Allen must get Izzo's message for team success
Minnesota forward Ralph Sampson III jumps over sophomore forward Delvon Roe (10) for a rebound late in overtime. The Spartans weren’t able to keep up with the Golden Gophers, resulting in a 72-67 loss Friday night at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
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Joey Nowak
Indianapolis — With about four minutes remaining in the MSU men’s basketball team’s Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal game Friday, head coach Tom Izzo walked to the end of the bench and spoke briefly with Chris Allen.
Normally, that’s presubstitution standard procedure — offer a few words of instruction and send him in to relieve a teammate.
You can bet that’s what both Izzo and the junior guard wished the meeting was about.
Instead, Izzo was pointing out to Allen what was right in front of his eyes: The Spartans were struggling defensively and couldn’t find offensive rhythm, relying heavily on veteran leadership. And a lot of it had to do with Allen’s absence.
“I just said, ‘I hope you understand you let two seniors down, whether we recover from it or not,’” Izzo said. “But I said, ‘I want to make sure you understand that.’”
Message sent, delivery confirmation pending.
For a player who has contributed for three years and is nearing the end of his junior season, it begs the question: What drives a guy to do something to get suspended so late in his career, at such a pressing time for the team, when that player’s individual improvement has been second to none this season?
Mention to anyone at the beginning of this season that the Spartans would have to play their first Big Ten Tournament game without Allen and most would shrug and say, ‘OK.’
Whether that’s an indication of the misconception of Allen’s value or his growth in the last five months, I don’t know. But on Friday, Allen’s presence, or lack thereof, was invaluable.
But the real problem might be that if you mention to anyone that a team with hopes to reach the Final Four for the second straight season would have a junior suspended at the end of conference play, they would shake their head in disbelief. That fact hasn’t changed.
Disciplinary action at this stage of Allen’s career is inexcusable. He’s nearly a senior on a team that has the ability to make noise in March.
If he didn’t learn his lesson watching the Spartans bow out Friday, maybe he never will.
Suspending Allen was a decision Izzo made that sent a message the program is bigger than each individual. It applied to Allen and, as a consequence, trickled down.
Junior guard and former walk-on Mike Kebler bore the burden of much of Allen’s minutes as, again, junior guard Durrell Summers watched from the sidelines, unable to check anybody.
“I’m done sending messages,” Izzo said. “To be honest with you, Kebler just played better defense. But when you’ve got to do that — if Chris was here, he would have played because he’s defending really well. I can just promise you that we’re going to keep working at it. I don’t blame you for being a little frustrated.”
Izzo is not going to keep playing Summers simply because he’s an all-world athlete who has shown flashes of brilliance.
Twice after sitting Summers for extended periods of crucial contests this season, Izzo has been asked about the decision. Twice, the response has been similar.
“I just needed somebody that, you know, could guard somebody,” Izzo said. “And I just — between my assistants and some of my team, we just didn’t see that.”
On paper, Summers gets the nod over Kebler in every regard. But Kebler’s unlikely journey has denoted him as maybe the team’s next-best on-ball defender after Allen.
Summers was a step behind Minnesota guard Blake Hoffarber, making an attempt to stop the shooter by putting a hand half-mast as if requesting a high-five.
In the two regular season games against MSU, Hoffarber scored 10 points and shot 1-for-7 from 3-point range in the two games combined. On Friday, he had 14 points, 12 of them coming from long distance.
This is just a microcosm of Allen’s value to the Spartans and also the struggle the Spartans’ leadership has endured all year.
The Spartans need Chris Allen. And if Chris Allen wants to go anywhere and become the player he’s capable of, he needs to look at what Izzo and the Spartans mean to him.
Joey Nowak is a State News men’s basketball reporter. He can be reached at nowakjo2@msu.edu
Commentary
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Fan
(03/15/10 8:02am)Report
What….no comments yet…and it’s already Monday? OK…let me start the ball rolling. You guys better get your act in order real quick if you want to make it past the first round. What an embarassment against Minnesota….and then to watch the Golden Gophers get blown out by the Buckeyes. I don’t think the team has the fire in their belly or the passion to win. Consistency is soemthing that has been lacking all year. I give Izzo credit for benching Allen, but the rest of the team must kick it up a notch or two. Come on boys….are you hungry or are you ready for more “one and done” in the NCAA? It’s yours to win or lose.
Ohio Spartan
(03/15/10 9:28am)Report
Did anyone ever hear what Allen did (or didn’t) do?
Julius Holmes
(03/15/10 2:23pm)Report
The first thing I would like to say is thank god tom izzo is our headcoach. So often in college sports you see players telling their coaches what to do. I remember John Wall saying he doesn’t listen to John Calipari. If wall pulled that stunt here he would be benched. In today’s world of college athletics, coaches let athletes get away with too much just to get a win. Its good to see tom izzo actually having the best interest of his players at hand by disciplining them, and letting them know that he runs the show. He does it in a classy manner. He never airs his players out or makes them out to be the bad guy.
2. I think this team is dealing with alot of pressure in trying to live up to expectations. There are no expectations now. They will either win, or go home. Its as simple as that. Id also like to check the msu fan base. This team has heart and character. If you want a perfect example of no heart, look at UNC. Roy has no control over that team. After they lose games you never see a sad face. Ive seen many times this year where they are losing and they are smiling and laughing at the ends of games..thats NO HEART! Im not going to get my hopes up this season, but im not throwing in the towel. Ive seen Tom Izzo and the troops do it to many times to count them out. This reminds me of 2005. No signature wins during the regular season, and a first round loss in the BTT after poorly shooting free throws. WE GOT TO THE FINAL FOUR THIS YEAR.
Bill Self said it best. “ONE any given day one team is capable of being better than the other.” Kansas lost two games this year to a team who did not “have a post game.” They are beatable. Lets not read too much into names and programs and realize that on any given day we could upset someone. We are flying under the radar and i have faith izzo will fire the troops up. If not we always have next year where we will have a strong senior class, a strong junior class, and a very strong freshman class. We will be good and go at least 11 deep. Either way im predicting a national title in the year or 2.
The Truth
(03/15/10 4:06pm)Report
Allen was caught smoking marijuana.
haha
(03/16/10 1:21pm)Report
he must have been with the rest of the team. they all look a bit slow.
WOw
(03/16/10 10:24pm)Report
Yea, thats so typical of basketball players here at MSU, but come on all the players do, nothing new…but i guess they should get punished just how the football players did..humm..