Xavier Booker grabbed the rebound, started Michigan State’s fast break with an outlet and ran the court. Tre Holloman rewarded him with a return pass at the other end for an in-rhythm step-in 3-pointer.
A few moments later, the two connected again, with Booker swishing his second from behind the NBA arc on the Detroit Pistons’ court. It was part of a career-high 18-point performance in the 19th-ranked Spartans’ 77-58 blowout of Oakland at Little Caesars Arena on Tuesday night, the fourth straight game the sophomore forward scored in double figures.
“I was in the right spots at the right time,” said Booker, who made 5 of 9 shots and 3 of 5 from deep. “Then my teammates, they were feeding me the ball, they were giving me great passes. I think I was just playing hard.”
In the first seven games this season for MSU (9-2), Booker scored in single digits five times and went scoreless in the other two, including a woeful first two games in Maui against Colorado and Memphis. He went from a starter in the first three games to coming off the bench since not scoring and getting one rebound in 13 minutes of a loss against then-No. 1 Kansas on Nov. 12.
But beginning with the final game in Hawaii, a 12-point, seven-rebound showing in the overtime win over North Carolina, Booker has put together his best stretch as a collegiate player. He brought back the effort and energy he showed on the island with 11-point games in Big Ten wins over Minnesota and Nebraska.
With six rebounds, a block and an assist against the Grizzlies to go with Booker’s personal-high point production, coach Tom Izzo called it a “stat-stuffer” performance. Booker is averaging 13 points on 66.7% overall shooting and has made 7 of 13 from 3-point range (53.8%) over the past four games. He also has grabbed 5.3 rebounds and blocked a shot a game in that stretch.
“He’s trusted the system, the progress,” Izzo said Tuesday. “He’s practiced a lot better. And I don’t know why, but since Maui – in the tournament even – he’s practiced better and he’s becoming pretty efficient.”
Oakland coach Greg Kampe pointed to those first-half 3-pointers from Booker as pivotal plays in the game.
TWO CHARACTERS: Tom Izzo, Greg Kampe wear matching ‘Grinch’ sweaters in Michigan State-Oakland game
“We lost Booker two times in a row on the trail 3,” Kampe said. “The second half, we took it away; the first half, that’s what kept them in the game.
“He hit two 3s in the first half where we could have had a six- to eight-point lead, and it’s a different game. So I think he was a key factor in the game.”
Yet it was a second-half sequence in the paint that noticeably emphasized Booker’s recent upward development arc.
With the Spartans pulling away deep into the second half, after trailing at one point in the first period and leading by just a point at halftime, Jeremy Fears Jr. collected a pass after a defensive rebound and took off in transition. The 6-foot-11 Booker ran down the opposite alley stride for stride beside the point guard, then found himself in the paint as Fears knifed to the bucket but missed the layup.
Booker elevated in traffic but missed the putback attempt. He hopped up again for the offensive rebound – one of a career-best four – and had it knocked out of his hand by Oakland’s DQ Cole. He jumped again. And then again. Finally, Booker drew contact and the foul on Cole, making both free throws afterward.
It showed not just a revved up motor from the former five-star recruit, but it also displayed Booker’s newfound willingness to mix it up down low. He attempted just two free throws through the first seven games, but in the past four is 9 for 10 at the line, including 5 of 6 against the Grizzlies.
“I got offensive rebounds. I shot the ball well. So I just gotta keep building off of it,” Booker said. “It felt great when I was out there. … My mindset ever since the North Carolina game, it’s kind of just changed to being more aggressive. When I watched the film, there was a lot of opportunities where I could have offensive rebounds, I could have been more aggressive and scored.
“So after that, my mindset kind of just changed – just being more aggressive, just always staying confident, no matter if your shot’s falling or not. I feel like I have the switch going.”
As much as it appears he has turned the corner and is starting to play to his potential, with MSU preparing to host a much taller Florida Atlantic team Saturday (2 p.m./FS1), Booker has plenty of work remaining to reach his ceiling.
Seconds after that offensive sequence, he bowed his head in frustration and drew Izzo’s ire heading back down the court after failing to close out defensively on a 3-pointer from Oakland’s Isaiah Jones. But after dashing past his coach, Booker again attacked the boards after missing a jumper and again attacked the offensive glass and tipped in Szymon Zapala’s missed layup.
That got Izzo yelling again and pumping his fist in approval.
“Trust me when I say this – a long ways to go for our team, a long ways to go for Xavier,” Izzo said Tuesday. “He is making progress.”
Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari. Subscribe to the “Spartan Speak” podcast for new episodes weekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts.
Next up: Owls
Matchup: No. 19 Michigan State (9-2) vs. Florida Atlantic (7-5).
Tipoff: 2 p.m. Saturday; Breslin Center, East Lansing.
TV/radio: FS1; WJR-AM (760).
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: MSU basketball’s Xavier Booker suddenly looks like new player
