Tom Izzo has had a lot to be concerned about this season. But senior forward Branden Dawson’s motor, a concern in previous years, has perhaps been the least of MSU’s problems.
Dawson has been stellar in Big Ten play, averaging 12 points and a league-leading 10.1 rebounds per game. He is also top-10 in field goal percentage (52.3 percent) and steals (1.5 per game).
He posted his sixth double-double in eight games on Sunday, scoring 19 points and pulling down 10 rebounds in 41 minutes to help the Spartans defeat Michigan at Breslin Center in overtime. Dawson was named co-Big Ten player of the week on Monday, an honor he shares with Illinois sophomore guard Malcolm Hill.
“He’s been pretty steady, to be honest with you, the past five, six, seven games,” Izzo said. “He’s playing consistent today. He got a little tighter, lost his man a couple times at the end. I’m pretty pleased with how Dawson has played. I never thought I’d see the day where he could play how many minutes he played — 41 minutes in a game.”
His field goal percentage is down from last year, when he shot 61.3 percent in Big Ten play. But Dawson has shouldered more of the offensive load this season and has settled midrange jumpers at a higher rate. He has also struggled to finish easy looks at the rim at times.
Dawson admitted he was a little tired at the end of the game. But after missing last year’s U-M game at Breslin, he felt extra motivation to finish strong on Sunday, which was also his 22nd birthday.
Izzo hasn’t addressed Dawson’s effort with him in a month.
“Coach really hasn’t said that to me,” Dawson said. “He hasn’t said too much about the motor. Tonight I don’t even know how many minutes I played. But I did come out in the second half, and in overtime. I was tired in the second half; it was getting to me. But I just kept telling myself you just have to pick it up and keep going.”
Dawson has been MSU’s most consistent player in Big Ten play. Junior guard Denzel Valentine and senior guard Travis Trice haven’t been able to maintain a high level of play game in and game out. But Dawson’s stat lines have been consistently impressive, which has helped the Spartans to a 5-3 record in conference play, tied for second.
“He ran pretty good, he got out on the break pretty good, he rebounded pretty good and he takes the shots that he works on pretty good,” Izzo said. “We need more of that. He’s been more consistent than anyone else I’ve had in the last six or seven games.”
Trice, who struggled offensively until the end of Sunday’s game, said Dawson’s energy could be the key to helping everyone else become more consistent.
“BJ (Dawson) is the type of player where he makes everyone else around him better. He picks everyone else’s energy up with the plays he does,” Trice said. “So hopefully he continues to be consistent for us and everyone else picks it up too.”
