Following a loss to UCLA on Friday night, Michigan State fans hovered their hands over the panic button with the NCAA Tournament approaching and the Spartans not handling their first single-elimination opportunity well.
That was reason alone to question if this team has the killer instinct necessary to piece together a run in March. They didn’t look like they wanted to be there against UCLA for about a half, and then they came out much stronger in the final 20 minutes. The Spartans nearly completed a comeback, but they needed a little more of an offensive burst early on.
The underrated player who could provide an offensive burst who hit a big three late but who has otherwise been quiet on that end of the floor for a few weeks is very obviously Jordan Scott.
The freshman wing has been having a solid first season in a Michigan State uniform, averaging 5.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. He got off to a bit of a slow start but has since entered the starting lineup, replacing Divine Ugochukwu right before he got injured.
Right after he replaced Ugochukwu, his numbers spiked. He averaged 11.8 points and 3.4 rebounds in his first five games as a starter, shooting 11-for-21 from deep.
Since that stretch, Scott is putting up 5.2 points and 2.0 rebounds, making 5-of-15 threes. He has hit a bit of a freshman wall, but if he can turn things back around over the next few weeks, Michigan State could be one of the most dangerous non-1-seeds.
A hot Jordan Scott could spark a Final Four run
When Scott is on, Michigan State is a dangerous offensive team — he’s already a plus defender.
When Scott shoots 50 percent or better from the floor, Michigan State is 13-2 this season. When he doesn’t reach that 50 percent plateau, the Spartans are just 12-5. I’m not saying he’s the difference, but there’s clearly a correlation between adding an extra offensive weapon to the mix and Michigan State having success.
For some reason, however, his 3-point prowess doesn’t often translate to wins. Michigan State is just 5-4 when Scott has at least two 3-pointers. That’s just an unlucky coincidence, but when he’s efficient with his shot, Michigan State just gets that much tougher.
Unlocking Scott is critical for an NCAA Tournament run.