Michigan State basketball: 3 takeaways from tough loss at Indiana

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Jan 22, 2023; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Michigan State Spartans forward Joey Hauser (10) dribbles the ball while Indiana Hoosiers forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (23) defends in the second half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Joey Hauser’s confidence continues to rise

I’m going to try and stay positive one more time before we get to the takeaway that really bothered me: Joey Hauser has been great lately.

It feels like we are looking at the most confident version of the senior forward that we’ve seen since he came to Michigan State a few years ago and it’s paying major dividends. Usually if you’re getting a 22-point performance from Hauser on the road, you’re probably also getting a win. That wasn’t the case on Sunday, unfortunately.

Hauser finished with 22 points on 6-of-12 shooting and it wasn’t even his 3-point shooting that was impressive (he only made one), but it was his driving and scoring.

After the Michigan game, his mom told him he needed to drive more and look for easier buckets and he’s done just that ever since. Five buckets inside the arc, usually creating his own shots, is a good look. Confidence is at an all-time high for Joey.

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