In a three-game, three-day tournament over Thanksgiving week, Michigan State men’s basketball left the Maui Invitational with a third-place finish and a number of developments that could shape how the rest of its season looks.
The Spartans beat Colorado 72-56, lost to Memphis 71-63 and beat North Carolina 94-91 in overtime in the third-place game, a statement victory against the same school the Spartans lost to in March Madness last spring.
Here are some takeaways from MSU's showing in Hawaii.
Three-point shooting improves
Before Maui, the Spartans struggled from three-point range, shooting a measly 23-for-104 (22%). Against Colorado, MSU didn’t make its first three until 13:33 left in the second half, starting 1-for-15 and ending 2-for-21.
Like other games this season, the Spartans didn't look confident from beyond the arc against Colorado. Senior forward Frankie Fidler finished 1-for-4 from three-point range, and senior guard Jaden Akins and sophomore forward Xavier Booker went a combined 0-for-8.
Against Memphis, the Spartans finished 7-for-20 from long range and, while missing some wide open looks, regained some confidence. Akins went 2-for-6 and freshman guard Jase Richardson, who scored 18 points, went 3-for-5 from beyond the arc. MSU’s seven three-pointers against Memphis tied the most it's made in a game this season.
Against North Carolina, MSU went 4-for-16 from three-point range (25%), on par with its season average. Still, the Spartans looked more comfortable shooting from deep and made an effort to get to the rim every time down the floor.
While MSU's shooting improved slightly in the tournament, its three bigs struggled. Senior center Szymon Zapala scored seven points in three days and picked up 13 rebounds. Junior forward Jaxon Kohler scored 14 points — seven against Memphis — and grabbed 20 rebounds, leading the team. Against Memphis, junior center Carson Cooper went scoreless and got two rebounds in just eight minutes of play.
None of MSU's bigs could make much of an offensive impact, and the Spartans relied on their guards to do most of the work.
Booker shows passion in defining stretch vs. UNC
Eight games into the season, Booker's role was diminishing by the game. Against UNC, the 6-foot-10 sophomore showcased his rebounding and physical potential down the stretch against UNC, a sure-fire way to earn more minutes for head coach Tom Izzo.
Booker's intensity, or lack thereof, has been a talking point since he arrived in East Lansing and something Izzo has brought up multiple times. Booker began the season in the starting lineup but was soon replaced by Kohler, who made the most of it with two straight double-doubles.
Against UNC, Booker had a stretch that could’ve changed the course of his season, grabbing a pair of game-altering offensive rebounds and putbacks down the stretch to go with a block. Booker's late performance was a reason why MSU came out on top as the sophomore finished 5-for-7 from the field with 12 points and seven rebounds in 25 minutes.
Richardson's growing importance for MSU
It’s clear that Richardson will be a leader for the Spartans in a couple years should he choose to stay in school. In seven games so far, the freshman has proved to be a reliable bench player and arguably MSU's most natural playmaker with the ability to score and create off the dribble. This was no different over Thanksgiving week.
In MSU's first two games in Maui, Richardson combined for 31 points. Against Colorado, he led the team with 13 points on 6-for-8 shooting and grabbed four rebounds. Against Memphis, he led the team again with 18 points, nine coming from deep, while tallying three rebounds and two assists. His offensive performances reveal his innate ability to score a much-needed basket or throw an effortless pass to the wing for an open look.
However, Richardson developed symptoms stemming from an elbow to the head that required further evaluation in the Memphis game, rendering him unable to play against North Carolina. MSU made a statement without him.
Stellar individual performances against UNC
Against UNC, six Spartans scored in double digits. MSU scored 50 points in the paint, 45 bench points and 22 second-chance and fast-break points.
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All of these statistics helped MSU beat UNC 94-91 to win third place in the Maui Invitational, a statement win that showed MSU’s tenacity to come back and beat the team they lost to in March Madness just over seven months ago.
In the first half, junior guard Tre Holloman scored 13 points and finished with a career-high 19, sealing the game with four crucial free throws. In the second half, Akins made critical plays that helped the Spartans take several leads. He finished the game with 14 points and three rebounds.
Fidler came around and shot well after a streak of subpar performances before and during the tournament. He finished with 13 points on 5-for-6 shooting, including one three-pointer, three rebounds and a steal.
MSU opens conference play with Minnesota on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at Williams Arena in Minneapolis. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. Big Ten Network will air the game.
