Michigan State has a G-Factor

I told you several weeks ago that MSU has a X-Factor in Kyle Ahrens, and I still believe Ahrens holds the key to a couple big victories, but since that time, a new factor has emerged. The G-Factor. That’s right, I’m talking about Kenny Goins, aka The Glue man, Kenny Glue, Kenny G, and now Kenny G-Factor. For any astute MSU Bball observers, what I’m telling you right now isn’t news. What is news is that no one knew how important Kenny G was going to be prior to the season. He’s become so important that I know several people (including my esteemed self) experienced a moment of panic when the G-factor went out with an injury during the Minnesota game. The thought that our season was down the drain not because Joshua Langford was injured but because we couldn’t fathom MSU making any sort of run if we lost the Glue Man for any stretch of time...was something else. Call it an epiphany of sorts. I definitely saw the value Kenny brought leading up to this recent stretch. He could hit the occasional shot, would provide very capable defense, and he has been a beast on the boards all year.  The thing none of us expected (mainly, me) was how important his leadership is going to be. Nothing made that more evident then when MSU went on their 3-game skid and it was Kenny G-Factor (Not Cassius, not Ward) that stood up and told the media five famous words, “Nut up or shut up.” I need that on a t-shirt and I needed it yesterday. Those are some words from a DAWG. A former walk-on, turned spot player, turned senior leader of this basketball team.  Argue with me all you want, but Kenny G going out and saying that, making it public, was big time stuff. He wasn’t publicly challenging his team but he was letting the world know that his team was being challenged, he knew it and he wanted to make sure everyone knew it. The most impressive thing about all of this, is that he comes out and backs all of this up on the court, most recently delivering a dagger to a Wisconsin team that fully expected to run this team into submission, slowly and painfully. Well, Kenny nutted up and willed (it wasn’t pretty) a late 3-pointer to finish off Wisconsin. You’re not supposed to get that from a former walk-on.  Don’t get me wrong, this team will still need it’s horses to carry the load, and most likely will need some well timed big plays from a freshman or two. But... Never in a million years did I expect Kenny Goins to be the one to put MSU on his back to carry them through a slump...but here we are. The lights are starting to go back on for Cash and Ward too. If Tillman and Ahrens can get out of their funk and McQuaid continues his hot senior season, this team might still have a chance. A lot can happen in these next few weeks, but I’m here for it and I wouldn’t bet against this team yet….deal with it.