Michigan State Basketball: 3 takeaways from pull-away win over Oakland

EAST LANSING, MI - DECEMBER 13: Head coach Tom Izzo of the Michigan State Spartans reacts to a play in the first half of a college basketball game against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies at the Breslin Center on December 13, 2020 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images) /

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Gabe Brown, Michigan State basketball (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

2. Gabe Brown looks to have turned a corner

Gabe Brown heard all about how disappointing his second half of the 2019-20 season was. He got sick before the Wisconsin game, played a minute and never looked the same for the rest of the Big Ten season. He didn’t have confidence in his shot, he no longer drove to the hole and we didn’t get to see much of his athleticism on both ends of the floor.

It’s been a much different story this season.

Coming into Sunday’s game, Brown was averaging 8.8 points while shooting 48 percent from deep, putting together a career year. Against the Grizzlies, he had himself a game with 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting and four makes from 3-point range on six attempts.

Brown looks like a much more complete player and he’s not getting beat on the defensive end like he did in his freshman and sophomore year too often.

Tom Izzo said he wanted to make Brown the best sixth man in the country and right now he looks like the best in the Big Ten.

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