GREEN & WHITE BASKETBALL

Solari: November shows Spartans' strengths, weaknesses

Chris Solari
Detroit Free Press
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo talks to Spartans guard Miles Bridges (22) during the first half of their 78-69 loss at Duke on Tuesday in Durham, N.C.

DURHAM, N.C. – It’s time to unpack the bags, take a deep breath, exhale and examine.

Michigan State’s arduous first month is over. The once-pertinent numbers of eight games, 22 days and 13,000-plus miles of travel are complete.

They give way to new important digits.

Five straight games and seven of the next eight at Breslin Center, starting Saturday against Oral Roberts (4:30 p.m./Big Ten Network). Twenty-six days of refining the problems before the Big Ten season opens on Dec. 27 at Minnesota. And four freshmen who are now as seasoned and battle-tested as any coach Tom Izzo have had after just a month, having come out of the stretch with a 4-4 record.

None of the three marquee games – against Arizona, Kentucky and Duke – ended in victories. But Izzo saw enough building blocks to feel that MSU can iron out the kinks with more time at home practicing and watching film.

“I do think we’re a lot better than we were against Arizona. … We’ve been through the gauntlet, there’s no question about it,” Izzo said after Tuesday night’s 78-69 loss at Duke. “But you know what? We competed almost to the end other than that 2-minute stretch. So I’m gonna build on this.”

Here’s a look at the five positives and concerns the Spartans discovered about themselves in their travels.

Strengths

Bridges hype legit: It’s clear Miles Bridges has become the focal point of opponents’ defensive game plans. The way the 6-foot-7 forward has been able to create his own shots (16.6 points), rebound (8.8) and maneuver in traffic – both on the floor with the ball and above the rim to finish – display a rare blend of talent unlike any Izzo has had in 22 seasons. MSU’s challenges are to keep Bridges’ emotions in check when he is seeing defenses pack into the paint and double- and triple-team him.

Ward impressive: Before the NBA departure of Deyonta Davis and injuries to Gavin Schilling and Ben Carter, Izzo considered a redshirt season for Nick Ward. Now, the freshman is seeing double-teams in the post because of his strong offensive output – the 6-8 forward is averaging 10.5 points and 5.6 rebounds in just 15.6 minutes per game with deft footwork and soft hands. He’ll need to continue to improve both his defense and stamina, but at some point, Izzo will need to move Ward into the starting group to get more offense in the paint.

Sharing is good: The Spartans have 147 assists on 209 made baskets so far this season, a rate of 70.3%. With a smaller, guard-oriented lineup, that shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. It can get better with improved ball movement in the flow of the offense and fewer sloppy passes that lead to turnovers.

Crashing the glass: With Schilling and Carter out, Izzo has had to work to keep his remaining big men – Bridges, Ward and Kenny Goins – from getting into foul trouble. Those are his only healthy players 6-6 or taller, but the Spartans outrebounded both Kentucky and Duke by boxing out their opponents and have a 38.8-34.5 edge on the boards through eight games.

Strong in spurts: The Spartans began their season with a 17-2 run against Arizona. They played a strong first half against Kentucky before fading and went shot-for-shot with Duke outside of a 2-minute, 11-0 run that decided the outcome. MSU’s fastbreak and transition offense is as strong as any in the country.

Couch: Michigan State is anything but an NCAA tournament bubble team

Weaknesses

Size matters: While the Spartans are doing yeoman’s work on the boards, there are points defensively when their lack of height is problematic. The length advantage for both Kentucky and Baylor proved bothersome for MSU in second-half surges. Duke’s 6-9 Amile Jefferson got whatever he wanted offensively on the blocks Tuesday. Minimizing that size disadvantage will be one of Izzo’s biggest coaching challenges of his career, especially if Schilling and Carter do not return.

Turning it over: Pushing the pace can produce more turnovers, but many of the Spartans’ big issues are coming from carelessness and laziness with passes in the halfcourt. They are leading to “touchdowns” too often – easy baskets in transition for opponents.

Inconsistent performances: While the Spartans have had those strong stretches of games mentioned earlier, they also have had maddening moments of bad passes, defensive breakdowns, poor shot selection and on occasion – the cardinal sin for Izzo – lapses in effort and toughness. These are the hallmarks of a young, developing team, especially against the competition MSU has faced in the first month.

MSU hoops notes: Bridges, Ward endure growing pains as Izzo wants more

Avoiding foul trouble: Bridges, Ward, Goins and Joshua Langford each have fouled out of a game this season. MSU needs to keep those first three on the floor as much as possible, and freshman point guard Cassius Winston also has kept himself on the bench with foul issues as well. The Spartans average 19.4 fouls a game.

Learning to finish: An inexperienced team sometimes takes time to learn how to stay composed down the stretch. MSU had struggles in close losses to both Arizona and Duke. The Spartans are being outscored 299-285 in the second half through eight games, but they found ways to win tight games against Florida Gulf Coast, St. John’s and Wichita State.

Contact Chris Solari:csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari.

Download our Spartans Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!