Michigan State basketball: 3 takeaways from tight win over Michigan

Jan 7, 2023; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard A.J. Hoggard (11) celebrates a big basket that forced the Michigan Wolverines to call a second half time out at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports /

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Michigan State’s Jaden Akins makes a 3-poitner against Michigan during the first half on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing.230107 Msu Mich Bball 078a /

2. MSU got away from what worked vs. Nebraska

What did Michigan State do against Nebraska that it didn’t do against Michigan? If you said moving the ball well, you’d be correct.

Sure, the Spartans finished with 12 assists on 21 made field goals, but that second number is the problem I have here. Finishing with just 21 made field goals is an issue. That means the ball wasn’t moving around enough to find the open man like it was against Nebraska which kept a plus defense on its toes throughout the game.

Michigan was able to read all the passes and more often than not, the Spartans were dribbling the air out of the ball. That can’t happen against a bad defense like Michigan’s.

The Spartans need to get back to what worked against Nebraska and continue that moving forward. No more settling for bad shots and forcing too much. There were some open looks, but not as many as there should have been.

Michigan State needs to figure it out quickly.

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