So, uh, do you think 3-pointers were part of the game plan?
The Spartans tied a school record with 17 buckets from beyond the arc, shooting 53 percent from 3-point land en route to cruising past Rutgers.
Michigan State had a few lulls in this one – letting Rutgers go on a 20-12 run late in the first half, for example – but there will be a lot to like when this team watches the tape.
Bryn Forbes set the tone with four triples in a three-minute span early in the half. And while Rutgers lingered until early in the second half, you know the barn doors were going to blow off at some point.
Boy, did they ever.
MSU nearly hit the 100-point mark and flirted with doubling up Rutgers on the scoreboard. Michigan State did double up the Scarlet Knights in rebounds (55 to 27) and assists (28 to 13)
Obviously the next contest on Saturday is huge, and MSU needed a feel-good contest before heading to Ann Arbor next weekend. Between Northwestern and this game, it got two of them.
Rutgers isn’t a very good team, but it desperately did what it could to hang with the Spartans. Give that team credit. Unfortunately for the Scarlet Knights, the effort could only take them so far.
There’s some lovely numbers here. Forbes and Denzel Valentine combined for 12 of the 17 triples (six apiece) and combined to go 13-of-27 from the field. Valentine added seven rebounds and six assists. Matt Costello had a double-double (12 points, 13 boards) and Deyonta Davis added 11 rebounds.
It’s all great. It makes you feel good if you’re a fan of this team. But, let’s be fair. These numbers are fuzzy. We’ll get to gauge where this team is when it goes for win No. 20 on Saturday.