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Michigan State Basketball: 5 fixes that could end ugly three-game losing streak

By Connor Muldowney

EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 02: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans during a game against the Indiana Hoosiers in the second half at Breslin Center on February 2, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 02: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans during a game against the Indiana Hoosiers in the second half at Breslin Center on February 2, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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CHAMPAIGN, IL – FEBRUARY 05: Aaron Henry #11 of the Michigan State Spartans recovers the loose ball as Ayo Dosunmu #11 and Giorgi Bezhanishvili #15 of the Illinois Fighting Illini reach in to defend at State Farm Center on February 5, 2019 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL – FEBRUARY 05: Aaron Henry #11 of the Michigan State Spartans recovers the loose ball as Ayo Dosunmu #11 and Giorgi Bezhanishvili #15 of the Illinois Fighting Illini reach in to defend at State Farm Center on February 5, 2019 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

2. Cut the sloppy, unforced turnovers

Have you ever seen a sloppier performance than Michigan State’s on Tuesday night at Illinois? Maybe not this season, since the Spartans turned the ball over 25 times last year in Champaign, but this matchup was every bit as ugly and it led to an upset defeat on the road.

Michigan State coughed the ball up 24 times and had the Spartans cut that number in half and got back to their regular season average, or just about, they would have walked away with an easy win.

Unfortunately, the Illini’s defense was aggressive all night, cut off passing lanes and took advantage of a lazy Michigan State offense, turning those turnovers into buckets. Illinois was scoring on fast-break after fast-break because the Spartans were just passing to the wrong team.

If Michigan State is going to turn things back around, it needs to cut those sloppy turnovers. The unforced errors are a coach’s worst nightmare and they’re fuel for disaster.

Michigan State had 24 against Illinois but only 10 versus Indiana and 12 at Purdue, but turnovers are a critical area for this team. If they’re not cleaned up, nothing good will come of the last month of the regular season.

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