I'll tell you what.
The “we want Steven” chants echoing in Little Caesars arena with five minutes remaining wasn’t on my bingo card as I drove to Detroit this morning.
Yes, MSU took down No. 6 Baylor, 88-64, highlighted by 25 points from Tyson Walker, a copy and paste performance in his senior year campaign.
Click that link when you are done reading this -- some good analysis there.
This game felt like the culmination of everything Spartan fans have hoped this team could be.
Fast paced.
Tenacious defense.
The swagger of a team that knew it was elite.
Better late than never, let’s dive in.
THE HIGHLIGHTS
Tyson walker himself outscored Baylor in the first half.
You read that right.
A month ago this result would’ve been shocking. Going into today, it seemed impossible.
Yet, in the end, MSU grabbed a Quad 1 win on a neutral court. Yes, that matters.
MSU’s top three guards (Walker, A.J. Hoggard, Tre Holloman) collaborated for 50 points (18/31 from the field).
Last March's NCAA Tournament performances by the guards gave Spartan fans the impression that tonight's showing was the ceiling of MSU’s guard potential.
Today, those expectations came to fruition.
Nothing about this performance was out of the realm of possibility.
Yes, MSU shot the ball well, and held the No. 6 Bears to their lowest output (64) this season, but this is definitely repeatable.
Still shocked? Hold your breath for this stat:
This was MSU’s largest margin of victory against a 10 top opponent, ever. (via ESPN). That's a nice afternoon in Detroit, let me tell you.
As fun as the offense was, it was the defense that flexed the marquee strength of this MSU team.
Coen Carr’s two steals and highlight-worthy block/steal of an alley oop set the tone, as the team finished with a season high 15 steals.
Fifteen.
Cheers from the crowd followed several notorious Tom Izzo smirks of affirmation in the first half.
Even Izzo couldn't hide the fact that he was pleased with the showing from his squad. It all seemed to come together in one glorious game today.
Spartan fans were giddy as they spilled out into the streets of Detroit.
HERE IS WHAT'S NEXT
MSU has three games to solidify the progress gained today -- Oakland, Stony Brook, and Indiana State -- and get to 8-5. It's a must.
If MSU loses any of those three games, this Baylor win will feel shallow.
In fact, three stress-free wins is the expectation.
Today's victory might be an outlier if it can't be repeated -- but can this team sustain the focus and discipline showed today?
Only time will tell.
But for today, enjoy this win, thank your host city, Detroit, and share Merry Christmas greetings with your fellow Spartans as we approach the holiday.
P.S. -- This was the first win in Little Caesars Arena since October 28th (of a Michigan-based basketball team, anyway).
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