Michigan State basketball plays credited to Tom Izzo are a menu of sets: 1-4 high plays, box plays, isolation plays, ball screen plays, 2-3 zone plays and out-of-bounds plays. This page draws 11 of them across 31 frames. Every frame of the original is redrawn, and the text under it names where all five players go.
Michigan State Basketball Plays at a Glance
The program itself is covered on Michigan State basketball program. More Izzo actions appear in back screen basketball and after timeout plays.
| Play | Family | Frames | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pick and Roll/Post Iso | 1-4 High Sets | 3 | From 1-4 high, 3 curls around 5 and back out for the ball, then 5 ball-screens for him, and 5 posts up if nothing comes. |
| MSU 14-Circle | 1-4 High Sets | 2 | Two crossing cuts from 1-4 high, then 3 cuts to the rim off 4's screen, with a slip if the defense switches. |
| Double Down-screen (box) | Box Set | 3 | A box set: 5 pops for the first catch, 3 back-screens for 5 to post up, and 3 and 4 screen down together for 2. |
| ISO-4 (High-Post ISO) | Isolation Sets | 2 | From a double low stack, 4 gets the ball at the high post one-on-one. |
| ISO-3 (Chest) | Isolation Sets | 4 | Against pressure, 3 flashes to the high post and the guards X-cut under him off down screens, which leaves 3 one-on-one. |
| Back-screen, Pick and Roll | Ball Screen Sets | 2 | 5 back-screens for 4 first and ball-screens for 1 second, with 4 sliding up to the elbow. |
| Detroit | Ball Screen Sets | 3 | A hand-off exchange, then a double ball screen with a fixed rule: the non-shooter rolls and the shooter pops. |
| Special (vs 2-3 zone) | 2-3 Zone Sets | 3 | From a 1-3-1, the ball is reversed twice and 4 runs the baseline behind 5's screen on the low outside defender. |
| Special-2 (vs 2-3 zone) | 2-3 Zone Sets | 3 | The same screen idea, built to get 1 a shot in the corner or on the skip pass after a reversal. |
| Screen the Inbounder (baseline out of bounds) | Out-of-Bounds Set | 3 | The best low-post scorer inbounds from a line stack, gets the ball back off a screen, and 3 screens for 2 as the second action. |
| Sideline Play Line-1 | Out-of-Bounds Set | 3 | A sideline out-of-bounds set for an open three: 1 comes off a double screen by 4 and 5, and 5 can slip for a direct pass. |
How to Read These Diagrams
Every play is drawn frame by frame, one diagram for each frame of the original, and the text under each diagram says where every player starts and where he goes. The basket is at the bottom of each diagram. Sides are named as a player sees them facing the basket, so the left wing is on the right side of the picture. A solid arrow is a cut, a dashed arrow is a pass, a wavy line is a dribble and a line ending in a short bar is a screen. The diagram guide covers the symbols in full. No offensive player starts a frame standing in the lane. Where a source frame had someone there, he is drawn on the nearest lane line or block.
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1-4 High Sets
Pick and Roll/Post Iso
From 1-4 high, 3 curls around 5 and back out for the ball, then 5 ball-screens for him, and 5 posts up if nothing comes.
Frame 1. 1-4 high: 4 at the left elbow, 5 at the right elbow, 2 on the left wing, 3 on the right wing, 1 with the ball out top. 3 cuts in under 5, curls up around him and back out to the right wing. 1 dribbles toward the right slot, passes to 3, and cuts through the lane to the left corner.
Frame 2. 5 ball-screens for 3 on the right wing and 3 dribbles off it toward the top. 5 rolls to the rim and 4 pops from the left elbow out to the top of the key, so 3 can hit either one. 1 is in the left corner and 2 on the left wing.
Frame 3. If nothing comes off the pick and roll, the ball is reversed to 4 at the top of the key and 5 posts up hard on the block for a direct pass from 4 and a post move. 3 drops from the right wing toward the right corner. 1 and 2 hold the left side.
MSU 14-Circle
Two crossing cuts from 1-4 high, then 3 cuts to the rim off 4's screen, with a slip if the defense switches.
Frame 1. From 1-4 high, 1 passes to 5 at the left elbow. 2 cuts from the right wing underneath both posts to the left wing. 3 cuts from the left wing high over both posts, then uses 4's screen at the right elbow to cut to the rim.
Frame 2. 3 comes off 4's screen to the rim and 5 passes to him from the left elbow for the layup. 4 sets the screen for 3 at the right elbow. If the defenders switch it, 4 slips the screen and dives down the lane toward the basket instead. 2 is on the left wing and 1 at the top.
