Starting Five Change Has Led to Spartans' Winning Streak

The Michigan State Spartans are riding an impressive 11-game win streak with one common denominator being a factor. Junior guard Tre Holloman was inserted into the starting lineup at the start of this win streak and has not left that spot.

Michigan State's Tre Holloman, center, and the Spartans prepare to take on Florida Atlantic on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The No. 8 Michigan State Spartans (16-2, 7-0) have been on fire since the end of November, winning their last 11 games and starting conference play with seven consecutive wins. Since falling to Memphis in their seventh game of the year, the Spartans made a key change to the starting five.

Junior guard Tre Holloman came off the bench to start the season and was given the opportunity to start for the first time this year directly after that loss to Memphis, when the Spartans took on No. 12 North Carolina Tar Heels, the day before Thanksgiving. He would not lose that starting spot after that.

Holloman posted a season-high 19 points in an overtime win and has started each game after that. Michigan State has won their last 11 games with the standout guard in the starting lineup and has settled into that role. He has worked to earn considerable minutes and has found success in them.

The Minneapolis, Minn. native has slowly grown throughout the past three years and is currently putting together a statement season for the Spartans. Holloman is earning career highs in almost every statistical category; points per game (8.1), assists (3.8) and average minutes played (21.8).

"I'm the point guard, so I've got to run a team, make sure everything runs smoothly, make sure I'm the coach on the floor," Holloman said last June.

Coach Tom Izzo has put a lot of faith in Holloman ability to not only control the offense and avoid turnovers, but to attack the basket and earn key points in big moments. Holloman displayed that once again last Sunday, scoring a team-high 17 points in a win over No. 19 Illinois at home.

Once the change was made and Holloman was brought into the starting five, there has not been a reason to switch things up again. He has gradually improved throughout the season and has proved to be an important asset to this team as they make a push for a Big Ten regular season title.

The Spartans will almost certainly roll out Holloman in the starting lineup when they travel east to battle the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (10-8, 3-4) for a Saturday afternoon showdown at Madison Square Garden, searching for a 12th-straight victory.

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