Without the Izzone student section Saturday night, Izzo was the one firing up the crowd and his players.

With 7:33 remaining in the first half, Izzo was called for the first technical foul of the season after junior forward Marquise Gray was whistled for an offensive foul.

“I deserved the technical,” Izzo said. “But there were a couple things that I didn’t agree with.”

For the first time all night, the sold-out Breslin Center crowd got excited and booed during Minnesota’s Lawrence McKenzie’s assessed free throws. MSU senior guard Drew Neitzel said the call did motivate his squad, as the Spartans went on a 7-0 run after the free throws.

“It doesn’t happen very often that coach Izzo gets a ‘T,’” he said. “It fired us up and got the crowd into it.”

Neitzel said he’d rather have the student section at the games causing the excitement.

“It’s tough playing without the Izzone,” he said. “It’s a lot different. We’re excited for them to get back on Tuesday. We missed them over break.”

Swatting to a milestone

In limited playing time, senior center Drew Naymick edged closer to the MSU career blocks record Saturday.

Naymick, who began the game with 91 career blocks, finished with three. His total of 94 leaves him two behind Ken Johnson in second and three behind first-place Matt Steigenga.

“I don’t think about it during the course of play, but I have been keeping track a little bit,” Naymick said. “It’s something that would be special to me.”

Naymick said it’s a fair reflection of his style of play and the record would give him an opportunity to leave a fitting mark on the MSU program.

As a defensively geared player, Naymick often bears the burden of guarding opponents’ most dangerous big men.

“Every time we looked up, Drew Naymick or (MSU junior center Goran) Suton were blocking our shots,” Minnesota coach Tubby Smith said. “Every time we tried to get the ball inside, we couldn’t get to the basket.”