TULSA, Okla. – The term, “to have a successful season, your seniors have to have their best year,” was introduced to the Michigan State’s athletic community by head football Mark Dantonio some years ago.
Spartan basketball counterpart Tom Izzo has frequently thrown his verbal endorsement behind the concept, always with deference to the author, ever since.
It was a not-so-subtle motivator, wrapped in a challenge, when Izzo’s seniors were Denzel Valentine, Bryn Forbes and Matt Costello; or Travis Trice and Branden Dawson; or Adreian Payne and Keith Appling; or Draymond Green and Austin Thornton; or Travis Walton, Goran Suton and Marquise Gray; or Drew Neitzel and Drew Naymick.