3 Instant Observations from MSU's Exhibition vs. Incarnate Word
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EAST LANSING --- Michigan State basketball looked relatively sharp for a team that has (officially) barely been practicing for over a week.
The Spartans handled Incarnate Word with ease on Friday night, 89-59, in front of a roughly two-thirds full Breslin Center that was only open to Izzone members and season ticket holders. This was MSU's first of three preseason games, with the next being against UConn at home on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. ET. Here are three main observations from the team's game against the Cardinals.
Hello, Jesse McCulloch
One interesting wrinkle was revealed before the game even began. It was actually redshirt sophomore Jesse McCulloch who got the start at the four for MSU in this one. Now, the start would have gone to Cam Ward had he been available --- he was out Friday with a very minor ankle sprain that Tom Izzo says he'd play on during a normal game --- but the fact that McCulloch was the next man up is an encouraging sign for his development.
It didn't take long for McCulloch to show why he got the start in this spot. He made a smart play by throwing a ball off a UIW player while falling out of bounds in the opening minute, and he then hit a three and converted an and-one following an offensive rebound before the first media timeout.
McCulloch continued to look strong the rest of the way. He really looked like Michigan State's most effective big on Friday, including starting center Anton Bonke. His day finished with 20 points (his official career-high is just 9) on 8-for-13 shooting, five assists, one assist, one block, and two steals, and a plus-36 in just 21 minutes.
He'll will need to keep performing the way he did on Friday in practice and in the next exhibitions against UConn and Marquette (Oct. 25), but if he does, his start may not end up being the most temporary thing.
Ethan Taylor's Passing
True freshman Ethan Taylor isn't the most polished player. He's not very quick yet, and he doesn't stretch the floor. There are still plenty of reasons Izzo went out and got him, though. One of those reasons is Taylor's passing. Standing up at 7'1", Taylor's instincts and abilities as a distributor are pretty impressive, and it's the most impressive part of his repertoire.
He's going to get a lot of touches this year around the free-throw line. That's where he can scan the floor the most for open shooters, and Taylor executed a couple of nice passes from that spot of the floor on Friday and got a couple of assists.
Taylor's passing wasn't the only thing to really like about his game, though. He got a pretty impressive block at one point during the first half, and he did what 7'1" guys are supposed to do: get rebounds.
Admittedly, Taylor was a player I had some reservations about entering the year. His ceiling is extremely high, and he's still got a long way to go before he's there, but Taylor's unofficial debut in the green and white was definitely encouraging, even if it was against Incarnate Word. It was really a good day for Michigan State's big men, though Bonke maybe could've been a bigger factor in this one.
Buying More Jordan Scott Stock
Again, it's Incarnate Word, but Jordan Scott also looked like an improved player on Friday. He led all teams with 11 points at halftime, and he continued to look like a player who just made good things happen on both ends of the court. Scott is a player I truly think Michigan State fans should appreciate while he's here, because it's only a matter of time before he becomes a more regular name on NBA mock drafts or draft rankings.
One thing that stood out was Scott's jumper. He was already a good three-point shooter for MSU last year, getting better as the year went on, but he looks a beat quicker this year with his release, and that's not with any detriment to his accuracy.
Scott went 3-for-4 from deep during the first half, and he's got a shot to shoot in the high 30s or low 40s for the Spartans this year from deep --- he was at 42.6% from behind the arc against Big Ten teams last year, after all. He finished up with 16 points on 6-for-8 overall shooting and a 4-of-6 night from deep. Scott also had five rebounds, a block, two steals, and a plus-38 rating.
Scott should be the type of player who is sharpied into the starting lineup every game, right there with Jeremy Fears Jr. and Coen Carr. Some games he could start at the two, and there could be others where he's at the three, but Scott's motor on defense and his three-point shooting make him too valuable to begin on the bench.
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A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
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