Gabe Brown is out. Joshua Langford is questionable. Mady Sissoko is probable.
When Michigan State returns to the court Thursday, barring unforeseen circumstances that force a fourth straight postponement, coach Tom Izzo’s rotation will be significantly altered.
And the Spartans (8-4, 2-4 Big Ten) will have a much different look than the team that routed Rutgers (8-6, 4-6) a little more than three weeks ago when they meet again at 7 p.m Thursday at Rutgers Athletic Center.
That means shuffling bodies on the wing and the need for two players in particular — Rocket Watts and Joey Hauser — to become more consistent in their production.
Langford is the only starter missing, and the 6-foot-6 senior shooting guard scored a season-high 15 points in 29 minutes of the Spartans’ 68-45 win over the Scarlet Knights in early January when both teams were ranked. He has scored in double digits in each of his past three games, ranks second in minutes at 24.5 per game and provides a stabilizing presence as a traffic director on defense. His 8.9 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game are vital to MSU’s ability to move the ball in the half-court.
But if Langford sits out along with Brown — who remains in isolation and will not travel — it would reduce the Spartans' depth on the wing and take away two of their most dangerous 3-point threats. The duo has combined to make 33 of 80 attempts from behind the arc this season, with Brown’s 18 made tied with Hauser for the team lead and Langford’s 15 just behind them.
Brown played a season-low six minutes and went scoreless in the Spartans’ 55-54 loss to Purdue on Jan. 8, their last game. It has been a mercurial season for the 6-8 junior swingman, who averages 7.5 points and 1.7 rebounds in 17.8 minutes. He has reached double figures in scoring five times, but has gone scoreless twice in the past four games.
But Brown also possesses athleticism and length to bother Rutgers’ perimeter players — the Scarlet Knights were 3 for 12 from deep in the first meeting — and ranks second with nine steals and tied for third with six blocks. Offensively, he can attack the basket and shoot from outside.
That could add more to starting swingman Aaron Henry’s already full plate. The junior leads MSU at 15.7 points and 30.3 minutes a game in Big Ten play and remains a do-it-all presence on offense and defense. And it puts the onus on Watts and Hauser to shake their malaise.
Those two have battled inconsistency at both ends of the floor since nonconference play ended, with Watts averaging 6.5 points and shooting 27.5% in Big Ten action, and Hauser’s 10.5 points and 6.2 rebounds in league games buoyed by a 29-point outburst against Wisconsin, his only double-figure scoring game against a Big Ten opponent. They are a combined 11 for 39 from 3-point range in conference play. Watts played 14, 15 and 19 minutes his past three games, though his playing time should spike if Langford is out.
Izzo could give point guard A.J. Hoggard extended minutes and use Watts and Foster Loyer together in short spurts, while Henry can play some shooting guard to help offset Langford’s minutes if he does not play. Divvying up Brown’s minutes could require relying on 6-7 sophomore Malik Hall to play some on the wing to spell Henry. Hall can defend three spots and has been a steady contributor with 5.7 points and five rebounds in 21.2 minutes a game during conference play. His role should increase with others out.
Sissoko had started getting more minutes in the four games before his Jan. 10 positive COVID-19 test. The 6-8, 235-pound freshman provides a big body to box out and bang on the boards, and his long shot-blocking wingspan is the perfect counter for some of the big men on the upcoming schedule.
However, Izzo also cautioned just because Sissoko or Langford might be available does not mean they are physically ready to resume their roles. At center, a position Izzo has called “a revolving door” this season, Thomas Kithier, Marcus Bingham Jr. and Julius Marble should see a bump in playing time — particularly if one has foul trouble.
And don’t discount what walk-ons Steven Izzo and Davis Smith bring without fans. MSU has used its reserve players and staff to drum up intensity and simulate what goes on in the stands.
But this is why Izzo extended his rotation in November, December and early January. He spent all fall planning for a potential stoppage and losing players for extended periods of time during the season. And he made sure the Spartans also knew why he was doing it, preparing for the moment when one or a few of their teammates would be out, and they would need to adapt and adjust to bigger and different roles.
Now begins the real-time testing of that strategy.
