Deepak is a writer for the Big Ten microsite of Rush The Court. Follow him on Twitter for more about B1G hoops at @dee_b1g.
Many conference rivalries in college hoops have the luxury of a rematch during the season, unlike in college football. On the gridiron, rivals that happen to be ranked in the top 10 only play once during the regular season so the fans of the losing team are always left with a bunch of “what if” questions that remain unanswered. We don’t have to worry about that situation in Big Ten hoops this year as Michigan had a rematch against Michigan State and will play Indiana on March 10 in Ann Arbor. Over two weeks ago, the Wolverines were hammered in East Lansing and John Beilein’s team came out ready yesterday, especially after losing to a conference-winless Nittany Lions on Thursday. Trey Burke stole the show with 21 points and eight assists while turning the ball only twice. That performance will set up the Burke vs. Victor Oladipo showdown (for NPOY?) next Sunday, but in the meantime, let’s review three observations from the Wolverines’ big win over the Spartans.
- The Wolverines prove that they can win without the three-point shot: One of the knocks on the Wolverines’ offense in February was that they relied on the long-range game too much, but yesterday’s win showed that their offensive sets can produce more than that. Michigan’s best shooter Nik Stauskas barely played (only four minutes) because of twelve stitches on his forehead and the team collectively shot 0-of-12 from beyond the arc as a result. Most of Burke’s eight assists were a result of the pick-and-roll at the top of the key with Mitch McGary and Jordan Morgan. Screens set on the perimeter allowed Burke to go to his right toward the high post, opening up several backdoor layups to Caris LeVert (eight points) and McGary (11 points) as the defense collapsed to guard Burke from his penetration. Even more impressive than his assists was Burke’s discipline in sticking with the offensive plays that worked and not moving away from the game plan – he only took three attempts all game from beyond the arc. Exploiting a weakness in the defense and adjusting the game plan during live action is necessary for the Wolverines against tough defensive teams in March because once they find a seam, the opposition will be forced to give them open looks from the wings for Stauskas and Glenn Robinson III.
- Beilein made timely substitutions: Depth is a luxury that is often underutilized by many coaches in the business. A roster might have eight or nine guys who can play effective minutes but the coach needs to make the right moves and Beilein’s substitutions were close to perfect yesterday. Once Stauskas sat down, Beilein called plays designed around LaVert’s strengths which include cuts to the basket rather than threes from the wing. It appears that Jordan Morgan is finally healthy again and he formed a great 1-2 punch in the frontcourt against Michigan State’s Derrick Nix, who torched the Wolverines in the paint during the first game in East Lansing. Any time Nix was in the game, Morgan was substituted to defend him and the Spartans’ center got pushed away from the basket which resulted in a disastrous six turnovers and just seven points. Once Nix was pulled out, McGary replaced Morgan to provide an offensive spark in the paint. Using McGary and Morgan effectively at the right spots could be a huge advantage for the Wolverines because the latter has the necessary experience to defend bulky forwards.
- State can’t close games without Keith Appling’s help: Gary Harris’ 16 points and Payne’s six offensive rebounds kept them in the game during the second half but Tom Izzo needs Appling to close the game. The Spartans’ last three offensive possessions exemplify his importance. After forcing a turnover, Appling pushed the ball up the court and made a perfect pass to Harris on the run for a three-point shot. The next possession resulted in Burke stripping Appling at the half-court to make the go-ahead layup. The final possession hit the point home that the junior guard is their closer because he inbounded the ball and Harris looked thoroughly confused trying to pass out of the double team before throwing the ball to Burke instead. Harris and Payne are great scorers but neither is crafty enough to create their own shot or split a double team during the final minutes — only Appling can do that. Look at the list of top scorers for Michigan State and you’ll find that their diversity on the offensive end will keep them competitive but Appling needs to be the man and can’t defer to anybody else unless he draws the double team. The Wolverines’ best guard controlled the tempo during the final 60 seconds while the Spartans’ best guard could not, and that was the difference in the game.