MSU Basketball: Stock Up / Stock Down

MSU heads into the teeth of the B1G season at the top of the national rankings, 14-1, and winners of 13 consecutive games. What is the current status of the Spartans? What have we learned in the first two months? Most importantly, what is trending right now and what other things should we keep at eye on as the B1G season heats up?

STOCK UP

1. Matt McQuaid's Jumper - In the last 4 games, McQuaid is 12/22 from "3," shooting at a 55% clip. Heading into that stretch, he was shooting 35% from "3" on the year and 37% for his career. We know that McQuaid brings plenty of other things to the table, but to go with Cash and Langford, this team needs another sniper. While making shots in 50 point blowouts doesn't always prove much, confidence is an important thing for a shooter and Matt's got it right now.

2. Zone Offense - Some "experts" mistakenly thought zone offense would be an issue for this team after the Duke game in November. Yes, that Duke game where their vaunted zone "held" MSU to 81 points. Since then, we've learned that Duke is a BAD defensive team (KenPom 89th) and MSU's zone offense is just fine. The Spartans have become effective out of their base "X" look as well as ball-screening and step out into a 4-out look. Kenny Goins passing at the high post was a huge key to the Oakland game. We have seen Bridges has been attacking off the bounce, Langford with the one and two dribble pull-ups as well as the Tom Izzo zone sets. Zone offense will not be an issue for this team.

STOCK DOWN

1. Wing Stoppers - From Grayson Allen's 37 points to Cleveland State's Bobby Word getting 26. MSU has elite rim protection, Tum can be a lockdown defender of point guards, but they still don't have a true wing stopper. With a slew of quality wings on the roster, I'll be interested to see who draw those assignments and how they do.

2. Defensive Rebounding Percentage - This has a chance to be a historic rebounding team for this program, like it does a field goal percentage defense team. Don't be fooled by the +11 rebounding margin that is first in the B1G. Defensive Rebound Percentage (DRB%) is a basketball statistic that puts a team or player's number of defensive rebounds in proportion to the total number of defensive rebounds available. MSU ranks 79th in defensive rebounding percentage. When you have some of the best bigs in the nation, Bridges a the 3, and an athlete like Langford at the 2, you should never be 79th in any rebounding stat. That must improve.

COACHING CORNER

1. Tom Izzo's Gap-Based Defense - The way MSU plays man-to-man defense is not the same way Kentucky plays man-to-man defense. The easiest way to tell is watch the man one pass away. For UK, they are up in the passing lanes, full denial. On the catch, they are in your kitchen. For MSU, they are a step back off their man and a step towards the ball, taking away that "gap" or dribble-penetration lane. With the rim protectors on this team, anytime help comes, that help can block shots. That's the positive side. With that gap help being stressed and MSU not being extremely quick on the wings, those shot blockers are a force. The down side is that when gap help comes, drive and kick 3's are available. Teams are going to shoot more 3's than ever against this MSU team due to rim protection, dribble penetration and the gap help that comes with it.

2. Less Sets / More Transitions + Secondary? - I've hypothesized that this MSU team will run less sets than maybe any Izzo team in the last decade. Why? I think the transition game with Winston's vision, Bridges and Langford on the wings, and Jackson/Ward in the post, is a monster to stop. Add to that options of Ward in the post, Winston off the ball screen, and Langford's mid-range game. Don't get me wrong, you will still see 100 MSU sets (literally) during the B1G season. Those sets will still be key to offensive efficiency, but I think the natural offensive talent of this team will slightly minimize their importance.