Michigan State basketball’s Xavier Booker looks like new player after mental ‘switch’

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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.

Michigan State Spartans forward Xavier Booker (34) and Michigan State Spartans forward Jaxon Kohler (0) begin to celebrate as they pull away from the Oakland Golden Grizzlies during the 2nd period at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024.

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…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/michigan-state-basketballs-xavier-booker-110741709.html

Author : Detroit Free Press

Publish date : 2024-12-19 11:07:00

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