength in his legs and I just felt like he was moving very efficiently. So, there were a lot of good things there. Disappointed in the first half. I thought Marcus (Bingham) struggled in the first half, bounced back in the second half. I thought the other guy that we felt that struggled a little bit was Foster (Loyer) in the first half, played better in the second half. Both Bingham, Marble, and Malik (Hall) played better in the second half. So, all in all, the rebounding was pretty good. I was really disappointed to take 35 threes in that game, but it seemed like the ball went inside, they really collapsed. We were unselfish to kick it out, that was good, but way too many threes. Although I'll never see the day when those three guys hit 1-of-14 or whatever it was, so I guess that's encouraging too. Last thing of discouragement, 17 turnovers. The last two things of encouragement, 25 assists on 32 baskets. Our goal was to try to get up 65 shots, we got up 70; 12 steals I thought was pretty good considering how many guys we played, which that won't be the norm, and different lineups. Some of those turnovers are going to happen because guys don't know where guys are going.”
PG Cassius Winston was all smiles after, saying of playing his little brother and his big brother on the bench injured that, “It was great to be on the same court as those guys. It was really sweet for them to be chasing their dreams and me chasing mine. It was cool to be right here. Talking and messing with them a little bit was fun.”
Thomas Kithier raved about the play of all four Spartan freshmen. He added, “The freshmen did really well. I think Malik (Hall) did a good job of coming in with energy in the second half. I thought Rocket (Watts) did a good job of talking and playing in his role. He's an aggressive player who can really help us out. Julius (Marble) did a great job too with bringing energy. Steven (Izzo) got his first bucket so I think all the freshmen did really well.”
The highlight of the night from the crowd’s perspective was when they clamored for Steven Izzo to play. He got his shot and the crowd erupted. They got even louder when he scored a free throw shot.
I asked Izzo about the pride of a Daddy when that moment happened, “I can't believe the kid shot an airball on the first time. I mean I have to admit it was cool, it was cool; I don't know what to say. I made sure I didn't take anyone else's minutes away, I told Frosty (Foster Loyer) is it okay if I do this? He was great. I told him before the game, I watched him in warm-ups on midnight madness and he really shoots the ball well. I mean he didn't get that from me, he must have got that from Garland, but he really shoots the ball well. In the warm-ups he shot an airball about three feet short and I told him basketball is like golf, if it doesn't get there, it doesn't have any chance to go in. This one he listened to his coach and he shot it three feet long, but it was fun. I appreciate the fans, the students, but I really appreciate my teammates. You know, that was probably his chance for the year. I think he will redshirt or green shirt or something shirt; he got into the books and I felt good about that for him.”
In the locker room afterward Steven said of the experience that, “After I made it, I gave my dad a look to make sure he wasn't tearing up. He seemed to have a smile on his face with a little bit of water in his eye. It was awesome to be a part of and to get my first bucket.”
Tom Izzo played 14 players and 13 scored. Thomas Kithier led the way on the boards for the Spartans with 11.
The regular season tips off next Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden in New York City against the #2 Kentucky Wildcats in the Champions Classic.
Izzo said of the real season starting now that, “This year we got four hours in the summer and I feel like we've been going since and then this year it started Sept. 24. I think we're on our 26th or 27th practice and that seems like a long time and now we've got a week. I wish we had a little more time, make sure we can get all healed up, but I'm excited about it. How do you beat this for our conference, for our University, for our program and for our team to be involved in a one, two, three, four? I think in '01 there were three ones or were their four? Three ones and a two, probably because Arizona and Duke, maybe Maryland. They were high, but very seldom do you get in the same venue and have teams as rated high as these four teams. I don't know if we're ready for that right now and I said that, but what a great opportunity to see, to see for myself, to see for my team, but the exposure and the night and the way it's going to be and to have the late night which is a little harder on some so people can watch it all over the country is I think great for Michigan State. As I said great for the Big Ten, great for the program and should be a lot of fun for the players. Hopefully we'll get better. We've got a week and we've got to get a lot of improvement in this next week, but I saw a lot better things tonight in strange ways and yet I think some of the first night was our fault too. We'll try to get better and have some fun.”
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