Michigan State basketball's Thomas Kithier continues to test negative for COVID-19

Michigan State basketball's Thomas Kithier continues to test negative for COVID-19 and could be back to practice Monday.

Coach Tom Izzo said Kithier, who felt sick and was removed early from Saturday's win over Nebraska, told him Sunday he was a little better and then Monday morning felt "a lot better."

"Somebody said the new model for coaches should be, 'Think positive, test negative,'" Izzo said Monday. "And that'd be a good way to look at it. ... (Kithier) is on everyday testing now, and every day it's like (folds hands in prayer). I don't think you realize what that's like until you went through it. It's a strain on you."

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Kithier checked out of the Spartans' 66-56 win over Nebraska on Saturday night with 9:35 remaining in the first half and did not return to the court. He sat on the bench after being removed before talking with trainer Nick Richey and leaving the court during the media timeout with 7:47 to play before halftime.

The 6-foot-8, 230-pound Clarkston product grabbed two rebounds and picked up a foul in 7 scoreless first-half minutes against the Cornhuskers. Kithier started MSU's first 14 games but has come off the bench the past two and is averaging 3.2 points and 2.9 rebounds in 13.4 minutes per game.

Izzo said Kithier immediately went into isolation. The Spartans' medical staff notified Nebraska's coaches and staff, as well as administrators from both schools, game officials and the standby ref.

"MSU did the right thing by isolating Thomas immediately and giving several Covid tests because of flu like symptoms," Kithier's mother, Jane, tweeted Monday. "With Covid one can never be too cautious to protect others."

Thirteen of the 15 Spartans on the roster and 20 individuals within the MSU men's basketball program have tested positive for COVID-19 since late summer. Five players tested positive in January to force postponement of three contests and cause a 20-day layoff between games. Izzo battled the coronavirus before the season, while assistant coach Dane Fife and junior swingman Gabe Brown returned from their COVID-19 layoffs Saturday.

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Izzo said Kithier received three negative PCR tests and four negative rapid antigen tests the past four days but did not practice with the team Sunday out of continued precautions.

"You don't know how taxing that is on my trainer, my doctors and mostly on Thomas," Izzo said. "Since Saturday night, he's almost been assured to himself that he was gonna be positive. That's a drain on your brain, too. ... That part is very difficult for these kids."

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 basketball's Thomas Kithier tests negative for COVID-19