▁from ▁their ▁first ▁loss ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁by ▁defe ating ▁a ▁game ▁Minnesota ▁squad ▁ 6 9 – 6 1 . ▁For bes ▁led ▁the ▁way ▁for ▁the ▁Spart ans ▁scoring ▁ 2 0 ▁points ▁and ▁Matt ▁Cost ello ▁added ▁ 1 7 . ▁Following ▁the ▁game , ▁Valent ine ▁presented ▁Iz zo ▁with ▁a ▁game ▁ball ▁in ▁rem emb rance ▁of ▁his ▁father ' s ▁passing . ▁Iz zo ▁attended ▁the ▁fun eral ▁of ▁his ▁father ▁the ▁next ▁day . ▁ ▁On ▁January ▁ 7 , ▁Michigan ▁State ▁returned ▁home ▁for ▁their ▁first ▁home ▁game ▁in ▁ 2 5 ▁days ▁to ▁face ▁Illinois . ▁Den zel ▁Valent ine ▁was ▁med ically ▁cleared ▁to ▁play ▁for ▁the ▁game , ▁but ▁Iz zo ▁held ▁him ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁game . ▁The ▁Spart ans ▁did ▁not ▁need ▁him ▁as ▁they ▁rom ped ▁over ▁a ▁short - hand ed ▁Illinois ▁team , ▁ 7 9 – 5 2 . ▁MS U ▁led ▁by ▁as ▁many ▁as ▁ 3 0 ▁points . ▁For bes ▁led ▁all ▁sc or ers ▁with ▁ 1 7 ▁and ▁Mc Qu a id ▁set ▁a ▁career ▁high ▁with ▁ 1 0 ▁points . ▁The ▁win ▁moved ▁the ▁Spart ans ▁to ▁ 1 5 – 1 ▁overall ▁and ▁ 2 – 1 ▁in ▁the ▁Big ▁Ten . ▁ ▁On ▁January ▁ 1 1 , ▁MS U ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁P enn ▁State . ▁Valent ine ▁was ▁available ▁to ▁play , ▁but ▁did ▁not ▁start . ▁He ▁came ▁off ▁the ▁ben ch ▁and