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Michigan State basketball pummeled Nebraska last night 86-65, moving to 18-9 overall and 10-6 in Big Ten Conference games. Cassius Winston led the Spartans with a game-high 23 points and Gabe Brown contributed 17 points off the bench.
Here are three key takeaways from this game:
1. Turnovers Galore
Michigan State ended this game with a season-high 22 turnovers. Cassius Winston, Aaron Henry, and Rocket Watts combined for a total of 12 turnovers. The Spartans are currently third in Big Ten turnovers per game with 12.85 per game. 20-plus turnovers can overshadow a 20-plus point victory and certainly did last night. MSU could not pull away until late due to these turnovers against a 7-19 Nebraska team. I’m concerned with March right around the corner.
2. Gabe Brown Gaining Steam
As mentioned earlier, Gabe Brown scored a season-high 17 points last night, shooting 63% from three-point land. This double-digit game comes after a scoring drought for Brown and could do wonders for Michigan State moving forward. Now, there must be a decision as to whether Brown comes off the bench again or returns to the starting lineup.
3. Lineup Changes
Jack Hoiberg got the start against Nebraska, playing a total of five minutes. Malik Hall was also in the starting lineup. Thus, both Rocket Watts and Gabe Brown came off the bench. Foster Loyer, Thomas Kithier, and Marcus Bingham Jr. played a combined 19 minutes. Meanwhile, Kyle Ahrens scored a season-high 14 points in his season-high 22 minutes.
This lineup will certainly change again, with Hoiberg returning to the bench. Will Izzo tweak the lineup yet again? Will Marcus Bingham Jr. play more than 10 minutes? Will Malik Hall start again? Find out next week as Michigan State faces off against No. 20 Iowa on Tuesday, February 25. The game starts at 7 P.M. and broadcasts live on ESPN2.
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