Izzo sets standards higher

Michigan State is ranked sixth in the country and lost only once.

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan State is ranked as the sixth-best team in college basketball and has lost only one of 14 games.

Sophomore forward Raymar Morgan, a Canton McKinley High graduate, shared Big Ten player of the week honors after scoring a career-high 31 points in the Spartans’ conference-opening win over Minnesota.

Coach Tom Izzo, however, is far from satisfied.

“Keeping things in perspective for me is harder than for the fans,” Izzo said Monday. “Somebody asked me a great question, ‘Have you changed your standards?’ The answer is, unequivocally, ‘Yes.’

“But as I stated earlier , that’s the way it was going to be this year.”

Expectations at Michigan State are as high as they’ve been since the elite program advanced to Final Fours from 1999-2001, winning the 2000 title, with players such as Mateen Cleaves, Morris Peterson and Jason Richardson leading the way.

To reach lofty goals this season, the Spartans need senior star Drew Neitzel to play up to his potential and must get consistent production from their frontcourt.

Neitzel leads the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover ratio — nearly 5 to 1 — but he is averaging less than 14 points a game. Neitzel averaged 18 points last season.

The preseason All-American and Big Ten player of the year is taking fewer shots than he did last season, in part because the surrounding cast has improved. Neitzel was just 2-of-11 from the field, missing all six 3-point attempts, in the 65-59 win over Minnesota on Saturday night.

Izzo was encouraged to see Neitzel back the Breslin Center the next day, working on his shot, and the following morning, watching film.

“Drew is still the guy we need for big shots and in big games,” Izzo said.