Izzo’s most wonderful time of the year
Under Tom Izzo, MSU usually sees its most improvement of the season over Winter Break. The Lansing State Journal reports that this year especially, the coaching staff has been looking forward to the extra practice time to work on fundamentals and help develop freshmen Goran Suton and Marquise Gray.
“This is the greatest time of the year for me with a basketball player,” Izzo said. “We’ve spent less time into basketball the past month, (in terms of) practicing, than any other year I’ve been here, honestly.”
AdvertisementThat’s because the No. 10 Spartans (9-2) have played just four of 11 games at Breslin Center, have traveled about 12,000 miles already and have had an NBA-like stretch of six games in 12 days to start the season. And more travel and game days meant fewer practice days. After tonight’s dangerous visit to Wisconsin-Green Bay (4-6), the Spartans have just two games scheduled in the next 14 days, before the league opener Jan. 5 at rival Illinois.