EAST LANSING – Frankie Fidler bounced through the flashing spotlights and sparking fireworks. A new home, a new coach, a new member of Michigan State basketball’s starting lineup.
Almost two months later, Fidler popped off the bench at Breslin Center, the last regular in Tom Izzo’s 10-man rotation to get into Monday afternoon’s 80-62 win over Western Michigan.
The senior transfer from Nebraska-Omaha remains an integral piece of the lineup for the 15th-ranked Spartans as they prepare to return to Big Ten play Friday at Ohio State (8 p.m., Fox). Fidler ranks third on the team with 9.2 points a game despite being seventh in minutes (19.4).
His defense continues to develop in his first few months after moving up from the mid-major level. And he brings a lot of hustle and intangibles that won’t register on a box score.
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But the 6-foot-7, 217-pound forward is mired in a brutal outside shooting slump to start his MSU career and has seen his minutes dip to 16 a game over the last five outings. He also went from starting the first seven games to coming off the bench in during the Spartans’ ongoing six-game win streak.
“I feel good. I definitely wish I was making a few more shots,” Fidler said Monday after finishing with six points on 1-for-6 shooting. “But my life has changed dramatically from what it was last year.
“A new team, a new coach that he’s a tough guy, but he’s a great coach. So just kind of trying to adjust still and just find my way on the court. And I just gotta stay confident and shoot my shots.”
Despite scoring 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 scoring impact he made at Omaha.
In three seasons with the Mavericks, the native of Bellevue, Nebraska, averaged 16 points a game and shot 35.4% from 3-point range. And while the Summitt League has produced a number of players who have ascended to major conference programs and shined in recent years, Fidler’s numbers and role has diminished lately as his shots have failed to fall.
Fidler is making 16.8% 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’s been good. He hasn’t been great yet,” Izzo said Monday. “But it’s fairly difficult to go from one level to another level and (have) everything go right.
“There are guys all over the country that aren’t even playing that transferred. It’s difficult and I think he’s hung in there pretty good.”
Fidler has done plenty of little things to keep plays alive at both ends of the floor. And he also has shown the type of bulldog tenacity and toughness Izzo loves with his ability to put the ball on the floor, go hard into traffic and draw fouls.
Fidler leads MSU with 59 free-throw attempts and has hit 54 of those for an impressive 91.7% make-rate that ranks 21st in Division I and third in the Big Ten among players with at least 2.5 attempts per game. He’s also averaging 3.2 rebounds a game with 12 assists and six steals.
“I’m just trying to get myself going in any way possible. If that’s on the defensive end, if that’s getting to the line, if that’s getting a rebound, I think those things can give me confidence throughout the game. I just gotta 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 Schottenstein Center since 2003 and their lone meeting with the Buckeyes during this regular season.
OSU will present a challenge for Fidler to show improvement, boasting the nation’s 23rd-ranked 3-point defense in allowing opponents to make just 28.4% under first-year coach Jake Diebler. The Buckeyes are on a three-game win streak that includes beating No. 11 Kentucky on Dec. 21 by 20 points by holding the Wildcats to 4-for-22 from deep.
Izzo said Fidler returned from a brief Christmas break shooting the ball better than he did Monday and believes “he’s still gonna be valuable” for the Spartans in the new year.
“When you start playing Big Ten teams, you’ll have a little better idea what you’re getting,” Izzo said. “We’ll have a little more scouting on them. … I think this will help him now to get back into some structure.”
Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him @chrissolari.
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Next up: Buckeyes
Matchup: No. 15 Michigan State (11-2, 2-0 Big Ten) at Ohio State (9-4, 1-1).
Tipoff: 8 p.m. Friday; Value City Arena, Columbus, Ohio.
TV/radio: Fox; WJR-AM (760).
