Tom Izzo using days off to hone Michigan State's rotation, identity
EAST LANSING – That sour feeling from a poor defensive performance and second Big Ten loss must sit with Michigan State.
It’ll be a longer-than-usual wait until the Spartans can retake the court. Their primary task will be to solve their own issues.
And MSU coach Tom Izzo is trying to get his young roster to understand the sense of urgency in each remaining game.
“Our team is still in process right now,” Izzo said Tuesday. “We are still forming who we are and what we are.”
The Spartans (12-7, 4-2) already have been preparing for Saturday’s game at Indiana (4 p.m./ESPN), installing their own game plan while delving into how to guard the Hoosiers (11-6, 1-3 entering Wednesday’s game at Penn State).
Replay: MSU sports chat with Graham Couch
They’re also stewing over Sunday’s 72-67 loss at Ohio State, a second defeat in the past three games.
“We don’t like to lose,” junior guard Tum Tum Nairn said. “The biggest thing for us is just to come in and be consistent and focused for longer periods of time. That’s the two words for us.”
Defending OSU proved difficult in Columbus, Ohio. The Spartans allowed the Buckeyes to shoot 46.2% from the field, including 50% after their 3-for-10 start. The 10 three-pointers by Ohio State, which was making just 32.6% entering the game, were the second-most allowed by MSU this season.
“Just our defensive principles,” forward Miles Bridge said. “We got lost on a few plays, and we let them get a lot of wide-open shots and get their energy up. We can’t do that against Indiana, because their offense is really good and they’re at home.”
Continuing to get Bridges reintegrated in the offensive flow remains another key for Izzo. The freshman played 32 minutes against the Buckeyes, finishing with 24 points and nine rebounds, but was limited to 3- to 4-minute increments. Izzo said those restrictions are no longer needed, since Bridges’ ankle is not bothering him.
Tom Izzo's State of State address: Don't bet against his Spartans
And some of that could mean shrinking the playing group, Izzo said. The Spartans had nine players get 11 or more minutes at Ohio State, and they want to develop a more consistent rotation – something that had to be tabled while Bridges missed all of December and which Izzo typically gets ironed out early in Big Ten play.
“We’ve been building it by subbing by necessity, unfortunately. We can’t just cut that off,” Izzo said. “You got to figure out who fits in where and who does what. … We have to get a playing rotation down. I’ve never been this late in the year and not had one.”
Izzo said the extra days off arrived at a good time, calling his team “a work in progress.”
“You know, one less (three-pointer) or one more three changes everything. Sometimes it’s the difference is that much,” he said. “It’s a game of inches, as they say. Sometimes it’s harder to get young guys to realize that than older guys. That’s what we’re working on right now.”
Contact Chris Solari:csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Download our Spartans Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!