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Michigan State Basketball: 5 takeaways from blowout win over Houston Baptist

By Connor Muldowney

EAST LANSING, MI - DECEMBER 18: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans drives around Braxton Bonds #30 of the Houston Baptist Huskies during the second half at the Jack T. Breslin Student Events Center on December 18, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State won the game 107-62. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - DECEMBER 18: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans drives around Braxton Bonds #30 of the Houston Baptist Huskies during the second half at the Jack T. Breslin Student Events Center on December 18, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State won the game 107-62. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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EAST LANSING, MI – DECEMBER 18: Miles Bridges #22 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates a second half play with Jaren Jackson Jr. #2 while playing the Houston Baptist Huskies at the Jack T. Breslin Student Events Center on December 18, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State won the game 107-62. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI – DECEMBER 18: Miles Bridges #22 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates a second half play with Jaren Jackson Jr. #2 while playing the Houston Baptist Huskies at the Jack T. Breslin Student Events Center on December 18, 2017 in East Lansing, Michigan. Michigan State won the game 107-62. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

1. This team is capable of getting fired up vs. inferior opponents

I’ve been one of the harshest critics of this Michigan State team when it comes to inferior opponents and how the Spartans perform. Through the first month-plus, the Spartans have played down to opponents when they should be blowing them out from start to finish.

Must Read: MSU Basketball: 5 bold predictions for December

That’s not a knock on who Michigan State has played, but rather the fact that the Spartans are clearly the better team and still let squads like DePaul, Stony Brook, Oakland and Rutgers hang around. They flipped the script on Monday and blew the doors off Houston Baptist from start to finish.

The Huskies were known as an offense-first team and the Spartans got out and defended well, for the most part, holding them to just 28 percent shooting from the floor and 21 percent from 3-point range. They also forced 14 turnovers and the offense came to play.

Next: MSU Basketball: Game-by-game predictions for December

Michigan State made 64 percent of their shots and 10-of-20 from behind the arc to finish with a 45-point win over Houston Baptist. It looks like Michigan State is capable of getting fired up against lesser opponents after all.

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