EAST LANSING, Mich. — Playing a non-conference schedule as difficult as the one Michigan State is in the midst of comes with its share of risk.
Losing games can sometimes become contagious, and the early slate has been and will continue to be a challenge. Start sliding in the wrong direction and it can send a team into a spiral that is difficult to pull out of.
However, win a couple — especially early in the stretch — and things start to look not nearly as daunting. And, as the Spartans have done with victories over Kentucky and Villanova — and even in the one-point loss to Gonzaga — a certain confidence starts to emerge.
For Michigan State, a battle-tested team is taking shape, as the No. 12 Spartans begin play Thursday in the Phil Knight Invitational in Portland against No. 18 Alabama.
“Actually, that's kind of what we expected,” said senior Joey Hauser, who scored 23 in the win over Kentucky and 13 against Villanova. “That's why we play a schedule like this — to play these tough games. And being in close games, making big shots and those things are all going to help us down the road. So, the good thing is that we can take it going forward.”
Michigan State (3-1) will surely have its share of tough games over four days in Portland.
The matchup with Alabama, which tips off at 10:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving, is another unique matchup. Unlike the teams the Spartans have faced to this point, Alabama is all about a frenetic pace, using its length and athleticism to get shots up as quickly as possible — primarily from 3-point range or near the basket — long-range two-pointers nearly banished from the game plan.
In fact, the Crimson Tide (4-0) took 46 3-pointers in the victory over Jacksonville State on Friday and are led by dynamic 6-foot-9 freshman Brandon Miller, who is averaging 20.3 points and 9.3 rebounds and is shooting 51.7% from 3-point range.
“The Miller kid is everybody’s No. 2 or 3 pick in the (NBA) draft,” Izzo said. “Long, athletic, can shoot threes. Some people compare him to Kevin Durant.”
Alabama is not a one-man team, though. Guard Mark Sears, a former Ohio transfer, is averaging 15.3 points and 5.5 rebounds while playing 29 minutes per game. He’s also shooting better than 40% from 3-point range, and freshman Rylan Griffen is averaging 10.3 points and 5.3 rebounds off the bench.
Senior point guard Jahvon Quinerly has played the last two games, working his way back after tearing his ACL in last season’s NCAA Tournament. The former McDonald’s All-America, who transferred from Villanova two years ago, could see extensive minutes against the Spartans.
“They didn’t think he would be back until the middle of December, and he has already played two games,” Izzo said. “He makes a real difference. He is a point guard that runs their team. He is a very good quarterback.”
What Michigan State will be relying on is a defense that has emerged after two subpar seasons. When last year was complete, the Spartans were 67th in the country in defensive efficiency. Through four games this season, they’re 23rd, a spot in which they’re more comfortable.
“I think our versatility just gives us the ability to guard a bunch of different people,” senior forward Malik Hall said. “I think everybody's kind of improved a little bit, and defense is something that we always focus on, so I think this year, we just took it a little bit more to heart. It’s something that our team — not even just the coaching staff, but our team, the players — have focused on more.”
The players, however, have been taking their lead from the staff, one that has a different look this season with Dwayne Stephens leaving to become the head coach at Western Michigan and Mike Garland moving to retirement. Thomas Kelly rounded out the current staff that includes Mark Montgomery and Doug Wojcik, and Izzo has routinely lauded their work and the players’ willingness each game to follow the game plan.
“I do have to give my staff a lot of credit, when you have this many preps that are completely different,” Izzo said. “It takes a lot of work and they’ve got to get it down to where we can present it without having heads spinning, because there are so many different things. … I think my staff has done an incredible job through this tough stretch that we have.
“It’s going to take a lot from my staff and a lot from our players, and yet, what an exciting time for us, because we have put ourselves in a position where we feel we can play with a lot of people, and yet understand that we have warts and things that we don’t do well.”
The trip to Portland isn’t a one-off. This is a tournament — three games in four days — and that means the Spartans will be looking to win, just as they did five years ago, when they won their bracket in the PK80, beating North Carolina in the championship.
The top-ranked Tar Heels are in their bracket again, but either UConn or Oregon would be up next on Friday before any potential rematch with North Carolina.
But, with the games they’ve played already and the way they’re defending, the Spartans are confident they can play with any team they match up with.
“We can compete with some of the best teams,” Hauser said. “We lost to Gonzaga, No. 2 in the country, by a possession, beat Kentucky and a really well-coached Villanova team. So, I think we’re just more confident.”
No. 12 Michigan State vs. No. 18 Alabama
Tipoff: 10:30 p.m. Thursday, Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
Records: Michigan State 3-1, Alabama 4-0
Outlook: Michigan State won its bracket at the PK80 Invitational in 2017. The Spartans beat DePaul, UConn and North Carolina, as Cassius Winston was named tournament MVP. Alabama coach Nate Oats was the coach at Romulus High School for 11 seasons and led the Eagles to a state championship in 2013.
