Michigan State Basketball: 5 takeaways from overtime loss to Louisville

3. Spartans need to feed the post more

Michigan State had a distinct advantage on Tuesday night and it wasn’t on the perimeter — though the Spartans did have a better duo than the Cardinals at the guard positions — but rather in the paint with Nick Ward being the best player down low for either team.

Louisville had struggled with foul trouble in the post all season long and Ward drew some early fouls, but the Spartans didn’t work the ball through the post nearly as much as they should have.

When Michigan State did get it down to Ward, he was able to back Malik Williams down and get a good look at the basket, finishing with 14 points and three rebounds, but he could have been a difference-maker had they gone down low to him more than just settling for outside shots.

Xavier Tillman, too, was having success down low, scoring 11 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, but the guards didn’t seem to find them in the paint enough.

If Michigan State wants to have a more balanced scoring attack, it needs to work the ball into the post more, especially when there’s a clear advantage.