EAST LANSING, Mich. _ Thomas Kithier does not care what his role is, whether he is starting or coming off the bench for Michigan State basketball.
"If I'm the first big off the bench or I'm starting, I wouldn't care," the sophomore said after Tuesday's 85-50 exhibition win over Albion. "Whatever the team needs to do to win, I really don't care. As long as we're winning games and getting deep into March and April, I don't care."
The forward position opposite Xavier Tillman remains one of Tom Izzo's biggest concerns for his No. 1-ranked Spartans as they prepare to open the regular season Tuesday against No. 2 Kentucky at the Champions Classic in New York (9:30 p.m./ESPN).
MSU lost Kenny Goins, who emerged as an offensive weapon and led MSU in rebounding last season. It was his 3-pointer over Zion Williamson to beat Duke in the Elite Eight that delivered Izzo his eighth Final Four appearance.
Kithier, who played a pivotal role in the post when Nick Ward and Kyle Ahrens were hurt in the middle of last season, got the first Tuesday and continued to show the hustle and tenacity that meshes with Tillaman. The 6-foot-8 Clarkston product played 19-plus minutes against Albion, grabbing a game-high 11 rebounds, including five offensive boards. He hit 2 of 3 shots, including a 3-pointer, for seven points and flashed good passing ability across the block to Tillman, a 6-8 junior.
"Thomas, I thought, rebounded the ball about as well as he could," Izzo said. "He has great hands. ... And Thomas might have been as bright as a bright spot, because we all know the biggest question right now is the four."
Tillman said he developed a rapport with Kithier last season, both in practice and on the road as his roommate.
"We're really close, so we know what each other likes on the court, knows what each other likes to do," Tillman said. "We're very comfortable with each other because we know where we're going to be."
