You can bet that’s what both Izzo and the junior guard wished the meeting was about.

Instead, Izzo was pointing out to Allen what was right in front of his eyes: The Spartans were struggling defensively and couldn’t find offensive rhythm, relying heavily on veteran leadership. And a lot of it had to do with Allen’s absence.

“I just said, ‘I hope you understand you let two seniors down, whether we recover from it or not,’” Izzo said. “But I said, ‘I want to make sure you understand that.’”

Message sent, delivery confirmation pending.

For a player who has contributed for three years and is nearing the end of his junior season, it begs the question: What drives a guy to do something to get suspended so late in his career, at such a pressing time for the team, when that player’s individual improvement has been second to none this season?

Mention to anyone at the beginning of this season that the Spartans would have to play their first Big Ten Tournament game without Allen and most would shrug and say, ‘OK.’
Whether that’s an indication of the misconception of Allen’s value or his growth in the last five months, I don’t know. But on Friday, Allen’s presence, or lack thereof, was invaluable.

But the real problem might be that if you mention to anyone that a team with hopes to reach the Final Four for the second straight season would have a junior suspended at the end of conference play, they would shake their head in disbelief. That fact hasn’t changed.

Disciplinary action at this stage of Allen’s career is inexcusable. He’s nearly a senior on a team that has the ability to make noise in March.

If he didn’t learn his lesson watching the Spartans bow out Friday, maybe he never will.

Suspending Allen was a decision Izzo made that sent a message the program is bigger than each individual. It applied to Allen and, as a consequence, trickled down.

Junior guard and former walk-on Mike Kebler bore the burden of much of Allen’s minutes as, again, junior guard Durrell Summers watched from the sidelines, unable to check anybody.

“I’m done sending messages,” Izzo said. “To be honest with you, Kebler just played better defense. But when you’ve got to do that — if Chris was here, he would have played because he’s defending really well. I can just promise you that we’re going to keep working at it. I don’t blame you for being a little frustrated.”

Izzo is not going to keep playing Summers simply because he’s an all-world athlete who has shown flashes of brilliance.

Twice after sitting Summers for extended periods of crucial contests this season, Izzo has been asked about the decision. Twice, the response has been similar.

“I just needed somebody that, you know, could guard somebody,” Izzo said. “And I just — between my assistants and some of my team, we just didn’t see that.”

On paper, Summers gets the nod over Kebler in every regard. But Kebler’s unlikely journey has denoted him as maybe the team’s next-best on-ball defender after Allen.

Summers was a step behind Minnesota guard Blake Hoffarber, making an attempt to stop the shooter by putting a hand half-mast as if requesting a high-five.

In the two regular season games against MSU, Hoffarber scored 10 points and shot 1-for-7 from 3-point range in the two games combined. On Friday, he had 14 points, 12 of them coming from long distance.

This is just a microcosm of Allen’s value to the Spartans and also the struggle the Spartans’ leadership has endured all year.

The Spartans need Chris Allen. And if Chris Allen wants to go anywhere and become the player he’s capable of, he needs to look at what Izzo and the Spartans mean to him.

Joey Nowak is a State News men’s basketball reporter. He can be reached at nowakjo2@msu.edu