Michigan State Holds Off Samford After Another Rough Start
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- It was another night where Michigan State needed to be given a wake-up call before ultimately coming away victorious.
The Samford Bulldogs came into the Breslin Center looking hungrier than the home team, a sight we've seen a couple other times so far this season, including as recently as Saturday when Bowling Green threatened an upset before the Spartans pulled away in the end.
But nonetheless, Michigan State defeated Samford, 83-75, led by senior guard Jaden Akins, who posted a career-high 25 points. He was followed by senior forward Frankie Fidler and freshman guard Jase Richardson, who each totaled 12 points.
The Spartans got off to a slow start, committing four inexcusable turnovers in the first 3 minutes of the contest. That helped Samford jump out to a 7-2 start.
The Bulldogs would stretch the lead to 12-4 just 5 minutes in, but the Spartans began to claw back, trimming the deficit to 4 points just over 14 and a half minutes in.
Poor shooting, along with Samford's pestering zone defense kept Michigan State from making any more of a dent in the deficit, however, and the Bulldogs would go on a 9-0 run to make it a 21-8 lead.
Just when the Spartans needed to make something before things got out of hand, sophomore forward Xavier Booker, who came off the bench for the second game in a row, drained Michigan State's first triple of the game to bring the Spartans back within single digits with roughly 7 minutes to play in the half.
Booker would follow that up with a layup, and after a combatting basket from Samford, Michigan State went on a 10-0 run that consisted of a 7-point burst from Akins that included a converted and-1. His run would tie the game with just over 4 and a half minutes to play before halftime.
A bit over a minute later, Spartan junior guard Tre Holloman would find the bottom of the net from deep, giving Michigan State its first lead of the contest.
Then right after that, Akins added to his first-half total with a triple of his own, pushing the Spartans' lead to 6.
The Spartans would eventually take a 10-point lead into halftime.
Samford hung around, though, and would eventually trim the lead back down to 6 with a 3-pointer from sophomore guard Lukas Walls with a little under 13 and a half minutes to play in the second. It was his second consecutive triple.
But a minute later, Michigan State freshman guard Jase Richardson would make a 3 of his own to put his team back up 9.
A bit over 3 minutes later, Samford junior forward Jaden Brownell joined the action from deep to bring the Bulldogs right back to within 6 with a bit over 9 minutes to go.
Brownell led his team with 19 points.
The Bulldogs still wouldn't back down and even got the Spartans' lead trimmed down to just 5 with under 6 and a half minutes remaining.
But Akins' epic night continued, as the veteran guard scored 8 straight points, including back-to-back 3-pointers. His takeover would give Michigan State its largest lead of the evening, 13.
Samford made things interesting down the stretch. Shortly after Bulldogs forward senior Collin Holloway drilled one from beyond the arc to make it an 8-point game with just over a minute remaining, he was fouled while going up, which sent him to the charity stripe with an opportunity to cut the lead to 6 with 45 seconds remaining. But he made just one free throw to trim it to 7.
Halloway got his opportunity again with just over half a minute to go, and this time, he made both free throws to make it a two-possession game.
But Halloway all but ended all chances of a comeback for the visitors when he turned the ball over while driving to the basket on Samford's next possession.
Halloway made another bucket that was sandwiched by free throws from Spartan redshirt freshman guard Jeremy Fears Jr. and junior forward Jaxon Kohler, who were each intentionally fouled.
Michigan State ultimately won by 8, and with the win, the Spartans improve to 4-1. They will head to Hawaii next to take part in the 2024 Maui Invitational.
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