The Spartans still are hampered by injuries, but things are looking up for Izzo, who celebrated his 59th birthday Thursday.

“(Senior forward Adreian Payne) hasn’t done any running,” Izzo said. “He’s biking and he doesn’t like it. He’s ornery, which I don’t blame him. I’m hoping if I can get him back, I can get somewhat of a rotation.”

Payne has been sidelined since MSU’s win against Ohio State on Jan. 7 because of an injured right foot.

Izzo said that if things keep going the way they are, Payne could get back on the court in the next couple games, but won’t suit up against the Hoyas.

It’s been clear the Spartans have missed a big presence on the boards the last two games, but the one player to step up has been sophomore forward Matt Costello.

Costello grabbed eight rebounds and scored nine points against arch rival Michigan last Saturday, then followed that up with a double-double of 11 points and 12 rebounds in Iowa City.

Izzo said he’s looking forward to having a rotation where players that are meant to play certain positions are actually able to play those positions.

Payne is the only piece of the puzzle missing.

“The day I get (Payne) back, it’s going to be the first real chore I have to get a rotation down,” he said. “It’s not gonna be easy, there are going to be some bumps in the road. It’s not like when we get him back everything’s going to be fun, but it’s going to be more fun then we’re having right now.”

Filling the Payne-sized hole in the starting lineup has not been easy, with the Spartans having 10 different lineups over the course of the season.

Redshirt freshman Kenny Kaminski started the last two games, but might take a backseat against a much bigger Georgetown team.

He said the injuries have been hard to overcome, but there’s no difference in mindset even if he’s not one of the first five names on the list.

“I’m going to treat every game like I am starting, and if I don’t, I don’t,” Kaminski said. “I’m putting extra time in the film room, I’m doing extra defensive stuff after practice. (I’m) getting a lot of shots up and I’m going to be ready no matter what.”

Senior guard Keith Appling has been playing through a pain in his wrist since he fell hard on his right side against North Carolina on Dec. 4.

With an out-of-conference game next up on the docket, it seems like a perfect time to recuperate and take some time off, but not Appling.

“I don’t wanna play less minutes,” Appling said. “If (Izzo) did talk to me about that, I don’t think that conversation would go to well. It’s basketball, you’re gonna get a little tired, it’s just something you have to fight through.”

Both Izzo and Appling have learned something about the team in the last two months, battling through injuries, tough losses and hard-fought wins.

For Appling, it speaks volumes of the character and cohesiveness of the squad.

“We have a lot of fight in us, and we’re very competitive,” he said. “We know how to fight though adversity and overcome the odds. There’s going to be hurdles in life, and this is one of them.”