Michigan State Basketball: 3 keys for Spartans to upset No. 5 Iowa
1. Jordan Bohannon’s play from long range has been instrumental for Iowa recently – and the Spartans need to stop him
After missing most of last season – including the Michigan State game – due to injury, Jordan Bohannon has been on an absolute tear as of late after returning for the Hawkeyes. The school record holder in most 3-pointers made in a career – and just the sixth Hawkeye in program history to score over 1,000 points and dish out over 500 assists – Bohannon has been a key cog in Iowa’s four-game winning streak.
Prior to Iowa’s December 29th game against Northwestern, Bohannon recorded just one double-digit game in nine appearances, pouring in seven three-pointers in the win over North Carolina. But after scoring just seven points in an overtime loss at Minnesota, Bohannon has ripped off four-straight double-digit performances.
In Iowa’s four most recent outings, Bohannon has recorded double-figures against Northwestern (24), Rutgers (13), Maryland (18), and Minnesota (19). The most bizarre stat of that four-game stretch: Bohannon is just 4-6 on two-pointers, but is a blistering 19-30 (63.3%) from beyond the arc.
Additionally, he has hauled in 19 rebounds and handed out 25 assists in that stretch. His most impressive performance came against Minnesota, where – in addition to his 19 points – brought down seven rebounds and dished out 14 assists while recording zero turnovers.
It is no coincidence that the Hawkeyes have gone 4-0 in that stretch, and it is absolutely imperative that, if the Spartans hope to have a chance, they need to shut him down. The last time Bohannon played against the Spartans, they succeeded at shutting him down, allowing him to score just three points in 34 minutes in an 82-67 win for Michigan State, all the way back on January 24, 2019.
The Spartans have defended the three-ball slightly better than the Div. I average, holding teams to a 32.9% mark from beyond the arc – good for 159th in the nation. In Michigan State’s most recent outing, however, they shut down a Purdue team that ranks in the top 100 in 3P% (35.8%), holding them to 12.5%. The Spartans need to replicate that performance against Iowa in order to hang around – and it begins with keeping Bohannon in check.