Michigan State basketball: Report card from massive win over Kentucky

Michigan State Spartans center Mady Sissoko (22) rushes up the court in excitement after dunking the ball Tuesday, Nov 15, 2022 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Michigan State Spartans defeated the Kentucky Wildcats in double overtime, 86-77.Ncaa Basketball Uk Vs Michigan State Hoops Michigan State Spartans At University Of Kentucky Wildcats /

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Nov 15, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Kentucky Wildcats forward Daimion Collins (4) guards Michigan State Spartans forward Joey Hauser (10) during the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports /

Joey Hauser: A

Through the first couple of minutes, I think every Michigan State fan had the same reaction: what the heck is Joey Hauser doing? He was struggling early on and it looked like he might just have another poor performance, following up one of the worst games of his career against Gonzaga.

Instead of crumbling under the pressure and letting his Gonzaga performance carry over into this one like he might have done a year ago, he flourished.

Hauser led all scorers with 23 points on 8-of-16 shooting and he made some really clutch shots down the stretch. He was 4-for-7 from deep and sparked the offense when the Spartans needed it. Some of his mid-range jumpers down the stretch were massive as well. It was nice to see that he didn’t shy away from the spotlight and wanted the ball in big situations.

If Michigan State can get this Hauser for the rest of the season, the Spartans are going to make some serious noise in the Big Ten and in March.

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