Rehash&Analysis: Michigan State powers through Colorado, eyes Memphis next in Maui
Tom Izzo is still waiting for Michigan State’s long-range shooting problems to clear up, but he doesn’t have to wait any longer to see the Spartans execute his three main commandments.
Michigan State defended, rebounded and ran its way to a 72-56 victory over Colorado in the Maui Invitational Quarterfinals, Monday at Lahaina Civic Center.
The Sparans coasted to a double-digit victory despite shooting a miserable 2-of-21 (9.5 percent) from 3-point range. The Spartans came into the game ranked No. 352 in the nation in 3-point shooting. Michigan State might rank at the very bottom by the time Tuesday’s game tips off.
The Spartans will play Memphis in the Maui Invitational Semifinals at 6 p.m. on Tuesday (ESPN). Memphis upset No. 2-ranked Connecticut, 99-97, in overtime on Monday.
“I’m not making fun of it but to think we were up 13 in the first half and going on a pretty good run at the end yet we were 0-for-9 from the three,” Izzo said. “I’m telling you today I thought we took some good ones and you know I’m just going to end it at that as far as our productivity.
“But we shot over 70 percent from two, we’re executing, we’re getting our running game going.”
With Monday’s victory, Michigan State improved to 5-1. Colorado fell to 4-1.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Despite being cold from deep, Michigan State managed to shoot 49.2 percent overall, pounded Colorado on the boards, 42-29, and had a 22-6 edge in fast break points.
Michigan State held Colorado to 37 percent shooting at 20-of-54 and allowed only seven offensive rebounds on 34 missed Buffalo shot attempts.
Michigan State had a 40-13 edge in bench scoring, led by a team-high 13 points from Jase Richardson. He was the only Spartan in double figures as Michigan State enjoyed balanced scoring with eight different players scoring 6 or more.
Michigan State had 11 turnovers, staying clear of giveaways most of the game, outside of the opening four minutes of the second half.
Frankie Fidler scored 9 points for Michigan State, and was 1-of-4 from 3-point range. He contributed six rebounds. However, Izzo gave him some heat when Fidler was beaten back door and then allowed his man to seal him out for an easy entry and lay-up late in the game.
Szymon Zapala had a game-high eight rebounds to go with 7 points in 17 minutes.
Carson Cooper provided 16 strong minutes with 6 points on 3-of-3 shooting, with six rebounds. Cooper hit a smooth, sure hook shot to give Michigan State a 54-37 lead, and then scored on the next trip, converting in the lane off of a Jeremy Fears drive and dish.
Fears scored 8 points and had six assists with two turnovers. He drove the team well in transition off of makes and misses. He was benched briefly, two minutes into the game, after losing his man on defense during a flare screen as Colorado got off to a hot start.
Jaden Akins scored 4 points, experiencing a downturn after getting a career-high 25 against Samford last Tuesday. Akins was 2-of-8 from the field, including 0-for-4 from 3-point range. Michigan State is going to need Akins and Fidler to come alive and provide scoring punch from long range in order to beat Memphis on Tuesday.
Memphis was a sizzling 12-of-22 (54.5 percent) from 3-point range against UConn.
JASE RICHARDSON CONTINUES TO STAND OUT
Richardson continues to provide steady, consistent play at both ends of the court, with a maturity level beyond his years. He helped Michigan State jump out to a double-digit lead late in the first half, and helpd Michigan State protect the lead, and then break it open in the second half. He did it all while showing no ill effects from an ankle sprain he sustained against Samford last Tuesday.
“I definitely felt 100 percent,” Richadson said. “Just getting work with (athletic trainer Nicholas) Richey, and coach’s plan of keeping it cool before we came out there, and keep working on it, get treatment on it and see how it felt before the game.”
Colorado played well early, but Richardson cut an early Buffs lead go 9-8 with a driving, hanging lay-up through contact. True freshmen often have trouble playing with the toughness and muscle needed at this level, but that hasn’t been a problem for Richardson. He cut the Buffs’ lead to 14-13 when he drove, recovered a fumble, and hit a two-footer.
Richardson gave Michigan State a 19-17 lead with a driving, fall-away 12-footer with a slight Steve Smith move attached to it.
