Tag: Malik Hall

MSU Basketball squares off against Virginia Tech: Five Most Important Players

Michigan State plays Virginia Tech in the first round of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational. Here are the five most important Spartan players.

Folks, it’s that special time of year. The Maui Jim Maui Invitational is here! Michigan State faces off against the Virginia Tech Hokies in the first round at the Lahaina Civic Center tomorrow at 5 P.M.

Here are the five most important players for MSU in this game:

Xavier Tillman

Outside of the talent disparity, Virginia Tech’s roster is not all that different from Kentucky’s roster. They have a strong Guard rotation on the perimeter. Down low though, Virginia Tech lacks depth. Michigan State must take advantage of this flaw. This is why Xavier Tillman is the most important Spartan in this game.

Tillman is averaging 12 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists on 48.6% shooting from the floor. Xavier should clean the glass all game long. Virginia Tech’s defense will close in on Tillman and this frees up the guards. He must inflict his will upon this game.

Aaron Henry

As I noted in my scouting report, Landers Nolley is the best Hokies basketball player. Cassius Winston and Rocket Watts are the better Guard defenders, but, both are too smaller for Nolley. Henry appeared to hurt both of his ankles in a freak play against Charleston Southern. After the game, Henry stated he was completely fine.

I think Izzo will call on Henry to matchup against Landers. Nolley has a slightly bigger frame than Henry. Henry stands at 6’6″ and Nolley stands at 6’7″. What’s most important is that Aaron can keep with Landers driving to the rim. How Henry handles this matchup is huge for Michigan State.

Malik Hall

Malik Hall is not just fun to watch, he is now vital to the Spartan’s offense. Hall makes high-energy plays on the boards in every single game. All the while, he can shoot the three at a very effective clip.

Much like Tillman, I expect Hall to have quite the game against Virginia Tech. He can exploit the lack of Forward depth by stretching out the defense. This opens up the lane for Winston to attack. Meanwhile, he’s washing windows all day long.

Gabe Brown

Gabe Brown’s importance in this game is quite similar to Aaron Henry’s importance. As a 6’7″ Forward, Brown will be asked to guard Landers Nolley at various points in this game. He must be ready for this responsibility. We all know him for high flying dunks. Can he defend at a high level against a spectacular scorer like Nolley? We’re all about to find out.

Foster Loyer

Okay, hear me out. I know fans think Foster Loyer has underperformed this year, but, that does not shrink his level of importance. As I mentioned earlier, the Virginia Tech roster is guard-heavy. Cassius Winston can only play so many minutes. So MSU will call on Foster Loyer at certain points in this game.

Loyer certainly must play better in this game than he has so far on the year. He needs to shoot the ball better from a distance. More importantly, he must play with confidence. Loyer can pass and can attack the rim. His development as a secondary playmaker to Winston is crucial for the Spartans.

You’ll note, I did not include Cassius Winston on this list. At this point, Winston is consistent in performance. He will show up against Virginia Tech. It’s more important for all of his Spartan teammates also play at a high level. Kentucky trapped Winston as much as possible and forced the ball out of his hands. He will rely heavily on teammates to deliver on crucial possessions

Michigan State takes on Virginia Tech tomorrow at 5 P.M. You can catch this game on ESPN2.

Stay with us on SpartansWire for coverage of this game and all the Spartan basketball info you need.

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MSU vs. Virginia Tech: Three Things To Watch

Michigan State Basketball takes on Virginia Tech in the first round of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational. Here are three things to watch.

The Maui Jim Maui invitational kicks off on Nov. 25 and the Spartans are in action against the Virginia Tech Hokies. This will be a true test for Michigan State as the Hokies are 5-0 on the season.

Here are three things to watch in this game:

Guard Matchups

There are six forwards and nine guards on the Virginia Tech roster. Guards do a lot for the Hokies on a nightly basis. As a result, Michigan State must dominate on the perimeter defensively to win this game. If not, It is likely that Virginia Tech walks away with a victory.

One player, in particular, stands out as a potential defensive nightmare for the Spartans. Freshman Landers Nolley is a 6’7″ Guard and can score both at the rim and from a distance. His height is the biggest issue for Michigan State. Cassius Winston and Rocket Watts are not tall enough to guard Nolley effectively.

Tom Izzo must scheme against Nolley with smart matchups. Maybe he throws a combination of Aaron Henry and Gabe Brown out against Nolley. Trapping Landers Nolley should be a top priority for MSU. I’d make everyone else on that Hokies roster step up.

