Happy birthday, Tom Izzo, now go face your toughest test of the season. Michigan State basketball’s legendary head coach will be celebrating his 71st birthday by hosting the school that he hates.
No. 7 Michigan State will host the No. 3 Michigan Wolverines for the biggest game that the rivalry has seen since Cassius Winston was still running point.
Here’s what I’d like to see from the Spartans against the Wolverines.
1. Three-point efficiency
It might surprise you to hear, but Michigan State is a better 3-point shooting team than Michigan which is surprising considering the Wolverines average 90 points per game. Michigan State has been much better from deep in recent weeks, and I would like to see that continue against a really good Michigan defense.
If the shots are falling early, confidence will build, and that opens up the entire offense more. If the shots aren’t falling, the offense gets a little clunky. I’d like to see Kur Teng exude confidence with a couple of threes and even a Coen Carr make or two would be massive.
Make around 35-40 percent from deep and I like Michigan State’s chances.
2. A quick start
Getting out to a quick start might be the most important thing I’d like to see from the Spartans because climbing out of an early hole against Michigan won’t be a near-given like it was against Rutgers. The Spartans can’t get off to a start like they did in that game.
Energy will play a big role in avoiding a slow start, and I’m confident that Jeremy Fears and Tom Izzo won’t let the Spartans come out flat.
I’m not asking for a 10-point lead into the first 10 minutes or anything like that, but taking control early and maintaining that would be nice to see.
3. Jaxon Kohler’s return to form
Jaxon Kohler hasn’t been bad over the past couple of weeks, by any means, but he hasn’t quite been himself. He’s been missing shots that he would normally make and he’s just looked a bit off, but every player goes through slumps and I’d like to see him break out of his mini slump with a big game against the Wolverines.
Imagine Kohler having one of his usual 15-points per game, 10-rebound performances with a couple of big threes on Friday night. It would ignite the Breslin Center crowd.
I’d love to see Kohler return to form in the biggest game of the season.