+3 and -3 from MSU vs. Oakland,

+3

1. Overall offense. We shot 52% from the floor and scored 86 points. 5 players in double figures. Langford and Ward got it going early and then Winston late. McQuaid hit two big 3’s during a run in the first half. We scored inside, outside, in transition, and against the zone. This offense is good enough to be elite, just need to cut down on turnovers. Cash has turned into quite the closer, unreal that he goes for 0 in the first half and 19 in the second.

2. Tum and Jackson had such a big impact on the game on defense. Tum really locked up Nunn in the last 6 minutes. Jackson frustrated a good player like Hayes for most of the night. Those two (and maybe only those two) defended at a high level today.

3. I’m giving one of the +3 to the Oakland mentality. I think it’s great that they come into the game every time we play with a chip on their shoulder. It’s awesome that Nunn truly believes he is the best player on the floor. Hayes thinks he’s better than Jackson and Walker thinks he can outplay Bridges. Kampe thinks they are going to win. That’s how their guys playing against ours in Moneyball. That mentality, out of any team, is amazing to see. It’s why others use the Oakland vs. Kansas game to predict the score of MSU vs. Oakland and I just chuckle. The transitive property doesn’t apply to how 19 year-old’s might play a game a couple weeks apart. Those who have coached the game and played the game know this. Motivation and belief mean an awful lot. I love that this game is played. I love the double-header in the D. I love that Izzo plays Oakland and doesn’t act like a coward and dodge them like Beilein does. It’s good for basketball in this state. It’s great to reward a guy like Kampe and all he has done at Oakland. Kudos to Izzo for knowing what this game means to Oakland each year and playing it anyway.

-3

1. When your best player plays a below average game, it’s going to be hard to blow out a good football team. 3/10, 4 fouls, 2 turnovers, and only 3 rebounds is not a stat line that’s going to help this team. For us to be at our best, he simply needs to be better than he’s been the first month of the season.

2. Wing-stopper was one of my three biggest issues coming into the season. At 6’3, Nunn may not have the size of the wings I had in mind and as much as he played with the ball in his hands, he was more like a PG, we obviously had major issues with him as he shot nearly 50% and had 32. McQuaid and Langford had virtually no chance (although stagger hedges by bigs weren’t great), but Tum in the last 5-6 minutes really did a great job getting under him and making him at least put it on the deck inside the arc. Gave up 10 made 3’s for the game and fouled on four 3-pointers. As well as we’ve defended the “2,” the 3-point defense hasn’t been great as of late.

3. 17 turnovers for a team that is not pressuring you at all is a joke. Many were careless. 6 for Winston. Careless. Offense is good enough to put up 90+

Coaches Corner

* Izzo ran a great zone set after the brutal officials time-out. Knew Kampe would be zone. Izzo has a handful of zone sets for a “3,” but this may be the one they run the least. Cash starts low and we are in a 2 guard set. Ball goes weak side….Cash sneaks up to FT line and then opposite wing. Opposite wing screens in as the play is a decoy going away from him. Guard quick pivots and hits Winston on the opposite side for an open 3. Pure brilliance by Izzo. That never gets old.

Crystal Ball

* Houston Baptist on Monday. My #1 priority would be to get Bridges and Jackson going on offense. Thru 25 minutes tonight the two of them had combined for 6 points. Keep fine tuning the sets that work for the two of them and get their offensive games moving.

Extras

* Spare me the finals take. Just like I don’t want to hear 6 games in 13 days or 2 games in 3 days. It’s all part of college basketball. It happens every season. Enough already.

* Winston got 1 shot in the first 15 minutes. Yes, we were getting it inside early. Yes, they played some zone. Yes, he’s the PG. But, I’d love to see us run something for him to get a look in the first 5 minutes with the way he’s shooting the ball.

* Can’t tell whether we got that good of a whistle early or they fouled us that often. The foul discrepancy snuck up on me a bit and then it was overwhelming.

* Ward is not going to do himself any favors with officials as he complains down the entire court on no-calls. Puts a name on himself and will cost him over time.

* T on Bridges was a joke. What happened was he was about to jump for a rebound and Nunn practically undercut him by hitting him in the hip and not allowing him to jump. It was a cheap shot. Bridges returned fire and nudged him going down the court. Easy one to let go.

College Basketball Saturday Observations

1. RUTGERS! We saw how tough they played MSU at the RAC. They trailed by as many as 13 today against Seton Hall and stormed back for a big 6 point win that included a 13-0 run late in the game. Steve Pikiell has brought a tough and physical brand of basketball to Piscataway, New Jersey. The RAC sounded loud and alive today. They entered today #1 in scoring defense at 58 ppg and 36th in KenPom adjusted D. Still a ways to go offensively as they only shot 34% today. His offensive scheme is pretty simple, 3 out/2 in based with a lot of “pairs” ball screen action. They just need to keep bringing guys along with offensive skill development.

2. Purdue moves to 11-2 and is going to be a force in the B1G race. Balance was big for them today with 4 players in double figures as they pounded Butler (led by 26 at one point). They came in #1 in the B1G at 86 ppg offensively. They do a good job of running the offense thru Haas, which draws a lot of help from the 3’s and 4’s, leaving looks for Edwards and Mathias. Their basic motion game is still the best there is in the B1G in terms of true screening and cutting.

3. What a win by the Hoosiers. Morgan goes off for 34. Huge win for Archie and brutal loss for the Irish.

4. Oklahoma is really tough to guard. If a team as good as Wichita State gives up over 50 in a half, you know that Young can really score it.