Michigan State’s Matt McQuaid OK’d to play
East Lansing – Michigan State has had its share of injuries this season, but it will get at least one player back when it takes the court again on Sunday night.
Sophomore guard Matt McQuaid has been back at practice since Monday and is ready to go after missing the last game against Tennessee Tech with concussion-like symptoms.
“I’m good right now,” McQuaid said after practice on Thursday. “I’m feeling good. All the symptoms are gone, headaches and stuff, and I’m back to normal.”
It was a week ago that McQuaid took a shot to the left eye from teammate Nick Ward, who fell backward and struck McQuaid with his head.
“Yeah, it was Nick’s big head,” McQuaid joked. “He just kind of fell back and I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and got in the right spot.
“I was having some headaches and that was mainly it, but I’m feeling good now and that’s all that really matters and I’m moving forward.”
McQuaid knows a bit about coming back from injury. He spent most of the summer recovering from double hernia surgery.
Now he’s glad to be back on the court while freshman forward Miles Bridges continues to work back from an ankle injury. Bridges spent most of Thursday’s practice on a stationary bike and at one point, the rest of the team stopped what they were doing to circle Bridges and push him through his workout.
It’s something the Spartans have done regularly with injured players and it capped what coach Tom Izzo and the rest of the team said has been a four-day stretch of solid work in the midst of final exams.
“It’s been tough and we’ve been pushing ourselves through them, bringing energy every day,” McQuaid said. “It’s good for everybody to come together now especially with not playing any games right now and treating it like game week every day.”
How soon Michigan State gets Bridges back for those games remains to be seen.
“Hopefully by the middle, end of next week we’ll have an update,” Izzo said. “But he’s starting to crank it out and realize he has to get his butt in shape. He’s had an incredible four days on the bike, getting in the pool, doing his mental work.”
Michigan State (7-4) hosts Northeastern at 7 p.m. Sunday and closes non-conference play on Wednesday at home against Oakland. Big Ten play begins Dec. 27 at Minnesota.
mcharboneau@detroitnews.com
Twitter @mattcharboneau