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Change in priorities may mean Michigan State’s Alex Gauna moves on

Michigan State v Illinois

Michigan State v Illinois

Joe Robbins

After spending the last four seasons as a member of the Michigan State basketball program, redshirt junior forward Alex Gauna may be moving on. According to Graham Couch of Gannett Michigan, head coach Tom Izzo stated that the 6-foot-9 Gauna is “about 80%" certain that he’s played his last college basketball game.

Gauna has one course left to take before completing his degree according to Izzo. And that isn’t the only change in Gauna’s life that has influenced the expected decision to not return for his final season of eligibility.

Gauna’s girlfriend gave birth to their daughter Saturday. He posted a picture of his newborn daughter, Brooklyn Rose Gauna, on Twitter later that day. The addition of child into his life has added an element to a college basketball decision Gauna has struggled with since season’s end.

After redshirting in 2010-11 Gauna played in at least 29 games in each of the following three seasons, playing six minutes per game. Gauna averaged 1.5 points and 1.0 rebounds per game as a Spartan, shooting 55.7% from the field.

Michigan State, which lost forward Adreian Payne and guards Keith Appling and Gary Harris from its Elite Eight team, returns Branden Dawson, Matt Costello, Kenny Kaminski and Gavin Schilling to its front court rotation in 2014-15 and adds incoming freshman Marvin Clark.

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