Michigan State Welcomes Wood For 1-And-Done Stint
By: LARRY LAGE,AP Sports Writer
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Tom Izzo sounds a little sheepish about the way he landed Brandon Wood.
If the Michigan State coach had his way, Wood and players like him would not be able to play immediately after transferring.
Izzo, though, is glad the fifth-year senior is a one-and-done Spartan instead of an opponent this season.
Wood transferred to Michigan State from Valparaiso in May after earning a bachelor's degree in sports marketing and business. The NCAA allows Wood to play immediately because he graduated, has eligibility and is pursuing a master's degree that wasn't offered at the Horizon League school in Indiana.
"I'm not overly fond of the rule, but it was 'get him if I could or play against him,'" Izzo said Tuesday at Michigan State's media day. "He was leaving there one way or another, not for negative reasons, but just to fulfill what he thought were his dreams and goals."
Wood, a Kokomo, Ind., native, said he chose be a Spartan over opportunities at Purdue, Indiana, Tennessee and Florida State after deciding against entering the NBA draft or staying at Valparaiso. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound guard will play right away, filling a void left when Kalin Lucas' eligibility expired and Korie Lucious transferred to Iowa State.
"I'm here because I had a unique opportunity to make an instant impact at a big-time school," Wood said. "I felt like it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up because I feel like Michigan State is in the same category with Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky and Kansas."
The Spartans have become an elite program under Izzo over his 16 seasons, winning a national championship, playing in six Final Fours, 14 straight NCAA tournaments and winning six Big Ten titles.
Michigan State will have to surpass relatively modest expectations to add to those accomplishments other than another NCAA tournament bid. Izzo has just two players who averaged more than 20 minutes a game last season and seven Spartans who haven't played a minute for the program.
Senior forward Draymond Green and sophomore guard Keith Appling, the only returners who played extensively last season, will have to lead the way at both ends of the court.
The duo will need help from junior center Derrick Nix, who has slimmed down to 267 pounds after weighing as much as 340, and sophomore center Adreian Payne to make up for the loss of Delvon Roe, whose career ended due to injuries, and Garrick Sherman, who transferred to Notre Dame.
Freshman small forward Branden Dawson has a shot to start while freshmen guards Travis Trice and Brandan Kearney will have ample opportunities to earn playing time.
But the key newcomer is Wood, who averaged 17.2 points and nearly three assists over his two years at Valparasio.
"He can shoot the ball, which is something we need," Green said. "And, he can create a shot for himself and for others."
Izzo doesn't like the perception that he poached a player from a mid-major school to play for a Big Ten program.
"Are we going to get to the point where we're recruiting kids off other people's campuses?" Izzo asked. "I don't think that would be fair, especially bigger schools picking on smaller schools. ... The reasoning for it is supposedly in case a kid wants to work on his masters and they don't have that curriculum at that school, but I'm not sure it's healthy for college football or basketball."
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
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