Michigan State basketball beat Minnesota on Thursday afternoon and here’s whose stock is on the rise after the win.
This was a game that this team really needed to win to be comfortably into the NCAA Tournament. It wasn’t quite a must-win situation for Michigan State basketball but if you won this game, you would be in and the streak would continue. In order to win this game, the guards had to show up and perform well and that is exactly what happened.
This win should allow fans to relax a little before the tournament especially because more players had their stocks rise than fall.
Stock up
- AJ Hoggard
This was one of AJ Hoggard’s best performances that he’s had in a few weeks at the end of the game. This statement wasn’t true in the first half as he made so many mistakes and only had three points. Something must have happened in that locker room at half because second-half AJ was dramatically different and one that could lead this team on a run. If Hoggard can continue to play like he did in the second half, this team will be dangerous.
- Tre Holloman
Tre Holloman was one of the most important players in this win and he does it in the state in which he played high school basketball. He not only hit the big shots whenever he needed to, but his defense continued to impress as always. If this is the type of player that Holloman is going to be moving forward, he is going to get even more minutes and will be important for the next few games and years ahead.
- Xavier Booker
Xavier Booker continues to get better and more confident the more minutes that he plays. He was able to catch two lobs from Hoggard and Jaden Akins and he also had a great assist that led to an open 3-pointer. Booker also went into the game early because of Malik Hall’s foul trouble. That showed that the staff is starting to trust him more. This allows the team to have better spacing and a player that can be a lob threat outside of Coen Carr.
Stock down
- Mady Sissoko
This was not the game for Mady Sissoko and this might be a trend going forward. This might not be the case against Purdue on Friday but he played only one game against Minnesota. It seems like his minutes are starting to drop and we might only see him play a few minutes moving forward, if there is foul trouble or if they need a player that gives the Spartans some hustle minutes.
There were other great performances in this game but this game was won by the guards and the seniors. That is going to be the recipe for success in March. What Hoggard, Walker, Akins, Holloman, and Malik Hall bring to the table will carry this team. If you can get three or four of these five with contributions from Xavier Booker and the combination of the centers, there is a chance for a run. While Minnesota isn’t a great team, it looked better on Thursday than it has in the last month and that is because of the guards and seniors showing up.
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