EAST LANSING – Frankie Fidler bounced through the flashing spotlights and fireworks. A new house, a new coach, a new team member Michigan State Basketball starting composition.
Nearly two months later, Fidler left the Breslin Center bench, the last regular player in Tom Izzo’s Rotation of 10 players to participate in Monday afternoon’s 80-62 victory against Western Michigan.
The senior transfer from Nebraska-Omaha remains an integral part of the 15th-ranked Spartans’ roster as they prepare to return to Big Ten play Friday at Ohio State (8 p.m., Fox). Fidler ranks third on the team in scoring at 9.2 points per game despite being seventh in minutes (19.4).
His defense continues to develop in his first few months after progressing from the middle level. And he brings a lot of hustle and intangibles that won’t show up on a box score.
GAME HISTORY: Michigan State basketball dominates Western Michigan, former assistant Dwayne Stephens 80-62
But the 6-foot-7, 217-pound forward is mired in a brutal decline in outside shooting to start his career at MSU and has seen his minutes drop to 16 per game over the last five outings. He also went from starting the first seven games to coming off the bench during the Spartans’ six-game winning streak.
“I feel good. I really wish I had made a few more shots,” Fidler said Monday after finishing with six points on 1-of-6 shooting. “But my life has changed dramatically from last year.
“New team, new coach, he’s a tough guy, but he’s a great coach. So I’m just trying to adapt and find my way on the court. And I just have to stay confident and shoot my shots.”
Although he scored in double figures in six of his first 13 games, including a season-best 15 in MSU’s loss to then-No. 1 Kansas in the Champions Classic on Nov. 12, Fidler has yet to show the marquee impact he had in Omaha.
In three seasons with the Mavericks, the Bellevue, Nebraska native averaged 16 points per game and shot 35.4 percent from 3-point range. And while the Summitt League has produced a number of players who have gone on to major conference programs and shined in recent years, Fidler’s numbers and role have diminished of late as his shots haven’t been successful.
Fidler is shooting 16.8 percent from 3-point range so far with MSU and hasn’t made one in five attempts since the Spartans’ win at Minnesota on Dec. 4. He is 6-for-36 from behind the arc for the season.
“He was good. He hasn’t been great yet,” Izzo said Monday. “But it’s quite difficult to go from one level to another and (have) everything go well.
“There are guys all over the country who don’t even play after transferring. It’s tough and I think he’s held on pretty well.”
Fidler did a lot of little things to keep plays alive on both ends of the floor. And he also showed the type of toughness and bulldog toughness that Izzo loves with his ability to put the ball on the floor, get into traffic hard and draw fouls.
Fidler leads MSU with 59 free throw attempts and has made 54 of them for an impressive 91.7% success rate which ranks 21st in Division I and third in the Big Ten among players with at least 2.5 attempts per match. He also averages 3.2 rebounds per game with 12 assists and six steals.
“I’m just trying to get out there any way I can. If it’s on the defensive end, if it gets to the line, if it rebounds, I think those things can give me confidence throughout the game. I just have to play with a free mind and believe myself every night.
Next up for MSU (11-2, 2-0) is a road trip to Ohio State (9-4, 1-1), the Spartans’ first visit to the Schottenstein Center since 2003 and their only meeting with the Buckeyes during this regular meeting. season.
OSU will present a challenge for Fidler to show improvement, boasting the 23rd 3-point defense in the country while allowing opponents to make just 28.4 percent under first-year coach Jake Diebler. The Buckeyes are on a three-game winning streak, including beating No. 11 Kentucky on Dec. 21 by 20 points while holding the Wildcats to 4-for-22 from deep.
Izzo said Fidler returned from a brief Christmas break shooting the ball better than Monday and believes “he’ll still be valuable” to the Spartans in the new year.
“When you start playing Big Ten teams, you’ll have a better idea of what you’re getting,” Izzo said. “We’re going to watch them a little more. … I think this will help him get some structure back now.
Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari.
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Next up: the Buckeyes
Match : No. 15 Michigan State (11-2, 2-0 Big Ten) at Ohio State (9-4, 1-1).
Trick : 8 p.m. Friday; Valor City Arena, Columbus, Ohio.
Television/radio: Fox; WJR-AM (760).
This article was originally published on Detroit Free Press: Frankie Fidler in bad shape as he adjusts to Michigan State basketball
