No Keeping These Warriors Down!

I love the holiday season. Bowl Games (the 2am win by the MSU football team was a memorable end for a tough fought season), the annual Alumni Izzone Game (any chance that can be made semi annual...or more!), and the kick off to the Big Ten season for basketball. Just thinking about the upcoming Big Ten games gives me the shivers! What a way to prepare a young team for March. 

This teams has a lot of room for improvement. But that alone is exciting, the fact that there is such a high expectation for improvement. Isn’t that part of what makes college basketball so great? Loyally watching a group of athletes grow together, improve together, as teammates and Spartan warriors on the court? To see Appling step into his role as a leader and point guard, and the freshmen adapt to the wisdom of Tom Izzo. And the respect and awe that arises when, as a fan, I have the opportunity to watch tough players step up as warriors and overcome life’s injuries (who doesn’t get teary eyed as they watch the replay of Mateen Cleaves limp out to the court during the final game of the NCAA tournament!?). 

The Spartan’s roster of injuries this past year has granted (insert sarcasm) us the ability to watch a multitude of players fight back and overcome! Did anyone else go hoarse from cheering on the appearance of the ‘old Dawson’ during the second half of Saturday’s game? Or break out in song and dance as they watched Harris sink 3 pt after 3 pt shot as if he never had a shoulder inure? Or find themselves referring to Trice as the hero behind the mask? Yes, our three biggest warriors from MSU’s big win over Purdue include our three TOUGH injured men. Trice continues to show that no injury or illness can keep him down (though rumor is he hides his mask as far away from him as possible in the locker room) and put up an impressive 12 points and 4 rebounds. Elbows to the nose don’t slow that boy down! Dawson came back from halftime and threw his energy into both ends of the court, finishing the game with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Dawson has said that his injury last year caused him to reevaluate himself as a player and a person. I think we'll start to see that 'new person' on the court, with the old Dawson flair. And Harris....:) Harris scored a career high 22 points and was 6 of 8 from 3-point range. How wonderful it was to watch a player sink his 3s this year!!! His true colors were shining! Know the song ‘This Girl is on Fire’ by Alicia Keys? Change it to ‘boy’ and you’ve got your music montage for Harris’ game Saturday. 

I love the Big Ten season. I love tough Spartan basketball.

Next Game: #22 MSU at Iowa- Thursday January 10th, 7:02 pm on ESPN2