Injury-ridden Cagers to face Spartans

With Dan Earl and Titus Ivory and Rahsaan Carlton out of action, the Nittany Lions continue to search for a way to fill their holes.

Attention Penn State students: Are you between 5 foot 9 and 6 foot 5? Can you dribble a basketball? Are you male? Do you have semi-decent athletic ability? A pulse?

OK, so Dunn really isn't taking out advertisements for point and shooting guards -- yet. But the Lion backcourt is in dire need of healthy players. In fact, the situation is so dire that Lion football players David Macklin and Titcus Pettigrew, both basketball recruits as well as football, have volunteered to play for the team.

So don't rub your eyes and do a double take if you see two football players in basketball uniform at 8 tonight in the Bryce Jordan Center when the Lions (7-5, 0-3) play host to Michigan State (9-2, 2-2).

Let's hope the football players stay healthy; soccer players aren't accustomed to using their hands. The Lions did receive some good news: Dana Fritz is ready to play. The bad news is Rahsaan Carlton is now on the injured list -- joining Titus Ivory, Dan Earl and Aaron Jack.

Despite donating half of their players to the pre-med majors for studies, the Lions have managed to keep most games within reach. But all they have to show is an 0-3 mark in the Big Ten.

Michigan State, however, is headed in the opposite direction. The Spartans, under second-year coach Tom Izzo, are back on the rise after disappointing seasons with loftier expectations.

Izzo led the Spartans to 16-16 record and a seventh-place conference finish last season in his rookie campaign. But this year, with strong veterans and budding youth, Izzo is making his move.

"They are very athletic and very similar to Illinois," Dunn said. "They have a kid by the name of John Garavaglia. He's a good inside-outside player and will probably have the chance to play at the next level, big body and a very nice touch 17 feet and in."

The Spartans are also led by freshman sensation point guard Mateen Cleaves, the conference's leader in assists, quickly making a name for himself.

"Most people are familiar with the kid Mateen Cleaves, who is a very good point guard, probably one of the most talented point guards in college basketball," Dunn said.

The Spartans lost their first two conference games -- a close one to Indiana (77-65) and a blowout to powerhouse Minnesota (68-43). But since then, Michigan State has won its last two games, close wins over Wisconsin and Ohio State.

Led by Cleaves and Garavaglia, the Spartans find themselves ahead of last season's 16-win pace, but Izzo is still waiting for the Spartans to find an identity.

"One thing that has disappointed me is we have not been as good defensively this year," Izzo said. "We haven't really established enough of our own identity. We've still got a lot of work to do before we consider ourselves a good basketball team."

Izzo, meet the Lions.

If there was one team that had more work to do than Michigan State, it's Penn State. Dunn would like to see his team play with more focus and exercise better court awareness. So far the Lions have rebounded and played a solid, physical defense, something they need to do more of tonight.

"We've got to concentrate more on what we do," Dunn said. "There are some things that we have to do to combat what (the Spartans) like to run offensively and to counteract their defenses. And most importantly, we've got to get ourselves ready to play and concentrate as much on our execution and what our game plan will be."