MSU's Zapala Drops Season High in Victory Over Ohio State
The Michigan State Spartans pushed their winning streak to seven games after taking down the Ohio State Buckeyes on Friday. Pushing their Big Ten Conference play record to a solid 3-0, MSU's biggest contributor was a man who is more known for his defense.
Senior center Szymon Zapala dropped a season-high 15 points in the victory over Ohio State. Typically a member of the squad that uses his 7-foot frame for rebounds on defense, Zapala found a way to bring out his shooting skills. This is his first 15-point performance since his campaign last season.
Zapala, in his first year with MSU, has been a solid addition to their squad as they chase down another conference title. Going into the game vs the Buckeyes, Zapala had totaled 70 points and 72 rebounds, 42 of which were from the defensive end, through 13 games.
In Friday's victory, other than Zapala's 15 points, he also grabbed two rebounds, had one assist, one steal and two blocks to aid his performance. Not typically the playmaker, Zapala made the most of getting open against OSU and reminded fans he can drop some points here and there.
With MSU, Zapala has taken a small step back in overall production from the numbers he was putting up at his previous programs. In three seasons with the Utah State Aggies, Zapala averaged 1 point a game, and after he transferred, Zapala flourished into what fans know now.
Last season with the Longwood Lancers, Zapala played in 35 games, starting in 24 of them, averaged 16.7 minutes on the court, and increased both his rebounding and shooting, averaging 5.6 rebounds and 9.8 points a game.
While last year's numbers show that Zapala has what it takes to be in a starting role, it becomes odd seeing him on the bench. In his three Big Ten Conference games, Zapala averages 10 points a game, 4.3 rebounds, and has a field goal percentage of 72.5%.
Regardless if Zapala in the past has typically been viewed as a defense-first player, his striking confidence in stacked conference play and will to win are the type of traits that could land him a pro job in the future, should he continue production.
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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