With his teammates struggling to get their legs back after a four-game trip to Hawaii, Paul Davis carried the No. 12 MSU men's basketball team to a win over Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne on Sunday, keeping the Spartans within striking distance until the rest of the team worked out the kinks.
The Spartans (3-2) trailed for nearly the entire first half before taking a 29-28 lead with 2:52 remaining. MSU never relinquished that advantage, widening the margin to as much as 22 points before coasting to an 84-73 victory in its home opener.
The Mastodons (1-3) sprung out to an 8-0 lead as the Spartans missed their first five shots — including three from Davis. The Spartans finally got on the board with a perfectly executed pick-and-roll as senior guard Maurice Ager fed Davis with a bounce pass that the senior center slammed home for the Spartans' first two points. He went on to score the next six points for the Green and White.
Davis finished with 30 points and 14 rebounds. He said persistence was the key to his strong first half.
"I missed my first couple shots, but I didn't stop, or worry about it," Davis said. "That definitely helps, to get a couple buckets and get to the free-throw line early just to know you've got your touch, and you're kind of getting in the flow of things."
The Spartans' half-court offense started and finished with Davis. When he wasn't scoring with an array of moves from the low block or burying 17-foot jump shots, he was hitting teammates with pinpoint passes as they cut to the basket, or kicking out of double teams to wide-open shooters on the arc. He also converted on all six of his free throws, extending his streak to 29-straight makes from the line.
Davis said good ball movement and precise post feeds have been an area of focus for the team.
"One thing we definitely want to work on is first getting it in the post and working on inside-out, because that's when we're hitting our shots, when it's coming square-up at you," Davis said. "We've got the shooters to do it."
MSU head coach Tom Izzo said he was happy with the way Davis played, but was disappointed with the team's play as a whole. He said they didn't hustle enough, particularly when redshirt freshman center Goran Suton was reluctant to dive for a loose ball. Izzo said Suton's lack of hustle was unacceptable, and a shame to former Spartans who were never hesitant to dive into the bench for an extra possession.
"If he ever embarrasses Antonio Smith, Andre Hutson or any of you in the stands by looking down at a loose ball again, he won't see as much of the court," Izzo said. "That's a guarantee and a promise."
Izzo said the team still hasn't put forth a satisfactory defensive effort in the five games they have played.
"We haven't checked anybody yet, and that's going to change," Izzo said. "We're going to find a way to change it. I'm very, very disappointed in our defense."
Ager scored 20 points for the Spartans, eclipsing the 1,000-point mark for his career. Justin Hawkins had 13 points for the Mastodons, and Kyle Savely chipped in 12.
The Spartans face Georgia Tech at home on Wednesday as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The game tips off at 7 p.m.
