Michigan State basketball: 3 takeaways from comfortable win over Oakland
![Michigan State's Jaden Akins, right, celebrates his 3-pointer against Oakland with teammate Tyson Michigan State's Jaden Akins, right, celebrates his 3-pointer against Oakland with teammate Tyson](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_2000,h_1125,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/137/01hhzx0wrcskx13n6jes.jpg)
2. We may have the old AJ Hoggard back
What's been missing from this team through the first month and a half of the season? Besides 3-point shooting (which has been perking up lately), I think the obvious answer would be leadership and production from point guard AJ Hoggard.
The senior point guard from Pennsylvania has struggled with his consistency through the first six-ish weeks of the season but it feels like he's finally finding his footing.
On Monday night, Hoggard finished with 11 points, seven assists, a steal, a block, and zero turnovers. Yes, that's right, he had seven assists without a single turnover and he shot 5-for-8 from the floor and 1-for-1 from deep. He wasn't making any mistakes, he was being aggressive with the ball in his hands, and he was taking good shots.
After the start to the season he's had, it's good to see him finally figuring it out and having fun again.
Hoggard struggled horribly in the season's first three games, but he hasn't scored less than 10 points since Nov. 14 against Duke and he has 26 assists with nine turnovers over his past five games. Folks, he may just be back to his old self.