Michigan State Basketball: Player grades for blowout win over Oakland

Bench

The Spartans got a ton of production off the bench and surprisingly dipped deep into it for some minutes out of guys like Conner George and Julius Marble.

Kyle Ahrens: B-

Kyle Ahrens saw the most playing time off the bench for the Spartans likely because of the absence of Rocket Watts and he showed some promise. He made a nice jumper to go along with a 3-pointer to finish with five points and he had five rebounds. However, he needs to cut down on those turnovers (3) because he’s supposed to be a leader by example off the bench.

Foster Loyer: C+

While he may not be the point guard he needs to be at this point in his career, Foster Loyer provided a scoring punch off the bench with seven points and two assists. Sure, four of his points were on free throws, but that one 3-pointer made could go a long way with his confidence.

Conner George: B+

What prompted Tom Izzo to give Conner George some extra minutes off the bench? Whatever it was, it worked. The senior played well and earned the respect of his head coach and teammates. He even came in and knocked down a 3-pointer and grabbed five rebounds in 10 minutes. Could we see George grow into a Colby Wollenman-type role?

Thomas Kithier: B+

Izzo admitted after the game that he thought Thomas Kithier played well and didn’t get the playing time he deserved. He shockingly saw only nine minutes of action but was arguably the Spartans’ top bench player against Oakland. Kithier scored eight points on 4-of-4 shooting, grabbed six rebounds and had an assist in just nine minutes. His three fouls played a role in his lack of playing time, but this was a major step in the right direction.

Malik Hall: C

I’m not sure if Malik Hall was in the doghouse or if he just was just in foul trouble, but Izzo didn’t give his freshman forward much playing time. When he was on the court, he happened to pick up almost immediate fouls. He had just two points, two rebounds and an assist in eight minutes.

Julius Marble: C

We need to see more Julius Marble because he could potentially fill the Nick Ward role, but he had just six minutes and finished with two assists and a rebound. He didn’t play well and didn’t play poorly, so we’ll give him a passing grade.