Michigan State Must Prepare for Rutgers' Freshmen Duo
The No. 8 Michigan State Spartans will travel to New York to take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.
Rutgers has struggled in Big Ten play, with a record of 3-5 against conference foes and an overall record of 10-9. This has been a disappointing start to the season due to high expectations set by Scarlet Knights coach Steve Pikiell, who brought in one of the top 2024 recruiting classes in the nation.
Rutgers' freshman stars Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey are poised to be drafted in the top 10 of this year's NBA Draft. However, the dynamic freshman duo hasn’t sustained a full season of work, as both are working through the growing pains of being a freshman in the Big Ten
Harper is averaging 19 points, five rebounds and four assists per game and has also risen to the occasion, making a clutch buzzer-beater to defeat Seton Hall. Also, against Notre Dame, Harper scored a career-high 36 points leading the Scarlet Knights to the win.
Most recently, Bailey dominated against Penn State, shooting 86 percent from the field, en route to a career-high 30-point performance. However, Harper wasn’t much help as he struggled from the field and only scored 7 points. Without both stars clicking, Rutgers dropped the game 80-72 to the Nittany Lions.
The Spartans cannot afford to take this duo lightly in their upcoming game because if they can both perform at their peak, Rutgers has a really good shot at pulling off the upset.
The issue for Michigan State, it isn't well-equipped to guard the duo, as its combination of size and perimeter shooting can give any team trouble.
Spartan sophomore forward Coen Carr is the best option for Michigan State coach Tom Izzo to slow down either star. Carr’s lateral quickness combined with elite vertical ability, gives him all the tools to guard the freshman stars.
With few tertiary scoring options, expect the Spartans to send double teams at Harper and Bailey to force the ball to the non-stars on Rutgers.
Another flaw in the game of the Rutgers’ freshmen is that they take tough shots. If the Spartans can take away the easy baskets and force them into difficult mid-range shots, Rutgers may not have success.
Michigan State will also be able to take advantage of Rutgers’ poor defense. The Scarlet Knights rank No. 236 in the country, allowing 74.9 points per game. In conference play, the Spartans average 83 points per game in seven contests, so expect Saturday’s matchup to be a high-scoring game.
Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.
