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Published Jan 8, 2023
3 biggest takeaways from Michigan State's 59-53 win over Michigan
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Carter Elliott  •  Spartans Illustrated
Staff Writer
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@CarterElliott__

Saturday's game between Michigan and Michigan State is hard to describe. The best way I could think to put it is when you see somebody's dog that is so ugly that it's actually beautiful. The game wasn't pretty, and I would go as far to say, at times, it was not fun, but a win over your rival will always be beautiful.

Michigan State defeated Michigan by a final score of 59-53 and finds itself in a tie for first place in the Big Ten Conference.

Here are some takeaways from the Spartans' win over the Wolverines.

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Throwing the kitchen sink...but strategically

The defense on Michigan center Hunter Dickinson yesterday was phenomenal. Though Dickinson scored right around his average of 18 points, he had to work for it, and a lot of his points came late in the game and on transition buckets.

What made the defensive play so brilliant, though, is that the Spartans did not double-team Dickinson every time, and did base the decision to double-team off of something Michigan was doing. This seemed to keep Dickinson off guard throughout the game.

Typically in basketball, when you send a double-team at a player, it is communicated to only do it in certain scenarios. Michigan State was less predictable about when and how it would double-team Dickinson, which seemed to cause confusion for the Wolverines at times.

When the Spartans weren't doubling, the the front-court players were able to hold their own in one-on-one situations and forced Dickinson into tough shots. I also thought the guards did an amazing job of digging down in the post at the exact right moment to make Dickinson pass it or second-guess the move he was going to try. The game plan against Dickinson was pristine and the execution was flawless.

Points guard + Coach Izzo's trust = beauty

Tom Izzo himself said in the postgame press conference that at times this season, he and point guard A.J. Hoggard have butted heads, but that he has trusted Hoggard more and more this season.

Coach Izzo seems to have complete trust in Hoggard running this team, and watching Hoggard's this past month, it's evident why that is the case.

Hoaggard was controlling the game yesterday on both ends of the floor. He once again had a very balanced stat line of 15 points, six assists, four rebounds, and most importantly, only one turnover.

It was not just on the offensive end of the floor where Hoggard took charge on Saturday, it was also the pride he took in the defensive challenge of guarding one of the best freshman in the country, and a likely first-round NBA draft pick, in Michigan guard Jett Howard.

Hoggard was able to use his physicality and grit to force Howard into a frustrating day. The trust has been earned by his coaches and teammates, and it appears that Michigan State might not only have a true point guard in Hoggard, but a leader as well.

In need of a bucket? Tyson Walker can help with that

When Michigan State saw its double-digit lead dwindle to single digits late in the second half, you could feel the tension in the Breslin Center. There was a bit of doubt that was beginning to creep in and the thoughts of “We might lose this game” began to creep in for MSU fans.

But, just as quickly as those thoughts crept in, guard Tyson Walker's play said “I got us." Walker's ability to get timely buckets yesterday were pivotal in Michigan Sate coming away with a win. Whether it was a corner 3-pointer to push the lead back to 10 points, or a reverse layup to make it a three-possession game, Walker was there when the Spartans needed him.

It is always a luxury for any team to have an older, veteran guy who has the ability to be aware of the situation, and recognize that their team needs them to make a play and calm things down.

Izzo spoke about Walker becoming more "aggressive" lately and this is exactly the version of the senior that MSU needs to be successful this season.

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