Michigan State guard Keith Appling and coach Tom Izzo recently had a talk.
Unlike most freshman, Appling didn't have to be persuaded to play better defense or to rebound more. Izzo, searching for answers on his struggling, talent-depleted and banged-up team, wanted Appling to take more shots.
Appling listened - and delivered.
He made four 3-pointers and had 18 points - tripling his scoring average - to help the Spartans beat Iowa 85-66 on Wednesday night for a much-needed victory.
''I sat him down the other day and I said, 'You scored 46 (49, actually) in this (arena) one time in the state tournament,''' Izzo recalled. ''He said, 'Yeah, I scored them from all over.' I said, 'Did you make jump shots?' He laughed and said, 'Yeah.'''
Appling set a Michigan High School Class A championship game record two years ago by scoring 49 points as a junior, leading Detroit Pershing to a state title. He averaged 28-plus points last year, won the Mr. Basketball award and was a McDonald's All-American.
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Appling said his confidence offensively hadn't gone away despite averaging just six points a game and being held to single digits in 11 straight games before his breakout performance against the Hawkeyes.
''I just had to sacrifice for the team,'' he said.
Michigan State (17-12, 9-8 Big Ten) will count on him to contribute offensively Saturday on the road against rival Michigan (18-12, 8-9) in a matchup of teams on the NCAA tournament bubble. Draymond Green said it would give the Spartans a big boost if Appling can close the season as a scoring threat.
''We know he can score,'' Green said. ''He can create shots for himself, which is a plus.''
He can also handle the ball well enough to play point guard, allowing Kalin Lucas to take a break from running the offense as a shooting guard.
Appling made a career-high seven shots, missing only one, against Iowa and grabbed six rebounds, one shy of the career high he set the previous game.
''My teammates were finding me in the right position to score and I was knocking down shots,'' he said. ''It was a huge confidence-booster. When I saw the first one fall, I just kept shooting.''
Appling fell one point short of his season-high, 19-point performance Jan. 15 against Northwestern, but his four 3-pointers surpassed the number of shots he made beyond the arc in the previous eight games combined.
''He's a terrific player, I think everyone knows that,'' Iowa coach Fran McCaffrey said. ''I've been impressed. His shot has not been what it was (Wednesday), but everyone knows that he is capable of scoring. He's had some good scoring nights, but nothing like this.''
For one night at least, Izzo's pep talk worked wonders.
''He's been telling me that I've been playing defense, but they need me on the offensive end, too,'' Appling said.
