Michigan State Basketball: Report card for critical win at Florida

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - NOVEMBER 06: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans dribbles the ball against the Kansas Jayhawks during the State Farm Champions Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on November 6, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

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EAST LANSING, MI – DECEMBER 03: Nick Ward #44 of the Michigan State Spartans box out Tyler Cook #25 of the Iowa Hawkeyes during a free throw attempt during in the second half at Breslin Center on December 3, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

Rebounding: C-

I think Florida just reeled in another offensive rebound. Michigan State surrendered 16 offensive rebounds to the Gators which was arguably the reason the Spartans let Florida remain in the game for so long.

You could argue the turnovers (15 of them) kept Florida in the game when it had no business taking the Spartans down to the wire, but those offensive rebounds caused a plethora of second-chance points which, in turn, allowed the Gators to swipe momentum back on numerous occasions.

Michigan State couldn’t seem to keep the Gators off the offensive glass and that was infuriating for Tom Izzo who is likely to bring back the old war drill to hammer the ‘rebound at all costs’ mantra into his guys’ brains.

The Spartans went on to win the rebounding war, 36-33, but that didn’t seem like enough. It lost the offensive rebounding battle, 16-9. Those offensive boards were the difference between a blowout of the Gators on the road and a thrilling finish.

Keep teams off the offensive glass and games like these won’t come down to the wire. This was the weakest area of the Spartans’ game.

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