He gave Michigan State a 27-23 lead with a double-clutch, left-handed finish off a fastbreak finish.
After he broke MSU’s 3-point drought, Richardson padded Michigan State’s lead at 49-37 with his nicest shot of the night, penetrating the right wing of Colorado’s 1-3-1 zone, hanging and hitting a left floater with 12:58 to play.
HOW IT WENT DOWN
Michigan State led by 13 at halftime, but Colorado cut the lead to seven at 40-33 less than two minutes into the second half.
A pair of Frankie Fidler free throws, and a tip-in by Szymon Zapala rebuilt it to double digits at 44-33. Zapala continues to provide width, height, rugged competitiveness and some fluid finishing ability.
Colorado whittled the lead back to 8 points at 44-36 with 13:53 to play as paint monster Elijah Malone did some damage in the post.
But Michigan State rebuilt it to double digits, for good, when Jase Richardson broke the Spartans’ 0-for-15 3-point drought from 3-point range. Michigan State’s lead fluctuated between 11 points and 20 for the rest of the game.
THREE POINT DEARTH CONTINUES
Michigan State began the game 0-of-15 from 3-point range, with Izzo putting his face in his hands on the bench wondering if or when the coldness would ever end. Michigan State entered the game ranked No. 352 in the nation in 3-point shooting, and the Spartans’ first 25 minutes of this game didn’t help their percentage.
Colorado played a 1-3-1 zone for the first eight minutes of the second half, daring the Spartans to do damage from long range.
Richardson finally broke the 0-for streak with a 3-pointer from the right wing off of Jaden Akins’ drive and kick. That gave Michigan State a 47-36 lead with 13:33 to play.
Then – after Richardson hit a difficult, hanging lefty floater in the lane – Frankie Fidler nailed a 3-pointer from the left corner off of Richardson’s drive-and-kick. That one gave Michigan State a 52-37 lead, its biggest lead of the night to that point, and caused Colorado to call a time out with 12:14 remaining.
Michigan State stretched the lead to 20, its biggest of the game, at 66-46 when Fears pushed the dribble on the fastbreak and finished a lay-up in traffic with 4:57 to play.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Michigan State went on a 13-2 run which turned a 21-21 tie into a 34-23 lead with 2:49 left in the first half. Five different Spartans scored during the run, beginning with Coen Carr hitting a nice, quick hook shot in the paint against a zone defense. Colorado hadn’t shown any zone defense this season, but briefly sprang a 2-3 and a 1-3-1 zone on the Spartans.
Carr had never attempted a hook shot as a Spartan, but that one looked quick, smooth and natural. Will that become part of his repertoire? If so, we didn’t see that coming, but for a guy searching for some halfcourt, go-to skill, aside from his tightwire jams, the hook shot is an interesting development, with his leaping ability.
Xavier Booker provided four points during the 13-2 run, including an alley-oop jam from Jeremy Fears. That’s the best we’ve ever seen Booker run the floor in transition. That fastbreak jam began with a good defensive rebound from Jase Richardson.
THE FIRST HALF
Michigan State remained starving from 3-point range, a season-long trend, going 0-for-9 from 3-point range. But the Spartans were strong in every other aspect while building a 38-25 lead.
Michigan State had a 23-7 edge in bench scoring, with Jase Richardson scoring 8 of those, and Coen Carr with 6.
Colorado head coach Tad Boyle said prior to the game that competing with Michigan State on the boards would be at the top of his wish list. But the Spartans dominated the glass, 22-12, in the first 20 minutes.
Colorado missed 14 of its first 22 shots (going 8 of 22), but the Buffs had only one offensvie rebound on those 14 shots. Michigan State did a terrific job boxing out in the paint and grabbing range rebounds on long caroms. The one missed box-out was by Xavier Booker, which resulted in a foul on a put-back and two Colorado free throws.
Michigan State went deep into its bench, playing 10 players five minutes or more. Michigan State got out and run at every opportunity, and usually did so with effectiveness and efficiency. Michigan State had four turnovers in the first half, which is a reasonable number considering the pace at which the Spartans attempted to play. Michigan State had 9 fast break points to 2 for the Buffs.
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