Redshirt freshman center Idong Ibok will get his chance to contribute this week.
MSU head coach Tom Izzo is calling on the 6-foot-10 Lagos, Nigeria native to use his 7-foot-5 wingspan and 9-foot-3 reach to challenge every shot in practice.
"We're giving him a chance to swat everything he can swat this week," Izzo said of Ibok, who hurt his hand before the season and has redshirted, but still practices with the team.
Izzo will also use the athleticism of MSU freshman forward Marquise Gray to simulate a shot blocker.
Izzo needs to prepare the team for one of the best shot-blocking teams in the Big Ten this week when rival Michigan (12-7 overall, 3-2 Big Ten) comes to Breslin Center at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Michigan's Courtney Sims, a 6-foot-11 center, and Brent Petway, a 6-foot-8 forward, had nine blocks against Wisconsin on Saturday. The duo also had 10 points each and Petway grabbed 10 rebounds.
"They are very effective," Izzo said. "? That is a concern for us because they do it well."
Mixed feelings
Izzo said he likes a Big Ten team ranked No.1 in the country and the attention it will give the conference, but he hasn't decided if he'll be cheering for No. 18 Wisconsin to knock off No. 1 Illinois on Tuesday at the Kohl Center, where the Badgers have the nation's longest win streak.
"I don't really know if this early in the year I'm pulling for anybody," Izzo said.
"I do like the way (Illinois) plays, some of me wants them to be undefeated when they come here, but some of me is smart enough to know that everybody has got to lose some games."
Moving up
MSU (12-3, 4-1) moved up to No. 15 in the Associated Press poll on Monday. After 11 ranked teams lost last week, the Spartans moved past Texas, Gonzaga, Connecticut, Georgia Tech and Mississippi State.
Leading the nation
MSU leads the country in free-throw shooting at 80.7 percent according to the NCAA statistics released Jan. 17.
MSU nailed 26-of-28 shots at the charity stripe Minnesota on Saturday. Eight players are shooting at least 80 percent with senior guard Kelvin Torbert leading the Big Ten, shooting 90.9 percent
