Saturday's Michigan State basketball win over Indiana State came with plenty of positives from veterans stepping up to hot shooting to responding and finishing strong.
It felt like this was the typical Michigan State game against a solid mid-major and it played out completely differently from the James Madison loss earlier in the year. Unlike that game, Michigan State held a lead pretty much throughout on Saturday and the veterans were the ones who stepped up when the Spartans needed sparks and responses.
Tyson Walker was his typical self, scoring 22 points despite shooting just 5-of-15 from the floor (unlike himself actually), AJ Hoggard returned to form, and Jaden Akins was a killer on both ends of the floor. Even Mady Sissoko was making plays, crashing the offensive glass four times and finishing with 12 boards.
But Malik Hall was the true unsung hero from the win who doesn't get nearly enough credit.
The senior forward struggled with foul trouble for most of the game, but he was a star on the offensive end of the floor. He finished with 18 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and a steal. He did a little of everything and made sure the Spartans didn't choke away a Quad 1 win at home.
Hall was 7-for-11 from the floor and made one of the biggest shots of the game, extending Michigan State's late lead with a huge 3-pointer. That was arguably his biggest make of the year.
Oh, and he had a huge and-one late in the game and another dunk to extend the lead. He looked like pre-injury Malik on Saturday.
Let's hope this version of Hall sticks around.