In a game that was supposed to be all Michigan State basketball, it lived up to expectations. The Spartans dominated Detroit Mercy from start to finish, 84-56.
While it wasn’t always pretty, the Spartans got the job done with a comfortable win that was truly never in doubt. They held a 16-point lead at halftime and then built on that in the second half even though the turnovers started to pile up much to Tom Izzo’s chagrin.
I’m willing to bet that Izzo is going to be pretty upset with the number of turnovers and the fact that the Spartans just refused to step on the gas in the second half. They’d built a huge lead and then Mercy would go on a small run, but the only people truly worried about the result were the bettors.
Here are my quick thoughts from the pre-Fort Myers Tip-Off win.
1. When the Spartans are on, they’re scary
It’s not easy to get up for a game against 1-4 Detroit Mercy, but the Spartans remained focused to avoid the verbal lashing that Izzo undoubtedly hit them with following the San Jose State game.
When the Spartans were focused and not turning the ball over, they were nearly impossible to stop, building a huge lead early, then building on that in the second half. Michigan State showed against Kentucky that when they’re on, there’s really no stopping the Spartans.
I’d call them streaky, but the only area in which that title applies is the 3-point shooting.
2. Jeremy Fears may be the nation’s most improved player
There may not be a better point guard in the Big Ten not named Braden Smith than Jeremy Fears Jr., and he showed that yet again on Friday night.
Fears has been the most improved player in the Big Ten this season, and potentially in the country. He has gone from an above average point guard who’s still finding his footing after a major injury to an elite passer, top-tier defender, and now, apparently, an offensive weapon. He finished Friday’s game against Detroit with 18 points and 11 assists, and just one (!!) turnover.
Fears already led the nation in assists per game, but he just improved that against Detroit. Oh, and that assist-to-turnover ratio is just unreal. He’s playing at an All-American level.
3. There’s still no one standing out at the 2-guard spot
While the Kentucky game was a major step in the right direction, the two-guard spot was a bit of a disappointment on Friday night. Neither Kur Teng nor Trey Fort stood out.
Figuring out the rotation is going to take some patience from Izzo, but he’s willing to put in the work because solving the starting shooting guard spot could be the difference between a first-weekend exit and a Final Four run.
Teng struggled from the floor, shooting just 1-for-6. He was also 0-for-4 from deep and finished with just two points. Fort wasn’t much better, shooting 1-for-5 from the floor and 1-for-3 from deep, finishing with five points. These guys just need some consistency.