Michigan State basketball: Trio of unheralded players starting to shine
By Carlos Araoz
A consistent Gabe Brown
Gabe Brown was as efficient as he has ever been against Oakland. He scored 20 points in only 18 minutes of court time on 78 percent shooting from the field while drilling four 3-pointers. If this type of output can become constant, that would make this deep roster even more potent.
His job is to provide instant offense off the bench. He’s not a stat sheet stuffer like Aaron Henry but he possesses tremendous athleticism and the unlimited range on his shot which gives him the ability to score in bunches. He also is critical as a spot-up shooter to space the floor in order to open up dribble penetration lanes for the likes of Henry and Rocket Watts and allow Joey Hauser to operate in the low post without perimeter defenders having the luxury of doubling-down.
Brown has had some fantastic games (16 points against Detroit) this year as well as some disappearing acts (0 points vs. Duke). If he can evolve into more of a steady contributor and become a reliable fourth option, this team can quickly morph from good to elite.