Michigan State Basketball: Knee-Jerk Reactions to Start of Big Ten Play

Michigan State’s certainly feeling the loss of Gary Harris, Adreian Payne and Keith Appling—but it’s far from crippled after sending the trio off to the pro ranks. 

If anything, the Spartans have shown a side not many knew they had—a brash instinct to fight, despite losing significant star power.

The season’s young, but Tom Izzo’s club is coming off a pair of impressive Big Ten victories—a 70-50 shelling of Indiana and 75-61 romping of Iowa—and appears to be one the league’s hottest teams.

A rough nonconference slate proved that Michigan State (11-5, 2-1 Big Ten) has a ways to go before becoming a considerable threat. Conversely, the first pair of conference clashes gives reason to believe that the Spartans may not be as down as originally thought.

The Spartans host Northwestern on Sunday and they’re off to Maryland for a rematch with the Terps, who earned a 68-66 overtime win Dec. 30 in East Lansing. As they stand now, they’re a much different team than they were the day prior to New Year’s Eve.

More aggressive? A better sense of continuity? Judging on what’s been displayed on the court, the answer seems to be a resounding “yes” on both fronts.

Best Dawson Ever

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

There really is no debating the value of Branden Dawson, Michigan State’s insanely athletic winger. At 6’6” and 225 pounds, the senior brings dunks, blocks and rebounds by the droves—that is, when he’s running on full.

Injury prone due to bad luck, dumb luck and everything in between, Dawson’s rarely enjoyed long-term success in East Lansing. He’s been a player who unleashes the whole shebang one night but disappears the next, sometimes regardless of health.

Lack of consistency has been the former 247 Sports 5-star recruit’s mortal enemy.

But when he’s on track, he’s nearly unstoppable. Just look at his past two outings. He essentially put on a clinic versus the Hoosiers, ending the blowout with 14 points, 13 rebounds, two blocks, two assists and a pair of steals.

For the sake of repetition, he strung together a line of 14 points, 15 rebounds and two assists during the routing of the Hawkeyes.

The Hoosiers and Hawkeyes aren’t title favorites, obviously, but they’re not bottom-of-the-barrel, talentless teams. That said, easing by them doesn’t guarantee a smooth road ahead for Dawson or Michigan State, but it does suggest positive change.

Experience Matters

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

Whether you’re high or low on Travis Trice doesn’t matter—just respect his game.

The senior point guard has been one of the biggest surprises of the season, regardless of team or circumstances. Never a primary option, the 6’0”, 190-pounder is among the nation’s most efficient facilitators, ranking No. 9 overall with an impressive 3.75 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Some of his assists have been rather easy, especially like the ones in the following Vine. Those are of the high-percentage helper variety.

PPG	RPG	APG
14.1 (3 games 25+)	3.3	5.9

Trice is also scoring, giving more reason to put him up there with the Big Ten’s best, even if he’s not at the same athletic level as the more recognizable standouts.

Don’t sleep on the four-year hustle man.

After putting on a three-minute show for the ages in Iowa City, Trice took a moment to relive his 25-point outburst—the one that came just more than a week after a 26-point spree during an overtime loss to Maryland—but quickly turned the attention to the real accomplishment: The Spartans won on the road, and that was enough in his eyes, per Joe Rexrode of the Detroit Free Press.

Offensively, Denzel Valentine is invaluable. When it comes to rebounding, he’s right up there too. The 6’5”, 225-pound junior has scored at least 15 points in four of his past five games; he’s snagged at least six—and as many as nine—rebounds during the same span.

The Lansing native’s ability to play anywhere on the floor and do anything has long been celebrated, both by Izzo, the media and the fans. Simply put, he’s one of the most creative players to ever hit the floor of the Breslin Center in East Lansing.

Valentine knows what the Spartans face: a long road without a few familiar faces. This year’s team isn’t a lock for the Elite Eight or Sweet 16, let alone a Final Four—which is always the goal for Izzo, who’s been to six and won once.

That said, knocking off quality league opponents, two consecutive in decisive fashion, certainly prompts a bit of optimism for a team brimming with talent.

“This just shows we can play with anybody in the Big Ten, anywhere,” Valentine said, per Graham Couch of the Lansing State Journal, later adding: “As long as we’re out there playing our game, we shouldn’t be beaten in the Big Ten.”

Follow Bleacher Report’s Michigan State Spartans basketball writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81