Spartan Avenue
Fansided

Michigan State Basketball: 5 takeaways from win over Southern Utah

By Connor Muldowney

EAST LANSING, MI - DECEMBER 9: Jaren Jackson Jr. #2 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates a made basket during the game against the Southern Utah Thunderbirds at Breslin Center on December 9, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - DECEMBER 9: Jaren Jackson Jr. #2 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates a made basket during the game against the Southern Utah Thunderbirds at Breslin Center on December 9, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 5
Next

With a win on Saturday night, Michigan State basketball improved to 9-1 on the season. What did we learn from the Spartans’ win over Southern Utah?

Michigan State had its way with Southern Utah late on Saturday night as the Spartans fought off a Thunderbirds upset bid and secured an 88-63 win. It’s not always easy to get up for games like these, but Michigan State found a way to win and improved to 9-1.

Tom Izzo’s team is the new No. 1 in the country following the win, avoiding upset bids from Southern Utah and Rutgers in Week 5 and watching No. 1 Duke lose to Boston College and No. 2 Kansas fall to both Washington and Arizona State.

How will the Spartans handle the extra pressure of being the nation’s top-ranked team? There are a handful of non-conference games remaining for Michigan State until Big Ten action returns, so we might not see this team truly tested (except maybe against Oakland Saturday) until January.

What’d we learn from Saturday’s 25-point win over Southern Utah?

5. Perimeter defense needs to improve

Does Michigan State, the No. 1 team in college basketball, have any weaknesses? Well, every team does, but the Spartans have played exceptionally well over the past few weeks since losing to Duke. However, if there’s one area in which the team needs to improve, it’s 3-point defense.

Against Rutgers, the 3-point defense was average, at best. A few days later against Southern Utah, the perimeter defense seemed to take steps in the wrong direction. In fact, the Spartans allowed 3-point attempt after 3-point attempt as the Thunderbirds took 26 shots from distance, making 11 of them.

That’s 33 of Southern Utah’s 63 points from Saturday night coming from behind the arc and without those makes, Michigan State held the Thunderbirds to about 28 percent shooting from the floor.

The defense inside the arc has been incredible — actually tops in the nation. In fact, the Spartans have been holding opponents to under 32 percent from inside the 3-point line, but if they can figure out a way to defend that arc, this defense could take another step — and that’s bad news for opponents.

Home/Spartans Basketball