Film Room: Michigan State initiates offense with quick early movement

For the first time since late 2013, Oklahoma will take on Michigan State on Friday.

Lon Kruger isn't wholly unfamiliar with Tom Izzo, and not a great deal has changed in the Spartans' general style of play since the Sooners lost 87-76 to the Sparants in non-conference play last year. What Kruger's surely aware of, and has his charges preparing for, is that Michigan State's mid-level ranking in terms of tempo isn't necessarily indicative of how they view offense.

The Spartans rank 224th in the country in pace, a more deliberate tempo than Oklahoma, who average three-and-a-half additional possessions per game. But Michigan State forces so few turnovers thanks to their conservative defensive scheme - they rank 301st in opponent turnover percentage - thus limiting their transition offense opportunities.

Basically, Michigan State's actual offensive pace is understated because they don't get out and run often. Once they've established control in the half-court, they waste little time in creating chaos with several quick, early actions.

One of the things Izzo likes to do is invite an early double on the block from a defense, something Kruger's sixth-ranked defense will surely be aware of. With adept passers in the post, Michigan State can throw it down low and either kick it right back out if the double comes, sending defenders scrambling, or accept a one-on-one post opportunity if the defense opts not to double.

If the ball isn't dumped low, expect to see plenty of East-West action as Michigan State looks to free up ballhandlers on the move on either side of the floor.

Many times, this action doesn't result in an early shot or drive, as was the case against Virginia's elite defense in the Round of 32. Even if a clean look doesn't materialize for Travis Trice or a clear lane for Denzel Valentine, the action serves to get defenders scrambling and perhaps create mismatches from switches.

Despite the relatively slow pace of play, the Spartans get a defense running hard early.

That makes them an exhausting team to defend against, but one Oklahoma has the personnel to hang with. Buddy Hield, Jordan Woodard and Isaiah Cousins are all capable of chasing opponents and getting into passing lanes, and they average 4.3 steals between them.

Michigan State protects the ball well, providing a nice contrast of styles. Not only will Oklahoma's terrific defense be tested, their ability to score without use of the transition game will be on display, too.

This matchup is a good reminder that basic per-game stats aren't necessarily strong measures of a team - Michigan State has the 15th-best adjusted offense in the country, which gets slightly muted by their pace, while Oklahoma's pace masks the effectiveness of their defense.