Spartan Guards Shine in Win vs. Samford
The Michigan State Spartans were tested by the Samford Bulldogs but ultimately emerged victorious, 83-75.
Samford gave Michigan State everything it could handle, even taking an early 13-point lead. Bucky McMillan’s squad is well-coached, and Tom Izzo’s squad was in trouble to start the game.
However, Michigan State’s talent wore down the Bulldogs, which eventually took a double-digit lead into halftime. Samford pushed the Spartans in the second half but never overcame the end-of-first-half surge.
One of the biggest reasons the Spartans were able to dig deep and win the game was due to their guard play. If Michigan State is going to make a deep run in March, it will do so on the backs of its guards.
The combination of Jeremy Fears Jr., Tre Holloman, Jase Richardson and Jaden Akins was instrumental in Michigan State's victory.
The senior Akins netted a career-high 25 points, going 3-of-7 from deep. Shooting has been an issue for the Spartans this season, and they will rely on Akins to help them out of that slump. He did his job tonight.
Holloman came off the bench and played 30 minutes, scoring five points, recording nine assists, and making several key defensive plays. When he entered the game in the first half, he helped spark the comeback that never allowed Samford to get back into the game.
Fears did not make a major impact on the stat sheet, scoring just two points and recording four assists, but his ability to run the offense and set up teammates is a stark difference from previous seasons.
Richardson left the game late in the second half with an apparent injury, but he was excellent off the bench. The freshman was the second-leading scorer in the game with 12 points.
Richardson does not look like a freshman in his minutes on the court. He is composed and makes more winning plays than some of the Spartans’ most experienced players. Richardson is a disciplined defender and makes advanced offensive plays.
Fans will be hoping Michigan State does not lose Richardson for too long due to his injury. His absence would be sorely felt.
Izzo should rely on his guards to lead his team back to the NCAA Tournament. This group has a solid blend of experience, toughness, and different skill sets.
The group showed up Tuesday night and willed the team to a much-needed victory.
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