LSJ columnist Graham Couch, Freep beat writer Chris Solari and Freep columnist Shawn Windsor break down MSU’s Champions Classic loss. Graham Couch, Chris Solari and Shawn Windsor, Lansing State Journal
NEW YORK – First, Thomas Kithier went to the bench. Then Malik Hall.
Michigan State’s planned rotation at forward — already a question mark of a position — went awry quickly.
Enter Marcus Bingham.
The lithe 6-foot-11 sophomore came off the bench to provide an energizing 7-minute, 17-second stretch while Kithier and Hall were in foul trouble. Bingham had five of his seven points and all six of his rebounds during that stretch to keep the top-ranked Spartans in the first half of Tuesday’s eventual 69-62 loss in the Champions Classic.