Big Ten Daily (Jan. 29): Michigan State Struggles After Long Layoff, Gets Crushed at Rutgers

Michigan State hadn't played a game in 20 days and barely practiced as well because of a COVID-19 outbreak inside the program, and it showed in an ugly 67-37 loss at Rutgers. Plus a preview of Illinois-Iowa on Friday, and an early look at the Ohio State quarterback race.

Tom Brew | Jan 29, 2021

Michigan State's COVID-crushed basketball season continued in the worst way possible on Thursday night when the Spartans were embarrassed 67-37 by Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J. It was Michigan State's first game in 20 days, and it showed.

It was a brutal display of basketball right from the start for the Spartans, who didn't score for the first six minutes of the game and were behind 15-0 before Marcus Bingham Jr. finally made a shot.

Michigan State worked its way back in the game late in the first half, but then scored only six points in the first 10-plus minutes of the second half, and the rout was on.

And it was very ugly.

Michigan State shot 29 percent from the field, and made just 4-of-20 three-pointers. They made only one free throw all night – they were 1-for-5 from the line – and had a season-high 21 turnovers.

We didn't do a very good job,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said in the understatement of the year. “And that falls on me. I'm sure we have a little COVID hangover, I understand that. But that will not be an excuse for the way we played.

“That would be a good excuse for losing a game, but not the way we played.”

Rutgers came into the game 0-11 all-time against the Spartans, and held them under 40 points for the first time since a 43-36 loss at Iowa in 2008. It's been a week of firsts for Rutgers, who beat Indiana on Sunday in Bloomington for their first-ever win inside Assembly Hall.

Michigan State is just 2-5 in the Big Ten and 8-5 overall. They were ranked No. 4 in the country after winning their first six games, But in the 46 days since then, they've won just twice and have had three games postponed because of their COVID-19 issues inside the program.

Michigan State plays again on Sunday at Ohio State.

Huge showdown Friday with Iowa at Illinois

It's been eight days since Iowa last played a basketball game, and that sour taste is still in their collective mouths after a tough 81-69 loss at home to Indiana last Thursday.

Now comes a tough road trip to Illinois in a showdown of two of the league's best teams. It's a good scouting opportunity for Indiana fans as well. The Hoosiers play both of them next week, Illinois on Tuesday, then Iowa on Sunday.

Iowa had a game with Nebraska postponed over the weekend, so with the long layoff, coach Fran McCaffrey said they spent a couple of days just working on their own issues as opposed to preparing for a specific opponent. That seems to have helped.

In the loss to Indiana, senior guard Jordan Bohannon was held scoreless, missing all nine of his shots, eight from the three-point range. McCaffrey isn't worried about his veteran star.

"For him, it's kind of business as usual,'' McCaffrey said. "He's had bad games before. He's had great games before. He's usually very consistent, very competitive, plays really intelligently, and I have no doubt he'll bounce back.''

The two teams split a year ago in spirited games, with both results being decided in the final minutes.

"I think I look at it like this: Every game in our league is intense, physical, a lot of emotion,'' McCaffrey said. "They were two good teams just going at it last year. Both games came down to the last 30 seconds.

"And we have respect for them, just knowing who they have, and they've proven the last couple years that they're a team capable of winning at this level, and they're a team that I think no matter who they play is going to have that team's full attention.''

Two of the best big men in the country hook up on Friday when Iowa's Luka Garza (left) takes on Illinois' Kofi Cockburn. (USA TODAY Sports)

Quarterback debate at Ohio State

Ohio State has dominated the Big Ten lately, and one of the biggest reasons why has been exceptional quarterback play. But now that Justin Fields is leaving early for the NFL, the Buckeyes actually have a quarterback controversy on their hands now.

For the first time in years, there is no defined starter in place at Ohio State. There are three quarterbacks who are all in the mix when spring practice starts – C.J. Stroud and Jack Miller III, plus incoming freshman Kyle McCord, a high school All-American and five-star recruit. Stroud and Miller have been around for a year, but they've never thrown a college pass. McCord is an early enrollee and is on campus now.

My Sports Illustrated/Fan Nation colleague Brendan Gulick at BuckeyesNow.com broke down all three candidates, and how the race to name a starter might play out.

“You don't really know what you have in a quarterback until they're playing in the game,'' Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. "These guys had very, very limited reps. You would have more if you had a normal spring, preseason and then a season.”

Ohio State's C.J. Stroud (7) is the presumed leader for the starting quarterback job in 2021, but he'll have plenty of competition in the spring before a starter is announced. (USA TODAY Sports)

Huge showdown Friday with Iowa at Illinois

Quarterback debate at Ohio State

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