Michigan State Spartans Demolish Texas Southern to Improve Their Season Record to 1-2.

11/18/2011 Breslin Center East Lansing, MI What did you want from tonight’s Michigan State vs. Texas Southern game? They are not a B1G team. They

11/18/2011

Breslin Center

East Lansing, MI

What did you want from tonight’s Michigan State vs. Texas Southern game? They are not a B1G team. They aren’t a BCS school and aren’t a good mid major. They are full of fight and to their credit never quit, but it was, what it was. They got a nice fat check for their athletic department checking account to be the punching bag for your Spartans…and that was exactly what they were.

As soon as the Spartans showed up to get dressed I think they had a 15-point lead and the moment the ball tipped they coasted. We know what this part of the schedule is. These teams come in to give MSU the certain W, while they get a glorified practice. As long as no one pretends it is nothing else, there is no harm no foul.

With almost 16 minutes left in the game (up 33) Draymond (Day Day) Green was still in the game. He came back with nearly 13 and was still shooting. At that point in the game it made no sense for him to be in, and if he was to be shooting. If this team loses him the year is over. Period. He finished the game with yet again another double double acquiring 11 boards and 12 points.

Travis Trice continues to shine for the Spartans. He had 11 points as the burgeoning point guard. He played well. Izzo said of his performance, “I like the way Travis played.  He is my whipping boy right now. He is a smart kid…God the kid plays good defense and had some great passes. Until the end he checked well.”

The humble Trice was not has excited as his coach and this reporter. “I played alright. Overall I was just as comfortable as I have ever been so far, but I have to concentrate on doing what coach wants.”

It was also nice to see Alex Gauna the FR from Eaton Rapids playing tough. He ended with six points and two boards in 13 minutes. He thought of his game when I asked him afterwards in the locker room, “I started sloppy so it is hard to be real excited.  Of course you feel good and gain some confidence especially after the and one.”

If you had to pick the highlight of the night however it would be in the Jason Richardsonesque athleticism of Branden Dawson. He lit the Breslin on fire a few times (13 points) and I asked him about the crowd response to his big plays. He told me, “I love these fans. We come home after two losses and all they had was love. To hear them getting excited felt great, like I was thanking them for the support.”

Adreian Payne (AP) picked up his first career double double with ten boards and ten points. Izzo was elated and said of his young big, “He has to learn how to play harder all the time. That trot. He gets a double double, but I must admit he was OK, not great. Good stats, but a backhanded compliment that I expect more out of him.”

The Spartans next victim is UALR (I know this is the alphabet soup portion of the schedule) on Sunday. It is a game I guess, but it is more of a nice Sunday practice. A practice that happens to be open to the public, recovering from another MSU football win.