Michigan State Basketball: 5 takeaways from resilient win over Rutgers

EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 20: Matt McQuaid #20 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates his three-point basket in the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Breslin Center on February 20, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

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EAST LANSING, MI – FEBRUARY 20: Foster Loyer #3 of the Michigan State Spartans looks to pass the ball while defended by Geo Baker #0 of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the first half at Breslin Center on February 20, 2019 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

4. Tom Izzo didn’t dig into his bench as promised

We can’t say too many bad things about Tom Izzo because he had the fist pump of the century after Matt McQuaid hit the game-tying 3-pointer with about 12 minutes left in the game. He knew that was all the momentum that the team needed to steer toward victory and he let his emotions hang out.

However, he did something that made everyone scratch their heads a bit — rather, he didn’t something in particular. He didn’t dig into his bench like he said he would and played Marcus Bingham Jr. and Thomas Kithier a total of 12 minutes.

Gabe Brown and Foster Loyer each played two minutes as well and Rutgers’ bench out-scored the Spartans’ reserves 19-2.

That’s something that must change moving forward because Kenny Goins and Xavier Tillman are going to need breaks down in the post and Cassius Winston can’t be playing 36 minutes every night down the stretch — though he has to this point without complaining.

Izzo didn’t dig deep into that bench like he promised and it didn’t burn the Spartans on Wednesday but it’s something that must happen with Nick Ward and Josh Langford out.

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