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Michigan State Basketball: 3 things we learned from win over Miami

By Connor Muldowney

Mar 17, 2017; Tulsa, OK, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Miles Bridges (22) goes up for a shot ahead of Miami Hurricanes forward Kamari Murphy (21) during the first half in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 17, 2017; Tulsa, OK, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Miles Bridges (22) goes up for a shot ahead of Miami Hurricanes forward Kamari Murphy (21) during the first half in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports /
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A big win for Michigan State basketball means the Spartans are moving on. But what did we learn from the win over Miami?

If you watched the first five or ten minutes of Friday’s Michigan State basketball game against Miami, you probably thought the Spartans had no business being in the NCAA Tournament. The Hurricanes were just giving Michigan State more than it could handle and it was only a matter of time before the Spartans waved the white flag.

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A few minutes later, Michigan State woke up. The young players began to play like veterans and the vets began to act like leaders. Everything fell into place and Michigan State stormed back to win, 78-58.

What did we learn from the Spartans’ 20-point victory over Miami?

1. Tournament jitters are out of the way

There’s no doubt about it, the young Spartans were in shock during the first five-minute stretch of Friday night’s game, leading to an early 12-point deficit. They were playing timid basketball and it showed. These young guys had never played in the NCAA Tournament before and the jitters were getting to them early. However, they settled down shortly after, made some buckets and the jitters were gone. After they saw the ball going in the basket, everything felt comfortable again and the tension left their bodies. Every win from this point on is a bonus, so they’re going to play loose and free.

2. Confidence couldn’t be any higher

Along the same lines of getting rid of the first-game jitters, guys like Miles Bridges, Nick Ward, Cassius Winston and Josh Langford now know they can combine to beat just about anyone. Those four racked up 57 points which is the most of any freshmen combo during an NCAA Tournament game in school history. That’s the type of confidence that could carry this team on a surprise run and the confidence is at an all-time high after pulling out a 20-point win.

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3. When Josh Langford shoots, Michigan State wins

When Langford gets his shot up 10 times or more in a given game, the Spartans end up winning. The proof is in the pudding. In fact, he has shot the ball at least 10 times in three games this season and Michigan State has won each of them by an average of 21 points. Is that just a crazy coincidence? Maybe, but it’s obvious that his offense can make a difference in the outcome of a game. When he scores, Michigan State seems to thrive because it’s one extra player for the defense to keep an eye on — doubling Bridges or Ward is no longer worth it.

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