Michigan State's Draymond Green controls a rebound with help from teammates Adreian Payne(5) and Brandon Wood(30) against Minnesota at Breslin Center in East Lansing. (Dale G. Young/Detroit News)
East Lansing— On Saturday against Purdue, freshman Branden Dawson gave the Michigan State fans a glimpse of why he was so highly recruited out of Gary, Ind.
In Wednesday's 68-52 victory over Minnesota, he showed what he did against Purdue was no fluke.
Dawson scored 16 points and played his best game of the season on a night coach Tom Izzo won his 400th career game.
At one point in the second half, after Dawson had scored on a layup and was headed to the free-throw line, Izzo called him over to the bench.
"I said that is what it means to play with a high motor," Izzo said. "He found his key (to the motor). He did some things, like when he got a tip and followed it with a re-tip, that many people can't do. As he gets better and better at those things, he's gonna really be a special player here. When I called him over, that is exactly what I told him and he just smiled."
Dawson has been spending much more time watching film and understanding where he was relaxing during the game and it has paid off with two straight outstanding games.
His 16 points matched a career high and he also added four blocks, two better than he has had in any game to this point.
"I'm attacking the rim more and being more aggressive than I was," Dawson said.
But it's that motor that Dawson has focused on keeping running at a high pace.
"Coach Izzo loves guys that come out with enthusiasm, talking on defense and being vocal," Dawson said. "It's something he looks for in his leaders but likes other guys to get involved as well."
Playing rotation
Izzo has battled it all season, but it's becoming more likely his rotation simply won't be as small as he would like.
"I've resigned myself to the fact that I'm probably never going to get it solidified," Izzo said this week.
Izzo has played as many as 11 players fairly regular minutes this season and has often said he was working to cut that number down.
On Wednesday, he played only nine, but that was mostly because freshman guard Travis Trice did not play because of a hip injury. Center Alex Gauna did not play but it was because of coach's decision.
The biggest issue for Izzo in relation to the rotation is finding more opportunities to rest Draymond Green . It's easier said than done considering how versatile the senior forward is, but getting Green — who averages 33 minutes a game — some rest is imperative.
Green played 35 minutes against Minnesota.
Injury report
Trice, a freshman guard, did not play because of a hip injury. He was questionable for the game but his long-term status is unknown.
Class act
Green was selected on as a finalist for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.
The award, which was won by Spartans quarterback Kirk Cousins , goes to student-athletes who excel on and off the court.
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