Michigan State at Iowa men’s basketball: Thursday’s game postponed

By: Mike Hlas Jan. 13, 2021 7:10 pm Updated: Jan. 13, 2021 7:39 pm

Iowa's scheduled home men's basketball game against Michigan State Thursday night has been postponed because of COVID-19 issues within the Michigan State program.

The makeup date will be announced at a later time.

Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo announced Wednesday afternoon that players Mady Sissoko and Steven Izzo had tested positive for COVID-19. They are roommates. Sissoko is a freshman center and Izzo, the son of the coach, is a walk-on sophomore guard.

Tom Izzo said the two players tested positive 'four days ago.” Wednesday night, Michigan State announced an additional positive test had been received Wednesday afternoon.

'I'm really disappointed,” Tom Izzo said, 'but it just goes to prove that this can affect anyone. I feel so comfortable that me, my son and my players did everything possible and followed every protocol as best we could. I'm really, really impressed with the way they have conducted themselves. This virus does not discriminate and I can't emphasize enough how important it is to wear a mask, wash your hands and follow protocols.”

Tom Izzo tested positive for COVID-19 last month and quarantined for two weeks.

The men's basketball programs of Nebraska and Penn State are currently paused because of COVID-19 issues.

This is the first postponement of the season for Iowa, which is 11-2 and ranked fifth in the nation, and in second place in the Big Ten at 5-1. The Hawkeyes' next game is Sunday at Northwestern at 8 p.m., a game that was moved up a day by the Big Ten on Wednesday.

Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Fran McCaffery shakes hands with Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo before an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Jan. 10, 2013 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. (The Gazette)