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Four takeaways from men's basketball win over Rutgers

February 1, 2015
<p>Junior forward Branden Dawson attempts a point over Michigan forward Glenn Robinson III  March 16, 2014, during a game against Michigan at the Big 10 Championship at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Spartans were beating the Wolverines at halftime, 38-29. Erin Hampton/The State News</p>

Junior forward Branden Dawson attempts a point over Michigan forward Glenn Robinson III March 16, 2014, during a game against Michigan at the Big 10 Championship at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Spartans were beating the Wolverines at halftime, 38-29. Erin Hampton/The State News

For the first time in a while, MSU strung together a performance that left viewers with positivity, as one of the usual suspects had a dominant game and a few other Spartans reminded us of their importance.

Senior forward Branden Dawson had yet another terrific Big Ten performance, scoring 17 points and collecting 10 rebounds in a 71-51 victory over Rutgers. It was his fifth double-double in eight Big Ten games but this one definitely stood out.

Dawson’s free throw shooting has given fans nightmares but he started the game 5-for-5 from the line. He has missed shots around the basket but against Rutgers, he shot an efficient 6-of-7 from the field. Even his passing was impressive, recording four assists on the night, the best of which was a perfect bounce pass ahead to junior guard Denzel Valentine in transition.

Junior guard Bryn Forbes, who has seen his shot total dwindle over the past few games, erupted for 18 points after rejoining the starting lineup. On 7-of-10 shooting, he reminded us once again of the impact he can have.

Another bright spot for MSU was the performance of its bench, namely junior forward Matt Costello and freshman guard Lourawls Nairn.

Filling in for sophomore forward Gavin Schilling after he got into some early foul trouble, Costello had two blocks in the first half to set the tone, including a chase-down swat of Rutgers guard Bishop Daniels. He looked solid in the post, showing nice patience and toughness en route to 9 points.

Nairn gave us a glimpse into his future, as he used his quickness to get to the rim throughout the second half. He attacked almost with ease, and no Rutgers player could match his speed. With eight points, all of which came from scores in the lane, he finished with a career high.

The freshman finished with just one assist but it came on the type of play that MSU needs most to fit its style of play. Nairn pushed the ball on the fast break, blowing by defenders before he found himself a few feet away from the hoop. Instead of going up over two defenders, Nairn kicked it out to Valentine who connected for three.

The Spartans have looked their best when the transition game is working for them, and if Nairn can push the tempo like that every night, MSU will be a tough out.

A 20-point win was exactly what this team needed heading into a Sunday date with Michigan. After two disappointing performances in losses to Maryland and Rutgers, MSU finally got the train rolling again and will head into a pivotal rivalry game with more momentum than its had in three weeks. Although Rutgers is clearly at the bottom tier of the conference, the Spartans can't be picky about their wins at this point and any victory is a vital one.

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