Michigan State put on a show Friday night, rolling past Northern Iowa 106-72 in a game that turned into an offensive showcase fast.
The Spartans didn’t just win comfortably - they kept pouring it on against a Panthers team that came in averaging 93 points per game. Michigan State’s offense was so hot it broke a school record, and the late defensive pressure eventually helped suffocate Northern Iowa down the stretch. With a major road game against Tennessee coming up, this was about as clean a statement as the Spartans could make.
The most striking part of the night was how natural the scoring looked. Michigan State reached 100 points for the first time this season and topped 90 for the third time, shooting better than 50 percent from the floor while also setting a program record with 18 made 3-pointers. The ball moved crisply, shots kept falling, and for long stretches it felt like the Spartans could score whenever they wanted.
That kind of rhythm brought back memories of the 2015-16 team for one observer, who said, “The last time that I watched an offense and felt like it was going to score on every single possession was back in 2015-16 when Denzel Valentine and Bryn Forbes were shooting the lights out of the ball. I had the same feeling on Friday night.”
Even with a late stretch where the deep reserves slowed things down, Michigan State looked like it might have reached 115 points if the pace had held.
One of the biggest reasons the offense looked so smooth was the play of Jasiah Jervis. The true freshman delivered 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting and looked remarkably composed doing it.
He was described as looking like a pro, and the comparison to Gary Harris came up again because of how steady he’s been early on. Jervis handled the ball, ran the offense, created his own looks, and defended with willingness.
Scouts, according to the source, have plenty to like when they watch this Michigan State team, and Jervis is at the front of that conversation.
Not everything was settled, though. The center position remains the one area that still doesn’t have a clear answer.
Anton Bonke started but had a rough night, finishing with no points in seven minutes while picking up three fouls and three turnovers. Ethan Taylor came off the bench and showed some promise with four points, four rebounds and two blocks in nine minutes, but he also showed the kind of mistakes that come with being a freshman.
McCulloch may have made the strongest case. He played 16 minutes, scored seven points, grabbed five rebounds and added a steal while also knocking down a couple of 3-pointers.
The catch is that he’s more naturally a four, even if he has shown he can handle the five. At this point, the source suggests the starting job should probably come down to McCulloch and Taylor.
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Michigan States Bowl Hopes Suddenly Ride On Washington
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Michigan State has little room to savor the rivalry win now, because bowl eligibility depends on finishing the job from here. The Spartans recent results have made the picture clear enough, and this one at home is the kind of game that can either extend the season or leave the final stretch feeling like a missed opportunity. [Read more 🡒]