Tuesday marked the third time this season the MSU men's basketball team had a one-day turnaround between games.
To say the least, that's something MSU head coach Tom Izzo is irate about.
"You got to love to the one-day turnaround, especially when you lose to your rivals," Izzo said sarcastically prior to the Indiana game. "It's hard when you only have one day to prepare for a different team."
Izzo has been upset about short rest for the entire season and it hasn't helped that MSU has only amassed a 3-3 mark in those games.
MSU's first one-day turnaround occurred in the preconference schedule.
The Spartans (11-8 overall, 3-4 Big Ten) hosted Jacksonville State on Saturday Dec. 28 (a 76-52 win) before suffering a shocking 81-76 home loss to Toledo on Dec. 30.
The Spartans opened the Big Ten season with two games on short rest.
After slipping by Ohio State 66-55 on Jan. 9, MSU had only one day to prepare for a hot Iowa Hawkeye team.
The result: A disappointing 68-64 defeat.
Coming off Sunday's 60-58 heartbreaking loss to Michigan, the Spartans didn't have much time to prepare for Indiana.
But luckily for Green and White fans, the Spartans pulled out a thrilling 61-54 win.
The rest of the Spartans' 10-game schedule has no more remaining one-day turnarounds, excluding the Big Ten Tournament and possible postseason tournaments.
Player of the week
Despite coming off the bench against Penn State and U-M last week, sophomore guard Chris Hill scored 40 total points, while going a combined 7-for-18 from beyond the three-point arc.
Those numbers garnered him the Big Ten Player of the Week award.
"He's been shooting much better, his turnovers are down and he's played with a little more passion," Izzo said. "Maybe I should put a couple more players on the bench so they can earn player of the week."
NIT bound?
Many experts have said unless there is a drastic turnaround in East Lansing, the Spartans will most likely find themselves playing in the National Invitational Tournament.
Missing the NCAA Tournament would snap the Spartans' streak of five straight appearances.
But Izzo said the Spartans still have 10 games plus the Big Ten Tournament to change their fate.
"I can tell you that's the last thing I'm thinking about right now," he said. "Teams have been left out with 22 wins and some have gotten in with 16.
"All I know is we have to start winning games."
Turnover turnaround
After averaging close to 16 turnovers per game in their first 16 contests, the Spartans have been taking care of ball as of late.
In its last three games, MSU has recorded a combined 27 turnovers (nine turnovers per game), including a season low of eight against the Wolverines.
"We are valuing the ball a lot more now," sophomore forward Alan Anderson said. "And we're getting more points on the board and we're making (the opposition) defend us more."
Surprise, surprise
This season, the only consistency in the Big Ten has been its volatility.
Michigan - picked in the preseason to be a conference non-factor - is the hottest team in the conference and arguably the nation.
MSU, favored to win the conference, is on track to finish in the middle of the pack.
The most surprising news in the Big Ten so far this season is standout freshmen players leading their teams.
U-M's Daniel Horton (18.0 points per game) and Illinois' Dee Brown (9.5 ppg and 5.7 assists per game) have offered surprising amounts of floor leadership and complemented the play of seniors like Michigan's LaVell Blanchard and Illinois' Brian Cook.
Not shocking?
Big Ten teams are a combined 8-23 on the road in conference play. Six teams - including MSU - are undefeated on their home courts, and five - including the Spartans again - are winless thus far on the road.
