Michigan State basketball vs. Eastern Michigan: Scouting report, prediction
Get ready for what could be another roller coaster winter.
No. 12 Michigan State basketball is just one of many teams preparing for an unprecedented season, which begins Wednesday at Breslin Center against Eastern Michigan.
Tom Izzo, who is about to embark on his 26th season, missed two weeks after being diagnosed with COVID-19 on Nov. 9. He returned to his office Monday morning.
“I feel like that's one of the things that coach prides himself on is having his team prepared,” associate coach Dwayne Stephens said. “And I feel like this team is as prepared as anybody that you're gonna see in the country to this point.”
Tipoff is 6 p.m. on the Big Ten Network. Here is what to watch:
Starting seven?
After losing guard Cassius Winston and forward Xavier Tillman from last year’s 22-9 team, Stephens said MSU continues to weigh options for the starting group this season.
Stephens said “we have four or five different guys we could start” at power forward or center. It appears the decision is between juniors Marcus Bingham Jr. and Thomas Kithier, who Stephens said is the closest player MSU has to what Tillman brought. Stephens also mentioned freshman Mady Sissoko and sophomore Malik Hall have had their moments in practice.
“It's just trying to get them all to be a little more consistent,” Stephens said.
Marquette transfer Joey Hauser is a lock at forward and junior Aaron Henry on the wing after bypassing the NBA draft.
[ Breaking down Michigan State's schedule: Tough tests, favorable Big Ten slate ]
Rocket Watts also is back, but where starts is a question. The sophomore could be at point guard, or it could be junior Foster Loyer running the offense and Watts off the ball. That decision will affect whether senior Joshua Langford returns from injury to start at shooting guard.
“We're just going to kind of play it day to day and be able to put the team out there that we feel is going to be best for us,” Stephens said, “and know that we have two very good players coming off the bench.”
No Izzone
Langford last played Dec. 29, 2018 because of a left foot issue. Two surgeries and a season-and-a-half later, he eagerly awaits his return to game actions.
“I don't know what it's gonna be like,” Langford said Monday. “I haven't played in two years. And then with how everything is gonna be different in terms of no fans and stuff like that, it's definitely going to be different.”
The lack of a crowd will be odd. One of the things Izzo built over his first 25 years was a rabid student section. Without the "Izzone" in the building, it should be interesting to see the team's energy level.
No question, though, that the return of the 6-foot-5 Langford will provide a jolt. He was averaging 15 points a game in 2018-19 when he went down with his first injury, missing the remainder of the 2019 Final Four run and then all of last season.
[ Bold predictions for Michigan State basketball's 2020-21 roster ]
Langford said he has thought about making his return to action at Breslin “a good amount of times.” Even though the former five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American sheepishly admitted he never expected to be at MSU for five years.
“So I think it's going to be a lot of different emotions,” he said. “Ultimately, I'm just thankful that the Lord has allowed me to be able to come back.”
In the zone
EMU arrives coming off a 16-16 season a year ago, which included a 6-12 finish in the Mid-American Conference. MSU defeated the Eagles, 101-48, on Dec. 21 — the Spartans’ ninth straight win over EMU and their 31st in 34 matchups.
Coach Rob Murphy, who is 0-4 against MSU since arriving in Ypsilanti in 2011, uses a Syracuse-inspired 2-3 zone learned during his time as an assistant under Jim Boeheim. Senior guard Ty Groce started all 32 games and averaged 11.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 steals in 31.8 minutes per game last season and is one of five Eagles who started at least 15 games. Senior swingman Noah Morgan started 18 times and averaged 10.0 points per game, junior guard Yeikson Montero averaged 9.4 points, and senior forward Thomas Binelli averaged 8.6 points.
Prediction
MSU 88, EMU 69: The Spartans start slowly without Winston and Tillman. However, they also get out and run in transition to prevent the Eagles from setting up their zone, then use Langford and Watts to bust it from the 3-point arc in the half court.
Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Read more on the Michigan State Spartans and sign up for our Spartans newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State basketball vs. Eastern Michigan: Scouting report, pick
