EAST LANSING — Tom Izzo knows 3-pointers can sometimes be a mirage, even though Michigan State has enjoyed an oasis of buckets from long-range the past two years.
The 10th-ranked Spartans’ outside shooting, a driving offensive factor all season, went dry Monday night against No. 18 Iowa. A season-low three fell in 12 tries from beyond the arc.
So they found another way to win, the old-school Izzo way — by pounding the ball in the paint. Over and over.
“I think that is important,” Izzo said, “because as you remember, for a while there early, we were living and dying on the 3s.