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.
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.
