Michigan State mailbag: Mel Tucker's culture, Foster Loyer's fit

With the Ohio State game two days away, we still don’t have a clear picture on what will happen this weekend.

Will Michigan State play the Buckeyes, who had last week’s game canceled because of COVID-19 issues? Will they play someone else, perhaps Maryland? Will they simply not play?

It’s hard to know, but it’s on the minds of fans as we dive into this week’s Michigan State mailbag. We also dive into what it’s like inside the empty stadiums and arenas, and we also start taking a close look at the basketball team after Tuesday’s victory over Duke.

► Question. Maryland still a possibility if OSU cancels before Friday? Seems increasingly unlikely. — @Aurelius291

► Answer. It could be, but that’s starting to get less likely as each day passes. By Thursday morning, Ohio State had been through two days of practices and there was no official word on whether the Buckeyes would be able to play on Saturday. You’d have to think that decision needs to be made by the end of the day Thursday so both Michigan State and Maryland could have at least one day of prep. If we get to Friday morning and nothing has changed, it’s Ohio State or bust for the Spartans.

And @msuchucky wondered how many players Ohio State would be down if they played on Saturday. Since the Buckeyes aren’t releasing numbers, we’d just be guessing until they took the field.

► Q. If you are able to attend football and basketball games live, can you provide some comparisons and contrasts to the games in the empty buildings? — @jimdegraaf

► A. I’ll say this: Both experiences are weird. I feel like in football sometimes I forget that the crowd isn’t there, right up until there’s a big play and you wonder why there is no reaction. Then you look around and say, "Oh yeah, nobody’s here." But basketball, to me, is far more bizarre. If there isn’t constant crowd noise and music pumped in, it feels completely off. College basketball, as much as any sport, is about the fans and the environment. So far, it feels like I’m watching a scrimmage in the practice gym. I know schools are doing what they can with the buildings they’re playing in, but it just seems like something is missing, and I can only imagine how the players feel about it. They say it’s no big deal, but you have to wonder if a home team going through a lull wouldn’t love to have the fans there to pick things up.

► Q. Hey Matt, Tucker is always talking about changing the culture at MSU. What exactly does he want to change? What would you say the culture under Dantonio the last 4 years was? — @scalka74

► A. There’s always change to some extent when a new coaching staff comes in, so I’m not surprised to hear him say that. Specifically at Michigan State, I don’t think it’s about changing expectations. Dantonio lifted that to a new level and I believe that has remained. What they’re trying to change is the fact the last few classes know nothing but mediocrity. A handful of those on the roster were around for 10 wins in 2017, and nobody was there for a championship. So I believe Tucker is fighting to get away from the idea that being OK is OK, if that makes sense. Michigan State expects to play for championships, but it seems some of the complacency has seeped in. Of course, a lot of that has to do with recruiting, and that’s the first place Tucker and his staff will need to turn things around, something it appears they’re doing to this point.

► Q. Is basketball legit? — @BrettRoek

► A. Sure looks like it. We had a pretty good idea after the win over Notre Dame — not a great team, but one that could finish in the top half of the ACC. But I think the win over Duke truly validated that Michigan State is among the best 10 teams in the country. Maybe the Spartans don’t have a star and perhaps they don’t have a player make first-team All-Big Ten — though I wouldn’t count out Aaron Henry, Joey Hauser and Rocket Watts — but they have depth. As Tom Izzo put it after the Duke victory, Michigan State “got a lot out of a lot of guys.” The Spartans are an outstanding defensive team, and that alone will keep them in nearly every game they play. Add in the fact they have multiple offensive options and they’ll be tough to beat.

► Q. What do we do with Gabe Brown? — @brocko911

► A. Keep using him the way he’s being used. I know, it’s not the consistency everyone hopes for, but he got some decent looks against Duke and his defense has improved significantly. He’ll continue to get his opportunities; Izzo has made that clear. He might go a game or two without doing much, but with his shooting ability and athleticism, he’ll be big in a handful of games this year.

► Q. Can you figure out Foster Loyer for me? Notre Dame exposed his defensive weaknesses and he didn't look any better than he did his first two seasons, then he goes up against Duke and takes three charges. — @daveholz

► A. I’d say we’re starting to see exactly what Foster Loyer is, and in a way, think we knew it all along. Look, he’s never going to be an elite defender because he’s simply not big or fast enough. But he is a smart player, and smart defensive players can be effective. That’s what you saw in the Duke game, as he took advantage of some of the Blue Devils playing out of control. On the offensive end, we always knew he was a good shooter, but it’s hard to show that in a few minutes a game. Good, in-your-face defenders will always bother him, but the guy is going to make shots if he’s left open and that’s something he’s proven in a few games this year. He doesn’t have to be Cassius Winston, and I think what we’ve seen through three games proves he has a role here, as long as folks don’t expect him to be an All-American.

mcharboneau@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @mattcharboneau