Tom Izzo reveals who needs to step up to go on run in NCAA Tournament

Michigan State has an NCAA Tournament path that’s hard to complain about, considering they landed in a region with the lowest one-seed and a lower-ranked two-seed as well; plus, aside from Kentucky (who’s had a down year and MSU already beat) there really aren’t any historical powers in the Spartans’ way until the Elite Eight. But in order to make a run, who will step up on a Sparty club that hasn’t really had one primary playmaker?

Head coach Tom Izzo’s initial answer when asked that question after Sunday’s Selection Show: senior forward Joey Hauser.

“I know Joey is really excited. I’ve never seen him so excited. He’s not a guy that gets excited, so I’m excited that he’s excited, if that makes any sense.”

The veteran sharpshooter is the type of player who can trampoline into stardom during March Madness as a streaky shooter who could come out guns blazing and help MSU steal a game over a higher-seeded foe.

While Hauser could be a guy to step up on offense, the grizzled MSU coach knows that what the team really needs is a defensive presence.

“I think, in general, who do we need to step up? Anybody that can guard somebody,” Izzo continued. “That’s who we need to step up. We went through it today with them on film. We showed them. AJ (Hoggard’s) gotta pick that up a lot, and he’s capable of it, because he’s done it before. Malik (Hall), still gotta get him where he’s – he’s back practicing, he’s back doing things, but doesn’t look as athletic. He talked to me about that.”

Izzo then went on to assess some of his top players and what they bring to the table in regards to which of them could step up as a March starlet.

“Who steps up? We got a go-to guy that can get us a bucket in Tyson (Walker). We’ve got other guys. AJ’s had big games. Joey’s had some big games. Jaden (Akins) has had some big games. Malik, early in the year, had some big games, and even when he came back … he played very well. I don’t know who it is, that’s what makes you not sleep well at night. Now I won’t be able to watch those damn West Coast games because nobody’s playing, so I’ll just have to sit there and think about it and maybe I’ll come up with a better answer.”

Such a question is giving Tom Izzo insomnia. But frankly, there aren’t very many coaches getting a wink of sleep this time of year anyway.