Fansided

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo: Adreian Payne is a ‘day-to-day deal’

By Jack Crosby

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November 2, 2012; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans center Adreian Payne (5) listens to Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo during the first half of a game against the St. Cloud State Huskies at Jack Breslin Students Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
November 2, 2012; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans center Adreian Payne (5) listens to Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo during the first half of a game against the St. Cloud State Huskies at Jack Breslin Students Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /

The third-ranked Michigan State Spartans pushed their winning streak to 11 games on Tuesday night with the win over the Indiana Hoosiers as they continue to roll on through the Big Ten slate. What’s probably been more impressive is that fact that in the last four games, they’ve been able to play at this level without probably their most versatile player, Adreian Payne.

Payne missed his fourth consecutive game on Tuesday night as he continues to nurse his sprained foot. After the win over Indiana, head coach Tom Izzo was asked about Payne’s status, and the coach basically said that it’s a wait-and-see.

"“Payne is a day-to-day deal,” Izzo told reporters on Tuesday night. “He’s run twice. I don’t know (if he’ll play versus U-M). I don’t know. I don’t think he’s playing, right now. He wants to play. I got the toughest coaching decision in my life to make as far that goes. Doctors have done their job, everybody else has done theirs.”"

There’s no doubt that they would love to have Payne on the court as soon as possible, but Izzo stated last week that he will ultimately decide when his star will take the court again.

Whether or not that will be for the upcoming showdown with the Michigan Wolverines remains to be seen.