Michigan State did not expect to be a .500 team heading into its final game of the month.
The No. 21 Spartans are 3-3 after losing to No. 3 Arizona 74-68 on Thanksgiving Day. With the team’s Big 10 opener fast approaching, Michigan State plays host to winless Georgia Southern on Tuesday at East Lansing, Mich.
The Spartans face Big Ten opponents Wisconsin and Nebraska during their first two games of December.
Michigan State trailed by as much as 15 points in the first half against Arizona, which had a 40-30 halftime advantage. The Spartans then rallied to take a 66-63 lead with 3:58 remaining.
Arizona answered with an 8-0 run for a 71-66 lead with 1:23 left and Michigan State was unable to respond.
“I ain’t real big on comebacks,” Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo said. “Comebacks are for losers, if you ask me, because if you’re always coming back, you aren’t doing your job in the beginning as you should.”
Leading scorer Tyson Walker led the Spartans with 18 points, playing through a minor hip injury to deliver 34 minutes of court time.
“He was hurt, but he was OK,” Izzo said. “I play him to death because other guys didn’t play worth a damn.”
It’s been a frustrating month for Izzo and his team, which lost in the Sweet 16 last season and has most of its rotation players back. The Spartans were stunned by James Madison in their 2023-24 season opener and lost to Duke 74-65 in another marquee matchup this month.
“It’s just disappointing because sooner or later you’ve got to win one of these games so you can feel a little better about yourself,” Izzo said.
Rebounding has been an issue. The Spartans, who traditionally control the boards, are virtually even with their opponents in that category through six games. Michigan State has grabbed 232 rebounds to 233 from their opponents.
The Spartans also have shot poorly from 3-point range at 26.8 percent.
The matchup with Georgia Southern should supply Michigan State with momentum for the road ahead. The Eagles (0-6) have lost by double digits in all but one game this season, a 96-92 defeat to Kennesaw State.
They played three games in three days at the TowneBank Holiday Classic in Greenville, N.C., and concluded the visit Tuesday when they fell 93-76 to Northeastern, which shot 58.5 percent from the field.
Opponents are shooting 50 percent from the field in 336 attempts and 42 percent on 3-point attempts. Georgia Southern is shooting 39.4 percent overall and 32.6 percent beyond the arc.
Deuce Dean is averaging a team-high 12.8 points in five games (four starts), followed by Jamar Franklin at 11.2 points per game, mostly off the bench.
Malik Tidwell, who has played at five different schools but is getting his first shot at the Division I level, has reached double figures in points during three of the last four games.
“Mostly coming off the bench, especially for a guy not used to doing it, is an adjustment,” Eagles coach Charlie Henry said. “He’s adjusted well, and I think each game, he’s getting a little bit more comfortable. I think you’re going to continue to see him play better for us as the season goes along. We’ll need his defensive pressure and scoring ability as we move forward.”
–Field Level Media