Box Set
Double Down-screen (box)
A box set: 5 pops for the first catch, 3 back-screens for 5 to post up, and 3 and 4 screen down together for 2.
Frame 1. Box set: 3 on the left block, 2 on the right block, 4 at the left elbow, 5 at the right elbow. 1 dribbles toward the top of the key and 5 pops out to the right wing for the first catch. 4 screens for 1, and 1 cuts off him to the left wing.
Frame 2. 5 passes to 4 at the top of the key and 4 passes to 1 on the left wing. 3 back-screens for 5 near the right elbow, and 5 cuts off it across to the left block to post up on the ball side. 2 holds the right block.
Frame 3. 3 and 4 set a double down screen on the right side of the lane and 2 comes up off it from the right block to the top of the key for a three. 1 can feed 5 posting on the left block, or hit 2.
Isolation Sets
ISO-4 (High-Post ISO)
From a double low stack, 4 gets the ball at the high post one-on-one.
Frame 1. Double low stack: 3 and 5 on the left, 2 and 4 on the right. 3 pops out of the left stack to the left wing and 1 passes to him. 4 flashes out of the right stack to the right elbow, the high post on the far side. 2 clears along the baseline to the left corner.
Frame 2. 3 passes to 4 at the right elbow and 4 attacks his man one-on-one. If 4's defender is in good position, 5 cuts from the left block into the lane for a high-low pass. 2 is in the left corner and 1 in the left slot.
ISO-3 (Chest)
Against pressure, 3 flashes to the high post and the guards X-cut under him off down screens, which leaves 3 one-on-one.
Frame 1. 4 and 5 are already out on the wings, 5 on the left and 4 on the right. 3 flashes from the left block across and up to the free-throw line and 1 passes to him. 2 is in the right slot.
Frame 2. 1 and 2 X-cut under 3 toward the basket. 4 and 5 screen down for them, 1 comes off 4's screen to the right wing and 2 off 5's screen to the left wing. 3 can pass to either cutter.
Frame 3. With 4 and 5 down on the blocks and 1 and 2 out on the wings, 3 is alone at the free-throw line. He can drive, hit 4 flashing up from the right block, or pass to 2 on the left wing or 1 on the right wing.
Frame 4. When the ball is on the right wing with 1, 5 flashes from the left block to the right elbow. 1 can feed 4 on the right block or hit 5 there, and 5 can look high-low to 4. 2 is in the left corner and 3 in the left slot.
Ball Screen Sets
Back-screen, Pick and Roll
5 back-screens for 4 first and ball-screens for 1 second, with 4 sliding up to the elbow.
Frame 1. 1 passes to 4 in the right slot and 4 passes back to him. 5 comes out from the free-throw line and back-screens for 4, and 4 cuts off it down the lane toward the left block for a pass from 1. 3 is in the left corner and 2 in the right corner.
Frame 2. 1 is in the left slot. 5 ball-screens for him and 1 drives off it across and down the right side of the lane. 5 rolls to the rim, 4 slides up from the left block to the left elbow for spacing and another pass, and 1 can also kick to 2 in the right corner. 3 is in the left corner.
Detroit
A hand-off exchange, then a double ball screen with a fixed rule: the non-shooter rolls and the shooter pops.
Frame 1. 2 dribbles from the top of the key at 1 on the right wing and hands off to him, and 1 dribbles back toward the top. 5 is on the left block, 4 on the right block and 3 on the left wing.
Frame 2. 1 hands the ball back with a pass to 2 on the right wing and goes to the left wing, and 3 drops to the left corner. 5 comes from the left block and 4 from the right block to set a double ball screen for 2. 2 can come off it toward the top, or turn the corner toward the baseline.
Frame 3. The rule: 5, the non-shooter, rolls to the rim, and 4, the shooter, pops back out to the right wing. 2 passes to 4, who is often wide open for a three. 1 is in the left slot and 3 in the left corner.
2-3 Zone Sets
Special (vs 2-3 zone)
From a 1-3-1, the ball is reversed twice and 4 runs the baseline behind 5's screen on the low outside defender.
Frame 1. 1-3-1: 1 at the top of the key, 3 on the left wing, 4 at the free-throw line, 2 on the right wing, 5 on the left block. 1 passes to 2 on the right wing, 4 dives to the right block and 3 lifts higher on the left wing.
