Strength (and production) in numbers: Depth, versatility driving Michigan State basketball

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EAST LANSING — For the past few years, Tom Izzo’s seemingly reluctant approach to using the transfer portal rankled some Michigan State basketball fans.

Even when he dipped into it over the summer, bringing in Frankie Fidler and Szymon Zapala from smaller Division I schools, there remained some fan frustration that he didn’t land a big-named transfer from a powerhouse program. Or that the Hall of Fame coach remained too loyal to his own recruits and did not overrecruit them, perhaps pushing them into the portal.

Those voices have been awfully quiet lately. (Unless they’re opening their mouths to admit they were wrong.)-

Izzo has the Spartans sitting at 16-2 overall and atop the Big Ten standings at 7-0. They have won 11 straight and are back into the top 10 of the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, up to No. 8 this week as they prepare to face Rutgers (10-9, 3-5) on Saturday (1:30 p.m., CBS) at Madison Square Garden in New York.

And, as it turns out, Izzo might have assembled his most matchup-proof group in years — if not ever.

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo talks to players at a a timeout against Bowling Green during the first half at Breslin Center in East Lansing on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024.

BEYOND THE BENCH: Tom Izzo’s impact at Michigan State goes far beyond the basketball court

“I think we can go small. We can go big if we have to go big. And that’s always beneficial in some way, shape or form,” Izzo said Wednesday. “But I think we’re getting to the point now where our guys are comfortable with it, and they understand that with certain lineups, we’re gonna have to play certain people.”

In Sunday’s 80-78 win over No. 17 Illinois, that meant more of Xavier Booker early and to start the second half and less of Zapala, the 7-foot senior who has surprisingly started every game this season after his transfer in from Longwood. But by the end of the tight game, it was Coen Carr on the wing and Omaha transfer Fidler manning the four-spot — a new wrinkle — as…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/strength-production-numbers-depth-versatility-110653548.html

Author : Detroit Free Press

Publish date : 2025-01-24 11:06:00

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