Tom Izzo's Michigan State Spartans Dump Florida State in the ACC/B1G Challenge 65-49

Breslin Center East Lansing, MI This game wasn’t pretty. To even use the word pretty in a sentence when referring to this game could constitute a federal

Breslin Center

East Lansing, MI

This game wasn’t pretty. To even use the word pretty in a sentence when referring to this game could constitute a federal crime. It was UGLY, but when your record is four and two and you are facing your first real test since you opened the year with Duke and UNC you take it.

The Spartans shot only 40%, but when FSU shoots 38% and goes four of 20 from the three and shoots 50% from the line you can live with it. FSU is a team with very good defense and toughness, but they are terrible on offense. A separated shoulder to a key cog on that side of the game didn’t help.

Seminoles head coach Leonard Hamilton said of the game afterwards, “I want no excuses. We played four games in seven days, but that’s basketball.” Hamilton is a good teacher of the game, not just a coach and he said of his style, “You can’t get angry at guys who are giving you everything they have. They were worn down, they were tired, but the effort was there.”

Seminoles star Bernard James was very complimentary of how the Spartans guards rebound. He said of their play, “Huge! Those rebound as good as their big men.”

Tom Izzo was a bit more excited about the game as you can imagine. A win is a win against a good team and he said, “It was old school basketball in a way. As physical and hard as we could play. That was a very good win for us over a very good team. There was a lot of lose balls we came up with.” 

The Spartans only had six turnovers.

It appeared that senior Austin Thornton broke his jaw. After the game MSU SID Matt Larson informed us that it was not broken and he is now listed as Day to Day.

Izzo did praise his freshman point guard. He said of Travis Trice who had three points, two steals and one assist in 14 minutes, “I thought Trice did an incredible job. Stats don’t show it.” Trice was thankful for his coaches kind words and added, “It’s coming. You just keep learning and trying to do it coaches way.”

Draymond Green got 16 points and eight rebounds. “I think Draymond played great,” was Izzo’s thoughts on his senior star’s play. I would disagree. He played O.K. but shooting five of 14 from the field is not great.

Day Day was thrilled with the way Nix played. At one point Nix offered some great weakside assist defense that led to a fast break. Visibly fired up Green screamed encouragement to his sophomore center. Nix said of his play that didn’t show much in the stat column, “I was to get out and get some good minutes across the board. I wasn’t scoring tonight so I had to do the little things.”

Day Day said of Nix, “Nix’s understanding of the game to use the words of coach has gone from S-H-I-T to shiola.”

Keith Appling led the Spartans with 24 points he also had seven rebounds. 

On 21 made shots, the Spartans had 11 assists.

Brandon Wood had a double double in his best game as a Spartan. What he showed tonight is what Izzo has been looking for from his 5th year senior transfer. I asked Wood if it was his first game he felt comfortable with. “No not really. My role is different here than it was at Valpo. I have to learn my role, but I played pretty good and it was a good team win.”

Super star freshman Branden Dawson sprained an ankle, and struggled in the stats column. He played 19 minutes and had two points, no rebounds, one assist and two turnovers. Not great numbers from the super star freshman who admitted to me that, “I am thinking too much.”

The Spartans record now improves to five and two on the year. Their next matchup comes Sunday, December fourth against Nebraska Omaha at 2 P.M. right here at the Breslin Center.

Finally, junior cheerleader Taylor Young, a 20-year-old junior fell off the top of a pyramid. She is from Twin Lake, MI and according to Izzo and an EMT she is fine. In fact she informed the medical staff that took her off the court that she had an 8:30 A.M. class she had to attend.