Three Takeaways from the Spartans' Record-Setting Win
The No. 9 Michigan State Spartans scored 50 points in the second half, completing a 15-point comeback over the Oregon Ducks for the 86-74 victory.
With the win, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo earned conference win No. 353, tying former Indiana Hoosiers head coach Bobby Knight’s longstanding Big Ten record.
Here are three takeaways from the Spartans' statement victory over the Ducks:
Spartans’ Shortened Rotations
With key absences from Spartans redshirt freshman guard Jeremy Fears Jr. and junior forward Xavier Booker, Izzo was forced to tighten the rotation, mainly playing eight players in 40 minutes.
Four of the Michigan State starters played more than 30 minutes, which is unusual as the Spartans have the least amount of minutes played from starters in the Big Ten.
With the shortened rotations paying off against the Ducks, don't be surprised if Izzo gives more playing time to the Spartans’ best players as the race for the Big Ten regular season title intensifies.
Richardson lifts the offense
The Spartans’ half-court offense was stagnant for most of the first half. When they couldn’t get stops on the defensive end, the offense would pay the price.
Oregon was also able to slow down Michigan State’s transition offense with a full-court press, but the Ducks were forced to get back on defense in the second half after Michigan State drew enough fouls to get the bonus.
However, freshman guard Jase Richardson was the go-to guy who ignited Michigan State's offense. For most of the second half, Izzo fed the hot hand, running the offense through Richardson, who ended with a career-high 29 points.
Richardson’s ability to produce offense while in isolation is an interesting development for the Spartans, who haven’t had a player who is efficient in isolation situations this season.
Michigan State’s mental toughness
The Spartans had to battle through many distractions on the way to victory. Starting the game on a two-game losing streak, Michigan State couldn’t afford to drop a third in a row to the Ducks.
The referees had an inconsistent whistle that Izzo wasn’t fond of, and he took a technical foul early in the second half as the Spartans began their comeback attempt. The technical could have slowed the momentum for Michigan State, as the Ducks' lead ballooned to 9.
But the Spartans didn’t waver, finishing the final 13 minutes on a 33-12 run after the Izzo technical foul. This exemplifies the mental toughness that is a key aspect of many championship contenders.
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