1. Another good win for MSU, but the Spartans need Akins to get his swagger back
EAST LANSING – In the short term, there was a lot for Michigan State to like about how it played in Tuesday night’s 73-51 win over Minnesota — how it defended and rebounded in the first half especially. MSU suffocated the life out of the Gophers’ three-game winning streak and, other than a brief stretch in the second half, there was never really any hope for them.
That’s 13 straight wins for MSU, the most since 2018-19, and a 9-0 Big Ten mark, the best league start since that same season. The Spartans held Minnesota to 16 first half points — seven field goals, 11 turnovers — and didn’t let Gophers star Dawson Garcia score his first bucket until there was 4:15 left until the break and MSU was ahead 21-8. Tre Holloman then hit three of his four first-half 3s in the final 2:20 and it was pretty much over. Late in the second half, with the game well in hand, Gehrig Normand was diving out of bounds after loose balls.
All good stuff.
There’s an argument to be made however, that the three biggest moments of the game came when Jaden Akins hit a 3-pointer — that he needed see go in — early in the second half to make it 41-23, then a reverse layup in traffic eight minutes later, followed quickly by another 3. Those last two came as Minnesota was trying to make things interesting. That’s not why those were big shots, though.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
Akins has been struggling with his shot — in this game and the two before it — and you can see it seeping into his confidence. And how he’s been playing impacted his minutes in this one, with Jeremy Fears Jr., Tre Holloman and Jase Richardson all playing at least five more minutes than the 19 Akins did on Tuesday.
On its face, no big deal. Those other three are really good players. And one of the things Tom Izzo and his staff have done well is truly let the players decide playing time based on how they’re playing. I didn’t necessarily believe it when Izzo first said it before the season, but it’s played out that way.
Yet for as easy as it is to get enamored with the growing games of Fears and Richardson, Coen Carr and others on this roster, this MSU team isn’t going to win squat in the long run without Akins playing with confidence. MSU doesn’t want this to become a Chris Hill 2005 situation (I understand that team did make a Final Four). Akins is too important. He’s not playing very well. You can see the frustration. The Spartans need him to work through it and help him do so. They need him. Akins doesn’t need to be a headliner or 20-point scorer for this team, but he and MSU need him to have his swagger back.
2. If Kohler starts hitting 3s …
Among several reasons to think this MSU team hasn’t become all it can be yet is Jaxon Kohler’s 3-point shot. If and when he starts knocking them down with any regularity, it’ll add a lot — and make this team tough to defend.
Think about what Kenny Goins’ late-career outside shot did for the Spartans in 2018-19. He had made four total before that season and made 56 as a senior and, of course, one unforgettable one. Or for those who really know, think of A.J. Granger, who hit five 3s in his first two seasons at MSU and 72 in his last two. I think Kohler has that potential, because his shot looks good when it leaves his hands. He’s just got to trust it and get his legs into it.
We saw it Tuesday night, when he hit 2 of 4 from beyond the arc in the first half, one from the top of the key, then from the left wing. These were good, open shots. The defense had made its choice — the Gophers didn’t mind Kohler shooting. In the second half, Minnesota made the same choice and Kohler passed up one. He’s going to have to hit a few more before teams consider him a threat.
I think it’s coming. He does, too.
“I have a consistent 3-point shooting plan every day that I work on,” Kohler said during a recent conversation in the locker room after the Illinois game. “I just know one day in one game, they’re going to go in and I won’t look back, because I’ve been working on it a lot. … I just have to shoot with confidence when it’s against other people, you know, in games.”
3. Zapala shows the value of a big man who can exploit a mismatch
One of the elements MSU lacked the last couple years at the center position was the ability to take advantage of a size mismatch on the offensive end, let alone counter teams that had size themselves.
Minnesota’s recent success has come in part because the Gophers have gone small/thinner, featuring 6-11 Dawson Garcia at the 5, next to 6-8 forward Parker Fox. That would have worked perfectly against the Spartans last season. Tuesday night, because of Szymon Zapala’s good hands, size and strength and skill and positioning around the rim, the matchup was a problem for the Gophers immediately.
Zapala pulled down two offensive rebounds on the first possession, then posted up and scored on the next. A couple possessions later, MSU went to him again and he was fouled inside, which led to an MSU score. The Gophers, which began with Garcia on him, seemed to move away from that matchup then, perhaps to avoid their star getting in foul trouble.
Zapala’s start didn’t lead to a ton. Just a 4-0 start that set the tone inside and on the glass.
There are number of areas where this team is better than a year ago. None more important, I’d argue, than the center spot. Some of that is improvement by Carson Cooper — who had 11 rebounds Tuesday — and Jaxon Kohler, who’s played a fair bit of center, too. But it begins with Zapala. We saw his value right out of the gate Tuesday.
Contact Graham Couch at gcouch@lsj.com. Follow him on X @Graham_Couch and BlueSky @GrahamCouch.
- Dominant Defense: The Michigan State basketball team put on a defensive clinic against Minnesota, holding the Golden Gophers to just 51 points. The Spartans suffocated Minnesota’s offense, forcing turnovers and contesting every shot. This strong defensive showing will be crucial as MSU looks to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament.
- Balanced Scoring Attack: MSU showcased their offensive depth in this game, with multiple players contributing on the scoring front. Aaron Henry led the way with 21 points, but other players like Gabe Brown and Joey Hauser also chipped in with double-digit scoring performances. This balanced attack will make the Spartans a tough team to defend moving forward.
- Big Ten Contenders: With this convincing win over Minnesota, Michigan State has once again proven that they are a force to be reckoned with in the Big Ten conference. The Spartans are currently sitting near the top of the standings and will be looking to continue their strong play as they head into the final stretch of the regular season. Expect MSU to be a serious contender in the conference tournament and beyond.
Tags:
- MSU basketball
- Minnesota
- 73-51
- game recap
- college basketball
- Spartans
- Gophers
- Big Ten
- blowout win
- player highlights
#MSU #basketball #batters #Minnesota #quick #takes
