Tag: Spartans Basketball

3 Key Takeaways: No. 24 Michigan State defeats No. 18 Iowa

Michigan State Basketball took down one of the best Big Ten teams in the Iowa Hawkeyes. Here are three key takeaways from this game.

Michigan State Basketball defeated arguably the best Big Ten team last night in the Iowa Hawkeyes. Cassius Winston led the Spartans to a 78-70 victory at the Breslin Center. In this same game, Xavier Tillman became MSU’s all-time leader in blocks.

Here are three key takeaways from this game:

1. Stop Sleeping On Cassius Winston

For some reason, I feel like Cassius Winston is underrated. There was so much hype on Luka Garza as the best Big Ten player. Some even put Garza onto the national stage as the best NCAA player this season. Cassius Winston’s performance last night obviously warrants a debate.

Luka Garza was locked down in the second half while Winston erupted for 19 second-half points. Cassius didn’t put up unimpressive 19 points either. Instead, he left Iowa defenders in his dust while driving to the basketball. At one point, Winston hit a fadeaway corner three-pointer. He took control of this game and made everything look so easy.

2. Xavier Tillman Sr. Is The Best Big Ten Defender

As mentioned earlier, Tillman became the all-time leader in blocks at Michigan State. He also completely locked up Luka Garza in the process. Tillman held Garza to only eight second-half points. Late in the game, Tillman had a critical block on Garza as well.

Let’s put this defensive performance against Garza into perspective. No other team has kept Garza to 20 points or less since Nebraska on January 1. Tillman deserves every single bit of praise available. Even Izzo spoke on Xavier being the best defender in the Big Ten.

3. Rocket Watts & Aaron Henry Provide Scoring Boost

Rocket Watts scored 21 points last night, matching his career-high total from the Illinois game a few weeks ago. Meanwhile, Aaron Henry put up a season-high of 17 points. Aaron Henry, Rocket Watts, Gabe Brown, & Kyle Ahrens are all incredibly important to a deep NCAA tournament. MSU needs two or more of these players contributing at least 15 points a game. Luckily, Watts & Henry stepped up to the plate against Iowa.

The Spartans are back in action again this upcoming Saturday at 8 P.M. on ESPN.

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Michigan State Basketball faces No. 9 Maryland: Preview/Scouting Report

Michigan State Spartans Basketball takes on the Maryland Terpins at the Breslin Center. Here is a scouting report of the Maryland Terpins.

Michigan State Basketball is back in action this Saturday on Feb. 15 against the Maryland Terpins. The Spartans are currently 17-8 overall and 9-5 in Big Ten Conference games. Maryland, on the other hand, is currently 20-4 overall and 10-3 in Big Ten Conference games.

Here is a scouting report of Maryland:

Placement In The Big Ten

Maryland is a dominant Big Ten team with conference losses only to Penn State, Iowa, and Wisconsin. The Terpins score 71.7 points per game which ranks seventh in the Big Ten. Also, Maryland rebounds the ball extremely well with 39.2 rebounds per game which is fourth in the Big Ten. Most importantly, the Terpins boast two players who are top ten in Big Ten points per game.

Anthony Cowan Jr. & Jalen Smith

Anthony Cowan Jr. and Jalen Smith are an absolutely lethal combination. Cowan ranks fifth in Big Ten points per game and Smith ranks ninth with 16.3 and 15.1 points per game respectively. So Maryland features a stellar offensive duo in Cowan and Smith.

Cowan leads his team in assists and steals with 4.6 assists per game and one steal per game. Jalen Smith also ranks third in Big Ten rebounds per game with 10.2 rebounds per game. Smith also leads Maryland in blocks per game with 2.3 blocks per game. Both players will be a huge part of MSU’s defensive strategy in this Big Ten matchup.

Potential Flaws

Maryland only shoots 42% from the field which ties the Terpins for the worst shooting percentage in the Big Ten with Nebraska. Also, Maryland does not average a high number of assists per game. Instead, the Terpins only average 13.1 assist per game which is second to last in the Big Ten. These are two flaws Michigan State can potentially exploit in this home game.

The Spartans and Terpins face off against one another on ESPN. The game starts at 6 P.M.

