Long Cold Winter for Summers

It isn't really Durrell's fault. What other teams have figured out, and what MSU has failed to compensate for, are Summer's weaknesses.

He can't put the ball on the floor against smaller defenders.

He can't shoot coming off screens.

He can't finish down low with consistency.

He is a spot up, when already squared up, jump shooter.

How do you make that work? Well, last year, specifically in the NCAA tournament, he got no respect. Leave him open and he will hit. Let him get hot and he doesn't need much space. That isn't the case this year. He is on the scouting report. There is a star next to his name. He draws a better than average defender night in, night out.

What next? Well, you get him transition buckets. You get him early offense buckets. You run him off screens. You make the defender cheat over the top and lob the ball backdoor for easy dunks, Mo Pete style. You get the ball inside to make the zone collapse or the man defense double down, then kick back out.

So far this season MSU's little mistakes have snowballed and, more than any other player, have really hurt Summers.

The fast break is not only poor, it is terrible. There is none. When there are numbers MSU finds ways to run it wrong, letting one defender guard 2 (or 3!) people at once, or seeing players over-commit and end up too far under the basket. This doesn't help Summers, who should be excellent on the break.

In fact, the fast break is so poor that the secondary break is often nonexistent. People are so far out of position and things get so muddled up that it takes 10 seconds to get into a set. That doesn't work.

That leaves halfcourt sets to get Summers in the offensive flow. Given his limitations (not great off screens, can't create his own shot), you almost have to play inside out. However, against the zone (and most all the time) MSU has avoided the post. They have also avoided dribble penetration by the guards. That means passing the ball around the perimeter for 20 seconds then running a high screen and roll. That high screen and roll is seriously 60% of the offense.

Against a zone or tight man-to-man you have to penetrate, either off the dribble (dangerous but bigger potential reward) or off the pass (usually with a versatile big man at the high post). Drive, or pass, then kick. That is Summers' recipe for success. Either that or learn to come off screens harder and shoot off the swivel, rather than having to be entirely squared up while catching the pass.