Is MSU Sophomore on Track for Breakout Season?
Michigan State men's basketball has started off its 2024 campaign on the right foot, sitting among the best in the Big Ten with an 8-2 record through their first 10 games.
One of the X-factors on the team so far has been sophomore forward Xavier Booker, who has been steadily improving as the season has progressed. Can this season be his year?
Booker joined MSU last season and played in 27 games, starting two of them, and showed signs, particularly toward the end of the season, of his potential. He averaged 3.7 points a game and 1.7 rebounds in under 10 minutes played a game last year.
The sophomore had some slumps in his first season, but so far into his second campaign, Booker looks like a different player. Though being replaced in the starting lineup by Jaxon Kohler, Booker has still been putting up impressive numbers when he finds his way onto the court.
Booker has played in all 10 games this season and has started three of them. Though the season is still young, Booker's averages are far more improved from what he was able to put up in the freshman year effort.
Currently, Booker is averaging 6.1 points per game, three rebounds, over 16 minutes of time on the court, and leads the MSU squad in average blocks per game with 0.8. While the blocking number for all MSU players is low to start the season, it is encouraging to see Booker put up a team-leading stat early into the year.
Booker has made 24 of his 56 field goal attempts, seven of 29 3-point shots, is 6-for-6 from the free throw line and is already more than halfway to his freshman year point total, with 61 on the season in 10 games. His previous career high in points was 100, which should easily be blown out of the water for the up-and-coming forward.
While the numbers and field goal percentages do not jump off the page, it is encouraging to see Booker increase his performance numbers; everything you want to see from a young player at the college level.
Booker and MSU will shift their attention to the Oakland Golden Grizzlies, who they will face on Tuesday at Little Caesars Arena.
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Dominic Minchella holds a communications degree from Eastern Michigan University. He is a former MLB writer and joins our team ad an NFL/College team reporter on Sports Illustrated