The MSU men's basketball exhibition season came to a merciful close last night with a 61-55 win over basketball powerhouse Michigan Tech. Michigan Tech started a white guard that was 5'10" and from Lansing and was a senior. He was fairly typical for their team, and once again, and opposing coach implemented the "chuck up as many 3's as you can in 40 minutes" gameplan. It almost worked, again, as Tech hung around and hung around on miscues and a complete lack of anything remotely resembling an offense from MSU.
Drew Neitzel couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. He was pretty bad. His defense and passing were ok, he got good looks at the basket, and he made a couple of clutch and difficult shots. Perhaps I expect too much of him after last years blistering performances. I honestly think putting on 15 lbs in the offseason was a move that helps his long term career goals (NBA?) but in the short term his shot is rough. He doesn't have the leaping ability or shiftyness he displayed last year. Not sure this is the right playing weight for him. My take.
Our offense was just bad. I mean bad. Turnovers. Not much movement. No inside play. Transition was strong at times, but as far as halfcourt sets, bad. We have too many players that aren't threats (Walton, Ibok, Naymick outside 8ft, etc.) and then when Neitzel goes cold...and Chris Allen fires up about 6-3's (may have made one) we have problems. The defense was improved. The rebounding was so-so, considering this team was nowhere near as good as GVSU, but also taking into account Gray and Morgan were both out.
Kalin Lucas is the best all around freshman, at this point in his career, since Mateen. I have no doubt in that. Other players did things better, but none were: lockdown defenders (currently already the 2nd best on the team to Walton) AND capabe point guards AND legitimate threats to take the ball end to end for a layup in transition AND floor confidence/command. He drove to the basket--from what I can recall--at least 5 times last night, both in transition and half court sets. He's good with the ball. He is a capable open shooter. He is a capable free throw shooter. He is without a doubt the best Freshman defender I've seen, as good as Walton for sure. That is huge. Two lockdown guards at the point and Neitzel to boot, who is great on any other team, and the backcourt is solid defensively.
Suton is still just wow. I mean, the guy fumbled and stumbled and was a tornado of elbows and awkward at one point in the second half (I can best summarize his moves like a video game character; when you push the B button he: spins left, pump fakes, pivots back and throws up a clunky fade away. A button? some other combination of predetermined moves that in no way have any relation to what the defender (if he's even there) is doing) and then in the last 2 minutes (much to the dismay of my heart muscle tissue) he posted up and threw up a shot that somehow went in, SHOT AND MADE A 3 POINTER with just over a minute left, and made another 2 point basket (after he missed once from close range, fouled a guy to get the rebound, and clunked up a putback that went in). Suton had 8 points before the last 2 minutes, and finished with 15. He also cannot play defense. I'm sorry, he just can't. He can't jump or recover fast enough. I think he knows WHAT to do, and HOW to do it, but can't actually carry it through. Physical limitations are a bitch.
The team will be ok I think. They really just need to make some shots. The defense is getting better and I have to think the offense will come around. Neitzel getting hot would do a lot for everyone else. Also, perhaps having Gray (swollen knee) and certainly having Morgan (academics) would have helped. Morgan had better watch out though. With 3 very good guards, as well as Summers coming on, playing time is not going to be a given.
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