Neitzel emerges as savior for Izzo, thin Spartans

Consider that heading into Saturday's game against Loyola of Maryland, Neitzel is averaging 18.9 points, 4.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds compared to 8.3 points, 5.6 assists and 2.0 rebounds last season. That's an impressive improvement without explanation, but those statistics, good as they are, don't begin to exhibit the influence Neitzel's had because he has actually improved recently after the injuries of Raymar Morgan and Maurice Joseph.

Morgan went down five games ago (with a bad shin).

Two games after that, Joseph followed suit (with a bad foot).

That's 20.0 points and 7.8 rebounds in street clothes, and it's the reason DeMarcus Ducre, a 5-10 walk-on, is averaging 13.7 minutes the past three contests. Nothing against Ducre, who seems like a nice enough guy. But when a 5-10 walk-on is playing 13.7 minutes per game at a school that has gone to four Final Fours in the past eight seasons, something has gone terribly wrong.

Blame it on Shannon Brown turning pro early.

Blame it on the injuries to Morgan and Joseph.

Blame it on Michigan State's classes becoming unbalanced.

Blame it on whatever you like. It doesn't really matter at this point. The bottom line is that Izzo got caught, and without Neitzel -- who is averaging 24.0 points and 4.3 assists the past four games -- Michigan State would be enduring a season where an NIT would be a reasonable goal. Instead, the Spartans -- who have wins over Texas, Bradley and BYU (the only losses are to Maryland and Boston College) -- have a legitimate shot to make their 10th consecutive NCAA Tournament, and if it happens, the people who vote for Big Ten Player of the Year will have a three-man race on their hands.

Option A: The possible national Player of the Year.
Option B: The likely top pick of the NBA Draft.
Option C: The person Izzo believes is saving his job.

Crazy as it sounds with Tucker and Oden lurking, the right choice might ultimately be Option C.

"That is a goal for every player," Neitzel said. "If I play up to my potential, I don't see why not."