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Michigan State Basketball: 5 keys to victory over Michigan in season finale

By Connor Muldowney

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - FEBRUARY 24: Matt McQuaid #20 of the Michigan State Spartans and his teammates prepare to play the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Arena on February 24, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN - FEBRUARY 24: Matt McQuaid #20 of the Michigan State Spartans and his teammates prepare to play the Michigan Wolverines at Crisler Arena on February 24, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN – FEBRUARY 16: Jon Teske #15 of the Michigan Wolverines reacts after making a three point basket next Bruno Fernando #23 of the Maryland Terrapins during the second half at Crisler Arena on February 16, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 65-52. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN – FEBRUARY 16: Jon Teske #15 of the Michigan Wolverines reacts after making a three point basket next Bruno Fernando #23 of the Maryland Terrapins during the second half at Crisler Arena on February 16, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 65-52. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

4. Keep Jon Teske out of the paint

In the first few minutes of the first matchup in Ann Arbor, it was clear that Jon Teske was the best play on the floor. He was getting offensive rebounds and drawing fouls and he did all that while dominating the paint in the first five minutes, or so.

When he was kept out of the paint and forced to back down from further out on the baseline or at the top of the key, he wasn’t as effective. He’s a big who can take threes, but he makes them at a sub-30 percent clip. He’s not like a Mo Wagner who can make 4-5 threes in a game and make opposing bigs work constantly to guard against the perimeter shot or dribble-drive.

Teske isn’t quite as athletic and if he’s playing in the mid-range to perimeter game, he’s not going to be as effective. He can be a dominant force down low, but the Spartans need to make the necessary adjustments to his game like they did in the first matchup.

Xavier Tillman is going to have his hands full and Thomas Kithier, too, should get into the action, especially if Nick Ward officially can’t go. This is going to be critical to ruining Michigan’s offensive flow.

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