Michigan State basketball switches up lineup in easy blowout win over Georgia Southern

EAST LANSING — Tom Izzo shook up his lineup again to try and jolt his team.

A.J. Hoggard went to the bench. Tre Holloman started at point guard. And No. 25 Michigan State basketball’s offense, though it didn’t start all that strong, began to click, finally matching its defense in smothering Georgia Southern, 86-55, on Tuesday night at Breslin Center.

The Spartans finished the first half on a 25-2 run over the final 11½ minutes of the first half, including holding the winless Eagles without a point for more than 8 minutes in that stretch.

Holloman finished with a career-high 10 assists and seven points in 22 minutes. Freshman Jeremy Fears Jr. had a career-high 10 rebounds with six points in 19 minutes. And Hoggard added 12 points and four assists in 22 minutes.

Jaden Akins led MSU with 14 points and added six rebounds. Tyson Walker scored 13 points, Malik Hall had 11 points and nine rebounds, while Mady Sissoko had 10 points.

"We're like brothers here. So that connection, that respect, that is there," Holloman said. "When we talk to them, we're trying to give them confidence. Fears, A.J., Tyson, even Davis Smith, they just try and always pick us up, always keep our keep our confidence high."

The Spartans (4-3) are off until they open Big Ten play next Tuesday at home against Wisconsin. Tipoff is 7 p.m. (streaming only on Peacock).

Izzo continued to call out and put pressure on his veteran leaders to improve play, particularly because he believes all of them can — and have shown — they have a lot more to give than they have been with MSU's sluggish start to the season.

"Jeremy and Tre play well," Izzo said. "But let's face it, I mean, we're gonna go as our best players go. And A.J. and Jaden and Tyson and Malik, they gotta play well."

Tyren Moore had 14 points and both Eren Banks and Russell Dean added 12 points apiece for Georgia Southern (0-7).

MSU shot 51.7% from the field but made just 5-of-18 3-pointers. The Spartans dominated the boards, though, with a 46-25 advantage.

Changing of guard

With senior Sissoko also replacing Carson Cooper in the starting lineup, he won the opening tip to Holloman. The sophomore quickly set up Walker for a 3-pointer, then delivered an entry pass from the top of the key to Sissoko for a layup for the game’s first five points.

The Spartans’ offense went cold as they missed seven of their next eight shots and were just 3-for-10 shooting 6½ minutes into the game. The Eagles pulled within 13-9 on a 3-pointer with 11:57 to go in the half.

MSU took over from there, making 11 of its final 20 shots. Holloman had five assists and no turnovers in a scoreless, one-shot opening period. The offense flowed well with him and Fears splitting point guard duties, with the other four starters combining for 23 points in building a 38-11 cushion at half. Fears and Akins also attacked the glass early, combining for 13 of MSU’s 28 rebounds.

"I think we just have to continue to be the best version of ourselves. That's what this all boils really down to," said Hall, who had seven points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal by halftime. "When we're the best version of ourselves, we're one of the best teams in the country. And that's what we're aiming for."

Hoggard did not enter the game until the 13:33 mark of the opening period. He had four points with one assist and two turnovers, adding two steals, but looking a bit lost coming off the bench.

It was the first time Hoggard did not start since last year's Big Ten-opening loss to Northwestern on Dec. 4, 2022, the only game last season he was not in the starting lineup. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound senior started MSU's first six games this season and entered Tuesday averaging 9.2 points, 4.2 assists and 3.3 rebounds overall. However, Hoggard was shooting just 31% overall and 2-for-14 from 3-point range. His free-throw shooting also dipped to 77.3%.

Hoggard had a strong second half, hitting 3 of 4 shots for eight points with three assists and a rebound in 13 minutes.

"You definitely get a good feel for the game and know when to pick spots better, because you can see how they're guarding and reacting to certain things," Hoggard said.

Booker struggles

Izzo said his freshmen's struggles might force him to shorten his playing rotation. That obviously excludes Fears, whom Izzo said played "very well" on offense and defense Tuesday. And swingman Coen Carr (four rebounds, no points), Izzo added, is struggling to defend perimeter players but showing the strength and toughness needed to go inside and battle on the boards.

That leaves Xavier Booker, the five-star freshman big man, who struggled most at both ends of the court against Georgia Southern.

The 6-11, 220-pound forward missed a 3-pointer after entering 3 1/2 minutes into the game, then got blocked on an attempted dunk in transition. At the other end of the court, he got blown by for a dunk by Georgia Southern’s Cam Bryant. Booker’s second missed deep shot got him the hook after a 2-minute, 57 stint.

Izzo put Booker back in, and he missed the front-end free throw attempt in a 1-and-1 situation. That stretch lasted 2:20. Booker’s 5:17 of court time in the first half ended without a point, rebound or blocked shot.

Booker sat on the bench in the second half even as MSU's lead swelled to 30. He finally re-entered the game with 10:09 to play and continued to play shaky, getting a rebound but then turning the ball over twice. He did hit a 3-pointer and finished with two boards in 11:47 of total court time.

"The biggest thing is now, that playing group is gonna shrink. Nobody's fault, just some of the freshmen aren't ready to play," Izzo said. "And they're gonna have to either get ready in a week, or we're going to start shrinking it down. Because that does create some of our problems."

Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari.

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Next up: Badgers

Matchup: No. 25 Michigan State (4-3) vs. Wisconsin (5-2).

Tipoff: 7 p.m. Dec. 5; Breslin Center, East Lansing.

TV/radio: Peacock (streaming only), WJR-AM (760).

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan State basketball switches up lineup in blowout victory