Michigan State Basketball: After 3 losses, is it time to panic?

After a third consecutive loss, is it time for Michigan State basketball to panic?

The Michigan State basketball team fought hard until the end on Wednesday night, but it ultimately wasn’t enough to top the Nebraska Cornhuskers at home, losing 72-71 on a missed buzzer-beater on a pretty good look by Denzel Valentine.

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Nebraska’s defeat marked the third straight loss for the Spartans and the 16-1 start to the season was crumbling before their very eyes. Tom Izzo has been left searching for answers after his team’s second-straight one-point loss.

So, is it time to panic?

Fans have been throwing in the towel after this latest loss, and even after losses to Iowa and Wisconsin, but this season is far from being a disaster.

Michigan State began the season 13-0 with wins over Kansas, Providence, Louisville and Florida. That’s already an impressive resume for the Big Dance. Conference play began without Denzel Valentine and the Spartans dropped a road game against Iowa to kick things off.

Valentine came back two games later and everything seemed to be back to normal, but it was clear that the gelling that was taking place before his injury wasn’t happening within the lineups. Couple that with constant foul trouble which causes the bench to be extended, sometimes playing 12 guys, and you have a team desperately grasping for an identity.

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After Wisconsin’s loss on Sunday in which the Spartans were whistled for 28 [controversial-ridden] fouls, Izzo vowed to tied his players’ hands behind their back in practice so they could learn to defend without using their paws.

He did just that.

On Wednesday, though, the constant fear of foul trouble caused Michigan State to play very little defense, allowing the Cornhuskers to shoot 50 percent from the field — far from the norm before conference play began.

Izzo needs to find that happy medium between no hand checking and no defending at all.

Against Wisconsin, the Spartans watched the Badgers make 29-of-36 free throws in a one-point defeat on the road. Against Iowa, Michigan State fell victim to 10 three-pointers — eight of which came in a red-hot first half.

Jan 20, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Denzel Valentine (45) drives to the basket against Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Shavon Shields (31) during the second half of a game at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /

This team has the talent and Izzo has been here before. In fact, during the 2013-14 season when the Spartans had Keith Appling, Adreian Payne, Branden Dawson, Gary Harris and Travis Trice, there was a stretch when they seemed much worse off than this team. That year’s squad began the season 18-1 and then lost 7-of-12 games in conference play — and one to Georgetown mixed in — to fall to 23-8.

Things were corrected by the end of the regular season and the Spartans blew through the conference tourney with three decisive wins and proceeded to make it to the Elite Eight.

No, this team doesn’t have the same NBA talent as that year’s squad did, but, in all reality, this team might be more cohesive.

It might not have seemed like a big deal at the time, but Tum Tum Nairn’s injury is hurting Michigan State more than people really realize. He’s the facilitator; he gets the ball rolling on offense and sets up open shots.

Everyone knocks Nairn for his lack of offensive production, but without him, there is no fear by defenses of point guards driving down a lane with lightning-quick speed and either making a layup or dishing to a wide open shooter.

Is there a reason to panic right now? No. Should the Spartans correct things before they get out of hand? Yes. Is this team still one of the top-five or 10 most talented and deep in the country? Absolutely.

Step off the ledge, Spartan Nation. Rough stretches happen to the best of teams.

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