Michigan State basketball: 4 keys to victory vs. USC

4. Break the press

There’s no doubt that USC has seen film on Michigan State’s late-game inbounding against the press and will try to use that to their advantage.

Too many times, the Spartans let a 10-point lead vanish in the waning minutes of a game that should be out of hand. Whether it’s turnovers or in-bounding it into a corner with only timeouts as your escape, these late game lapses can be the difference in a classic Tom Izzo run or anther first weekend exit.

I also think Izzo and his assistants need to cook up some creative in-bound plays that get the ball more than three feet from the end-line and give the ball-handler some space to either pass the ball up or dribble the ball out instead of immediately getting double teamed.

I know this is a lot easier said than done and the Spartans are tops in the Big Ten in making free throws, but maybe just for once we can lower the stress level of these free throw shooters and the fans alike.