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Michigan State Basketball defeats Illinois: 3 Key Takeaways

Michigan State Basketball won a close game against Illinois 70-69. Here are three key takeaways from this Spartan victory.

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Michigan State Basketball won a barn burner last night against Illinois, 70-69. The Spartans enjoyed a victory thanks to key contributions from Xavier Tillman and Rocket Watts. Now, MSU is 17-8 overall and 9-5 in Big Ten Conference games.

Here are three key takeaways from this game:

1. Slow Road Starts, Be Gone!

As you know, Michigan State struggles early on in road games. This did not stand true against Illinois. Instead, the Spartans jumped out to a huge lead in the first ten minutes of this game. They were clicking on all cylinders and this high level of play was truly impressive. Hopefully, this strong performance kick starts MSU’s offense moving forward.

2. Rocket Watts Cleared For Takeoff

Rocket Watts went absolutely bananas last night against Illinois. He scored a career-high 21 points on 9/14 shooting from the floor and 2/4 from three-point land. Most importantly, Watts his shots in critical moments during this game. He hit one floater right over a defender in the second half. Now, Watts looks incredibly confident in his on-court abilities. Let’s see what he does throughout the rest of this season!

3. Still Room For Growth

Michigan State did shake their early-game struggles but there is still plenty of room for growth. After all, Illinois climbed right back into this game during the second half. MSU must be more consistent on the defensive end of the floor, especially on the perimeter. Also, Michigan State must shoot get to the free-throw line more often. Illinois took 11 more free-throws than the Spartans.

The Spartans are back in action this Saturday on Feb. 15 against Maryland. The game starts at 6 P.M. and broadcasts live on ESPN. Follow along on SpartansWire for plenty of coverage to come.

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3 Key Takeaways: Michigan State Basketball loses to Penn State

Michigan State Basketball lost in tragic fashion to Penn State, 75-70 last night. Here are 3 key takeaways from this game.

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Michigan State Basketball suffered a tough loss at home to the Penn State Nittany Lions last night, 75-70. Michigan State brought it close towards the end but could not overcome Penn State. The Spartans are now 16-7 overall and 8-4 in Big Ten Conference play.

Here are three takeaways from this game:

1. Turnovers Haunt Michigan State Basketball

As a team, MSU ended this game with a whopping 15 total turnovers. The Nittany Lions capitalized on this high number of turnovers, shooting eight more shots than the Spartans. Turnovers always hurt but sting even more in close games. Penn State’s defense was on full display, forcing turnovers left and right throughout this game. Michigan State must work on reducing turnovers immediately. Especially during this crucial stretch in February.

2. Cassius Winston Needs Support

Cassius Winston is absolutely excellent but he needs help. Penn State trapped Winston and forced him to pass the ball away. Teams want other MSU players to make critical decisions in key moments, not Cassius. Winston scored 25 total points against Penn State. The bench contributed 18 total points and the other starting four players contributed 27 total points. Teammates can and will step up to help Cassius.

3. The Big Ten Is Really Good

I think people really underrate the Big Ten right now. Andy Katz put 10 Big Ten teams into his most recent March Madness Bracket Prediction. Competition is incredibly arduous and no game is an easy win. Even Tom Izzo gave credit to the impressive depth of high-quality teams in the Big Ten conference. I think more people will wise up to the Big Ten’s strength towards the end of the season, but, only time will tell.

Michigan State travels to the Crisler Center this Saturday for a 12 P.M. game. You can watch this game on Fox. Stay locked on SpartansWire for more MSU Basketball coverage to come.

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Boise State Looks to Extend Home Streak against Pesky Spartans

Boise State men’s basketball hosts San Jose State on Wednesday night at ExtraMile Arena. The game tips off at 7:00 PM Mountain.

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San Jose State at Boise State: Game Preview, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More

Both teams have already surpassed last year’s win totals

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

Can the Spartans sneak up on the Broncos in Boise?

