After a rash of injuries, the MSU men’s basketball team is looking to the football team to fill holes on its roster.
Anytime a team has a lot of injuries, it’s hard to prepare for opponents, ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas said.
“When you’re short-handed you can’t practice as long or as hard as you want to,” Bilas said. “And then your healthy players are affected by the injuries, too.
“Anytime you can get quality bodies to help you during practice you take it in a heartbeat. The quality bodies can contribute by helping you simulate opponents’ players in practice.”
The injury bug hit MSU hard this past week.
In Saturday’s game against Penn State, sophomore forward Adam Wolfe was lost for the season with a torn right hamstring.
The injury bug hit again on Tuesday, when sophomore center Jason Andreas bruised his pelvic bone in the game against Iowa. Whether Andreas misses any time is undetermined.
The first football player to fill that role is freshman quarterback Aaron Alexander, who was added to the roster Thursday morning before practicing for the first time, Associate Athletics Director John Lewandowski said.
The Spartans also may add freshman wide receiver Robert Strickland, head coach Tom Izzo said Wednesday during an ESPN.com Web chat from Bristle, Conn.
“Alexander did practice for the first time this morning before I left, and I expect him to be with us as long as it doesn’t interfere,” Izzo said.
“We are also looking at Strickland who may be joining us shortly.”
Strickland, who is listed at 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, averaged 26.2 points per game during his senior year at Detroit’s Denby High. He also lettered in track.
Alexander, who is listed at 6-5, 190 pounds, also lettered in baseball, basketball and soccer at Henrico High in Richmond, Va.
Playing behind sophomore Jeff Smoker, senior Ryan Van Dyke and fellow freshman Damon Dowdell, Alexander didn’t take any snaps this past season.
Despite not seeing action, he was second string to Dowdell Nov. 17 against Purdue when Smoker and Van Dyke were hurt.
Looking at the football team for talent isn’t the only adjustment Izzo’s had to make because of the injuries.
MSU may play more zone defense and use some players differently, Izzo said.
“I’ve had to readjust what I think they are capable of with all the new injuries,” Izzo said. “Not only to Wolfe but to Andreas and (freshman guard Alan) Anderson, but I believe this team is capable of winning a lot of games still and getting better in the month of February.
“We have to make some adjustments and double in the post more instead of guys going one-on-one. We may play more zone in the future. Our inside game should be much upgraded in the near future.”
With only eight scholarship players and injuries adding up, the Spartans are looking to fill a shallow roster.
An NCAA rule that states a team cannot sign more than five scholarship players in one year, and eight in two years, has limited MSU after the early departures of Jason Richardson and Zach Randolph.
Izzo has made it clear he’s not happy with the rule.
“To be honest, I have been disappointed with the rule,” Izzo said. “It can hurt certain teams at certain times. I’m not foolish enough to think this is an every-year happening, but when it is, it is very damaging to what you have built.
“We are trying to be a little more pro-active and deal with it ahead of schedule as opposed to what happened this past year.”
