After the Spartans held on for the win to extend their winning streak to nine games and improve their record to 13-2, junior forward Raymar Morgan said Saturday’s game demonstrated how the team is maturing.

“We’re growing up,” said Morgan, who scored 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds. “Guys are definitely stepping their games up defensively and offensively. It’s just huge for us, and we’re doing a good job.”

A major part of the process has been players recognizing how head coach Tom Izzo’s prior teams earned the four Big Ten championship banners hanging in Breslin: defense and rebounding.

On Saturday, the Spartans held a Kansas team that averages 80 points per game to 62 points on 36 percent shooting. They also out-rebounded the Jayhawks 42-31.

“I just think we’re a little more focused,” senior guard Travis Walton said. “We were a good defensive team last year, we’ve been a good defensive team ever since I’ve been here and before I was here. We kind of started out slow defensively and (Izzo) put a little more emphasis on it, and I think every player took it personally.”

Digging deep

After the game, Izzo said senior center Goran Suton was up all Friday night and “sick as a dog.” Izzo called Suton’s performance a “turning point” for the 6-foot-10 center who had six points and seven rebounds in 22 minutes.

With an under-the-weather Suton, Izzo said he thought Morgan would have to be even more important to the team in order to win.

Although Morgan struggled with 3-of-8 shooting from the field, Izzo was happy with how his team was able to use its depth and secure the win over an underrated opponent.

“I guess we have enough players that someone will rise to the top,” Izzo said. “We had some guys today who played awfully well. Even (freshman forward) Draymond Green came in and gave us some good minutes and (freshman
forward) Delvon (Roe) did some good things. As I said, we’re still not the smooth package yet, but we’re chugging along and we’re doing it in good fashion.”

Welcome back, Izzone

The Izzone came back from winter break for the perfect game Saturday. Not only did the students get to see the Spartans defeat the reigning national champions, but they also got plenty of opportunities to show their displeasure toward the referees.

The officiating crew called 19 fouls on the Spartans and 18 on the Jayhawks in the second half, as both teams shot 23 free throws. With 9:50 remaining in the second half, the Jayhawks entered the double-bonus and the Spartans followed about a minute later.

Both Morgan and sophomore guard Kalin Lucas, who had 22 points and five rebounds, said fouls are part of the game and up to the officials. Still, Lucas admitted that with so many whistles, it was hard to get into a rhythm.

“It is kind of hard, but we just had to keep playing aggressive,” Lucas said. “I think they got calls, (but) we got calls, too.”