Michigan State basketball: 3 quick thoughts from loss at Indiana

Michigan State basketball lost a tough game at Indiana after struggling to keep up with some Hoosier runs in the second half.

A bad performance was bound to happen for Michigan State basketball after beating Rutgers by 13 on Thursday night and hanging with both Illinois and Purdue without Malik Hall for the most part.

Indiana got the best of the Spartans on Sunday afternoon in Bloomington, 82-69.

Michigan State held a second-half lead after a big Jaden Akins steal and drunk and then a big three but it just couldn’t hold on as Indiana went on its second big run of the game.

The second half wasn’t pretty, but Michigan State has a chance to bounce back this week against Iowa at home.

Here are my thoughts from the loss.

1. Pierre Brooks is in a massive funk

I know this isn’t the most important thought from the game, but it needs to be talked about. Pierre Brooks is just not himself at this point in the season, and that’s an issue.

With Malik Hall out, everyone kind of expected him to go out and replace that production, but he went 0-for-5 and he’s now just one for his last 14 from the floor. He has scored two points in his last six games. He needs to figure it out or else MSU’s bench production is going to continue to nosedive.

2. Jaden Akins is taking major strides

If there was one major positive to take from Michigan State’s loss, it was the fact that Jaden Akins looks like he’s taking major strides.

After a decent game against Rutgers in which he defended very well, Akins had himself an offensive outburst with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting. He almost willed Michigan State back into a winning position in the second half by himself. If he can continue to play like this on both ends of the floor, Michigan State will be just fine.

Akins will make up for Brooks’ struggles.

3. Tyson Walker has to get more shots up

Michigan State’s offense usually functions best when Tyson Walker is getting shots up. He only shot the ball seven times on Sunday, however. That’s just not going to cut it.

Sure, a lot of it was good defense from Indiana, but Walker also passed up a number of shot opportunities and finished with only eight points. In a game where points seemed to be at a premium for the Spartans, Walker has to be more aggressive.