GAME DETAILS

WHO: San Jose State (7-14, 3-6 MWC) at Boise State (13-8, 5-4 MWC)

WHEN: Wednesday, January 29 — 7:00 P.M. MT / 6:00 P.M. PT

WHERE: ExtraMile Arena, Boise, ID

WATCH: Mountain West Network

LISTEN: TuneIn

ALL-TIME: Boise State leads the series, 32-3

ODDS: Boise State -16, per KenPom

GAME PREVIEW

Boise State returns to ExtraMile Arena on Wednesday night as they take on San Jose State. The Broncos have a chance to move into a third-place tie in the Mountain West, but these Spartans are not the same pushovers they were a year ago. The game tips off at 7:00 PM Mountain Time and will be shown on the Mountain West Network.

The Broncos (13-8, 5-4 MW) will be intent on extending a burgeoning winning streak, which so far features victories over Utah State and Fresno State on consecutive Saturdays. It may have taken a miracle for Boise State to escape with a win over the Aggies, but their defeat of the Bulldogs was as sound as they come. The Broncos coasted to a 34-point victory in Fresno four days ago.

The team has seemingly turned a corner in the second half of the season, thanks in part to the addition of transfer forward Abu Kigab. The former Oregon Duck is averaging 14.4 points per game and more than four rebounds nightly, having started in all eleven of his appearances since joining the active roster in December.

Kigab joins teammates Derrick Alston, Justinian Jessup, and RJ Williams as double-digit scorers. Alston, a 6’8” junior with pro potential, leads the charge with better than 19 points per game. The sharpshooting Jessup has regained his form after an early season slump, shooting 45% on three-pointers during conference play, and scores 15 points an outing.

Williams, in particular, has been a very important piece for the Broncos. He was thrust into the starting lineup at the start of this season after serving almost exclusively as a sixth man during his time on Leon Rice’s bench in 2018-19. Though he seemed somewhat miscast as the center, standing at just 6’7”, Williams responded by becoming one of the most tenacious defensive rebounders in the country. He has shown continued development with his offensive game, posting nearly 12 points per game.

The arrival of Kigab has allowed Williams to slide back into his old role—and the results have been enouraging.

And while this team has had its fair share of issues on the road, ExtraMile has been something of a safe haven for the Broncos.

All four of Boise State’s conference losses have come in enemy territory. In fairness, those games have been at The Pit, Viejas Arena, Lawlor Events Center, and Clune Arena. None of those venues are exactly welcoming. But the Broncos haven’t lost a home game since a November 15 upset at the hands of UC Irvine.

The Broncos will try to keep their eight-game home winning streak alive on Wednesday, but another Californian team could sneak up on them.

It may not be instantly obvious looking at the standings, but head coach Jean Prioleau has architected a quiet turnaround for San Jose State this season. Before judging this team solely on its 7-14 record, consider that the Spartans won just four games a year ago. They already have three victories in league play alone in 2019-20, including wins over Nevada and New Mexico.

The third member of that trio of wins came in their most recent contest, when they hosted Air Force. The Spartans prevailed 90-81 at home against the Falcons, with Seneca Knight turning in another 20-point performance.

It was the sophomore’s fifth such effort this season, and his fourth in the past five games. Knight is averaging nearly 18 points and seven rebounds in Mountain West games and will be at the center of Prioleau’s program for the foreseeable future.

For the program to find any sustained success, however, Knight needs more support from the cast of players around him.

Senior guard Brae Ivey has been a serviceable game manager in the backcourt, averaging nearly ten points and three assists, while playing solid defense (1.2 steals per game) and limiting his turnovers (1.5 per game). But Ivey isn’t best suited as the second option in this offense.

Ideally, that person would be Richard Washington, Jr. The JUCO sniper was brought over after a successful stint at Tallahassee CC and was thought to be the offensive weapon that Prioleau’s team needed behind Knight.

Unfortunately, the returns haven’t been exactly as hoped, with Washington struggling with his shot at the Division I level. The junior is shooting just 36% from the field, a number weighed down by a pedestrian 32% clip from beyond the arc.

Still, Washington has the talent to get hot on any given night. If he and Knight can coordinate their efforts, they could pose a serious threat for a Boise State team that would do well not to look past this matchup in advance of their date with Nevada on Saturday.

Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.

