5 Observations: Tough Defense, Late Run Lifts Michigan State Past Michigan
It was closer than anyone in East Lansing expected or wanted it to be, but Michigan State men's basketball went on a 10-0 run over the final six minutes to beat in-state rival Michigan, 73-63, in Ann Arbor on Saturday night.
The game-winning run was powered by the Spartans' defense, as they did not allow a field goal in the final seven minutes of the game. Michigan State (17-9 overall, 9-6 Big Ten) ends a four-game losing streak away from home in this series, claiming their first win at the Crisler Center since 2019.
The two teams traded baskets and turnovers early, as the Wolverines led 14-12 at the first media timeout. Michigan State took the lead with just over 10 minutes left in the first half, when Coen Carr converted a three-point play to put the Spartans up 19-18. That was part of a 15-4 run that saw Michigan State build a 31-22 lead with 4:21 left in the half, capped by a monster slam in transition from Carr.
Following a Juwan Howard timeout, the Wolverines responded when Dug McDaniel went on a personal 7-0 run to will Michigan back into the game. After absorbing a counter-punch from the Spartans, the Wolverines went on another 8-0 run to retake the lead, 37-35, with 39 seconds left in the first frame. MSU's Tre Holloman and Davis Smith added two free throws each down the stretch to put the Spartans up 39-37 at halftime.
Michigan outscored the Spartans 16-8 in the opening six and a half minutes of the second half to take it's largest lead of the game, 53-47. However, Michigan State responded with a 14-3 run of its own to go up 61-56 with just under 10 minutes left. After the Wolverines battle back to tie the game at 63-apiece, the Spartans scored the final 10 points of the game to sweep the season-series over their rivals. Here are five takeaways from this victory for MSU...
1.) MSU's defense feasts on Michigan miscues
Michigan came into this game turning the ball over more than any other Big Ten team, and the Spartans were licking their chops defensively all night long. Michigan State had 15 steals as a team and forced the Wolverines into 22 total turnovers. All those giveaways fueled the Spartans in transition, as MSU had a 19-2 edge in fastbreak points on the night.
All three of Michigan State's starting guards — A.J. Hoggard, Tyson Walker and Jaden Akins — had three steals on the night. Freshman forward Coen Carr added two steals, while Tre Holloman, Jaxon Kohler, Mady Sissoko and Carson Cooper all had one steal. The Spartans struggled with turnovers themselves with seven in the first half, but they cut down on the mistakes after halftime, finishing with 10 for the game.
2.) Responding to 3-point struggles
Michigan State's defense and points in transition were vital tonight, because the Spartans had a terrible night shooting from long range. MSU was just 2-of-14 on 3-point attempts tonight, lowlighted by a 1-for-5 night from Walker and a 1-for-4 effort from Akins. Hoggard went 0-for-2 from long range, and Malik Hall misfired on his only attempt as well.
With the 3-ball not going down, Michigan State responded by attacking the rim, scoring 40 points in the paint as opposed to 23 from the Wolverines. The Spartans shot 51% on their two-point attempts on the night. We've also got to give a shout out to Hall, who continued his excellent play of late with 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting.
3.) Tyson Walker back in double-figures
After Penn State held him to six points and broke a consecutive streak of 35 games scoring in double figures, Walker looked more like himself tonight despite the shooting woes. The fifth-year senior scored 19 points on 6-of-16 shooting, aided by a 6-for-6 night from the free throw line. Even with his jumper not falling, Walker made a living getting in the lane and finishing around the basket against the Wolverines porous defense. Along with the 19 points and three steals, Walker added three assists and three rebounds in an all-around solid night.
4.) Coen Carr makes an early impact
Michigan State forward Coen Carr saw his minutes shrink dramatically once Big Ten play began in earnest in 2024, and as a result the freshman's production has diminished as well. Tonight, however, Carr made a big impact in eight first-half minutes against the Wolverines.
In addition to the tough 'And-1' conversion mentioned in the opening, Carr had a pair of highlight-reel slams in transitions on his way to eight points, his most in a Big Ten game and highest total since scoring the same amount on Dec. 21 against Stony Brook. As has been the case throughout most of conference play, Carr wasn't given an opportunity in the second half. It's pretty clear head coach Tom Izzo still doesn't trust his freshmen in tight games, even when they play well in fist halves.
5.) Michigan State's bench comes up big
The Spartans were in all sorts of foul trouble in the first half tonight. Hoggard picked up two fouls in the first six minutes of the game and had to sit the remainder of the first half. The senior never really got into a rhythm tonight, and was limited to six points on 2-of-7 shooting.
Mady Sissoko, Jaden Akins and Tre Holloman each had two first half fouls as well, which created some strange lineups for the Spartans. MSU's bench responded though, scoring 23 points on the night, led by Carr's eight. Holloman had six points, Cooper had four, Kohler added three and Smith rounded things out with two points. In comparison, the Wolverines got a total of two points from its bench.
Bonus: Michigan State climbs a spot in Big Ten standings
With this victory, Michigan State improves to 9-6 in Big Ten play and has moved into sole possession of fourth place in the conference. That's important, as the top four seeds will get a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament this March. With five games remaining, the Spartans trailed conference leader Purdue by 3.5 games and are a game and a half behind Illinois for second place. MSU is tied with Wisconsin in league record, but the Badgers hold the tie-breaker due to a season-sweep over the Spartans.
Michigan State returns home next week for games against Iowa (Feb. 20) and Ohio State (Feb. 25), before travelling to West Lafayette on March 2 for its lone matchup with the No. 2 Boilermakers. The Spartans will round out its regular season with a home game against Northwestern — who is currently a half-game behind MSU — and a road trip to Indiana.
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