The Michigan State Spartans met the Oakland Golden Grizzlies at Little Caesars Arena for their match on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021. After a close game, the Spartans ultimately took the win over the Grizzlies with a final score of 90-78.
—Michigan State men's basketball is back in action this Wednesday after an 11-day hiatus to host the Oakland Golden Grizzlies.
After a brutal stretch of play, the extended rest was much needed for the Spartans. Traveling across the country multiple times and playing some of the better teams in college basketball in that stretch, MSU was clearly running out of steam.
“I’m the happiest guy in America that that 11 games of hell is over,” Head Coach Tom Izzo said after the team's win over Brown.
MSU’s lack of stamina was abundantly clear in a pair of losses near the end of the gauntlet. The Spartans were dominated by Notre Dame in South Bend 70-52, before losing their Big Ten home opener against Northwestern 70-63.
Following those two brutal losses, Michigan State bounced back for a gritty road win against Penn State and took care of business against Brown at the Breslin before heading into the break.
After weeks of traveling, scouting opponents and worrying about who’s next on the docket, the Spartans will finally have some time to look inwards.
“Now we have 11 days til the next game,” Izzo said. “It’s going to be good for us, because we’re going to get some practice time.”
While there were certainly some low points near the end of those “11 games of hell,” there were also plenty of bright spots, namely junior guard A.J. Hoggard.
After an inconsistent start to the season, Hoggard played lights out as the Spartans closed in on the break. He was instrumental in MSU’s win at Penn State, notching 23 points with just two turnovers. Hoggard also had a strong night against Brown, scoring 17 points with just one turnover.
“AJ’s been dynamite,” Izzo said. “He’s leading better, he’s doing a better job in those respects.”
Senior forward Malik Hall will not play against Oakland, as he’s still recovering from a stress injury in his foot. However, Izzo is hopeful that Hall could make his return to the court Dec. 30 against Buffalo.
Scouting the opponent
Oakland is a familiar foe for Michigan State. Despite being a Horizon League team, the Golden Grizzlies always seem to give the Spartans a run for their money (although they have yet to actually win).
Most Michigan State fans will remember the stress-inducing win against Oakland back in 2015, where the Spartans squeaked out a 99-93 win in overtime. Just last year in Detroit, Michigan State pulled away in the second half to win 90-78.
While the history between the two teams seem to point towards a close contest, a terrible start to the season for Oakland might suggest otherwise.
As it stands, Oakland holds a 2-10 record with its only wins having been against Defiance (a Division III school) and Eastern Michigan. Nearly every legitimate opponent on the schedule beat the Grizzlies by more than 20 points (Oklahoma State, Syracuse, Toledo, etc).
But again, Oakland is not a team to count out and Izzo knows that all too well.
“It’s always been a close, tight game, and that’s never changed in most of the years we’ve played,” Izzo said.
One of the lone bright spots for Oakland has been sophomore forward Trey Townsend. The Oxford native leads the team in average points per game (18.3) and rebounds per game (7.7). He also has a pair of 30-point nights just 12 games into the season. In short, Townsend is sure to top the Spartans’ scouting report.
Tipoff for Wednesday evening’s matchup is set for 6:30 and will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
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