Rutgers at Michigan State: 2020-21 key storylines for Big Ten clash

Passing for a reason

Nothing makes a screen’n’roll more effective or makes a backdoor cut more exciting than a great pass. Basketball is a beautiful sport and when it is played properly it is easy to succeed, or it at least looks easy to succeed at. There are several benefits of good ball movement, none may be more important than placing additional pressure on the defense. Everybody knows the basketball does not get tired, so let the basketball do the work while the defense exerts the energy.

Passing, however, to give your teammate the opportunity to score as a reward for playing without the ball is different than just passing the ball around. It is the essence of teamwork, the gold standard of running an offense, passing to get baskets is what Rutgers has been doing thus far in Big Ten play. The storyline is if they will continue to do so versus Michigan State,

In the four Big Ten games, they have had, Rutgers has a total of 76 assists on 141 made field goals. That equates to 53 percent of Rutgers made baskets are a direct result of a pass from a teammate.

To put that in perspective, out of Gonzaga’s last 111 field goals made, 37 resulted from an assist. For a team that has players playing fantastic, but had no superstar entering the season, the continuation of passes that result in baskets is a must.