Michigan State defense shows Andy Enfield the standard for future USC seasons
The USC Trojans hung tight with Michigan State in the first half, even taking the lead before the Spartans tied it up at 34 going into halftime.
Andy Enfield’s team seemed to be right where they wanted despite a sluggish start from Boogie Ellis. But, the second half was much different. USC scored just 28 points in the final 20 minutes, and both Drew Peterson and Boogie Ellis struggled, combining for 17 points on 7-22 from the field.
The change? It was the Spartans defense, according to Robert Bondy of Spartans Wire.
“Michigan State came out of the locker room with a much better defensive approach in the second half,” Bondy wrote. “The Spartans held the Trojans leading scorer Boogie Ellis to only six points, and hit a pair of big three-point shots to build a 15-point lead with five minutes left in the game. It wasn’t a particularly impressive finish, but the Spartans were able to comfortably hold on in the end.”
USC couldn’t overcome the feisty defense from Michigan State. MSU centers Carson Cooper and Mady Sissoko made it difficult to drive into the paint, even more difficult with USC playing without Vincent Iwuchukwu.
Tom Izzo and his staff made adjustments, and the defense held down the Trojans when it mattered most.
USC wasn’t a terrible defensive team this season, but the Trojans did lack the defensive bite they had when the Mobley brothers were around. With a lot of big men coming back for next season, the Trojans should expect to be tougher, nastier, and generally better on defense, especially in the paint. Andy Enfield knows he needs an elite defense, and he might have the ingredients which can make it happen.
Tom Izzo might have given Enfield a taste of what is possible at the defensive end of the floor.
Enfield shouldn’t be expected to be as good as Izzo, but he certainly can learn from a March master.
