1. Xavier Booker's first start, which looked like Christmas for MSU fans, somehow turned into an inexplicable and costly loss.
EAST LANSING – For most of the season, I’ve understood and largely agreed that Tom Izzo and company would use Xavier Booker on slow plays. he wasn't ready. It was still sunny even in January. It will be clear in December.
However, things were changing. Booker seemed to be getting more comfortable in recent weeks, and on Feb. 25, MSU coaches thought he was ready.
Sunday was Christmas for MSU fans. Depending on how you look at it, it's either 10 months early or 2 months late. Or maybe it's on time.
Xavier Booker's first career start on Sunday was a gift beyond the expectations of fans who were hoping the Spartans' freshman big man would start getting playing time at both halves. Booker, who started the game at center, certainly lit up the Breslin Center. His presence from the jump and presence in overtime led the Spartans to a 10-point lead five minutes into the second half.
And like a toy taken away by a parent for reasons beyond comprehension, Booker did not see the court for the final 15 minutes of the game after playing 17 of the first 25 games. And, in some correlation, MSU lost 60-57. Ohio State's Dale Bonner's final two 3-pointers over Tyson Walker ruined the day, leaving the Spartans' NCAA Tournament chances in a more precarious position than ever. Ta.
MSU lost this game not only because Madi Sissoko was selected as the late center. Sissoko played as well as he has in recent days, but was unable to grab late offensive rebounds that could have been the difference. The Spartans lost this game because he was playing with fire with that pace, scoring seven points in over 10 minutes at the end. They lost this game because Walker and Jaden Akins could barely buy buckets.
They lost this game because their offense was dead while the freshmen who showed they could be a force on offense sat on the bench. They lost because, as the interim coach said, Ohio State was able to get deeper touches in the post while MSU's long-armed freshman sat.
It's a cruel loss. If the Spartans reach the NCAA Tournament, they will almost certainly be an 8 seed or lower in that tournament. They still need wins to accomplish that.
This game looked like it could be a shock to MSU's season, it looked like a new hope, but it wasn't.
2. Freshman Thoughts — Xavier Booker’s First Start Edition
It's natural to wonder if this should have happened sooner, but anyone who watched Booker play in December knows he wasn't the player he was back then and who he is today. On Sunday, he looked poised to be an impact player. His occasional gaffes were compensated for by what he offered, like going for a block instead of boxing out.
First, his arms are everywhere. He blocked three shots, converted another and knocked down a pass. He caught a ball that Jaden Akins lost on a drive and used his long arms to reach out and grab it and put the ball in right away. This is a play MSU's other big man can't make. They don't have the combination of length, hands and quickness.
Booker played two long stints in the first half. The first was on schedule (but added due to the lack of a dead ball break), and the second was due to foul trouble with Malik Hall and possibly Carson Cooper. MSU didn't get him back until late in the second half, a sign the coaches still have faith in Madi Sissoko. I think that's the final frontier for Booker to overcome.
Booker played a total of 17 minutes, scoring seven points on 3-of-6 shooting, including a 3-pointer, and contributing three rebounds and a block.
Another attribute of Booker: his versatility. He started at center, but when Hall picked up his second foul, he slid to power forward and Sissoko checked in.
There were hints of that this week — when Izzo told Xavier Booker he needed to find a suitable opponent (Ohio State's Felix Okpara is a good one) and when Booker spent a lot of time in practice with the starters. Even more so when I played.
The question now is whether Booker will remain in the starting lineup and play in MSU's next game, this Saturday at Mackey Arena against Zach Eady and Purdue. It may seem like a terrible matchup, but it's not a good matchup for MSU's big men. Booker at least provides some length and quickness on the second bounce, forcing defenders on the offensive side of the court to pick Booker up at the 3-point line. I don’t think that’s what Purdue wants with Eady.
3. Booker starting means a new rotation and a different role.
This is a one-game sample size, so it's hard to know what Booker's starting role means for MSU's other big men and rotational role players. But there is definitely a trickle-down effect of Booker taking on a bigger role.
What's interesting is that Sissoko, who lost his starting role, was the least affected. He made a lot of plays and played as well as he has in recent weeks. There is a correlation there. Sissoko had four points and six rebounds in 16 minutes. He also seemed relieved.
However, Carson Cooper only played seven minutes. He might have won a little more if not for his foul trouble in the first half, but his role at least diminished in this game. Cohen Carr played just seven minutes, with Booker likely getting minutes as a power forward.
One of the challenges with bringing in a new starter this late in the season is how rotations and roles change, and that's obvious. And there were some clunky lineups that didn't help either. But that's not why MSU lost. The Spartans did a lot of work and held a 12-point lead into the second half. They stopped scoring, but never went back to big men spacing the floor.
Please contact Graham Couch at gcouch@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Graham_Couch.
