Branden Dawson expected to return to action on Saturday
According to collegebasketballtalk.com, Branden Dawson is expected to be back on the court on Saturday as the Spartans take on Illinois in East Lansing. This after he broke his hand by punching a table in a Dakich-fueled rage.
Izzo isn't sure how much he will play, but told reporters that he will be available.
I assume that now that MSU is back to full strength they will be the best team EVA?
February 27th, 2014 at 1:56 PM ^
February 27th, 2014 at 2:41 PM ^
February 27th, 2014 at 3:00 PM ^
But he'll be far from 100%! How many times has Staee had their REAL starting lineup together?
February 27th, 2014 at 4:12 PM ^
Poor Izzo--as he reluctantly mentions, he is worse off no matter what.
February 27th, 2014 at 4:39 PM ^
February 27th, 2014 at 1:57 PM ^
February 27th, 2014 at 1:59 PM ^
who? Never heard of him
February 27th, 2014 at 2:02 PM ^
to play them again in the B1G tournament. Put all this crap to rest for certain.
February 27th, 2014 at 2:05 PM ^
Appling still has a sore wrist which causes him to not shoot 100% and they haven't played together all year and ...
February 27th, 2014 at 2:15 PM ^
That gif is going to give me nightmares. Her eyes should be super-imposed on whatever girl is possessed in the Exorcist 4 (yes, there have been THREE Exorcist movies).
February 27th, 2014 at 2:03 PM ^
Well that should end all debate, #1 seed for MSU!
February 27th, 2014 at 2:05 PM ^
February 27th, 2014 at 2:05 PM ^
I guess there can be no excuses if MSU loses to Iowa or @OSU.
February 27th, 2014 at 3:01 PM ^
Wanna bet?
February 27th, 2014 at 3:21 PM ^
"He was out of game shape."
"His pain meds are slowing him down."
"There's still a little tenderness in the wrist/hand/big toe."
"His foot grew so his shoes no longer fit."
"He was blinded by science."
February 27th, 2014 at 2:06 PM ^
February 27th, 2014 at 2:27 PM ^
It's actually harder to get guys back, you know, not much time to integrate them into the team. Paraphrasing here but Izzo did actually say this.
February 27th, 2014 at 2:11 PM ^
This is Dawson we're talking about. Nobody's out of the woods yet with him staying healthy.
February 27th, 2014 at 2:16 PM ^
At first I thought that kid was a plant but I think he really knocks him out.
February 27th, 2014 at 2:21 PM ^
You've obviously never seen a plant before, here's one for reference.
February 27th, 2014 at 2:42 PM ^
February 27th, 2014 at 4:35 PM ^
About a dozen people just stood up and started glaring into my cubicle wondering why I suddenly broke out into a loud, uncontrollable fit of laughter. I hope you're happy now.
February 27th, 2014 at 4:53 PM ^
I was ah, wondering if you your tps reports done?
February 27th, 2014 at 3:03 PM ^
You don't take the punch before turning your head and then catch yourself when you fall if it's a real knockout. Not even a good fake.
February 27th, 2014 at 2:14 PM ^
Izzo has removed all tables and desks from the film room.
February 27th, 2014 at 2:18 PM ^
It was really awful what that team has had to endure these past weeks. Hope and pray daily that all will be well with him, his fellow normal players, and the weird guy players as well!
February 27th, 2014 at 2:19 PM ^
February 27th, 2014 at 2:24 PM ^
Well then, regardless of what happens between now and the end of the regular season, we should just give the B1G championship to MSU. With Dawsen back, their team this year is probably in the top ten NCAA basketball teams of all time. When healthy, I think they would probably even sweep the best Wooden + Lew Alcindor UCLA team in a best of 7 series.
Come to think of it, shouldn't we just give them the NCAA championship while we're at it? With Payne still getting into the groove, Appling's boo boo and Dawsen just now coming back, it's unfair to make them risk getting injured again while playing games to prove they're the best when we all already know it's true.
February 27th, 2014 at 2:27 PM ^
Mr Sharp?
February 27th, 2014 at 3:34 PM ^
Sounds more like Valenti.
February 27th, 2014 at 2:24 PM ^
just to stifle all of the unfair criticism that Coach Izzo has received at the hands of critics.
:)
February 27th, 2014 at 2:26 PM ^
First and foremost, I will say that I like the idea of having the phrase "Dakich-fueled rage" in the English language now. Well done there.
Massey doesn't take injuries into consideration, I would think, but that aside, this game against Illinois is probably the only relatively high-confidence pick for them in the last three that they have - Massey gives them 85%.
February 27th, 2014 at 2:26 PM ^
February 27th, 2014 at 2:38 PM ^
Izzo "isn't sure how much he will play him" , i.e. he still wants to be able to play the injury card if Dawson doesn't quite play well.
Is there any chance in hell this stops Izzo from continuously reminding everyone how injured they are?! I think not.
February 27th, 2014 at 2:49 PM ^
In unrelated news, Jim Delaney has announced that due to a computer glitch, all conference game statistics and standings have been wiped out, and the conference season will shrunk to only include the next three games.
February 27th, 2014 at 2:50 PM ^
I don't even see the point in playing the rest of the season now that they're finally recovered from injuries (until they lose again and they say they're still 'banged up a bit')
February 27th, 2014 at 2:54 PM ^
my favorite part of this story is that part of being a good player is not getting into trouble off the court. that dawson was dumb enough to break his hand on his table isn't an injury, as we typically use that term. he didn't go up for a rebound only to twist his ankle on a large pile of bodies. he freakin pounded a table like a dumbass. it was his own fault that he was out.
February 27th, 2014 at 3:03 PM ^
Don't forget... He pounded the table because he was watching a video of how terrible he was playing, yet suddenly when he's not suiting up, he's King James out there
February 27th, 2014 at 2:54 PM ^
But they're still not 100%. You've got Appling's wrist, Payne's hair line, and the whole team is just so doggone tired.........
February 27th, 2014 at 3:13 PM ^
His PPG, basically flat vs. last year (13.2 vs. 13.4)
FG% - up (45.6 vs. 41.5)
3P% - up (39.0 vs. 32.0)
Rebounds: - flat (3.4 vs. 3.4)
Assists - way up (4.8 vs. 3.3)
Turnovers - down (2.1 vs. 2.3)
A:TO: way up (2.29 vs.1.43)
Steals - flat (1.3 vs. 1.3)
Blocks - flat (0.5 vs. 0.6)
It's terrible how MSU has had to deal with this horrible performance from a senior leader.
February 27th, 2014 at 2:54 PM ^
February 27th, 2014 at 3:00 PM ^
Good, just in time to reclaim his #1 overall draft status.
Has there ever been a player more critical to a team then the one that when healthy gets yelled at by the fanbase for being inconsistent, mentally checked out of games, a disappointment, and lethargic? But only when healthy. When out of the lineup he is Lebron.
February 27th, 2014 at 3:07 PM ^
Thanks for the info. Just penciledpenned MSU into the NCAA Championship game
February 27th, 2014 at 3:29 PM ^
Hmmm...I am going to wait to see what Dickie V thinks before I take such a bold step.
February 27th, 2014 at 3:15 PM ^
Ironically he would have taken time away from theone player who was most effective versus UM last week - Valentine. But no worries, they would have just played 6 on the court at once and won by 30 (7 on the court if you include Izzo's defensive presence 1/3rd of the way on the court)
February 27th, 2014 at 3:23 PM ^
Clearly we would have lost both games to MSU had he been playing. DERP DERP
- MSU Slappies