Junior Matt Trannon will practice with the basketball team today after wrapping up his football season last week in Hawaii.
Head coach Tom Izzo said after talks with football head coach John L. Smith and with Trannon, the forward will practice with the No. 21 Spartans (5-2) over Christmas break.
Trannon was MSU's second leading receiver with 405 yards and two touchdowns in 11 games this season.
Izzo said he wants to monitor how Trannon fits the basketball team, which improved its frontline since the 6-foot-6 inch Flint native joined the team last season.
Both sophomore forward Delco Rowley and sophomore center Drew Naymick have improved the frontline this year, Izzo said.
"This will not be in any way shape or form will damage his football (training)," Izzo said. "I think John L. really thinks he's really making progress."
Izzo said he wants to work around key offseason training that Trannon will be working on for the football team.
Trannon averaged 6.9 minutes in 17 games last season, scoring 21 points and had 28 rebounds.
Team returns home
The Spartans return to play at home for the first time since Nov. 27 at 2 p.m. Saturday at Breslin Center against Delaware State (2-5) since Nov. 27 against Delaware State. The Hornets also finishing an eight-game road trip. Delaware State shot 57 percent in a 20-point loss to No.1 Illinois and lost to Marquette by six points.
"There is definitely a concern coming off finals week," Izzo said of this week's schedule affecting the team's game.
Leading the Big Ten
Seven games into the season, MSU is leading the Big Ten in six categories. The Spartans lead the conference in scoring offense (87.3 points per game), scoring margin (plus-21.6 points), rebounding offense (39.6 rebounds per game), free throw percentage (79.5 percent), rebounding margin (plus-9.1) and offensive rebounds (14.1 per game).
"I'm kind of happy we're in that position," Izzo said. "I think it will give us something to talk about and something to strive for."
The Spartans have also made more free throws (132) than their opponents have attempted (130).
Davis gets honor
Junior center Paul Davis was named the Big Ten Player of the Week after scoring a season-high 20 points on Saturday against Stanford (2-4) in the Spartan Clash. Davis also had eight rebounds in the 78-53 win. The game was his 10th 20-point game of his college career.
Davis was benched when the Spartans played George Mason on Dec. 5.
"I'm hoping he's getting more confident in everything he does," Izzo said.
Close to playing
Freshman center Idong Ibok, a 6-foot-10-inch shot blocker, from Lagos, Nigeria is close to playing, Izzo said Monday.
Ibok will have his injured hand X-rayed on Tuesday and if it is healing properly, he could see playing time in upcoming games, Izzo said. Ibok has been taping up his left hand in practice but has been effective in using his 9-foot-3-inch wingspan to block shots from Davis and Rowley.
"Idong has helped Paul (Davis) and Delco enormously," Izzo said of Ibok in practice. "He's a shot blocker and he's physical."
