Maybe it's because MSU's three offensive-minded stars have gone to the NBA. Maybe it's because head coach Tom Izzo has rededicated his program to its blue-collar roots. Maybe it's because the Spartans know they no longer have the firepower to shoot their way to 100 points.
But after watching his team get held to three baskets in the second half of MSU's 80-43 romp Wednesday at Breslin Center, IPFW head coach Dane Fife had no trouble pinpointing the biggest — and most apparent — difference between this year's Spartans and last year's squad.
"As a team, they're just so much tougher," Fife said. "The intensity is right where a Michigan State team usually has the intensity."
After the Spartans (8-2) limited the Mastodons (3-6) to 26.5 percent shooting and held their sixth different opponent under 53 points, it's now safe to say that Izzo-ball is back in East Lansing.
"Last year, we were a fast-break team. A lot of nights, we just tried to outscore teams," said junior guard Drew Neitzel, who finished with a game-high 13 points. "But this year, we're making it difficult for teams to get in their offense. … We take a lot of pride in locking another team down."
MSU jumped out to a 22-10 lead as six different Spartans scored. An 8-2 rally by IPFW pulled the Mastodons within six midway through the first half, but MSU responded with a 15-2 spurt and led at the break, 39-24.
"From then on," Fife said, "it was blastoff for Michigan State."
The Spartans opened the half with back-to-back 3-pointers by Maurice Joseph, then erased all doubt with another 15-2 run midway through the half.
MSU's size advantage was a big reason why IPFW couldn't dig out of that hole. The Spartans outrebounded the Mastodons, 45-25, outblocked them, 8-4, and outscored them in the paint, 30-14.
MSU's rotating quartet of big men — sophomore forward Marquise Gray, junior center Drew Naymick and sophomore centers Goran Suton and Idong Ibok — combined for 34 points, 25 rebounds and seven blocks.
"I'm pleased with what we're getting out of them, collectively," Izzo said.
Neitzel, who has led MSU in scoring in seven of its first 10 games, took his first 10 shots Wednesday from behind the 3-point line.
"I don't really like that," he said. "I don't want to be just a 3-point shooter, but it was weird — it just seemed like they kept coming to me."
Freshman forward Raymar Morgan was sidelined because of a stress fracture in his shin, but that opened the door for freshman guard Isaiah Dahlman, who played a career-high 27 minutes and responded with nine points, six rebounds and four assists.
"He did a heck of a job," Gray said. "We need that from him all the time."
Izzo said Morgan, who wore a protective boot Wednesday, is definitely out for Saturday's 3 p.m. game against BYU at the Palace of Auburn Hills and could be sidelined up to four weeks.
"He needs the bone to heal," Izzo said. "Your guess is as good as mine for when that happens."
Tom Keller can be reached at kellert1@msu.edu.
