MINNEAPOLIS — Tom Izzo believes teams win championships with guard play.
It’s not his original thought, of course, as many have prescribed to that theory over the years, and often it plays out at both the conference level and at the Final Four.
And while Michigan State clearly has some questions in the frontcourt this season, there doesn’t seem to be much argument about where the strength lies for the Spartans.
“We’ve got the best backcourt in the Big Ten,” junior point guard A.J. Hoggard said.
There’s no debate in his mind, and it doesn’t matter who is playing which position. Last season, he and Tyson Walker shared point-guard duties, only late in the season getting more time on the court together with Walker taking over as a scorer. Expect a similar setup this year, with Walker getting even more playing more at shooting guard.
Add in the expected breakthrough from Jaden Akins and Walker’s ability to play multiple positions, along with the continued development and versatility of sophomore Pierre Brooks and the arrival of freshman Tre Holloman, and the Spartans have everything they need in the backcourt.
“I think A.J., Tyson, Pierre, Jaden, those four guards can all play to the level I want,” Izzo said. “I think you're going to see a big difference in A.J. and Tyson, and then Jaden, especially. So, I think all three of those guys can, but we’re in a unique situation that we're not as experienced or deep inside. And our league still has (big men) like Trayce (Jackson-Davis) and down at Michigan and Purdue. It’s unique. I mean, this didn't happen for a lot of years where we had 7-footers. It’s a unique time when you look at the pros and those guys are like non-existent now.
“So, it might hurt us some this year, but in the big picture, I still don't think it's going to hurt us and our guard play is going to have to be improved from last year. I know it will be.”
Both Hoggard and Walker had their moments at point guard last season, with each of them finding his footing as the season progressed. Hoggard averaged 4.8 assists and led the nation in assist rate, according to KenPom.com. And Walker, who averaged 4.3 assists, soon became one of Michigan State’s best shooters, hitting 47.3% of his 3-pointers.
It led to quite the tandem for the Spartans, and when they were asked if Michigan State had the best point guard in the Big Ten, they responded nearly in unison on Wednesday.
“Absolutely,” they both stated.
OK, but who is the best? Is it Hoggard or Walker?
“You’re talking to both of ’em,” Hoggard said, “And then we’ve got Jaden Akins that we can't forget about.”
Others will surely have something to say about that, but there’s no doubt the Spartans believe they’ll go as far as the guards take them.
There’s plenty of reason to think that group will take them quite far, maybe even to the top of the Big Ten. From there, it’s anybody’s guess, but Hoggard is confident he and his backcourt mates will live up to Izzo’s expectations.
“I think it's going to go a long way just being in the backcourt, especially playing for Coach Izzo,” Hoggard said. “We’ve got to be on the top of our game for our team. We know how coach is with his guards, so just falling into that role and that process of just trusting coach and being on the same page with him and just being ourselves as well. Just coming in and believing in what he’s saying and believing in our work. Trusting in our work is something that we're big on, so we’re just going to come out there and prove to you guys who the best backcourt is in the Big Ten.”
If that proves to be true, then the championship Izzo and his team seek could become a reality.
“I still think to win championships, you need good guard play,” Izzo said. “That's kind of been the way it is. We won a championship with (centers that were) 6-8, 6-7.
“Players are important. I think toughness is important. … But I still think to win championships, your guard play has got to be really good. Centers are important and they can score it down there and we've got a couple of them (in the Big Ten) that I think are phenomenal, but guard play is going to be really important when it comes down to it.”
Akins update
Akins is one of the guards Michigan State will be counting on, and it’s looking more likely he’ll be ready to go by the time the season starts on Nov. 7.
The sophomore underwent a procedure in early September to take care of a stress reaction in his left foot and had been wearing a walking boot since. That boot was gone on Wednesday and Akins said he expected to be back practicing soon.
“I’ve been able to do a lot of as far as my conditioning and stuff, on the bike and the underwater treadmill,” Akins said. “I got the boot off like four days ago, so I’ve got about a week or two left before I start getting back to practice. But I'm feeling pretty good.”
That timetable should give Akins roughly two weeks to prepare for the opener against Northern Arizona which is followed by the Carrier Classic against Gonzaga on Nov. 11 and the Champions Classic against Kentucky on Nov. 15.
A tough start
Michigan State is playing another brutal non-conference schedule.
In addition to the Gonzaga and Kentucky games, the Spartans host Villanova on Nov. 18, face Alabama and potentially North Carolina and Villanova again at the PK85 in Portland over Thanksgiving, then travel to Notre Dame on Nov. 30 for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
“We’re not scared of anybody,” Malik Hall said.
Added Hoggard, “It’s something you look forward to coming into college. We know coming to Michigan State how (Izzo) schedules his games. It’s something we want to be a part of it. When you come here, that’s what comes with it, having a tough non-conference schedule to prepare us for the competitive Big Ten schedule. … It’s helpful for us.”
Schedule updates
Michigan State's game at Rutgers on Feb. 4 has been listed as TBA since the schedule was released, though speculation has been that the game will be played at Madison Square Garden in New York instead of Jersey Mike's Arena, known more notably as The RAC. On Wednesday, Izzo essentially confirmed the move when asked about playing in the iconic arena.
"The RAC is a tough place to play," Izzo said, "but Madison Square Garden is where every player dreams of playing. So I think it's going to be good both ways."
... It was announced Wednesday that Michigan State's game against Gonzaga from the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln on Nov. 11 will tip off at 6:30 p.m.
