EAST LANSING – When Tom Izzo was enjoying beach time during the summer at his Lake Michigan home, the upcoming schedule was never far from mind.

With nonconference games against Arkansas, Kentucky and North Carolina in November alone, the Michigan State coach relished the challenges, until the season approached. Then it was his annual task of charting the potential path forward.

“I put down a plus and a minus schedule record – what do I think if we’re really good, what do I think if we’re just good and where are we at?” Izzo said on Monday. “Well, none of those would have had us winning all three of those big games and still surviving the others because of the ups and downs. Am I surprised? I’m surprised mostly by how we’re playing.”

It’s now December and the Spartans (7-0) remain unbea

See Full Page