Michigan State Basketball: 3 observations from hard-fought win over Oakland

1. Are the turnovers fixed?

Michigan State Spartans only turned the ball over 10 times in this game against Oakland. In their previous two games, they turned the ball over 13 times and 11 times, respectively. This is the third straight game where they have turned the ball over less than their average on the year.

In the Spartans’ last three games, they are averaging 11.3 turnovers per game. This is a way better rate than the 15-plus turnovers they were committing in the first nine games of the season. When the Spartans were not turning the ball over, they looked like a very solid team that can be dangerous in the Big Ten and in the tournament come March.

The Spartans can continue this level of play when these teammates trust each other. When they are trusting each other they are moving well and reading their teammates well. It has been when one person tries to do too much that they start to turn the ball over because other players feed into that and then they also try to do too much.

When the Spartans move off the ball and play like a complete team they are not turning the ball over as much and this could be the key to another Final Four run when they get consistent about not turning the ball over.