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Michigan State basketball: 3 takeaways from blowout win over Nebraska

By Connor Muldowney

EAST LANSING, MI - JANUARY 03: Tyson Walker #2 of the Michigan State Spartans drives against Keisei Tominaga #30 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the first half at Breslin Center on January 3, 2023 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - JANUARY 03: Tyson Walker #2 of the Michigan State Spartans drives against Keisei Tominaga #30 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the first half at Breslin Center on January 3, 2023 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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Through 20 minutes on Tuesday night, Michigan State basketball looked like a completely different team than the one we’ve grown accustomed to over the past month with Malik Hall sidelined.

The Spartans were moving the ball well, playing stingy defense, making big shots, and avoiding the turnover bug. They played arguably their best half of the season, rivaling the first half against Villanova and the first half against Gonzaga. It was a refreshing sight as they ran away with an 18-point win.

And this wasn’t your typical Nebraska team either. Fred Hoiberg’s squad had been much improved this season, beating Creighton and taking Purdue to overtime. This was a solid, quality win.

What’d we learn?

3. Mady Sissoko played a really solid defensive game

Facing one of the better bigs in the Big Ten in Derrick Walker, Mady Sissoko was going to have his hands full on Tuesday night, but he rose to the occasion.

Sissoko played one of his best defensive games of the season, not allowing any easy buckets for Walker who did most of his damage in the second half against Jaxon Kohler (who had a solid game offensively). Walker was 7-for-13 from the floor, but I’d be willing to bet more than half of those buckets came against Kohler and a lot of them were and-ones.

Mady held his own and really put fans’ minds at ease considering he’ll be facing a plethora of solid big men in conference play this season. His three blocks and 10 rebounds while holding Walker in check showed that he can hang.

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