Michigan State Basketball: 5 takeaways from blowout win over Oakland

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EAST LANSING, MI – DECEMBER 21: Matt McQuaid #20 of the Michigan State Spartans drives to the basket while defended by Jaevin Cumberland #21 of the Oakland Golden Grizzlies in the first half at Breslin Center on December 21, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

3. Transition offense can decimate opponents

Is there a team in college basketball that runs the fast-break better than the Spartans? If you asked Oakland’s Greg Kampe, he’d tell you no.

Greg Kampe says MSU is the fastest team he’s seen in coaching - and fastest and also gets things done with that speed up and down the court. Credits Ward running the court and Winston.
— Graham Couch (@Graham_Couch) December 22, 2018

That’s some high praise from the coach who has been around the sport for 40 years. He did nothing but talk up Michigan State’s transition game and you could see him yelling from the bench near the end of Friday’s game at his players, “Are you tired?”

Michigan State scored 47 fast-break points on Friday which is actually an unbelievable stat if you sit down and think about it. The Spartans are all in incredible shape — including Nick Ward who was running like a guard — and that wore down the Grizzlies. If they can continue this fast-break dominance, there may not be a team in the Big Ten who will be able to keep up, conditioning-wise.

Imagine the Spartans scoring 30-plus fast-break points per game in Big Ten action. That would make for an interesting run to the conference title and it would swipe any momentum opponents have — some of the quick buckets came right after Oakland scores.

Michigan State’s transition game can absolutely ruin opponents by the second half.

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