Michigan State Basketball: Malik Hall will do just fine in Kenny Goins role

After watching Michigan State basketball’s exhibition opener, it was relatively apparent that Malik Hall could be a solid replacement for Kenny Goins.

You don’t learn a ton from games that don’t count, but there are some things you just can’t discount about certain players or the team in general. On Tuesday, the Spartans opened the season with an exhibition game against Albion and came away with a 35-point win.

While we couldn’t exactly tell if the Spartans are deserving of a No. 1 ranking nationally, there were some players who stood out and gave fans flashes of what to expect.

One guy who took center stage more often than not was freshman forward Malik Hall. He not only looked like Goins with a little more strength, he even wears the same number. He finished the game with nine points on 3-of-4 field goals and 3-of-4 free throws with four rebounds and two steals in 14 minutes. He was incredibly efficient.

Tom Izzo was worried about who would start at the four because no one had separated themselves, but Hall may have done just that against Albion.

If Hall can play 20-plus minutes per game at the four, he could average around 10 points and five rebounds while playing solid defense with his quick hands. He’s got a higher ceiling than Goins did and he’s even more athletic. He is far ahead of where Spartan fans expected and the coaching staff has to be happy with his potential.

It’s not going to be easy to replace Goins in the post, but Hall has the body, strength and basketball IQ to fill the role. He’s a better rebounder than most thought and he can play bigger than his 6-7 frame — and he’s already gained 25 pounds since getting on campus.

Michigan State fans are going to love Hall for the next 3-4 years because he plays the type of style that’s been so successful at MSU. Just add a consistent jumper and he’ll be a Big Ten Player of the Year candidate sooner rather than later.