The box score will make it look like a comfortable victory, but there was nothing easy about the Michigan State basketball game. win against Bowling Green Saturday night. The Falcons entered the Breslin Center and gave MSU a big challenge, controlling much of the game before the Spartans were finally able to break through and win 86-72.
Despite a double-digit win, this won’t be a game that MSU fans won’t feel good about. However, I think we learned a lot from this match, both good and bad. Below I’ve collected my initial thoughts on the win.
The two central training courses must end
Several times this year already, we’ve seen Tom Izzo use lineups that include both Carson Cooper and Szymon Zapala on the field at the same time. It’s no coincidence that MSU always seems to struggle during these times. We’ve also seen Jaxon Kohler used extensively at the four with Zapala or Cooper, and we see difficulty there as well. Basketball has moved away from formations featuring two centers, but Tom Izzo, who is extremely stubborn and also prioritizes rebounds, continues to use them.
This game should end that experience. It hasn’t worked this year and it’s clear that what this team needs is more offense than anything.
The best positions of Jaxon Kohler and Coen Carr
The best stretch we saw from MSU on Saturday featured a lineup with Jaxon Kohler at center and Coen Carr at power forward.
These are exactly the positions they should be playing instead of being forced to play a power forward and a small forward with another big man at center.
When Coen Carr has to play small forward, it really hurts the flow of the offense since he is not yet a confident shooter from three. As for Kohler, he is best suited as a center, probably off the bench (he started strong this evening).
Jeremy Fears Jr. needs to work on turnovers
I actually think this might tie into the last takeaway, as Fears often played with oddly balanced groups that, at times, didn’t provide him with much space to operate in, but five turnovers against a team like Bowling Green are not. That’s not good enough for a point guard known for being a playmaking maestro.
Xavier Booker’s struggles continue
There was a lot of excitement surrounding Xavier Booker before the season, and maybe he’s feeling the pressure of being a star, but this year has been far from ideal for Xavier Booker. Booker has yet to score more than seven points in a game this year and only scored three points against Bowling Green. He looked a little discouraged on the floor at times. This is something to watch as Booker’s development is an important key for this program.
Shooting woes cannot be denied
I don’t know what to do about this. I don’t know what to say about it. But at this point, you have to admit that this team has a shooting problem. Michigan State went 4 of 20 from three against Bowling Green in another tough outing from distance.
This article was originally published on Spartans Wire: Five takeaways from Michigan State basketball’s risky win over Bowling Green
