Tom Izzo had plenty to like Thursday night, even if Michigan State left a pile of points at the line.
The Spartans rolled past Toledo 91-61 and did it against a Rockets team that was projected to finish second in the MAC and push for the league title. Instead, Michigan State made Toledo look ordinary, and it did so while still showing a couple of glaring cleanup items before the Champions Classic matchup with No. 2 Duke.
The biggest one was impossible to miss: free throws. Michigan State went 23-for-38 from the stripe, missing 15 attempts in a game it controlled from start to finish.
That came after Arkansas State missed 13 free throws against Toledo a few days earlier, leaving teams at 33-for-61 from the line over the first two games. Izzo looked worn down by the end and could be seen mouthing something about the missed free throws after Jordan Scott clanked a pair late.
That kind of waste won’t fly against elite competition. The Spartans got to the line plenty, which is a good sign, but they have to cash in when they’re there. With a cleaner night at the stripe, this easily could have turned into a 100-point performance.
The encouraging part for Michigan State was how much better the frontcourt looked. That group was the main concern coming into the season after two exhibition losses, especially at center. After Thursday, it’s looking more like a strength, even with Cam Ward still working through things.
Anton Bonke got the start and finished with nine points and seven rebounds, including four on the offensive glass, after a slow opening stretch. Ethan Taylor added eight points and five rebounds, while Jesse McCulloch chipped in six points and three boards. Together, the center rotation produced 23 points and 15 rebounds, and the energy from that group stood out.
At power forward, Coen Carr scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds, and Kaleb Glenn added eight points and six rebounds. Michigan State’s frontcourt accounted for 41 of the team’s 91 points, and the Spartans’ 52 total rebounds showed how complete they were on the glass.
That’s a sharp turn from the worry that followed the Marquette game. Now the task is getting Ward on track.
Even with the miscues, this looked like a team Izzo expects a lot from. With four minutes left and Michigan State ahead by 30, he was still visibly irritated after Ward picked up a silly fifth foul. That’s the kind of reaction that says a lot: the coach wasn’t satisfied because he knows how much better this group can be.
If missed free throws and fouls are the biggest issues through two games, Michigan State is in a pretty good place. The Spartans beat a strong Toledo team by 30 while playing what looked like a B-game. Next week against Duke will tell a lot more about just how special this team can be.
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No. 6 Michigan State is a different level of test, especially on the road, where the Spartans have historically had the upper hand in recent meetings with Toledo. For the Rockets, the challenge is not just surviving an early-season trip against a ranked opponent, but proving the positives from game one can carry over against a team that has made a habit of controlling this series. [Read more 🡒]