I’m not going to be all doom and gloom with Michigan State men's basketball 74-65 loss to Duke last night, but it isn’t all rainbows and roses right now either.
As promised, I won’t mince my words. Here’s some of my bigger form thoughts taking in the game last night from the United Center and what I think needs to change to get this team back on track after a 1-2 start to the 2023-2024 season.
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Loyalty
Let me make this clear. I appreciate head coach Tom Izzo’s loyalty to his guys. The program has had staying power for 25-plus years because Izzo has bought in on guys long past the point that the fan base has wanted it and it’s paid dividends over the years. Case in point, Joey Hauser last year. It’s easy to forget that Hauser had a rough start to the season (and really his career as a whole at MSU), but without his development, Michigan State doesn’t make a Sweet 16. If it wasn’t readily apparent last year, it’s abundantly clear this one. His shooting and rebounding are SORELY missed.
Without weathering the rough patches, we don’t see the culmination of Joey as a player. Adversity either dictates stagnation or growth and Izzo’s belief in players more often than not leads to tangible maturation.
I think we’re seeing a little of that with Malik Hall. For as much as the fan base scapegoated him for the loss to James Madison, MSU would have gotten destroyed without him last night against the Blue Devils. With 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting, including 2-for-4 on 3-point attempts, along with three rebounds, Hall carried MSU’s barren offense in long stretches on Tuesday night.
Yes, Hall's inconsistent, which is WILDLY frustrating for a fifth-year forward, but his highs are REALLY good. He outplayed Duke's Kyle Filipowski (preseason All-American) for long stretches on Tuesday, and while he needs to be this locked in EVERY game, I think even when he’s not scoring at this high of a clip, his value for this team is apparent. This team needs him to be good, and I think he’s going to settle in and give us a base at the position that more often than not is contributing to winning basketball.
