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Michigan State focusing on 2014 point guard Tyler Ulis, not Tyus Jones

Tyler Ulis

Apple Valley High (Minn.) point guard Tyus Jones announced his list of official visits on Tuesday. And Michigan State is not one of them.

That is leaving many to believe that the Spartans are out of the race for the nation’s top rising senior point guard, and that may have something to do with Marian Catholic High (Ill.) point guard Tyler Ulis.

Ulis is a top 50 player according to Rivals, and several days ago had cut his list to four -- Kentucky (no scholarship offer), Iowa, USC and MSU.

From Joe Rexrode of the Detroit Free Press:

Jones, ranked the No. 1 point guard and No. 2 overall player for 2014 by Rivals.com out of Apple Valley, Minn., was pursued early and often by MSU coach Tom Izzo. But he has long been considered a Duke lean. MSU offered Ulis in May and coaches reportedly spent considerably more time watching him than Jones at AAU events over the summer.

The 5-foot-8 point guard has shot up the Rival rankings, up 20 spots from his No. 69 overall ranking back in mid-June. The rise is largely due to his ability to drive and kick, creating open shots for his teammates which has earned him the name Tyler the creator.

“Most kids think they gotta come to camps and just score, score, score. Get their ranking up,” Ulis told NBCSports.com in June during the NBPA Top 100 Camp. “I just try to do what they don’t do. I like to pass anyway, so I try to pressure the full court defense and kick to players when they’re open, because in a camp like this you’ve gotta keep everybody happy. Otherwise, you’re team will just shut down. ‘I don’t get the ball, I don’t get to show what I can do.’”

Ulis may be the right direction for Tom Izzo, as the Chicago Heights native has previously referred to Michigan State as a “dream school.” If Ulis does end up in a State uniform, he could have several weapons to dish to. Forwards Cliff Alexander of Curie High (Ill.), Kevon Looney of Milwaukee Hamilton (Wis.) and Reid Travis of De La Salle High (Minn.) are all still considering the Spartans.

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