It Wasn't Pretty, but the Spartans Beat the Badgers 54-47 Tonight at the Breslin

Breslin Center East Lansing, MI Â If you were looking for an epic battle between two very good Big Ten teams tonight at the Breslin Center, you missed it.Â

Breslin Center

East Lansing, MI

 

It wasn't pretty, but the Spartans toughness got them their second Big Ten win of the season. Photo courtesy of Mark Boomgaard

If you were looking for an epic battle between two very good Big Ten teams tonight at the Breslin Center, you missed it. The Spartans were ugly, but the good news was that the Badgers looked worse. 

 

It was a low scoring game that at times could have put you to sleep. The Spartans did put the Badgers away 54 to 47. Izzo described it in surprisingly up beat fashion, “I thought we played awfully well…That was an NCAA game.”

 

The Spartans shot an abysmal 38% and the only thing more ugly was the fact that the Badgers shot 33%. Izzo described the game as, ”That was a tough game. I told Bo after the game that I don’t know if we both played good or bad.”

 

Bo Ryan was brutally honest with his assessment of the game, “Two teams that really went after each other and I am sore from watching.” Izzo had a more glowing though process, “It was a good win for us at home and we had to win in a very gritty way… I don’t want to play that game again…Those games are what they are, slugfest and fifteen round bout.”

 

Chris Allen was the catalyst for the Spartans. He had 16 points to lead the Spartans

Bo Ryan had some high praise for the Spartan guard, “It’s not like we were playing off of him…He took advantage of his opportunities.”

 

In the end, the Spartans won with toughness and even if the fans thought the game was ugly, Izzo was pleased, “We did rebound well and we checked well and that is how we won the game.”

 

Mr. Spartan Nation himself, Drew Neitzel was in the house and got a resounding ovation from the crowd. After the game I asked him about being back, “It was weird man. I miss the times here. I wanted to get out there and play. This was the first time I have watched a game here since I was being recruited.”