Saturday night’s men’s basketball game between No. 10 MSU and Iowa should have been called “The Draymond Green Show.” The sophomore forward did just about everything in the Spartans’ 71-53 win against the Hawkeyes in Iowa City, Iowa.
Green finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds to lead the team in both categories. He was all over the box score, adding three assists and one steal. It was his fourth double-double of the season.
“That guy is a great all-around player,” senior forward Raymar Morgan told the Big Ten Network after the game. “He can do everything.”
The Spartans (13-3 overall) improve to 3-0 in the Big Ten, including two road wins, something that always pleases head coach Tom Izzo.
“It was a tough game for us, but we’ll take a win on the road and go home,” Izzo told the Big Ten Network.
Freshman center Derrick Nix started for the second consecutive game and scored five of the team’s first seven points – including splitting a pair of free throws.
The Spartans were down 13-9 early in the first half before Green took over the game. Green went on a 6-0 run of his own to give the Spartans a lead they would not relinquish.
Green finished the first half with 12 points, six rebounds and two assists, as the Spartans went into the locker room with a 36-28 halftime lead despite committing nine turnovers as a team.
“The first half, that may have been one of our worst halves we’ve had,” Izzo told the Spartan Sports Network following the victory.
The Spartans came out in the second half on fire, starting the half on a 12-0 run without any turnovers as they opened up a 20-point lead and ran away from the Hawkeyes.
The Hawkeyes continued to settle for deep shots and the Spartans wouldn’t allow many second chances. Almost every shot for Iowa in the second half was contested.
Junior guard Kalin Lucas finished with 14 points, extending his streak of games with double-digit points to 27, dating back to last season.
The win, coupled with No. 4 Purdue’s loss to No. 17 Wisconsin earlier in the day, leaves the Spartans as one of two Big Ten teams undefeated in conference play. Illinois, who the Spartans host Saturday night, is the other.
Despite the victory, the Spartans’ turnover woes continued – finishing the game with 18 – and Izzo said his team didn’t gain much from the game. He also told the Spartans Sports Network he took the blame for his team’s defensive effort, citing multiple game plans that confused his team.
“We didn’t take a step forward today, we existed,” Izzo said.
The Spartans’ next game is against Minnesota on Jan. 13 in East Lansing.
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