Big Man Dominance

Michigan State should take advantage of Virginia Tech’s lack of big man talent. First of all, Xavier Tillman can eat in this game. I’m talking 20 plus points and 10 or more boards. Throw in a few assists as well. He will be the determining factor for the Spartans against the Hokies.

Beyond Tillman, look for Hall & Marble to get some important minutes. I think that Marble looked great against Charleston Southern and should get some minutes in this game. Malik Hall has shown why he deserves to play heavy minutes with his three-point shooting and hustle around the rim.

Gabe Brown Dunks

Gabe Brown is so much fun to watch. He charges at the rim with overwhelming ferocity whenever given the chance. Watch for this to continue in this game and every other game for MSU. Brown’s energy clearly lifts up this team. Don’t believe so? Watch his teammate’s reactions during the next big dunk. They love it and so do the fans.

Michigan State plays against Virginia Tech at 5 P.M. Eastern Time. We will have more coverage before this game, during, and after. Stay locked on SpartansWire for all the info you need.

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MSU blows out Charleston Southern: Three Key Takeaways

Michigan State basketball handled their business against Charleston Southern in a 94-46 win. Here are three key takeaways from this game.

Everyone relax, there is no need to overreact. Michigan State basketball shined in this blowout 94-46 victory over Charleston Southern, but, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The Spartans must focus on bigger opponents in the future like Virginia Tech & Duke.

Here are three key takeaways from this game:

Gabe Brown Is Here

Boy oh boy, Gabe Brown looks like a stud. Aaron Henry sat out with a sprained ankle. As a result, Brown played 28 minutes against Charleston Southern. Gabe scored 12 points on 5-7 from the floor. Plus, he tallied up 6 boards, one assist, and one block.

Brown’s development adds depth at the Forward position for Michigan State. Especially if he continues his solid defensive play. Opponents best Forwards will face either Aaron Henry or Gabe Brown as a matchup. That’s a tough ask. Best of all, Gabe looks incredibly confident on the floor.

Xavier Tillman Fulfilling Potential

There were some question marks coming into the season for MSU’s Center spot. I mean, most people would put money on Tillman starting, but, how good would he be? Well guys and gals, he is good.

Tillman ended the night with 21 points on 9-12 shooting from the floor along with 10 rebounds, four assists, and a block. He missed two threes but that’s okay, as long as he keeps taking them. As a Center, you must prove to defenders that you will take open threes. If not, the defense will not respect you from distance.

The most important stat here is definitely Tillman’s four assists. One Spartan must step up as a secondary playmaker in these games. Cassius Winston cannot be the lone playmaker or teams will easily scheme against MSU’s offense. Luckily, Tillman and Rocket Watts have both tallied up plenty of assists as of late.

Young Players Developing Confidence

There are a lot of young guys on this Spartan’s roster coming into their own. In particular, I think of Malik Hall, Rocket Watts, and Foster Loyer. Loyer has a long way to go, but, he is showing some flashes.

Malik Hall came back down to earth against Charleston Southern. Regardless, he still rebounded the ball extremely well and had a few put back points. He even found a few teammates for three assists. The Spartans need some energy off of the bench and Hall plays that role well.

Rocket Watts continues to get better and better each game. Especially when it comes to dishing the rock. Watts ended the night with six assists, including a sick alley-oop to Gabe Brown. Most impressive is his ability to rebound as a Guard. Expect big things from Watts in the tournament this year.

MSU’s next basketball game is against Virginia Tech on Nov. 25 at 5 P.M. You can catch this game on ESPN2.

Stay locked on SpartansWire for more basketball coverage to come.

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MSU vs. Charleston Southern basketball: Three Things To Watch

Michigan State welcomes Charleston Southern to the Breslin Center tomorrow. Here are three things to watch in this game.

Michigan State welcomes Charleston Southern basketball to the Breslin Center tomorrow for a 6:30 P.M. game. Charleston Southern is 1-3 fresh off of a loss to Dayton, 90-61. Michigan State, on the other hand, is 2-1 comes off a close 76-73 victory over Seton Hall.

Here are three things to watch in this game:

Dontrell Shuler

Dontrell Shuler is without a doubt the best player on the Charleston Southern basketball roster. The 6″2 sophomore guard has seemingly made a leap after last year. In the 2018 season, Shuler only averaged 10.9 points. So far, he’s averaging 20 points on the year.

If you remember, Seton Hall guard Myles Powell gave Michigan State fits. Granted, Powell is a senior and looked like one of the best players in all of college basketball. It is possible for Shuler to also be a problem. He is another small guard and can lure Winston into foul trouble early.

