Aaron Henry's game pops, creates new headlines in Michigan State's win over Minnesota

DES MOINES, Iowa – You couldn’t turn on a TV or open social media over the last 48 hours without seeing it. You already know what I’m talking about: The photos and pictures of Michigan State coach Tom Izzo screaming in Aaron Henry’s face. The ones that turned everyone with a cell phone and an internet connection into a hot take artist.

Don’t worry.

This is not another one of those think pieces about that exchange. This is a story about what people have been missing, what’s been overshadowed by all these debates.

Forget Izzo for a second. Look instead at the other guy in the picture: Henry.

The freshman came into East Lansing expecting to play maybe a dozen minutes a game – at most. Take some time to ease into college. Learn the system. Grow up in practice when the lights are dimmer and the pressure nearly nonexistent. But when Joshua Langford went down for the season with a foot injury, Henry was thrust into a starting role.

He went through inevitable growing pains. Sometimes, it was even more than that, to the point Henry admits his confidence was shaken during the midpoint in the season. 

But over the last couple of weeks, if you knew where to look, you'd see a freshman on the cusp of becoming a sophomore. Saturday’s 70-50 blowout over Minnesota in the second round of the NCAA Tournament was yet another example of how the freshman has developed – and just how critical he’s become on the defensive end and on the boards. 

“The guy is an unbelievable talent,” Langford said. “He can do a lot of things and bring a lot to the table…. I think now he’s really getting into his stride. He’s really stepping up for us.”

Izzo trusted Henry enough to assign him to Amir Coffey. The junior guard is Minnesota’s leading scorer. With big man Jordan Murphy limited to less than five minutes because of a back injury, Coffey was easily the Golden Gophers' best player.

Henry didn’t shut Coffey down entirely. No one does, really. But with his long arms and quick first step, Henry made Coffey’s life tough all night, forcing him to take 24 shots to get his 27 points.

“He’s a good player,” Henry said. “He can go either way. He can shoot the ball. He can get to the basket. My plan just was to contain him. Try to make him take tough shots.”

Izzo described Henry as MSU’s “unsung hero,” along with Matt McQuaid, for Henry’s defense on Coffey, and McQuaid’s on Gabe Kalscheur.

On the boards, Henry grabbed eight of his nine rebounds in the first half alone. And offensively, he was an efficient 4-of-5 from the field and 1-for-1 from 3-point range for nine points. All this while playing 34½ minutes.

“The offense isn’t going to be ran through me, but I can still make an impact in a lot of things,” Henry said. “I don’t have to score. I can play defense. I can get steals. Blocks. Anything. I’m still the fourth or fifth option on the team in terms of the starters getting the ball.”

Hear that? That’s a freshman understanding his role – and embracing it. Another sign of growth.

Right now, the focus is on LSU and the Sweet 16 matchup, as it should be. But one intriguing thing to consider is what Henry will look like in a couple years.

Combine his pogo stick legs and electric first step with he way he’s grown through a season in the fire. There are some interesting possibilities for the place Henry will hold on this team, on the court and in the locker room in years to come.

“I expect a lot of great things out of him,” Langford said. “He’ll be able to play the game of basketball for a long time, just because of how good a player he is and also how competitive a person he is.”

But that’s in the future.

For now, let’s leave it with one more moment you may have missed. Late in the second half, with the game all but solidified, Henry collected the ball in the paint.

He flipped a nifty no-look pass around his back to Xavier Tillman for an easy dunk. As Tillman hung on the rim, there was Izzo, pointing at Henry.

And smiling.

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Contact Mike DeFabo at mdefabo@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @MikeDeFabo.