Dec 4, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Michigan State Spartans forward Xavier Booker (34) celebrates his three-point basket against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the second half at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Spartan Forward Succeeding in New Role

Originally posted on Michigan State Spartans on SI
By Tim Marshall | Last updated Dec 7, 2024 10:30 AM ET

Michigan State sophomore, Xavier Booker, has turned a corner in his new role over the last few games after a slow start to the season.

Booker, a former five-star recruit, began his second season as the starting power forward in the Spartans starting five. The expectation for Booker was that he was to be one of the go-to offensive options for this young Spartans team.

Booker didn’t quite live up to that expectation, only scoring 3.6 points per game in the first three games of the season.

Combined with the emergence of junior big man Jaxon Kohler, Spartans coach Tom Izzo decided to slide Booker into a bench role after the team's loss in the State Farm Champions Classic to Kansas.

There was an adjustment period for Booker to settle into his new role on the bench. The forward was held scoreless in the loss to the Memphis Tigers in the Maui Invitational and did not see much time on the floor.

Since then, Booker has earned more minutes, getting a bump from around 10 minutes a game to over 20 per game in his last two appearances.

Booker has taken advantage of those extra minutes, scoring an efficient 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field in the 94-91 overtime victory over the No. 14 North Carolina Tar Heels.

Like most of the Spartans roster, Booker’s long-range shot had struggled to begin the season as the sophomore was shooting just 13 percent from three-point range.

Then, in the Spartans' first Big Ten game of the season, against Minnesota, Booker finally got his three-point shot to fall.

The stretch forward got hot, making three out of four attempts from behind the arc, matching his season total for three-pointers on the season. Bookers shooting success led the way for the Spartans in a 90-72 win.

Booker has been a key piece in one of the best benches in the country. Joined by freshman Jase Richardson and transfer forward Frankie Fidler, the Spartans' bench has become one of their biggest strengths.

Booker will be a key piece for the Spartans as they continue Big Ten play. His ability to space the floor adds another layer to his team’s offense as he makes it easier for others to drive in the lane.

This article first appeared on Michigan State Spartans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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