Michigan State basketball: 3 takeaways from huge road win at Penn State

EAST LANSING, MI - DECEMBER 04: A.J. Hoggard #11 of the Michigan State Spartans talks to Mady Sissoko #22 of the Michigan State Spartans in the first half of the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Breslin Center on December 4, 2022 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

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Dec 7, 2022; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions guard Jalen Pickett (22) drives the ball towards the basket as Michigan State Spartans guard AJ Hoggard (11) defends during the first half at Bryce Jordan Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports /

2. AJ Hoggard woke up

AJ Hoggard played his best game of the season and it was refreshing to see him play really well for 40 minutes. Sure, there were a couple of tough turnovers and ugly plays where it left us all scratching our heads, but he finished really strong.

Hoggard has been struggling through the past couple of weeks, enough so to find himself on the bench to start the Northwestern game. Tom Izzo has been trying to send him a message and he responded with a huge game at Penn State when the team needed him to step up and be that leader.

Not only did he finish with a career-best 23 points to go along with six rebounds and two assists and he shot 8-for-16 from the floor, but he locked down defensively and finished with a steal and a block and really bounced back after a shaky first half on that end.

Hoggard woke up and it feels like he may be trending in the right direction again.

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