“It’s quite a feat for Deyonta,” Izzo said. “He actually did a lot of good things. He’s still a little weak, but the way Deyonta played today at least he showed some fire.”

As for Davis, he is far from a man of many words. But sometimes, being straight to the point is the best way.

“I was just coming out to show everybody what I got, and that’s what I did,” Davis said.

Davis showed flashes of his potential throughout the game on Friday. Upon entering in the first half, he got involved immediately, rebounding a Denzel Valentine missed free throw and laying it right back up. Davis was a menace on the offensive glass, scooping up eight of his 11 rebounds off his own team’s missed shots.

“That’s what Michigan State does is crash the glass,” said Matt Costello, who as a fellow big man has kept Davis under his wing. “That’s what we are going to try to do and keep being aggressive that way.”

Izzo has preached rebounding as one of the most key components of a game, and MSU teams have consistently rebounded well under Izzo, finishing in the top 60 nationally in total rebounds per game since 2007. Now that Izzo has Davis at his disposal, it doesn’t look like that tradition is going to change.

“I was really pleased with Deyonta,” Izzo said. “I think he went harder, he played against a physical guy that was pretty good. His quickness to the ball I thought was off the charts, he’d miss a shot and he’d be there for a tip in.”

It was easy to be impressed by Davis, and the Spartans interior presence as a whole on both ends of the court. MSU blocked 12 shots as a team, with Davis leading the way in that category as well. They grabbed 53 rebounds to Florida Atlantic’s 26, and collected 18 offensive rebounds that led to 15 second chance points.

“They were disciplined enough to follow their game plan and go inside and pound us inside,” Michael Curry, the Owls head coach, said. “Davis is extremely long, he’s going to be a really really good player.”

Davis showcased his abundance of athletic ability in the Spartan’s first preseason game, and did so again Friday. His length and wingspan make his blocks seem effortless, and his leaping ability allows him to sky over competition for rebounds.

“Blocking shots for me is like natural,” Davis said. “It’s just something I do. That and getting rebounds.

Izzo and his coaching staff, however, have still been pleading with Davis to show some more emotion and play with more passion, especially during practice.

“I spent three huddles, and DJ (Dwayne Stephens) said to him, ‘Yo Deyonta, instead of patting you on the back, I’m mad at you, because why don’t you practice this way, you know?’,” Izzo said. “That’s part of the learning process.”

It appears that Davis is on his way to being more of a focal point for MSU on both sides of the ball, and he has found a group of guys he is comfortable with.

“He’s opening up,” Costello said. “He trusts us, we are his family, so we just keep building that relationship. He’s a basketball player. Once he starts playing, it kind of takes over.”