MSU's Tum Tum Nairn could be out another month

EAST LANSING – Michigan State’s playing rotation is tighter and clearer at eight regulars one month from the postseason, and it will probably remain at eight even when Tum Tum Nairn returns.

In delivering the news Monday that Nairn, MSU’s starting point guard, could be out another month with plantar fasciitis in his right foot, Tom Izzo acknowledged that Nairn’s role will have to be reduced whenever he’s back.

“I don’t want to make some Earth-shattering news, but I don’t see him coming back and playing any kind of minutes that are going to make us change what we’re doing,” Izzo said of Nairn, who has missed the past six games and is expected to miss No. 8 MSU’s game tonight at No. 18 Purdue. “I see it as three minutes here, four minutes there, two minutes there. Maybe he gets to six or eight minutes a game. Maybe he gets to three or four. Maybe it’s an emergency on foul trouble. I mean, he is going to play, he is going to do whatever we ask him to do. The sad part is … I mean he would suck it up and play 20 minutes. I know he would. And he could probably do that in a game if it was really needed -- because unfortunately, he did it for half the year.”

Izzo shut down Nairn after he labored in a Jan. 14 loss to Iowa, and though rest and medication have helped the foot, Izzo said pain returns whenever Nairn tries to do anything substantial on the court.

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There’s always the chance of a “miracle” of sudden pain reduction, Izzo said, which can happen with plantar fasciitis. Barring that, MSU is going to dress Nairn but rest him until right around the start of the postseason. He is not eligible for a medical redshirt.

MSU has caught fire without Nairn, with senior Denzel Valentine playing more point guard and MSU’s halfcourt offense benefiting from more shooting on the floor. MSU’s defense is improving as well, but Izzo said of Nairn: “Trust me on this, we miss him.”

“I mean, we miss that kid,” Izzo said. “That kid can push it from one end to the other as good as anybody and he can defend as good as anybody.”

Nairn still could provide a postseason change of pace. Izzo said when Nairn does return, “in everybody’s opinion, it’s not going to damage (the foot) any more.”

Valentine honored: MSU senior guard Denzel Valentine was named Big Ten Player of the Week after he had 21 points, nine rebounds and eight assists at U-M. It's Valentine's third such honor this season.