Three takeaways from Michigan State basketball's loss to Michigan

For the first time this year, No. 7 Michigan State basketball faced off against No. 3 Michigan in a clash of the titans in East Lansing, and the game did not disappoint. Despite a slow start that led to a huge first-half lead for Michigan, Michigan State was able to fight back and take the lead in the second half, only to fall short in the end.

Below, you can see our top three takeaways from the loss.

1. Slow starts finally catch up to Michigan State

At halftime, Michigan State trailed Michigan 42 to 26 after getting soundly outworked and outplayed by the Wolverines in the first 20 minutes of play. We saw some foreshadowing for this slow start on Tuesday when the Spartans led 37 to 28 against lowly Rutgers. In both games, MSU was able to storm back, but in this one, it clearly took too much energy for MSU, who looked visibly gassed in the last few minutes of the game, ultimately falling short.

I do think there may be a remedy for these slow starts, which we've seen going back to the Cornell game this year, which leads to my second takeaway.

2. It's time to start Jordan Scott

This has felt like the inevitable move all year. However, I get why Izzo was holding off. It would be ideal if Trey Fort or Kur Teng could have taken over that starting spot from Divine Ugochukwu, with their elite shooting, but on Friday, Izzo finally moved Scott into the first unit in the second half against Michigan, and it made a world of difference.

In 26 minutes, Scott scored 10 points while adding four rebounds, two steals, and a block. He's already one of the best defenders on the team and is playing with a lot of confidence. If Tom Izzo doesn't trust Teng or Fort's defense, it's time to move Scott into the starting lineup.

3. Jeremy Fears was the best player on the floor

Despite the loss, Jeremy Fears led all scorers with 31 points, setting yet another career-high in scoring. Fears is a clear All-American at this point in the season, and bears one of the heaviest offensive loads in the country, while also being a ferocious defender. In a game with multiple future NBA players on the other side, Jeremy Fears popped off the screen as the best player on the court.

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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: Three takeaways from Michigan State basketball's loss to Michigan