THREE UP OR DOWN: #4/5 MICHIGAN STATE BASKETBALL AFTER 35 GAMES

Three up or down: the three Parts of the #4/5 Michigan State basketballthat are trending up or down now.

Down Missed Shots While people bemoaned the MSU game plan, you can’t say it didn’t work. The Spartans simply missed wide open shots. Consider this: The Spartans were held to just 26 percent shooting from the field (17-of-66) and 22 percent from 3-point range (8-of-37), both season lows. Tom Izzo said, “We got beat because we couldn't make a shot. And I thought we had some good shots. It was really disappointing. We didn't shoot very well from the free-throw line and some of those early were one-and-ones, which means it's worse than the stat shows.”
UP Xavier Tillman This emerging star grew all season and he played 22 minutes and had five points. Whether or not Nick Ward returns, just like with Shilique Calhoun and William Gholston, Tillman will push him for minutes next year. They could be an amazing 1-2 punch in the block. Xavier Tillman recorded a career-high 12 rebounds, including nine offensive boards. That is why moments after the heartbreaking loss Cassius Winston said of Tillman, “Xavier Tillman got better throughout the year and there was no secret to it. He worked hard.”
UP 30-5, Outright Big Ten ChampsEnough said. Disappointing because no doubt there could have been more. But not shame. A great season. Izzo summed up the season, “As everybody knows, it's been a different year. I don't think me, personally, I could have gone through the year without a group like I had. In fact, I know there would be no way. And I've had a couple disappointments with some pretty good teams. And that's the way basketball goes. And I think Tum said it best to our team, you know, that: Hold your head up high; don't let one game -- we're 30-5 -- define who we are. Let the times when we went through some tough times define who we are, the way we stuck together and hung together and battled together.”

He continued, “And there's no reason to hang your head, as he said. Nobody's got cancer. There's a lot worse things in the world. Just never seems like that when you coach or when you play, especially when you're a senior. The rest of us all get different chances, but they don't. And I love the kid, but I could look everybody in the eye and say I love every one of these kids and that's coach-speak. I don't give coach-speak very often. I give heart-speak. And from the bottom of my heart, that's the way I feel.”

EXTRA POINT: LouRawls “TUM TUM” Nairn

I will never grasp nor respect the hatred and vitriol that he has taken from this fan base. Without him MSU does not have Miles Bridges or Cassius Winston or Joshua Langford. They also probably do not have Jaren Jackson. I know for a fact that Miles would NOT have come back. Nor do they have several of the incoming class. He is an ICONIC figure.

Summed up best by Izzo, “I think Miles said it best in the locker room. So did Dane Fife. That kid has meant the world to our program, our community, our team, and me. And I don't know if -- I don't know if there's another Tum out there. I just hope I can keep him around for a while. I'll figure that out in the future. He's meant the world to our entire community.”

Izzo added, “He's been rock solid through a lot of things this year. And I love him for that. As I do -- it's hard not to feel bad. I know why Miles came back. But he has no regrets why he came back, because in his mind he got to do the things he wanted to do and he came back, except maybe get to a Final Four.”

Izzo finished saying, “And you don't get all your dreams sometimes. But Cassius has gotten a lot better because of Tum. Miles is better because of Tum. Josh is better because of Tum. Nick Ward has really made some strides in the last three weeks, four weeks, a lot because of Tum. Tum's not God, but he's right there.”

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