Tom Izzo discusses usage of MSU post players going forward

Tom Izzo has some decisions to make about usage at the center spot. What did he say about the post usage going forward?

The Michigan State basketball offense has been much improved recently. We all know how rough of a start we had this season shooting the ball, but MSU has since turned a corner in that department. Michigan State is, however, missing one thing on offense, and that’s a legit threat in the post.

The Spartans haven’t really had any sustained offensive play in the post this season, and I think this has really lowered the ceiling of this team. Tom Izzo talked about what he thinks they need to do to solve this, and I think I disagree with what he had to say.

What did Tom Izzo say about post play?

In a recent press conference, Izzo shared one thing that he thinks they need to do better offensively. Chris Solari with the Detroit Free Press summarized what Izzo said on X.

Izzo: MSU needs to do a better job of getting big men ball in post; bigs need to do a better job when they get it. Rotation still in flux with Kohler getting healthy but plans to play him, Sissoko & Cooper. Adds he wants Booker to have "a snarl on his face" and has seen progress.

— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) January 16, 2024

Izzo shared that he thinks their offense needs to do a better job at getting post touches and getting their bigs the ball down low. He also shared that the bigs need to then do a much better job as well when they do get the ball down low.

It’s no secret that the strength of the offense is guard play. Tyson Walker and AJ Hoggard can carry this team to wins, so they always need to be the focal points on offense. But is the answer to improving MSU’s offense really throwing the ball in the post more?

Why I disagree with Izzo

I personally don’t think the answer to improving the offense is throwing the ball in the post more. If Jaxon Kohler is the player down low, I agree that MSU needs to get him the ball. But if Mady Sissoko or Carson Cooper are in the post, I don’t think the Spartans should be feeding them more than they have been.

Cooper and Sissoko are both solid players, but they haven’t proven to be effective with the ball in the post. Neither one of them have shown the consistent ability to create their own shot like Kohler can. Both also aren’t the best passers out of the post either, so that’s what leads me to think that they shouldn’t get more touches down low.

Now this doesn’t mean that I think we should abandon them down low altogether. Becoming one-dimensional when they’re in the game will only make things worse. But MSU needs to focus on what it does well when Sissoko or Cooper are in the game. Instead of throwing them the ball down low, I think MSU should get them more involved in the pick-and-roll game. Both are solid screeners and rollers and they both can finish above the rim as well. So instead of putting them in positions they struggle in, why not use them where they can excel?

Tom Izzo is a Hall of Famer for a reason, so I’m sure I’m probably in the wrong here. Maybe they’ve shown something in practice that us fans haven’t seen. But I just don’t see how more post touches is the answer for MSU’s offense, but I would love to be proven wrong.