Senior guard Kalin Lucas goes up for a slam dunk during the Spartans’ game against Texas on Wednesday at Breslin Center. Although Lucas led the Spartans, scoring 17 points, the team ultimately fell to the Longhorns at home, 67-55. Katy Joe DeSantis/The State News
During MSU’s run of six Final Fours in the last 12 years, anyone who knows anything about basketball has learned to never doubt a Tom Izzo-led basketball team in November or December.
But after watching the No. 12 Spartans lose to No. 18 Texas, 67-55, Wednesday night at Breslin Center, it’s becoming harder and harder to believe in this MSU basketball team’s chances at a long run in March.
Early-season losses are not new for Izzo and the Spartans. Before MSU won the National Championship in 2000, the Spartans started the season 7-3 and looked nothing like the team that finished 33-5 and won every tournament game by double digits.
Exactly one year ago from Wednesday, MSU lost its third game of the season against Texas, but by Spring, the Spartans were playing at the Final Four in Indianapolis.
However, in both of those seasons, MSU had shown glimpses of what it would be a few months later. There were signs that the Spartans were one statement win away from turning the season around.
In 2010, that feeling is nonexistent.
After Wednesday’s game, in which MSU shot a dreadful 29 percent from the field, Izzo said fatigue has been a factor in the Spartans’ struggles this season.
Considering MSU has traveled as far as Hawaii and played one of the toughest schedules in the country, he’s probably right. Add the Spartans’ string of injuries late last season, during the summer and early this year, having a banged up team isn’t helping Izzo either.
But MSU’s problems could be far bigger than being tired or beat up.
The biggest issue for the Spartans could be the fact they don’t know who they are as a basketball team. Unlike previous years, when MSU teams had an identity as one of the toughest teams — physically and mentally — in the country, no matter the record, no one knows what to expect from this team, not even the players.
When asked about the Spartans’ identity Wednesday night, junior forward Draymond Green, MSU’s best leader, simply said, “We don’t have one.”
After a similar question, senior guard Kalin Lucas responded, “I don’t know.”
Some might consider that minor, but for about 15 years, everybody has known exactly what Izzo’s teams were all about.
Win or lose, his players were going to beat you up, and run on you until you couldn’t breathe.
Not the case this season, when every game has been a mystery.
MSU’s 12-point loss Wednesday night felt worse because of the way it happened. Texas outscored the Spartans, 38-26, in the paint and, 14-4, on fast breaks. Both are areas where past MSU teams dominated.
The worst part might have been the fact the game was at home, in front of 1,000 Izzone alumni begging for a sign of life for the entire second half.
Those former Izzoners, some of whom were in East Lansing when the Spartans were at their best, saw MSU, not quite at its worst, but certainly nowhere where it needed to be Wednesday night.
Like I already mentioned, though, we’ve learned a lot about how Izzo’s teams work in previous years. There’s certainly still some reason to believe the Spartans will be making a trip to Houston this April to play in the Final Four.
As Izzo put it after the game, “I’ve been here before.”
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He definitely has, and not surprisingly, Izzo still has confidence in not only his ability as a coach, but also his team’s ability to turn things around as Big Ten play is about to begin.
But if in fact we see a typical MSU resurgence in the coming months, and once again the Spartans are the guys nobody wants to play in March, it might be the best coaching job of Izzo’s career.
