Frustrated Izzo About To Start Regular Season

Anyone who has covered Tom Izzo for very long knows that one of his most endearing qualities, is that in our world of pasteurized stars, he isn’t one of

Anyone who has covered Tom Izzo for very long knows that one of his most endearing qualities, is that in our world of pasteurized stars, he isn’t one of them. His emotions are right on his sleeve. Those emotions have driven him to greatness, and after the exhibition game against Grand Valley at the Breslin Center they were on full display.

 

Tom Izzo and his true freshman center take a second for a teaching point against GVSU. Photo Courtesy of Starr Portice

Tom Izzo knows what it takes to be great. He knows the path, has practically written the manual, and he can walk into any recruit’s home anywhere and with credibility (and without the aid of a side show fueled by a helicopter landing on a football practice field) speak to those recruits with credibility.

 

Izzo could hide his emotions, during or after the game. He knows he has a winner. He knows that youth at the five may hurt, but he has all the horses to make this team into a potential champion, but with starters out and injured, he himself has called this a self described M*A*S*H unit.

 

Raymar Morgan (bad sprain), Delvon Roe (concussion), and Chris Allen (groin) didn’t play.  Durrell Summers, who left early when his eye was accidentally got what looked like a bad poke, made it a long night for the Spartans commander and chief.

 

"I couldn't answer what we are right now. I don't get a chance to look at small lineups, big lineups, these lineups, those lineups. And now, we're going into the fire.” Maybe not the fire per say, but the Spartans open with Florida Gulf Coast on Friday, certainly not a game to rattle the rafters, but it is what follows soon after that has to be on Izzo’s mind.

 

Perennial power Gonzaga comes to town one week from tonight, and that game, like all big games, is what Izzo lives for. He thrives in the competition of a big game. He loves the fight and the battle, but with a depleted starting line up, that isn’t how he planned things to be when he scheduled them.

 

When asked what his lineup may look like on Friday, Izzo said, "I think I'll have two of them back for sure…Morgan definitely won't play, and the beat goes on. It's hard to sit there with four almost-starters on your bench and think everything's going to be cohesive."

 

Once again Kalin Lucas led the way. The amazing thing about Lucas is that, eerily similar to Drew Neitzel, you come to expect great performances out of him, and sadly they get sometimes overlooked. Even the Spartans star is frustrated with the injuries though. “It is hard because you want to practice with your team. This could be special, but we need that time together on the court.”

 

Draymond Green stands poised for a monster year. He contributed a double double (15 points and 11 boards), but had an unusual play. After grabbing a rebound in the second half, he was unable to find an outlet. The big fella took off down the court dribbling, and his coach, Tom Izzo, yelled some choice words to his burgeoning star. I asked Draymond if Izzo took issue with his attempt at playing the point, “No he doesn’t care, he just says I better not get a turnover.” 

 

Green looks ready for a big season and again, comically like Lucas, does it with ease and the talent that almost comes without saying. Freshman big men Derrick Nix and Garrick Sherman each had nice nights as they develop into the roll. Nix who plays basketball like a defensive tackle is incredibly intimidating under the boards. His presence, because of the size, makes other teams alter their shot, and Sherman’s athleticsim makes him a threat to block a shot or move outside the paint.

 

In case you’re wondering, the final score was MSU 76 and Grand Valley 53. Now gentleman start your engines, the regular season is about to begin.