Michigan State vs Virginia: 5 significant storylines for 2020-21 matchup

Rocket Watts versus Virginia’s defense

This storyline has evolved beyond just a storyline and into more of an epic novel. When the Spartans played Eastern Michigan the plot was who would start at point guard, Foster Loyer or Rocket Watts? Versus Notre Dame, the plot developed to who would get more minutes at point guard in a preparation game before playing Duke? Then finally, the question was could Watts play point guard versus a top ten team.

Watts effectively went from coming off the bench to score two points while nursing a bruised knee to scoring twenty points versus Duke all in less than a week. Since the Duke game, he has scored twenty-three and twenty-five points continuing his success.

His first game of the season is holding down his scoring average which still leads the Spartans with14.5 per game and is preventing him from being in the top 10 of Big Ten scoring. If his success continues, however, he can be in the conversation for Big Ten Player of the Year.

With Luka Garza in the Big Ten, it might be a quiet conversation but it could get louder if Watts is able to overcome another conflict in his epic novel. Watts’ conflict is in the form of a team that has sweet-sixteen potential with a Final Four defense. Can Watts’ raise his season average against an elite defense, like any good story it is not solely up to Watts.

The storylines of Langford’s and Hauser’s availability will affect where he plays and if Virginia is able to control the pace of play there will be a lot fewer points to go around.