Izzo loses to nephew as No

• Myron Medcalf, ESPN Staff WriterNov 7, 2023, 12:05 AM ET

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  • Covers college basketball
  • Joined ESPN.com in 2011
  • Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato

After No. 4 Michigan State’s 79-76 upset to James Madison on Monday in East Lansing, coach Tom Izzo said he may make changes that could affect his team’s beginning lineup.Entering the overtime

affair, James Madison had been a plus-16.5 point underdog, according to ESPN BET.But Michigan State tape-recorded a 1-for-20 clip from the 3-point line and a 23-for-37 mark from the complimentary throw line. While Tyson Walker finished with 35 points on 12-for-26 shooting (0-for-5 from the 3-point line), the rest of the roster connected on simply 14 of 46 efforts from the field.A.J. Hoggard, Malik Hall, Mady Sissoko and Jaden Akins– the other 4 Michigan State starters, all of whom are upperclassmen– ended up 8-for-36 overall.According to ESPN Statistics & Details, Michigan State is the first Associated Press leading 5 team to lose its season opener in your home versus an unranked opponent given that Kentucky lost at home to Western Kentucky in 2001. Also, Izzo went into Monday’s game with a 21-7 record in season openers, per Michigan State.”I do not have a great answer why three juniors and senior citizens played like they played but I likewise don’t care, due to the fact that I’ll play some freshmen then,” stated Izzo, who invited a top 10 recruiting class this season, according to ESPN rankings.”Let the controversy start. “The vacations might be rather awkward for Izzo, also, after this loss. His nephew, Matt Bucklin, is an assistant at James Madison, a Sun Belt program which won its second-ever game over a ranked challenger after losing 42 of its previous 43 matches, according to ESPN Statistics & Information.Editor’s Picks 2 Related Bucklin’s mother, Mary, is Izzo’s sis. Izzo booked James Madison for its season opener in part because of his nephew’s role with the team.Michigan State had actually not lost a home game in the month of

November because

David Robinson

— the Basketball Hall of Famer who starred for the San Antonio Spurs– led Navy to a 91-90 overtime win over the Spartans in 1986. The program had actually not lost a season opener in East Lansing given that 1970. Izzo stated he makes his team shoot free throws the night before every game. On Sunday night, the Spartans made 90%of their attempts from the charity stripe, he stated. But simply 24 hr later on, the group linked on simply 62%of its

efforts. “I offer [James Madison] a great deal of credit,”Izzo said.” They was available in here and they played harder than us. They played stronger than us. Made some good plays. We entered into nasty trouble early. That injured us. We missed all those free

throws early. That injured us. You go 1-for-20 from the [3-point line] How do you go 23-of-37 from the free throw line?”Terrence Edwards Jr. led James Madison with 24 points.T.J. Bickerstaff(21 points)struck a game-tying shot with 30 seconds to play in policy. In overtime, Raekwon Horton connected on a 3-pointer to extend James Madison’s lead to 78-74 with 10 seconds to play. Michael Green III’s steal on Walker at the buzzer sealed the victory for the Dukes.James Madison head coach Mark Byington said his group, which made 75%of its free throw efforts, was resilient throughout the game. “I didn’t know what to anticipate,”Byington stated on Big Ten Network after the win.”It was our very first game and we’re playing against among the very best groups in the country, in one of the best environments in the nation. And I was proud of our guys. … They just never gave up.” 2 of James Madison’s starters, Noah Freidel and Julien Wooden, fouled out late however the Dukes turned to their bench to seal the win.”Some of our more reliable, reliable guys entered foul problem,” Byington stated.”Everybody, when they came in, they were able to step up. They were able to make plays. “Prior to the season, Izzo said the Big Ten should have examination for its

failure to win a championship game since he accomplished the accomplishment with the Spartans during the 1999-2000 season. Michigan State has been viewed

as a nationwide title competitor after returning four beginners from a group that reached the Sugary food 16 last season.Xavier Booker, an ESPN first-class recruit, anchors an elite freshman class that could play a bigger

function moving forward.”I hope [the team] responds by being checked off,”Izzo said.”There will be some changes.”James Madison isn’t the only team that scored an upset on the opening day for the 2023-24 season in males’s college basketball.Princeton, a 5.5-point underdog per ESPN BET, won at Rutgers, 68-61. Oklahoma State, a 10.5-point preferred per ESPN BET, suffered a 64-59 home loss to Abilene Christian, which finished 13-17 general and 5-11

in the Western Athletic Conference last season.And Oakland covered the spread in a 79-73 loss at Ohio State. The Grizzlies were a 19.5-point underdog on the road versus the Buckeyes, per ESPN BET.