What Tom Izzo is Looking for From Spartans in First Exhibition Game
Michigan State men's basketball is just weeks away from kicking off its 2024-25 season.
Before that happens, the Spartans will warm their legs up with three exhibition games, starting with one that will be very important to Coach Tom Izzo -- a meeting with his alma mater, Northern Michigan, at the Superior Dome in Marquette, Michigan, on Sunday.
It won't be the first time this squad has played together in a competitive environment, as the team participated in three exhibition games during its trip to Spain this summer. It won the first two but lost the third.
With almost two months having passed since Izzo and his squad returned from that trip, there will be some key things the longtime Spartans coach will be looking for as he gauges where his group stands at this point in its preparation for the upcoming season.
"I'm looking for our depth to be a factor. I'm looking and hoping -- because we are starting to shoot the ball better -- we shoot the ball better," Izzo said on Tuesday. "Jaden [Akins] and Tre [Holloman] didn't shoot the ball very well over there, and they've been shooting the ball a lot better. [Xavier] Booker and Jaxon Kohler have been shooting the ball a lot better. I'm looking to see how our young guys do, especially Jase [Richardson], and so see what our improvements are there.
"I'm looking to see how Jeremy Fears does now under the lights again. He was good over there; I'm looking for that to take another step up. And then, I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to rotate guys. Because we do have debt, and yet, some of that depth has to step up, or it's gonna be a solid rotation. If it starts to step up a little bit, and one or two guys kind of do that, then we're still going to play a lot of guys, but it'll look a little different."
Izzo played collegiately at Northern Michigan and was born and raised in Iron Mountain. The legendary coach proposed this trip, looking to leave with memories, give his players some insight into where he's from and give back to the Northern Michigan community.
Sunday's game is set for a 1 p.m. start time. We will be there, providing you with full coverage.
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