MSU basketball: Once in sync, Spartans toast Florida Gulf Coast

EAST LANSING – All of Michigan State’s key players took the floor together Friday night – for the third time since practice began a month ago.

And it showed early.

It took the Spartans nearly five minutes to take the lead and more than 10 minutes to take it for good, but they eventually chipped away the rust and clubbed Florida Gulf Coast, 97-58, in the season opener at Breslin Center.

Raymar Morgan, who has been out two weeks with a high left ankle sprain, came off the bench for nine first-half minutes. He sat the second half, with the ankle wrapped in ice for about a half hour.

Morgan said he “might have hyperextended” the ankle slightly, but that he should be stronger for the season’s first big test, Tuesday against Gonzaga at Breslin.

“It’s sore, but I’m all right,” said Morgan, who went scoreless, missing four shots and four free throws.

“Nothing bad, the ankle’s not ready and it’s not gonna be ready for probably a week and a half, two weeks,” MSU coach Tom Izzo said of Morgan. “But it’s gonna be more ready on Tuesday than it was tonight.”

Morgan was finally able to practice on Wednesday and Thursday – the first two preseason practices for Izzo with a full complement of players.

Now the No. 2 Spartans have the weekend to get ready for the talented Bulldogs.

“Trust me on one thing so you understand,” Izzo said. “We had everybody in uniform, but we don’t have everybody back where they need to be.”

MSU’s junior guard trio of Kalin Lucas, Durrell Summers and Chris Allen started together Friday and led an attack that saw six players in double figures in scoring and two with double-doubles.

Lucas put on a second-half show, including a full-speed reverse layup, plus the foul, that didn’t look possible until it dropped through the basket. He had a game-high 21 points, with one assist and three turnovers.

Summers was effective from outside and above the rim, thrilling a crowd of 14,759 with a pair of emphatic dunks. He finished with 17 points, hitting 6 of 12 shots, then sat most of the second half with a slight ankle sprain of his own.

Allen had 10 points and five assists despite making just 1 of 6 from 3-point range, while sophomore guard Korie Lucious came off the bench for 11 points and a game-high eight assists.

Sophomore forward Draymond Green and freshman center Derrick Nix had the double-doubles.

Green started and had 11 points and 10 boards before hitting the floor in pain late in the game – a scary moment, but it was just a leg cramp.

Nix came off the bench and showed his powerful frame and soft hands. He had 11 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end against the smaller Eagles.

That made Nix the second freshman in MSU history to debut with a double-double. Matt Steigenga did it in 1988.

“Nix proved to be a load in there,” Izzo said. “He’s got to make sure he doesn’t just throw the ball up there, that he shoots it up there. … I was pleased with Derrick, I was pleased with Garrick (Sherman) and even Tommy (Herzog) played a little better, I was pleased with Tommy.”

The first 16 minutes of the game were close and gave an idea of Izzo’s rotation as the season begins.

He went with nine players, with Sherman starting at center, and Delvon Roe, Lucious, Morgan and Nix off the bench.

Herzog and senior guard Isaiah Dahlman (seven points) played late in the first half, with sophomore guard Austin Thornton seeing some second-half action.

Nix and Sherman (four points, five rebounds) both had some good moments on the interior. Roe was active on both ends but fouled out in 14 minutes of action, going scoreless with three rebounds.

MSU will be a stronger team when Morgan and Roe – who missed nine days recently because of a concussion – get back to full speed.

Meanwhile, Lucas and Lucious played together extensively Friday and put MSU’s fast break in hyper speed.

“It’ll be hard to stop us two,” said Lucious, who looks as quick as ever despite missing the offseason with a broken foot.

“That’s something I will talk to coach about,” Lucas said, “me and Korie playing together more, because we do play well together.”