Busting Brackets
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Big Ten Basketball: Analyzing each team’s overall offense for 2020-21 season

By Trevor Sinodhinos

ANN ARBOR, MI - FEBRUARY 08: Isaiah Livers #2 of the Michigan Wolverines in action in the first half of the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Crisler Arena on February 8, 2020 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI - FEBRUARY 08: Isaiah Livers #2 of the Michigan Wolverines in action in the first half of the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Crisler Arena on February 8, 2020 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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EAST LANSING, MI – DECEMBER 03: Joshua Langford #1 of the Michigan State Spartans (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI – DECEMBER 03: Joshua Langford #1 of the Michigan State Spartans (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

Michigan State Spartans

2019-20: 72.2 ppg in Big Ten play

First and foremost, losing Cassius Winston (18.6 ppg) and Xavier Tillman (13.7) should be enough to sink Michigan State Basketball in the BigTen when it comes to producing points. Plenty of teams, in this article alone, have fallen due to losing their top scorer, let alone their top two scorers. The other teams, however, do not have Joshua Langford and Joey Hauser joining the rotation. The last time Langford was healthy he averaged 15 points and Hauser averaged almost ten as a freshman at Marquette.

Coach Tom Izzo ran several sets with success last season. They would overload the weak side as Winston would feed Tillman in the post and because Winston is so good, the guard could not double down, allowing Tillman to beat his defender. This season, that combination will be Rocket Watts (9 ppg) and freshman Mady Sissoko who is the second highest-ranked Big Ten freshmen. Watts is not as good from the arc as Winston, but if his defender turns his back to double down, Sissoko can hit Watts cutting to the basket.

Hauser will be a different element when he screens and rolls for any of the guards. Hauser shoots 42 percent from three, so even if the defense scouts Hauser reading opposite, it is going to be difficult to stop. Especially with Aaron Henry making 34 percent from the arc. instead of getting his open looks off Winston’s penetration, it will be his defender sinking to help off the switch.

The bench play will be highlighted by Foster Loyer, who averaged under three points last season but uses the same off-ball screens to get open. His quickness however provides a different look than Watts.  An undersized power forward Malik Hall, who is not a threat in the post, will be the designated screen setter and the one involved in the handoff screens.

Marcus Bingham averaged just eleven minutes despite starting 16 games and coming in at the five-minute mark when not starting. His development along with Gabe Brown (6,6 ppg) who started 16 games could propel the Spartans to close to 75 points per game in Big Ten play this season.

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