Michigan State basketball's Marcus Bingham Jr. get career firsts vs. EMU

Michigan State basketball’s 83-59 victory over Eastern Michigan on Saturday didn’t always look that convincing.

“I’m not really happy with the win,” MSU coach Tom Izzo said after his team improved to 3-1 on the season. “I’m too late in my career to say, ‘We won a game I feel good about it,’ (There was) too much of that last year.”

Here are three things to note from the Spartans unexpected home test against EMU:

Marcus Bingham's career night; Izzo keeps pushing

Senior forward Marcus Bingham Jr. has shown evidence of evolution early this season. He’s waiting under the basket just when the lane opens. He blocks shots before you even know they are going up.

Against Eastern Michigan, the narrative for the Grand Rapids native was no different.

STRAIGHT TO THE HEART: Michigan State's plan for Marcus Bingham Jr: 'Go right through people's hearts'

Bingham Jr. recorded a career high in points (19) and rebounds (12) against the Eagles for his first career double-double.

“It’s a goal of mine,” Bingham Jr. said of his performance. “I hope it happens. I know I’m going to work for it and it’s coming around. I’m starting to understand a lot of more stuff and just opportunities are going to keep happening.”

However, despite recording his fourth straight game scoring in double digits, Izzo said he still wants more consistency out of Bingham Jr. on both ends of the floor.

“I’m always pushing Marcus,” Izzo said. “He’s got so much to give and when he does the things that he needs to do he’s very effective and very good. When he does the things that he wants to do he’s not as effective and not as good.”

The Spartans consistency will be put to the test as they travel to the Bahamas for the in-season Battle 4 Atlantis tournament. MSU’s slate starts Wednesday against Loyola (Chicago).

Joey Hauser sits with strain, Malik Hall gets start

Redshirt senior Joey Hauser sat against Eastern Michigan with a strained calf. Hauser had started for the Spartans every other game this season.

The 6-foot-9, 230 pound forward was still in uniform and ready to enter the game if needed, however that never occurred.

Izzo said they conducted an MRI on the injury and Hauser has been out of practice the past few days. The largest factor contributing to the decision was the busy slate the Spartans will face at the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament next week.

“Hopefully by tomorrow we can get him practicing and change this a little bit but that was the only reason, nothing big,” Izzo said. “I want to make sure we get that thing well before we play three games in three days.”

Hauser’s absence opened the door for junior forward Malik Hall to record his first start of the season. Hall’s last appearance in the starting five was in MSU’s lost to UCLA in last season's NCAA tournament.

“I think as the game went on I got a little bit more comfortable. I started out a little flat at the beginning so just tried to pick it up as much as I could,” Hall said. “I don’t think it was necessarily any different this year I just had to adjust a little bit. It was a good experience.”

Hall finished with 15 points on 6-for-11 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds.

MSU defense quakes

After two convincing defensive performances by MSU, the cracks of their scheme were exposed against Eastern Michigan.

For the first time this season, Michigan State was outrebounded. EMU held the edge on MSU, 43-41.

“Our defense was the major thing that he (Izzo) said to us and that most of us saw as we watched it,” Hall said. “We were missing in a lot of our gaps. A lot of people weren’t there, where they were supposed to be.”

MSU’s defense came out of the gates in lackluster fashion, paving the way for some unexpected players to step into larger roles.

“I thought our two best defenders, and this is scary to me, were our two freshmen. Max (Christie) wasn’t totally outstanding, but I thought Jaden Aikens was,” Izzo said.

The Spartans allowed the Eagles to shoot 47.1% from 3-point range, the highest they’ve allowed all season.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: MSU's Hall and Bingham Jr. experience career firsts in win over EMU