Michigan State Basketball: Mady Sissoko facing huge opportunity vs. High Point

With Marcus Bingham Jr. out on Wednesday afternoon, Mady Sissoko is facing a major opportunity with Michigan State basketball against High Point.

We’ve seen this movie before. A talented player sees the court very minimally through his first couple of seasons with Michigan State basketball and then breaks out, becoming an All-Big Ten talent and potential NBA prospect.

On Wednesday, we could see the start of another player’s rise.

Mady Sissoko has played in 37 career games but is averaging just 5.3 minutes per game. In that limited action, he’s averaging 1.1 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks while shooting 65 percent from the floor. He’s only attempted 23 career field goals, but he’s made 15 of them.

Suffice it to say, Sissoko hasn’t gotten much of an opportunity to prove himself in extended time. That’s going to change against High Point with Marcus Bingham Jr. out with a positive COVID test.

In his two years at Michigan State, Sissoko has played more than 10 minutes just four times but Wednesday figures to be the fifth, and Tom Izzo is excited about it.

Izzo said that Sissoko has been playing really well in practice and usually that translates to games so we’ll see just how much of a chance he’ll get to prove himself vs. High Point.

If it’s anything like we saw against Penn State on Dec. 11, the Spartans will be in good hands. Sissoko had four points and a block and just looked all-around effective against the Nittany Lions in six minutes during a 16-point win.

Sissoko’s opportunity on Wednesday could not only jumpstart his rise into the regular playing rotation, but it could give him confidence and the Spartans another option off the bench.

Michigan State could definitely use another option at center.