The top-ranked team in the country will have four typical starters beginning the game on the bench when it takes the court against Mount St. Mary’s on Friday.
Michigan State going with 4 new starters Friday
One injury and three disciplinary issues will leave the Michigan State Spartans with almost an entirely new starting lineup on Friday.
Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Among that group is leading scorer Gary Harris, who will miss the game in order to rest an injured ankle. The other three - junior Branden Dawson and seniors Keith Appling and Adreian Payne - are being held out of the stating lineup because of what a team spokesman calls a "class attendance issue."
“There’s always some turmoil going on, and that’s what teams are all about,” Tom Izzo said on his pregame radio show. “We’ll be mixing it up a little bit.”
Izzo ultimately decided on a starting lineup of Travis Trice, Alvin Ellis III, Denzel Valentine, Alex Gauna and usual starter Matt Costello. Michigan State enters the weekend as the No. 1 team in both the USA Today coaches’ poll and the Associated Press Top 25.
More from SB Nation College Basketball
See More:
