Mich. State running out of time
Banged-up Spartans need to regain health — and then rhythm
ANN ARBOR, MICH. Tom Izzo doesn’t particularly like talking about them any more than he likes dealing with their fallout.
But the Michigan State coach just can’t escape injuries. At least not this season. He hasn’t had his full roster at his disposal since just after New Year’s.
He now has point guard Keith Appling back from a wrist injury, but he says Appling is less than 80% healthy. Appling is limited offensively, as evidenced by him not attempting a shot until seven minutes remained in Sunday’s game against Michigan. Small forward Branden Dawson, the Spartans’ most versatile defender, has been out with a broken hand since Jan. 23. Before that, Izzo’s squad faced a plethora of other injuries and illnesses that created a revolving door of sorts.
In the games Dawson has missed, which include some forward Adreian Payne sat out with a foot injury and others overlapped with Appling ’s wrist injury, Michigan State is 4-5. The Spartans fell to No. 20 Michigan 79-70 on Sunday afternoon at the Crisler Center, another frustration in a season with a seemingly endless supply.
“It’s going to be hard getting guys back,” Izzo said afterward. “You think it’s a plus, especially when they shoot well or do some things well. You still have to fit in with everyone. We did not have very much in sync (Sunday). It’s hurting us way more defensively.”
Michigan State shot 54.2% from the field and 39.1% from beyond the arc and lost by nine. So, despite Appling ’s timidity, offense clearly wasn’t much of an issue. “We didn’t guard,” Izzo said.
For so long, we’ve wondered what Michigan State would look like when healthy and whether the fully stocked Spartans could contend for a national championship.
But perhaps the question we should be asking is this: Even if Michigan State gets healthy, is there enough time for its pieces to come together before a postseason run?
Three games remain on the Spartans’ regular-season schedule. Dawson said he was aiming to return for their next game, against Illinois on Saturday.
His teammates have high hopes for his return, explaining the rest of their defense falls into place when he’s in the game. His versatility means he can guard different types of scorers, allowing teammates to guard players who might be better matchups for them. Against Michigan on Sunday, 6-6 Dawson could have helped negate sophomore guard Nik Stauskas, who torched the
“I think we have enough different pieces that we can still make a serious run at this league championship and beyond.”
Tom Izzo, Michigan State coach
Spartans for 21 second-half points, or Caris LeVert, who scored 23 in the game.
“We miss Branden a lot,” Appling said. “He is one of those guys who can guard 1 through 4, 1 through 5 with his length and athletic ability. Those shots Stauskas got off on me he probably wouldn’t have been able to get off on Branden.”
But it’s hard to imagine Dawson’s return will magically fix all of Michigan State’s issues. Appling will still be playing through pain — “You can only band-aid things so much,” Izzo said — and rotations will still need adjustments.
“Getting them back will be one thing; getting them back and playing like the team they need to play like is another,” Izzo said. “Appling ’s (wrist) is not going to be OK until the end of the year, just so everybody knows. That’s just the way it is. When you’re still hurt this late in the season, you’re not going to be back to normal.
“Normality is not going to hit our team. I still think we have enough to do it without being normal. I really do. I think we have enough different pieces that we can still make a serious run at this league championship and beyond.”