Frame 2. The ball is reversed twice: 2 passes back to 1 and 1 passes to 3 on the left wing. 5 screens the low outside defender on the left side, and 4 runs the baseline from the right block behind the screen to the left side.
Frame 3. 3 passes to 4 in the left corner, or to 5 on the left block. 2 is on the right wing and 1 at the top of the key.
Special-2 (vs 2-3 zone)
The same screen idea, built to get 1 a shot in the corner or on the skip pass after a reversal.
Frame 1. 1 passes to 2 on the right wing and cuts through the lane, behind 5's screen on the left block, to the left corner. 4 holds the free-throw line and 3 the left wing.
Frame 2. 4 steps out from the free-throw line to the top of the key and 2 passes to him. 1 waits in the left corner, 5 is on the left block and 3 on the left wing.
Frame 3. 4 can skip the ball straight to 1 in the left corner, or pass to 3 on the left wing, who hits 1. 1 shoots or feeds 5 on the left block. 2 holds the right wing.
Out-of-Bounds Set
Screen the Inbounder (baseline out of bounds)
The best low-post scorer inbounds from a line stack, gets the ball back off a screen, and 3 screens for 2 as the second action.
Frame 1. 5, the best low-post scorer, inbounds from the left side of the baseline. 4, 3, 2 and 1 line up along the left lane line. 3 breaks out to the left corner for the inbound pass, 4 cuts across the lane to seal on the weak side, and 1 pops back to the left slot, where 3 passes to him.
Frame 2. 2 screens down toward the baseline for 5, who steps in from out of bounds and cuts around the screen into the lane. 1 passes to him for an inside shot. 3 is in the left corner and 4 sealed on the right block. Against a 2-3 zone, 2 screens the middle low defender instead.
Frame 3. The second action comes next. If the inside look is not there, 3 screens for 2 and 2 runs off it out to the left corner for a three, with 1 passing to him. 5 is up the left lane line and 4 on the right block.
Sideline Play Line-1
A sideline out-of-bounds set for an open three: 1 comes off a double screen by 4 and 5, and 5 can slip for a direct pass.
Frame 1. 2 inbounds from the left sideline. 3 cuts up from the left block for the catch, and 2 runs along the baseline after his pass, where 3 can pass back to him. 1, 4 and 5 start in a line at the top of the key. 1 fakes toward the basket, then comes off the double screen of 4 and 5 to the right wing.
Frame 2. 3 has the ball on the left side. 1 comes off the double screen of 4 and 5 and loops back across the top of the key, and 3 can hit him. 5 slips his screen and cuts down the right side for a direct pass from 3. 2 waits in the right corner and 4 holds at the top.
Frame 3. 3 swings the ball to 4 on the right wing, and 4 throws inside to the rim, where 5 has slipped to the right block. 2 is in the right corner and 1 in the left slot.
Coach Cheatsheet
- Give a double ball screen a fixed rule. In Detroit the non-shooter rolls and the shooter pops.
- Carry a counter for the switch. In 14-Circle, 4 slips the screen.
- Against a 2-3, reverse the ball before the screen on the low outside defender.
- On the inbounder play against a zone, screen the middle low defender, not a man.
- Keep a second action ready on out-of-bounds plays, like 3's screen for 2 after Screen the Inbounder.
The roll and pop in Detroit come from pick and roll and pick and pop. The inbounds set links to baseline out-of-bounds plays and sideline out-of-bounds plays. For the zone sets, see 2-3 zone defense and how to beat a 2-3 zone, and basketball screens covers the back screens and down screens. Michigan State is one of four programs on the college basketball plays page under the Offense hub. Pick one set per family and rep its counter along with it.
Questions Coaches Ask About Michigan State Basketball Plays
What is the Detroit play in basketball?
A Michigan State set credited to Tom Izzo. After a hand-off exchange, two bigs set a double ball screen. The non-shooter rolls and the shooter pops.
What sets does Michigan State run from a 1-4 high?
In this menu, Pick and Roll/Post Iso and MSU 14-Circle both start from the 1-4 high set.
What is a good baseline play against a 2-3 zone?
Screen the Inbounder, with 2 screening the middle low zone defender instead of a man.
How does Michigan State attack a 2-3 zone?
This menu has Special and Special-2, both run from a 1-3-1. Special reverses the ball twice and screens the low outside defender, and Special-2 is built to get 1 a shot in the corner.
What if the defense switches the screen on 14-Circle?
4 slips the screen and cuts to the rim instead.
School profile: Michigan State Spartans on College Basketball Recruit.
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- Kansas Basketball Plays: Bill Self 2-3 Zone Offense
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