Is Xavier Booker Michigan State’s best option at center against Purdue?

With Michigan State facing the best big man in college basketball this weekend, is Xavier Booker the Spartans’ best center option?

Is it Xavier Booker time again?

Michigan State has its biggest game this season on the horizon as the Spartans travel to Purdue this weekend. Purdue presents many challenges to MSU, but none are bigger (pun intended) than Zach Edey.

Edey is the reigning player of the year and will be again this season for Purdue. I don’t think I need to tell you how difficult defending Edey will be, but who will be MSU’s best option at doing so?

Is Xavier Booker the best option down low against Purdue?

Xavier Booker has been front and center on everyone’s minds recently. Many feel that he deserves more playing time, even after he got his first start against Ohio State. Even though Booker got the start against the Buckeyes, he did not play in the final 15 minutes and some, myself included, think this cost the Spartans the game.

However, I am not 100 percent convinced Booker should be the “go to” guy down low against Purdue. Edey plays an extremely physical style of basketball, something I’m not convinced that Booker is ready to handle. So even though I think Xavier should be the primary post player for this team going forward, maybe he shouldn’t be against Purdue, at least not for the entire game.

Overall I think Carson Cooper should get a lot of playing time in this matchup. I think he’s the best post defender on the team and has the best chance at slowing Edey down. I also think Mady Sissoko can be effective defensively as he is physically the strongest of MSU’s post players. But Mady’s offense is nonexistent and I think Cooper is slightly better on that end. So I think Cooper should be the primary post player in this game, but I still think Booker should play a lot.

How Xavier can be effective

As I already alluded to, Xavier Booker might not be ready for the physicality of Zach Edey. But that doesn’t mean I don’t think he can hold his own. Booker has the height to challenge Edey and I also think he is much quicker than Edey as well. So I think Xavier can do alright defensively and maybe even get a couple blocks.

But where Xavier can shine in this game is on offense. Similarly to how Booker might not be able to stop Edey on offense, I don’t think Edey can effectively stop Booker on the perimeter. Edey struggles defensively when he has to guard the perimeter. That’s one of the reasons why Purdue lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last year. Booker is the only Michigan State post player who can force Edey to have to defend the perimeter, so that’s why he should still play a lot this game.

If I were Tom Izzo, I would let Booker and Cooper split a majority of the minutes and sprinkle in Sissoko knowing Mady can be extremely physical with Edey. I also would like to see Malik Hall play the five some and really make Edey work on defense.

But who knows how much Xavier will play with how Izzo has handled him so far this year. I know I’m not holding my breath hoping to see Booker play extended minutes. I do think it would be a mistake not to give Booker a lot of the post minutes in this game, but I do see the need in this matchup to not make Booker the primary post player for MSU.