East Lansing ? Another day had passed since the most analyzed shot to the midsection in the history of college basketball, and it was still a topic around Michigan State's practice facility Thursday.
Derrick Nix chose not to address the incident, replays of which first seemed to indicate he struck Indiana's Cody Zeller below the belt during Tuesday's game. Later on, different angles were shown that made it seem Zeller was the true culprit.
After a day's worth of what seemed like endless debate, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo felt his senior center was portrayed in a negative light, and he didn't like it one bit.
"I really don't appreciate my guy getting conveyed (the way) some have done," Izzo said after practice Thursday. "And I say it's a non-issue. There's videotape out there that made it go one way early on, and there's a ton of it that has changed that 100 percent. You watch it, you view it. But I didn't appreciate the way it was handled."
Nix was criticized harshly on the ESPN broadcast by Dick Vitale, who tempered that criticism Wednesday after seeing more video. However, he still said it was hard to believe Zeller initiated the contact.
For Izzo, the treatment was unfair for a player that has had his share of issues in his time at Michigan State, including last week when he referenced Indiana and Michigan players while saying players at Michigan State don't get the same notoriety.
"For Derrick, I think he's been through enough," Izzo said. "We all talk about the newspaper article (last week), he didn't rip anybody there, he just tried to talk about his players and use other things as examples. There's been no, again, my favorite phrase, there's been no 7-Eleven's robbed, there's been nothing done. He's done nothing that my own son I wouldn't want him to do.
"But I have no ill feelings for him or for guys at Indiana or anything else. I just think as usual, things were portrayed one way. And as film got watched, it changed. So remember this now for you guys, too. Once it's said one way, there's no coming back on it, and I don't think he deserved that.
"So I've ripped him, I've pushed him, I've talked to him over the years, and I'm sticking up for him. And that's the way it's gonna be."
Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis also was disappointed in the wake of the incident.
"It was a great college basketball game, take nothing away from that," he said. "It is very sad, however, that a moment during the game created immediate and harsh comment and generated continued dialogue the way it has. As a result, I watched many different angles and variations of video from the game. I can state with confidence that Derrick played the game the way it is supposed to be played and game officials handled the situation in an appropriate manner. There should be no perception that Derrick plays the game any way other than with a spirit of good sportsmanship and effort."
Injury update
Heading into Sunday's game at Ohio State, the Spartans' health is getting better but is far from 100 percent.
Izzo said Wednesday that Gary Harris had his left shoulder pop out again against Indiana. It happened early in the second half but Harris never came out of the game. Izzo said Harris was fine Thursday, as was Branden Dawson, who has struggled since taking a shot to the face against Michigan.
Guard Travis Trice was also back at practice after returning to action against Indiana. He wore ear plugs as he continues to recover from concussion-like symptoms.
"Travis has got ear plugs in and I think it's just a good excuse to keep me off his back but maybe it's for noise," Izzo joked. "He seems to be a lot better, he's not getting as tired, he's making a read or two in practice today, I think that's a big positive for us."
matt.charboneau@detroitnews.com
twitter.com/mattcharboneau
Source: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130221/SPORTS0202/302210489/1132/rss18
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