Watch the matchup Tom Izzo puts out against Shuler. I predict Rocket Watts will get a ton of minutes guarding Dontrell Shuler. This could be a good test for Watts on the defensive end.

Newcomer Success

All year, fans have wondered who would be the impressive newcomer. Malik Hall filled this role against Seton Hall and went absolutely bananas. Hall played 19 minutes and made the most of each. He ended the game with 17 points and went 7-7 from the field including three shots from beyond the arc.

It is highly likely Malik Hall gets even more minutes against Charleston Southern. It is highly unlikely he is 100% perfect from the field again, but,he can still contribute well. Especially if his three-point shooting persists. MSU needs a big man that can space the floor.

Guard Depth

Rocket Watts is slowly developing his confidence whereas Foster Loyer looks a bit timid. Outside of Winston, MSU seems to lack Guard depth. Kyle Ahrens just does not look right out on the floor. The Spartans need a Guard to step up in this game, who will it be?

Fans have been hard on Foster Loyer given that he was so good in high school. I think he can still grow this year. Against Seton Hall, Loyer looked a bit more confident. He hit a nice three early in the game and later converted on a layup with the defense draped all over him.

I’m still high on Rocket Watts as well. He ended the Seton Hall victory with eight points, shooting 3-8 from the field. He also grabbed five boards and two steals. Right now, Watts should keep shooting and focus on defensive production. Worst case scenario, he misses shots but comes up with multiple steals in each game.

You can catch this game on Big Ten Network at 6:30 P.M. tomorrow. Cheer on the Spartan Dawgs during this game.

Stay locked on SpartansWire for more coverage to come.

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Game Recap: MSU basketball Squeaks Out Win Over Seton Hall 76-73

Michigan State basketball barely won against Seton Hall 76-73 in an absolutely heart-stopping game. Here is a quick recap of this game.

Michigan State basketball barely won against Seton Hall 76-73 in an absolute barn burner. Seton Hall PG Myles Powell put on an absolute show but could not lead his team to victory. Instead, the Spartans walked away with a well-fought win.

Here is a quick recap of this game:

First Half

Cassius Winston got the Spartans going early on in this game. He scored a beautiful three with space and it was the first three for MSU. Winston also swung a beautiful pass to Thomas Kithier who then buried a three himself.

Foster Loyer saw more minutes than usual due to Winston’s early foul trouble. With eight minutes left in the first half, Winston committed another bad foul. As a result, Loyer came into the game and took over some extra PG minutes. Coach Tom Izzo was irate with Loyer before a TV timeout early on.  Later on, Loyer had a nice layup with a defender draped over his back.

Seton Hall came to play. Myles Powell played tonight despite his severe ankle sprain and he started off hot. Plus, he received a few favorable foul calls. Powell has limitless range even while absolutely smothered. He lead the game with 13 points at the half. Michigan State ended the half leading only by 3 points, 30-27.

Note, Aaron Henry appeared to roll his ankle before the end of the first half. Luckily, he came back to play in the second half and seemed okay.

Second Half

Early in the second half, Xavier Tillman recorded his third foul. The game was tied 40-40 until Malik Hall scored his first points as a Spartan with a beautiful three-pointer. Hall followed that up with another bucket, this time at the rim.

Myles Powell came back and scored on multiple possessions to increase his total to 21 on the night. Malik Hall did not care. Hall hit another three which is huge for Michigan State. They really need some three-point shooting beyond just Winston.

Things got dicey for the Spartans with 10 minutes left in the game. Powell took a flamethrower to the Michigan State defense. Every shot from Powell went in. He even hit an off-balance three. Lucky for the Spartans, Malik Hall continued to pour it on with a dunk and an open three. The game still tied, now at 55-55.

In the last ten minutes, there were multiple lead changes. Myles Powell remained a walking bucket. He hit multiple threes to bring Seton Hall out in front. Rocket Watts hit a transition three to bring Michigan State within two. Two plays later, Winston hit his own transition three to pull the Spartans ahead.

With less than 25 seconds left, Malik Hall finished at the rim with contact. One may argue he deserved an and one. Seton Hall could not score as Tillman blocked Sandro Mamukelashvili at the rim. Winston was fouled and missed his free throw. Luckily, he had a chance later and hit two free throws in a row, giving MSU a three-point victory over Seton Hall.

Winston lead MSU in points with 21 on the night and Powell lead Seton Hall with 37. Michigan State basketball plays again on Nov. 18 against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers. You can catch this game on the Big Ten Network.

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