Tom Izzo not optimistic Michigan State-Minnesota will be rescheduled
Matt Charboneau
East Lansing — Michigan State’s game with Minnesota that was postponed in the wake of last week’s deadly shooting on campus is in jeopardy of not being rescheduled.
The game was to be played at the Breslin Center on Feb. 15, two days after three students were killed and five were critically injured in a mass shooting on Feb. 13. That game, along with all other campus activities, were put on hold with most athletic teams returning to competition last weekend.
All along, there was optimism the game against Minnesota would be played with next week — the final week of the regular season — the likely landing spot.
But after practice Thursday as Michigan State prepared to head to Iowa for a game Saturday, coach Tom Izzo said there has been no official word and he is upset that nothing has been done.
“I am frustrated, I'm not gonna lie to you,” Izzo said. “I’m frustrated with the Big Ten office and frustrated with the way it's gone. … I’m disappointed in the way it's been handled if I was to be honest with you, but it's also a tough situation and I don't know if multiple teams have to move. I have not gotten into the weeds on that. I've had enough problems of my own and I’m not trying to run the Big Ten office or the scheduling department, but I’m not real pleased by the way that it's gone about and the communication.”
On Monday, Izzo said there as a chance the game would be played on Thursday of next week, a move that would require Minnesota and Rutgers to move their game scheduled for that night to Tuesday. At the time, Izzo said that was the “best” option he was aware of.
There was no clarity Thursday of whether Minnesota or Rutgers balked at the move, though earlier this week Izzo said Minnesota coach Ben Johnson has been “unbelievable” in regard to getting the game rescheduled.
Following Thursday night's loss to Michigan, however, Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell said his team's game against Minnesota would take place as scheduled.
"First, send prayers out to Michigan State and the tragedy that they're dealing with," Pikiell said. "It's really hard at this time of year. We have NCAA mandatory days off, we have travel days, we have a lot of things that factor into changing games at this time of the year. So I know they (Big Ten) are looking for a lot of different solutions in different places. It's really hard."
Entering games on Thursday night, six Big Ten teams are tied with seven losses — Michigan State and Rutgers are both 9-7 — while eight teams are at 9-7 or better with Iowa sitting at 9-8. So, to say every game would be important in determining standing and seeding for the conference tournament would be an understatement.
It’s left Izzo less than optimistic the Spartans will play all 20 Big Ten regular-season games.
“I'm learning more and more and more that I can control less and less and less,” Izzo said. “And there are some things that I think people should control and not are not being controlled. And you know what? That's frustrating for me but I can’t do anything about the schedule.”
Cooper back on court
Freshman center Carson Cooper was back at practice Thursday after he missed Tuesday’s game against Indiana with a sprained ankle suffered in practice Monday.
“He’s hobbling a little bit, but he really showed me a lot because it was a pretty bad sprain,” Izzo said of the 6-foot-11 center. “This kid is No. 1, tough, and No. 2, a quick healer because he lived in the training room with two days of icing it and all the things they put him through.
“So, he'll be able to play Saturday if needed, but I'm not sure how mobile he’ll be.”
Twitter: @mattcharboneau