For the first time this season, No. 7 Michigan State basketball faced No. 3 Michigan in a clash of the titans in East Lansing, and the game did not disappoint. Despite a slow start that led to a huge first-half lead for Michigan, Michigan State fought back to take a second-half lead only to fall short in the end.
Below are our top three takeaways from the loss.
1. Slow starts finally catch up to Michigan State
At halftime, Michigan State trailed 42-26 after getting soundly outworked and outplayed in the first 20 minutes. We saw some foreshadowing for this slow start on Tuesday when the Spartans led 37-28 against lowly Rutgers. In both games, MSU had stronger second halves. Against Michigan, however, it clearly took too much energy. MSU looked visibly gassed in the last few minutes and fell short.
I think there may be a remedy for these slow starts, which we’ve seen since the Cornell game, which leads to my second takeaway.
2. It’s time to start Jordan Scott
This has felt like the inevitable move all year. However, I get why Izzo was holding off. It would be ideal if Trey Fort or Kur Teng could have taken over that starting spot from Divine Ugochukwu, considering their elite shooting. However, on Friday, Izzo finally moved Scott into the first unit in the second half against Michigan, and it made a world of difference.
In 26 minutes, Scott scored 10 points while adding four rebounds, two steals and a block. He’s already one of the best defenders on the team and is playing with a lot of confidence. If Izzo doesn’t trust Teng or Fort’s defense, it’s time to move Scott into the starting lineup.
3. Jeremy Fears was the best player on the floor
Despite the loss, Jeremy Fears led all scorers with 31 points, setting another career high. Fears is a clear All-American at this point, and he bears one of the heaviest offensive loads in the country, while also being a ferocious defender. In a game with multiple future NBA players on the other side, Fears popped as the best player on the court.
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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Three takeaways from Michigan State basketball’s loss to Michigan
Reporting by Andrew Brewster, Spartans Wire / Spartans Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
