Michigan State Basketball: 5 ways to turn 2019-20 season around

1. Sophomore class needs to play to potential

One of the biggest disappointments during Michigan State’s stretch of six losses in 10 games has been the up and mostly down play of the sophomore class.

We see stretches of solid play from Gabe Brown, Aaron Henry, Marcus Bingham Jr., Thomas Kithier and even Foster Loyer, but not nearly enough consistency.

There’s been talk of Michigan State needing to find a third member of its “Big 3” and it was supposed to be Henry but he hasn’t lived up to his potential. He’s been a turnover machine and hasn’t quite hit his stride offensively. He has enough athleticism to score around the bucket and is a solid shooter, but he doesn’t trust himself enough.

Brown, on the other hand, has disappeared lately. He hasn’t shot the ball well in weeks and he’s supposed to be a lights-out shooter. He also has veered away from driving to the hoop and using his length to cause problems.

Bingham Jr. has shown flashes of being an energy-generating game-changer on defense. He can be an elite rim protector, but his conditioning and offense are both liabilities. He still has a ton of potential but isn’t consistent enough.

Lastly, Kithier has struggled mightily on defense and Loyer has had problems on both ends of the floor. They may 1-2 years away from being truly solid role players.

Getting the first three guys to play to potential would go a long way to improving the depth on the team and raising the ceiling. Right now, the sophomore class has been disappointing and it’s held this team back tremendously.