Michigan State basketball absolutely rolled Quinnipiac in their season-opener, dropping a massive 96-59 victory on Monday night. This wasn’t just a win, it was a statement. The Spartans led for almost the entire game, pushing their lead to as much as 40 points, and that margin never once dipped below 20 in the second half. Talk about controlling the court!
When They’re On, Nobody’s Stopping Them
We saw glimpses of exactly why this Michigan State squad is considered a preseason national championship contender. When they are locked in like they were against Quinnipiac, they are simply going to dominate. Six different Spartans hit double-digits in scoring, showing off that deep roster everyone’s been talking about. Jeremy Fears Jr. was on another level, bagging a season-opening double-double with 13 points and 11 assists. You love to see it.
And it wasn’t just Fears. Anton Bonke also snagged a double-double, putting up 11 points and an impressive 13 rebounds. Cam Ward, after battling a preseason injury, looked like he was getting back to full strength, chipping in nine points and five boards. Guys like Bonke and Ward are crucial if this team wants to hit its goals this year, and their strong start is a huge relief after a shaky exhibition slate where MSU dropped a couple of games to Big East foes. That exhibition season had some folks worried, but it was clear the team wasn’t playing its best ball then. Seeing Kur Teng drain a 3-pointer just added to the feeling that this team has the firepower to overmatch most opponents on their schedule.
Now, we gotta take this with a grain of salt, right? It was Quinnipiac, but let’s not act like they’re a slouch. They’ve had a winning record for the last four seasons, so this wasn’t some cupcake walk in the park. This performance should definitely have fans hyped.
But There’s a Big Problem at the Charity Stripe
Alright, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: free throw shooting. This is becoming a genuine, growing concern, and it was glaringly obvious again on Monday. The Spartans finished the night shooting a brutal 57.7% from the charity stripe, hitting only 15 of 26 attempts. Seriously, 15-of-26? That simply won’t cut it for a team that has national championship aspirations.
This isn’t just an opener fluke either. We saw poor free throw shooting throughout the exhibition slate too. It’s early in the season, sure, but this is absolutely something that needs to be monitored. You can’t be a contender missing that many freebies. Coach Tom Izzo is definitely going to have this squad on the line.
Next Up… Michigan State has another game coming up later this week. All eyes will be on whether they can clean up those free throws while keeping that dominant, championship-contending energy rolling on the court.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply