[jwplayer ofLF0moh]
It was a very frustrating day for Michigan State fans, both in the mainland United States and the ones who made the trip to Maui. After the No. 3 Spartans were upset by Virginia Tech 71-66 in the Maui Invitational, Tom Izzo apologized to the fans who made the trip, calling them, “maybe the greatest fan group that was here.”
“We feel like I let them down,” Izzo said.
Something a lot of fans criticized was the decision by Izzo to bench Cassius Winston over nine minutes in the first half after picking up two fouls. Sure, bench him for a few minutes to make sure he doesn’t get another one, but by the time Winston came back in during the second half, he looked cold and had a hard time getting back into full gear after spending so long on the bench.
My biggest takeaway: You can't autobench your point guard with 2 fouls if you don't have a backup point guard.
— Wil Hunter (@Wil__Hunter) November 26, 2019
Izzo acknowledged this as well, saying that “he panicked” after Winston picked up what he thought to be a “ghost call.” It was encouraging to see that he also admitted that he might have to play guys longer even if they pick up a few fouls early. This is particularly true for Winston as Foster Loyer has still not fully grown into the role as a capable backup for Cassius.
Izzo said he thought one early foul call on Winston was "a ghost call. And I panicked." Thinks he may need to start playing guys longer with two fouls in the first half.
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) November 26, 2019
[lawrence-auto-related count=3]