How Legit is MSU's Shooting Improvement?

The way the Michigan State Spartans have shot the basketball from beyond the 3-point arc has been quite possibly the biggest storyline of the season.

While the Spartans are nearly elite in every other statistical category, their one blemish is their poor shooting from the outside.

Tom Izzo’s team is shooting 30.2% from 3-point range this season, which ranks 338th in the country. They get open looks and take high-percentage shots but don’t connect on them.

However, the shooting has improved over the last seven games. Despite playing several ranked teams and tough road environments to close the year, MSU made the shots it needed to win the Big Ten.

In their last seven games, the Spartans have connected on nearly 35% of their three-pointers. The only blemish was a 26.7% shooting night against Maryland on the road (but in that game, Tre Holloman hit the biggest 3-pointer of MSU’s season).

Is this improvement sustainable? Can MSU carry this hot shooting into the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments?

It’s hard not to think it can.

It feels real because it is incremental. If the Spartans were shooting some ridiculous number like 49% from 3, that may seem like more of a fluke.

But because it has gone from 30% to 35%, there is steady, tangible progress.

Hitting shots from the outside is largely mental. This team is starting to find confidence in its outside shot, leading to being more psychologically in sync.

Holloman has been one of MSU’s best shooters this season. He has gotten hot and gone on personal 9-0 runs multiple times this year, which the Spartans will need when they play tough teams in both tournaments.

MSU would really like to get Jaden Akins going. He has not been consistent this season, but he hits clutch, timely buckets when the team needs them.

In March, Izzo’s senior guards often step up and carry the team on a deep run. Will we see that from Akins and his outside shooting this year?

The Spartans have been beating teams by considerable margins even when they aren’t shooting it well from the outside.

With real shooting improvement, we could see this Spartan team make a serious run at the Final Four.

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