1. A much-needed and long-awaited debut for this MSU basketball team
EAST LANSING — For the roughly 10,000 Michigan State fans in attendance, Wednesday night at the Breslin Center sounded like a therapy session that turned into a party. They had had enough of gloomy introspection for now. Basketball season should change the mood.
There’s only so much you can take away from an 85-43 exhibition win over Hillsdale. Most importantly, it was on schedule.
After weeks of watching a football team with mediocre talent come up short, the MSU men’s basketball team took the court with a roster that could easily compete in college basketball – five players with extensive starting experience replaced by a rotation of interesting ones young players players who competed with 16:13 left in the first half to great applause. Izzo then made it clear that he will not be making any line changes once the actual games begin. But it added to the thrill of Wednesday.
And for MSU’s freshmen, it was an important moment. The same went for this game, which helped them burn off some admittedly nervous energy.
“It felt completely different (than a skirmish) when we all checked in and the announcer called our names for the first time,” freshman Coen Carr said. “I know people don’t think it doesn’t matter much to (the opponent), but it really helps to be able to play the first game no matter who we play.”
This is a team with a high floor. But it’s the ceiling that makes people dizzy in a way I haven’t felt in years. Nothing that happened on Wednesday will and should dampen that enthusiasm.
2. Freshman’s Thoughts – The Hillsdale Exhibition Edition
I didn’t hear an ovation at the Breslin Center like I did on Wednesday when MSU’s four freshmen checked in for the first time since Steven Izzo last checked in for cleanup. This is what people have been waiting for – for Jeremy Fears Jr., Coen Carr, Xavier Booker and Gehrig Normand to make their debuts. It was just an exhibition game, but it’s enough for now.
A few things stood out:
Fears is a tenacious two-way player who is confident on offense and never lets up on defense. And he will help MSU achieve a breakthrough. He loves the look-ahead pass. It largely worked against Hillsdale – except when Carr went down. It will be interesting to see how often he tries it against longer and more athletic competitors.
“If my teammate takes a step or two, I think I’ll be able to move forward,” Fears said afterwards. “I trust that when I run, I can put the ball right in his hand and lead him straight to the basket. … I’ve been doing this since I was young.”
As a recruit, I placed Fears in the Gary Harris/Miles Bridges category — the kind of big challenge Izzo sometimes handled with kid gloves. As a point guard, you can already tell – Fears will get the full Izzo experience. On Wednesday, that included both serious conversations, with Fears nodding along, as well as the two hugging each other and talking about what had just happened.
Fears finished the game with two points, eight assists and four turnovers in 18 minutes with Steven Izzo on the floor.
RELATED: Couch: Tom Izzo can’t hide his feelings for Jeremy Fears Jr., talking about Michigan State University’s starting point guard
Carr left the game for the younger Izzo, one fan favorite for the other. Carr will provide entertainment this season. He did that on Wednesday, most notably with a steal and a thunderous one-handed dunk in the first half that scored two of his 12 points in 15 minutes. He only had three rebounds. That’s the number to keep an eye on – the number that will determine a lot about the extent of his role this season. He played primarily small forward, but also a little power forward. He could see minutes there if he outworks Booker.
“Being able to play multiple positions is one of the reasons they recruited me,” Carr said. “(The challenge) is more on defense and protecting bigger players.”
Booker’s skills stand out. He hit a somewhat controversial three-pointer from the left wing right in front of the goal and another three-pointer later. Those were all six of his points. I think his mid-range baseline jumper will also be a weapon. He also had three blocked shots, albeit against smaller opponents. I want to see Booker against high-major and Division I competition before I really evaluate him. Because that’s not just when he’s being tested physically – he got moved a bit by Hillsdale on Wednesday – but also when I think his skill set and length could actually separate him. The entire MSU squad was athletically superior against Hillsdale. This much is clear, and Izzo said it on Wednesday night: Booker has to be better if he wants to play meaningful minutes.
Normand played eight minutes and scored two points – with a reverse layup in transition on a dish from Fears. He’s the 11th man in what will likely be a 10-man rotation. But he is skilled. If he had been on the team last year, he might have played 12 to 15 minutes per game in November.
RELATED: Couch: MSU freshman Gehrig Normand is as humble as they come. But he knows he’s at MSU to make shots.
3. Tre Holloman isn’t going anywhere
There aren’t many definitive statements I’d like to make after a friendly against Hillsdale. This is one thing: Tre Holloman will not be pushed out of this rotation of players, no matter how full and talented the backcourt is around him.
Holloman seemed like a sophomore Wednesday who learned a few things as a freshman — like what it takes to play. Last season, he realized he would have a role as a backup point guard if he just didn’t make mistakes. He’s adapted and seems to understand that if he’s going to play a role this year, he’ll largely be playing as an unprepared secondary, often alongside freshman Jeremy Fears Jr.
Holloman scored nine points on five shots in 20 minutes (along with four assists) on Wednesday night, with two of his shots lost in celebration of a freshman shot right in front of him – his 3-pointer right after a Xavier Booker three and a strong drive and scored while being fouled while the crowd was still cheering from Coen Carr’s first dunk.
I think that will be the story of his season. His presence won’t wow the building like his younger teammates will on the court. He also won’t be as influential as his older backcourt mates. But the idea that Holloman could be the underdog…he doesn’t look like he’s willing to back down.
Contact Graham Couch at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Graham_Couch.