Michigan State Survives Bowling Green Thanks to Huge Scoring Run Late
Michigan State narrowly survives a tough matchup against the Bowling Green Falcons after closing the game on an 18-0 scoring run. Overcame recurring shooting struggles to avoid dropping a home game in November for a second-straight season.
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo adjusted the starting lineup on Saturday, adding junior Jaxon Kohler to the starting five to replace sophomore Xavier Booker at the power forward position.
Bowling Green controlled the first half, opening a 12-point lead early on the Spartans.
The shooting struggles continued for Michigan State, connecting on just 4-of-20 on long-range attempts.
The Spartans closed the final 2 minutes of the half on a 10-0 run to tie the game at 43 heading into halftime.
Off the bench, co-captain Tre Holloman contributed eleven first-half points, including the final basket of the half to level the score. Holloman was a team-best plus-13 in the first half, ending the game at plus-16.
Bowling Green will hold their head high, for scoring 43 points in the first 20 minutes. Compared to the Kansas Jayhawks, the No. 1 team in the country scored just 30 first-half points on the Spartans.
Newcomers Szymon Zapala and Frankie Fidler struggled, as the pair of transfers were both negatives in plus-minus at -19 and -10, respectively.
In the second half, the Falcons made defensive adjustments, going to a 2-3 zone which gave the Spartans fits, leading to a 10-0 run to begin the half, taking the lead 64-56 with 10 minutes remaining.
In the young season, the Spartans have proven that they struggle defending players with size. Falcons big-man Marcus Johnson led the game in scoring with 23 points.
But the Spartans wouldn’t quit, responding with their second 10-0 run capped off by a dunk from sophomore Coen Carr to take a 66-64 lead.
With the outside shots not falling, the Spartans relied on scoring from the free throw line, shooting 28-of-32 from the charity stripe. Fidler and Kohler combined to be a perfect 16-of-16 from the line.
Jaden Akins led Michigan State with 13 points as scoring was a communal effort for the Spartans with seven players in double-figures.
The Falcons were quiet down the stretch, being held scoreless by the Spartans for the final 7:11 of the game.
The Spartans capitalized, closing on an 18-0 run, led by sophomore forward Coen Carr scoring six of the final 18 points.
On paper, this game looks like a relatively easy 86-72 win for the Spartans against a mid-major. But this was a highly contested game that could have easily gone Bowling Green’s way.
Michigan State will look to improve to 4-0 at home on Tuesday when the Spartans host Samford at the Breslin Center.
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