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MSU Basketball vs. Virginia Tech: Scouting Report

Michigan State Basketball faces off against Virginia Tech on Monday, Nov. 25 in Hawaii. Here is a scouting report of the Hokies team.

Michigan State basketball has landed in Hawaii for the Maui Invitational. Their first game is against the undefeated, 5-0, Virginia Tech Hokies on Monday, Nov. 25. This will be a tough out for the Spartans as the Hokies boast a solid roster.

Here is a scouting report of the Virginia Tech Basketball team:

Landers Nolley

Let’s start with the best player on the Hokies roster, Landers Nolley. Nolley is a 6’7″, 230-pound freshman Guard from Atlanta, GA. Yes, you read that right. Nolley is a towering guard that scores from all levels. He can get to the basket with dribble moves and shoots long-range shots at an efficient clip.

Nolley will be a test for Michigan State on defense. If healthy, Aaron Henry will definitely guard Nolley for most of this game. If not, MSU might be in trouble. So far, Nolley leads his team with 20.2 points per game. He also averages 4.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.2 steals. Most impressive, he is shooting 45.9% from three-point land and 50% from the field.

The Landers Nolley matchup is quite an interesting one. We’ll have to wait and see what Izzo cooks up.

Small Ball Domination

As I mentioned earlier, the Hokies are 5-0 on the year.  their guards lead the team in numerous statistical categories. Virginia Tech guards lead the team in points, assists, steals, and even rebounds! So there is no doubt that Virginia Tech will run some sort of small-ball lineup.

Junior Guard Wabissa Bede leads the Hokies in both assists and steals with eight and 1.4 respectively. He is a perfect balance to Nolley’s impressive offensive skills. Wabissa handles the other teams best guard on the perimeter. That way, Nolley does not need to carry the team on both ends.

Wabissa also shoulders the playmaking load with that staggering eight assists. For comparison, Cassius Winston is averaging 7.0 assists on the year. Virginia Tech’s next leading scorer behind Nolley is freshman Guard Nahiem Alleyne. He averages 12.6 points on 46% from the floor.

Lastly, it is important to point out freshman Tyrece Radford. At 6’2″, Radford leads Virginia Tech in rebounds with seven per game. Now, this means Michigan State can dominate down low. Both Malik Hall and Xavier Tillman can clean the glass all game long for the Spartans.

Michigan State takes on Virginia Tech at 5 P.M. Eastern Time. You can catch this game on ESPN 2.

Stay locked on Spartans Wire for more coverage of this game and all things MSU basketball.

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Former Michigan State star Miles Bridges sets new NBA career high with 31 points

Charlotte Hornets sophomore Miles Bridges is starting to establish himself as a starter in the NBA.

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Almost one month ago, I wrote a story on Charlotte Hornets sophomore and former Michigan State Basketball star Miles Bridges setting a career-high in scoring against the Los Angeles Lakers with 23 points. Tonight, Bridges set a new career-high when he dropped 31 points against the Washington Wizards.

To go along with his 31 points, Bridges also had 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and he hit three three-pointers on the night. Of course, the Hornets lost to another bottom-feeder in the East, but it’s great to see Bridges performing so well with his increased role on a Hornets team that will finish as one of the worst teams in the league.

Bridges is now averaging 11.7 points-per-game on the season to go along with 5.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists. The Hornets might suck this year, but Bridges is already establishing himself as a legitimate starter at the pro level, and as a Spartan fan I love to see it.

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Former Michigan State star Miles Bridges posterizes 6-foot-11 Jonas Valanciunas

Miles Bridges is up to his usual tricks, this time posterizing Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas.

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You know, there is a lot of negativity in the world today. It seems like society is more divided than ever. Amidst the anger and the divisiveness that plagues our society today, there is one bright spot. One beacon of hope. One thing that can unite us all: Miles Bridges dunking the basketball like the rim owes him money. The Former Michigan State forward and current Charlotte Hornets star through down a dunk tonight and absolutely posterized Jonas Valanciunas of the Grizzlies.

You can watch it here:

Ah yes, that is beautiful. You can watch as Miles goes up and over the Memphis Grizzlies center Valanciunas. I’m not sure but I think Miles Bridges has some type of spring system in his legs. It’s still unclear how he does these things.

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