MSU seniors think they have a run left in them
Heading into Thursday’s home game against Wisconsin, MSU finds itself in an unfamiliar position against the Badgers. There has been plenty of bad blood between MSU and UW on the court but there is usually a Big Ten title on the line when the two match up. Steve Grinczel of MLive.com writes that although MSU isn’t playing for a conference title, the seniors on the team are hoping that their last two regular season games are the beginning of another MSU March run.
Although the Spartans (19-9, 7-7 Big Ten) have lost four of their last five games, there are still titles to try to win.
By beating Wisconsin (19-8, 9-5) tonight at 7 (ESPN) and Illinois on Saturday at noon (CBS) in the Breslin Center, MSU would increase its chances of being one of the five teams with a first-round bye in next week’s Big Ten Tournament.
And every win from now on will help the Spartans’ seeding in the NCAA tournament.
Speaking of finishing, Joe Rexrode of the Lansing State Journal writes that MSU has faded down the stretch in several games this season.
“We’re still good, really,” was the thrust of the MSU coach’s message at his Monday news conference. That may yet turn out to be true, but the No. 25 Spartans (19-9 overall, 7-7 Big Ten) have been inconsistent and disappointing in recent weeks - especially in the late stages of games.
Izzo’s team has lost four of five, and three of those contests were toss-ups with a few minutes left. That inability to finish is the biggest reason MSU is a Big Ten afterthought entering tonight’s home date with nemesis Wisconsin (19-8, 9-5).
“I can’t make any excuses up,” Izzo said. “As a coaching staff, we have not done a good enough job of adjusting to the things we need to adjust to, whether it be the schedule, whether it be an injury, whether it be end-of-the game situations with guys tired or not tired. We’ve got to find a way to do a better job, because we’re a good enough team to get it done.”