Junior center Adreian Payne goes to lay the ball up against Michigan. MSU defeated U-M, 75-52, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013, at Breslin Center. Justin Wan/The State News
—With a difficult stretch of games during the next week, the No. 8 MSU men’s basketball team saw an opportunity this weekend to hone some of its shortcomings against Nebraska.
One area of focus for the team was strengthening its rebounding and developing consistency with its big men in the paint.
This came after receiving a lecture during the week by former-Spartan Draymond Green, who was in East Lansing during the NBA All-Star weekend.
After finishing a successful career with MSU last season, Green understands the best teams in the country are able to control the pace of the game using rebounds to earn second-chance points and denying opportunities for the opposition.
It was a lesson that sunk in for senior center Derrick Nix and junior center Adreian Payne.
Nix and Payne each finished with a double-double in Saturday’s 73-64 road victory against Nebraska, setting the table for Tuesday’s showdown with No. 1 Indiana.
Payne had a standout showing with 15 points and 14 rebounds and Nix was able to earn 11 of his 13 points in the second half to go along with 11 rebounds for the evening.
— Dillon Davis, The State News
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