Michigan State basketball's Gabe Brown, assistant Dane Fife test positive for COVID-19
Tom Izzo said Michigan State basketball is prepared to play this week despite two more positive COVID-19 tests within his program.
Izzo on Tuesday said junior Gabe Brown and an unidentified assistant coach both have tested positive in the past week as the Spartans hope to end a 20-day stretch between games when they travel Thursday to Rutgers for a 7 p.m. tipoff.
Later in the afternoon, assistant coach Dane Fife confirmed he contracted the virus.
Brown is the fifth MSU player in COVID-19 protocol. Freshman Mady Sissoko is eligible to return for the trip to Piscataway, New Jersey, after sitting out the Big Ten-mandated 17 days and undergoing the required cardiac testing. Sophomore walk-on Steven Izzo, the coach’s son, tested positive Jan. 12 and senior Joshua Langford on Jan. 13. A fourth player, freshman walk-on Davis Smith, tested positive Jan. 17.
Brown, a 6-foot-8 swingman, averages 7.5 points and 1.7 rebounds in 17.8 minutes per game.
MSU is scheduled to play Sunday at Ohio State after the Rutgers game.
Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Read more on the Michigan State Spartans and sign up for our Spartans newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State's Gabe Brown, assistant Dane Fife contract COVID-19
