Head coach Tom Izzo reacts to a foul by freshman guard Lourawls Nairn Jr. during the game against Maryland on Dec. 30, 2014, at Breslin Center. The Spartans were defeated by the Terrapins, 68-66 in double overtime. Danyelle Morrow/The State News
Perhaps the season has not gone quite the way fans had hoped, and after 20 games, head coach Tom Izzo is disappointed as well. He is, however, trying to keep things in perspective.
“(I) keep reminding myself we’re 13-7 not 7-13,” Izzo said. “You really look at what’s changed in the last two weeks and we just have not put the ball in the hole...For a team that was shooting the ball so well-- and we had good shots in that last game-- we just haven’t made a shot.”
MSU established itself early as a terrific jump shooting team and it has been hard to match that efficiency. Notably, shots around the rim have not been falling for the Spartans.
Because MSU doesn’t pound the ball into the paint like it did with former forwards Derrick Nix and Adreian Payne, knocking down shots from distance has been important. The team also lacks a dominant slasher who can get to the hoop.
The Spartans do pass the ball as well as any team in the country, and with 17.6 assists per game, MSU is fourth in the country in that category. When the ball zips around the perimeter and shots are dropping, its a completely different team.
“We’re not perfect, but I’m gonna tell you something,” Izzo said. “This is a pretty good basketball team. When we’re shooting the ball well, we’re a real good basketball team.”
Aside from shooting inconsistencies, MSU is getting more from other players than Izzo expected heading into the season. Senior forward Branden Dawson is averaging a double-double with 11.3 points and 10.1 rebounds per game on the year, but when Big Ten play is isolated, those numbers climb even higher.
“He’s scoring 12 points a game, he’s defending very well,” Izzo said. “Schilling and Costello have still been pretty consistent. Those were the things that I thought would be the negatives or the question marks.”
Quietly, sophomore forward Gavin Schilling and junior forward Matt Costello have combined for 14.8 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.
While the gears may be in place, they haven’t always turned together in games. Whether its a poor start, foul trouble, or giving up a sizeable lead, the Spartans have allowed doubt to hang around.
Izzo has said many times that the team has practiced well, but he acknowledged that the schedule may be a factor in some of the ups-and-downs.
“We’ve had some weird days too, like yesterday (we) couldn’t practice,” Izzo said. “We had a one day prep before we played Northwestern. (The) schedule is really difficult with this one day off so that we can all take care of ourselves that the NCAA puts on...I’m getting tired of that. I think that should be up to a coach and up to an institution because there’s different circumstances all the time.”
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