Michigan State Basketball: 3 takeaways from blowout win over Toledo
![EAST LANSING, MI - DECEMBER 04: Pierre Brooks #1 of the Michigan State Spartans looks to pass the ball while defended by Ryan Rollins #5 of the Toledo Rockets in the first half at Breslin Center on December 4, 2021 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) EAST LANSING, MI - DECEMBER 04: Pierre Brooks #1 of the Michigan State Spartans looks to pass the ball while defended by Ryan Rollins #5 of the Toledo Rockets in the first half at Breslin Center on December 4, 2021 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/b3be4089c5f8e30a070d1c0703425e220728e8e5ae63805f39563e5649e514ed.jpg)
Michigan State basketball ran away with a 13-point win over Toledo on Saturday night to improve to 7-2 on the year. What’d we learn?
Michigan State basketball was looking to cruise to an easy win over Toledo, but the Rockets mucked things up in the second half to make it interesting.
The Spartans ended up winning, but it was a far closer game than it should have been.
Michigan State still won by 13 points, but its lead was nearly double that in the first half before Toledo went off for 45 points in the second half.
With the win, the Spartans improve to 7-2 on the season and Toledo falls to 6-2.
What’d we learn from the Spartans’ seventh win of 2021-22?
3. This team is finding its 3-point stroke
We heard all offseason from Tom Izzo about how good of a shooting team this was and we finally got to see that throughout the night on Saturday.
The Spartans weren’t making a ton of mid-range jumpers, but the 3-point shot was dropping and we got a glimpse of its prowess from distance when it passes around the perimeter, doesn’t turn the ball over, and gets open looks.
Michigan State finished the game 12-for-26 from 3-point range and guys like Jaden Akins, Gabe Brown, Max Christie, and Tyson Walker all finished with at least two makes from deep. That’s a good sign moving into Big Ten play this coming week.
If Michigan State can stay away from turnovers and get some shots off, the Spartans can make some teams pay with sharpshooting.