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Changes coming: Tom Izzo confirms shakeup to Michigan State’s starting lineup for Iowa showdown
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Tom Izzo confirmed on his pre-game radio show that the Spartans will be shaking things up a bit for Tuesday’s showdown with No. 8 Iowa.
After an undefeated start in non-conference play, Michigan State fell to 2-6 in B1G action with the loss to Ohio State. That marked a third straight loss for MSU and back-to-back blowout defeats since resuming action after an outbreak of COVID-19 within the program.
Ahead of Tuesday’s tip-off, Izzo confirmed that he will be rolling out a new starting lineup to face the Hawkeyes. Among confirmed starters will be point guard Foster Loyer and big man Marcus Bingham. The rest of the lineup was still unclear.
Chris Solari with the Detroit Free Press shared Izzo’s comments:
Izzo says Kithier "hasn't been scoring in there" but does not know if altering the lineup will change anyone's total minutes. Believes Bingham can bring a little more shooting and rebounding.
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) February 2, 2021
It’s unclear if Izzo will start Watts or Langford at SG,
but he focused on his senior’s struggles shooting more than his sophomore for what that’s worth. https://t.co/igy0REYm0p— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) February 2, 2021
Bingham has appeared in all 14 games this season but has yet to see the starting lineup. The junior is averaging 2.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks.
Loyer has started three games this season, including the season opener, but he has not started since the Dec. 28 game against Minnesota. He is averaging 4.9 points and 2.1 assists while shooting 41% from three-point range.
Will this shakeup be enough to spark the Spartans? Tune into Tuesday’s action at 7 pm EST on FS1.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.