Busting Brackets
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Michigan State Basketball: 6 key aspects of possible national 2020 title run

By Amaar Burton

EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 25: Xavier Tillman #23 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates with Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans late in the second half of the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at the Breslin Center on February 25, 2020 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - FEBRUARY 25: Xavier Tillman #23 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates with Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans late in the second half of the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at the Breslin Center on February 25, 2020 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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EAST LANSING, MI – JANUARY 2: Ayo Dosunmu #11 of the Illinois Fighting Illini is pressured by Xavier Tillman #23 and Rocket Watts #2 of the Michigan State Spartans (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI – JANUARY 2: Ayo Dosunmu #11 of the Illinois Fighting Illini is pressured by Xavier Tillman #23 and Rocket Watts #2 of the Michigan State Spartans (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

Defense

Last Tuesday, the Spartans hosted the highest-scoring team in the Big Ten. Iowa came into the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich., averaging 78.4 points per game, making 45.3 percent of their field goals and 34.5 percent of their 3-pointers.

The Hawkeyes finished with 70 points in the loss, making 40.0 percent of their shots from the field and 22.2 percent from 3-point range. Star big man Luka Garza, a Big Ten Player of the Year favorite, was held to 20 points on 8-of-21 shooting from the field.

Against Maryland on Saturday, the Spartans limited Terrapins star guard Anthony Cowan Jr. to 13 points on 6-of-15 shooting to go with four turnovers.

Junior forward Xavier Tillman Sr. is MSU’s defensive anchor.  He’s averaging 2.1 blocks and 1.2 steals per game in addition to 13.3 points and 10.2 rebounds. Last season’s Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year is a full-time starter now and the second-best overall player on the Spartans. Offensively his production has been inconsistent, but defensively he brings it each night.

On the perimeter, Cassius Winston leads the way. The senior point guard isn’t exactly a lockdown defender in the Patrick Beverley mold, but he’s savvy and experienced, and he tends to get stops and make plays when needed.

Michigan State is leading the Big Ten in field goal percentage defense, allowing opponents to shoot 37.8 percent. Their relatively basic man-to-man scheme has worked for decades under Izzo, and this particular team shows a knack for putting together four- to five-minute stretches where teams simply can’t score on them.

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