EAST LANSING, Mich. — It’s amazing how quickly Michigan State has gone from the hunter to the hunted.
But that’s exactly where the Spartans are as they prepare to host Villanova on Friday night at the Breslin Center in the latest playing of the Gavitt Tipoff Games, a series pitting Big Ten teams against opponents from the Big East.
They’re in that spot after the way the first three games of the season have played out, though it’s primarily the last two that stand out. It began last week at the Armed Forces Classic when Michigan State pushed No. 2 Gonzaga to the limit, controlling the game for long stretches before the Bulldogs prevailed with a one-point victory.
That was enough for folks to realize Michigan State was probably better than the preseason prognosticators anticipated.
But it was Tuesday’s double-overtime victory over No. 4 Kentucky in the Champions Classic that cemented the reality — Michigan State is pretty good and with a lofty ranking likely to follow, the Spartans once again will become a feather in the cap for the opposition.
“That’ll change a million times during the year,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said of the rankings and perception of his team. “But I am anxious to see how we'll do. I told them (Wednesday), ‘We're practicing and not taking the day off. We'll take Saturday off. We're going to get after it, and those of you that think it's gonna get easier, it's gonna get harder.’ That’s from our standpoint because I have been there when teams got fat and sassy. That ain't happening with my team. Not this year.”
To be fair, Izzo has seen no evidence of the Spartans starting to feel too good about themselves. After all, it’s only three games into the season and the brutal road only continues from here. After taking on Villanova, Michigan State heads to the PK85 tournament in Portland next week in a pool with the likes of Alabama, North Carolina, Oregon and Villanova. After that is a trip to Notre Dame for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
So, fat and sassy wouldn’t be prudent, and that’s why Izzo was encouraged with a short, crisp practice the day after the thrilling victory over Kentucky.
“I was happy that they brought some energy today,” Izzo said. “We have zero margin for error. Zero. And we know it and you know it. Everybody will be trying to make this team into something they're not right now. I know where we are. We're about as good as how hard we play and how hard we prepare. That's how good we are.
“We're not one of the more talented teams I’ve had, but it is fun and then they're getting together and they're working. I think they pull for one another.”
That much was clear Tuesday night. After the game ended, junior Mady Sissoko – he stood out for the second straight game with 16 points and eight rebounds while battling Oscar Tshiebwe, the reigning national player of the year – was being interviewed by ESPN. Normally, the rest of the team would have headed to the locker room, but this time the Spartans surrounded the junior center and swarmed him when the interview concluded.
“That’s humility,” Izzo said. “That's kind of what this team needs.”
That’s not all they need, though, and Izzo was clear about the things they need to improve on if the Spartans expect to keep things headed in the right direction.
Chief among the concerns at this point is the number of turnovers. After giving it up 16 times in the loss to Gonzaga, Michigan State committed 18 turnovers against Kentucky, leading to 18 points for the Wildcats. It’s a team-wide issue but point guard A.J. Hoggard has nine turnovers in the two games, a number that won’t lead to consistent success.
“A.J. has got to do a better job not turning the ball over foolishly,” Izzo said, “and we had some foolish turnovers.”
Izzo also is focusing on Jaden Akins’ progress after surgery on his foot in September put him behind multiple weeks while also turning attention to sophomore Pierre Brooks, who played only six minutes against Kentucky.
“Pierre is important,” Izzo said. “We’ve got to get Pierre going and then Jaden back to what he was like before the (time) off. That would be what I'm looking at now.”
As for Villanova (2-1), things surely look different after Hall of Fame coach Jay Wright stepped down in the offseason. Longtime assistant Kyle Neptune is at the helm, but injuries to senior Justin Moore — he ruptured his Achilles in last season’s NCAA Tournament — and freshman Cam Whitmore have had an effect. The Wildcats already have suffered a loss, falling at Temple.
Still, Izzo knows what the Spartans have in store.
“This will be, I think, the strongest, toughest team we will play, maybe all season long,” Izzo said. “They’ve got versatility. They've got 6-7, 6-8 guys that play center and power forwards that can handle the ball and shoot the ball and they switch a lot on defense. They're a tough team to play against.”
Villanova at Michigan State
Tip-off: 8 p.m. Friday, Breslin Center, East Lansing
Records: Villanova 2-1, Michigan State 2-1
Outlook: This is Michigan State’s third appearance in the Gavitt Games, with wins over Seton Hall in 2019 and Butler in 2021. … This is just the fifth meeting between the teams, the last coming at the 2002 Great Alaska Shootout, a game the Wildcats won, 81-73.
