Michigan State Basketball: 3 quick takes from scare against Samford

Michigan State basketball was back in action on Tuesday night, hosting the Samford Bulldogs. The Bulldogs are a team that hit the three well and took Kansas to the wire in last season’s NCAA tournament. Additionally, Samford entered with six players averaging at least 8.8 points per night. They did not look like a pushover on paper. After a scare on Saturday against Bowling Green, the Spartans were looking to get back on pace. Samford would not be the easiest test on the schedule, but they were also the last opponent before the Spartans headed to Maui.

It was not easy, nor was it a true “bounce-back,” but the Spartans are riding their two-game win streak on the 10-hour flight to Maui after an 83-75 win.

1. This was the worst 10 minutes and best 10 minutes of the season, in a half

The game started atrociously for the Spartans. They started the night 0-for-9 from three while allowing Samford to hit three of their own as the Bulldogs pulled ahead by 13 points at one point. The Spartans were being outrebounded by guards, both of their own guards had four total early turnovers, and their missed 3-pointer streak of nine matched their point total.

Then, Xavier Booker hit a three and the switch was flipped. MSU went 6-for-6 on field goals from that three, and the Spartans tied the game up. Then, they were not done. While they were no longer hitting 100 percent of their shots, they held Samford to three points for the final 4:14 of half, while adding 15 points of their own. All that culminated in a 30-7 run to end the half with stifling defense and great shot selection.

It was the worst streak for the Spartans immediately followed by the best streak. Booker mentioned in the locker room that the group’s goal off the bench was to “create some energy” and his 3-pointer and putback certainly did so.

2. Jaden Akins is the next alpha

While it may be too soon in the season to crown Jaden Akins, Tuesday saw the senior put up a career-high 25 points. Akins went 10-for-15, including a team-leading 3-pointer from beyond the arc, to lead the Spartans. In addition, Akins went to the line twice tonight, both occurring after he made a layup through contact. While he was credited with four 3-point shots, he might as well have had six, as he drained both and-ones. He was the worst nightmare for any Samford upset hope.

Despite being whistled for a technical foul (where everyone has no clue what happened, Akins included), the Spartan was a menace for the Bulldogs. He ultimately ended the day on the bench due to fouling out, but his last foul and technical fouls are both extremely questionable. Tom Izzo was shocked at the foul on Akins, stating in his presser that he had asked the referee, “Are you sure Jaden said that and it required a T with no warning?”

Akins also delivered three defensive rebounds and a steal to aid the Spartans in addition to leading the team in plus/minus at a plus-21 mark. Against a Samford team that is back-to-back conference champions and went 29-6 last season, nearly upsetting Kansas in the tournament, that is a phenomenal mark.

Considering how close the game got at the end, this was a much-needed step forward by the Michigander.

Tom Izzo also noted in his press conference that Akins is working on the mentality from being the third option into the first option for scoring and that Tyson Walker had talked to the coach earlier in the week about that process. Trust this process would be my best advice. There was a reason every Michigan State basketball fan loved Walker last year.

4. Threes?

You may have noticed that I jumped to No. 4 on this list of three takeaways. That is because, like the Spartans in their first five games, I missed the three.

Again, the Spartans failed to record a 3-point shooting percentage above 30. Michigan State basketball entered the night dead last in 3-point percentage among all Division 1 schools, and their 0-for-9 start did not help matters. What was frustrating about this was how wide-open some shots were.

Samford relied on their zone to prevent players like Jaxon Kohler from destroying them on the inside and opted to dare MSU to take a shot from beyond the arc. At the start, that worked perfectly. Jaden Akins, Tre Holloman, and Jase Richardson all got open looks from three, and nothing fell. The zone also led to Holloman not attempting a single point from inside the arc all game, and the guard finished 1-for-9 on his shots, all from three.

Holloman did not seem discouraged post-game, calling it a learning experience. If anything, he seemed more frustrated with his team-high five turnovers but cited the Samford press as something that will help out when Rutgers or Iowa press the Spartans once Big Ten play begins.

After Booker broke the glass ceiling and drained a three, the Spartans finished 7-for-15, which is something we are more similar to seeing. That said, a paltry 29.2% from behind the arc on Tuesday is still disgusting with the looks the Spartans got. Tom Izzo again said that he did not see many bad shots from beyond the arc besides Hail Marys to beat the shot clock, and it was frustrating him. He did try his best to note the positives, those being that the team is getting a lot of first-hand experience in offensive rebounding.

While not a full takeaway, I want to commend the Spartans’ efforts from the charity stripe. The Spartans ended with an 87 percent mark on free throws (20-for-23), including being at 16-for-16 until the foul game threw them off their rhythm late.

What’s next for the Spartans?

Michigan State basketball has nearly a week off, with the Spartans resting up before heading to Hawaii for the Maui Invitational. There, they will open their in-season tournament against Big 12 foe Colorado.

That rest is much needed, as Jase Richardson had a scary fall in the final minute of the game and had ice tied around his ankle at the end. Tom Izzo, after prefacing with “I’m no doctor”, suspected a sprain in the freshman’s ankle. Unfortunately, Richardson has to deal with the 10-hour flight on a bad ankle, which cannot be comfortable.

In a worst-case scenario where Richardson cannot go for the contests in Maui, he should be available for the next home contest for the Spartans. They host Nebraska to open the early slate of Big Ten play on Dec. 7 at noon.