Michigan State Spartans: 3 Thoughts On Loss To Notre Dame

The bulk of the Spartans’ offense is mid-range jumpers

Michigan State is very proficient at creating open jumpers, making efficient use of an uptempo pick-and-pop offense. They won’t pound it down low into the paint, but they will create open 10-to-15 footers and het easy baskets. Michigan State has size in the middle with Branden Dawson and Gavin Schilling, but both big men found themselves getting their points in the paint tonight off put-backs.

Attribute some of this jump shot-heavy offense to Notre Dame’s zone defense, but the Irish backed off and employed a man-to-man defense in the second half. It’s a cornerstone of a Tom Izzo-coached team, though, to spread the ball around on offense and to be unselfish. That translates into an offense that relies on high-percentage jump shots which may let them down when they face a bigger, more physical team.

Michigan State is one of the best screening teams in the country

Watching the Spartans move without the ball on offense is a thing of beauty. Tom Izzo has always taught his Michigan State teams how to properly and effectively screen, and tonight’s performance was no different. Late in the second half with the game going back and forth, Michigan State was able to create easy baskets in the paint on a simple high screen and pick-and-roll.

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While the Spartans’ big men may not have had the most prolific night on offense, they were able to keep Michigan State in the game late with those easy baskets. Credit obviously goes to the Spartan guards Bryn Forbes and Denzel Valentine for combining for 40 points on a combined 14-20 from the field. When Michigan State, however, needed points to keep pace with the surging Irish late in the second half, their big men set the tone by setting textbook screens and opening up easy shots inside.

Denzel Valentine had an up and down game late

The luck of the Irish was with the Spartans guard in South Bend tonight, if not for a brief period. Valentine’s three-point attempt with 2:05 left in the second half took a huge bounce of the back of the rim before going in, tying the game at 64. Jerian Grant then nailed a three of his own on the next possession to take the lead back for Notre Dame, 67-64. Valentine, of course, drove the ball back down the court on the very next possession, drilling another clutch three to tie the game at 67.

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It was the Spartans’ last possession of regulation, though, that saw the once-hot Valentine dribble the ball off his right foot, turning the ball back over to Notre Dame with 2.3 seconds left in a tie game. It was Valentine, again, who came very close to fouling Demetrius Jackson as time expired on the very next play. Valentine was safe, though, as Jackson missed his shot and the game was sent to overtime. Valentine’s once opportunistic luck had quickly vanished.

Denzel Valentine still lead Michigan State in scoring with 22 points on the night, shooting 7-13 from the field. His play late in regulation, though, almost cost his team the game – on two separate occasions. Sure, Michigan State wouldn’t have been in the game if it weren’t for Valentine’s offense, but if the standout guard can wrangle in those late game woes as this young season progresses, the Spartans will be a force to be reckoned with once Big Ten conference play begins.