Concern is growing after Michigan State basketball lost its last two exhibition games against UConn and Marquette weeks after taking care of Incarnate Word.
That Incarnate Word game feels like a decade ago at this point and there have been several negative developments since then. Everyone has been talking about a certain transfer center and several other players look incredibly rusty heading into the season opener next week.
To say that fans are concerned about the last two losses would be an understatement, but should we put a ton of stock into the exhibition games? We’ve learned that they ultimately mean nothing — Michigan lost to Cincinnati last year in exhibition play.
Still, the concerns are impossible to ignore.
The center position
This should honestly go without saying, but Michigan State’s center position is a mess right now with Izzo trying to mad scientist his way to the regular season. After two (real) exhibition losses, Michigan State’s center spot is about as confusing as any in the Big Ten with Anton Bonke really struggle, Jesse McCulloch getting a shot, and Ethan Taylor playing well enough to stay on the floor for longer stretches.
Bonke is a real concern seeing as he got benched against UConn after a few shaky minutes and then he lost his starting spot against Marquette as McCulloch got the nod. Jesse is more of a power forward so I don’t see that sticking for the remainder of the season.
Taylor is probably the best option there and it’s going to be a lot of trial by fire for the true freshman. We’re about to see what he’s made of.
Still, the center position is very concerning.
3-point shooting
Michigan State was red-hot in that first scrimmage against Incarnate Word, but that feels like a decade ago. Shooting wasn’t a concern in the first game but it’s slowly becoming one.
There were whispers of concern after the UConn loss when Michigan State made just 3-of-20 from deep and that didn’t get much better against Marquette, hitting under 33 percent from deep. The shots are open but guys like Kaleb Glenn, Coen Carr, Kur Teng, Carlos Medlock, and Jeremy Fears just aren’t hitting their shots from distance.
Is this just rust? Potentially, but if it carries over into the regular season again, the whispers will turn into screams of concern.
Too many disappearing acts
Glenn, Bonke, Cam Ward, Medlock, Teng, and, at times, Coen Carr — there have been just far too many disappearing acts over the past two exhibition losses.
Michigan State isn’t going to win games if the offense is just Jeremy Fears, Jasiah Jervis, and Jordan Scott. It’s good to have a big three on offensive like that, but they need some help. The supporting cast has to perk up because getting donuts from Glenn, Bonke, and Teng over the past two games has set the alarm bells off.
Scott and Jervis have really stepped up and we’ve seen McCulloch do some big things but other than them — and Fears — there really hasn’t been consistency from the supporting cast.
Way too many disappearing acts.
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