MSU notes: Bigs hold their own vs. All-America Okafor

INDIANAPOLIS – When Michigan State big men Matt Costello and Gavin Schilling found themselves alone in the post with the guy who will likely hear his name called first in the next NBA draft, they actually did OK.

Costello walled off 6-foot-11, 270-pound Duke freshman Jahlil Okafor on the baseline. Okafor made a tough bank shot over him. Schilling rooted Okafor out of the post with a low, physical push. Okafor went high to counteract and was called for an offensive foul.

And then another time, Okafor put a spin move on Costello that most guards would envy.

“I think we did a good job, but he’s gonna score, of course,” Schilling said after No. 19 MSU’s 81-71 loss of Okafor, who ended up with 17 points on 8-for-10 shooting, scoring eight of those points in the first 5 minutes.

“I think we did all right,” Costello said. “I mean, he got about 10 of his points on drop-offs where we’re helping, so there’s nothing we can do about that. We knew every move he was gonna do. It’s just tough to stop – I mean, he’s 7-foot, 270.” - Read more at Freep.com