Spartans survive big second half rally from the Buckeyes
MSU opened the game with what looked like a determined effort to go to Jaxon Kohler. Jaxon caught it inside on the first possession and looked like he got bumped but was called for traveling instead. Syzmon Zapala got the ball in the lane the next trip down the court though, drew a lot of attention, and found a wide open Kohler for an easy two. Later, a Kohler putback off a Jaden Akins missed three put MSU up 4-0.
John Mobley started the Buckeye’s scoring with sort of a lucky step through two from about 16 feet as the shot clock was winding down. Then, a Michah Parrish three put OSU up one. MSU responded by looking to Kohler again and he delivered, working himself inside and scoring to put MSU back on top 6-5 with 15:40 to go in the first half.
Xavier Booker entered after the break and immediately made an impact, taking the ball near the top of the three point arc and driving to the basket to extend the Spartan lead to four. But OSU would respond from there with an 8-0 run amidst a couple missed jumpers from Booker and MSU turnovers. Jaden Akins finally ended the OSU run by creating his own shot and burying a three to MSU within one, 13-12, with 11:09 remaining.
The teams traded buckets coming out of the break. Ohio State showed a zone and MSU beat it nicely with a Jeremy Fears look to Zapala to give MSU the lead back, 14-13. It would be the beginning of a seven point run by Zapala that would put the Spartans up 20-17. An Akins steal and drive led to a foul and two free throws to extend the lead to five before the pace picked up a bit.
Coen Carr penetrated from the wing to the lane and kicked to Fears, who hit a three for MSU’s biggest lead to this point, 25-18. Ques Glover responded for Ohio State and then Booker for MSU to make it 27-21 MSU with 6:49 to play.
The Spartans gave up two offensive rebounds coming out the break but OSU couldn’t convert. Carr collected his own missed jumper from the wing, took it to the lane, and finished. Next, Jase Richardson would penetrate with the shot clock winding down. He couldn’t convert but Carr was there again for a rebound, drew a foul, and hit both to make it 31-23.
At this point, Ohio State had missed five field goals in a row. It would extend to six but another Buckeye offensive rebound led to an Aaron Bradshaw bucket at the rim to get OSU back within six. The Buckeyes followed with a nice fake three from Parrish and drive to the rim to get within four at the under four minute timeout.
OSU would cut it to two after the break with a drive from Royal but MSU would go on a six point run from there to end the half. Carr contributed two more free throws, Akins took a steal all the way to the rim for a beautiful finish, and then Akins found Zapala for a wide open lob coming out of a timeout.
MSU held their biggest lead of eight, 37-29 at the half despite nine turnovers and shooting only 2-11 from three. Fortunately, the Spartans were able to turn the Buckeyes over nine times, with five of them coming in the last four minutes of the half, while OSU was even worse from three at 2-14. The Spartans also held a 16-14 edge on the boards at the half but giving up six offensive rebounds probably didn’t please Tom Izzo too much. The biggest difference was a six point advantage at the free throw line for MSU.
Zapala led the Spartans with nine points at the half while MSU limited OSU’s leading scorer, Bruce Thornton, to only two.
Zapala continued to lead the Spartans out of the break with a putback on an Akins miss, a lob from Fears, and a not quite Coen Carr-like drive and jam to extend MSU’s lead to 43-29, which forced a timeout from OSU’s Jake Diebler. It was great to see the MSU bench, including Xavier Booker, react to Zapala as the Spartans headed into the timeout.
Ohio State would draw a little closer before the under 16 minute timeout. Glover hit a three to end MSU’s run. Akins responded with a nice wing jumper off a screen but Bradshaw drew a foul on Cooper and hit both to keep OSU within 11 at 45-34. Akins had Thornton stopped in the lane but got called for a foul going into the media timeout.
Thornton hit one free throw out of the break but was unable to get OSU within single digits. Booker found Richardson off an OSU turnover to put MSU back up 12 but, unfortunately, it got very sloppy for the Spartans from here. A nice crossover by Thornton got Carr off balance and Thornton’s jumper got OSU back within ten. They would get it down to 47-43 before Izzo opted for a timeout.
The damage started when Fears fouled Thornton on a three. Thornton converted each free throw to get OSU within seven, 47-40. Later, a Stewart steal and jam cut it to four and forced another MSU timeout with 11:58 to go.
A big offensive rebound from Frankie Fidler led to a Carr jam and MSU going back up six. Ohio State would really become the aggressor from here though with a 7-0 run to put the Buckeyes up 50-49 on a jumper from Thornton, which got the home crowd in a frenzy.
The Spartans hit back with a run of their own, starting with Xavier Booker corralling a rebound and driving the length of the floor for a bucket and one. It gave MSU the lead back at 52-50 and the Spartans would continue from there. Holloman hit a big three from Richardson to put MSU up 55-50. Then a Fears to Booker jam extended it to 57-50 with 6:01 to go.
A fade from Parrish fell to make it 57-52 and keep the home crowd in it. A Parrish three after a poor shot from Tre Holloman cut it two but it didn’t last long. Fears pushed it and responded quickly with a jumper to put MSU back up four.
The teams continued to trade blows from here as Carr was fouled on a drive and hit both free throws. Parrish would hit from the top of the arc to draw OSU within three but Akins answered with a much needed bucket on a drive to the lane. He had to extend his right arm quite a bit to get the shot past the defender and it fell to put MSU back up five with 2.33 to go.
Royal was fouled on OSU’s next possession but only hit to keep it a two possession game for MSU. The Spartans seemed a little stagnant on their next trip, which produced a Fears turnaround jumper that never seemed to have much of a chance. Kohler was able to fight for the offensive rebound though and get fouled. He made both and MSU was back up six.
Parrish stepped out of bounds with the ball on OSU’s next trip and MSU took advantage of the Buckeyes’ empty possession. The Spartans went inside to Kohler, who found an open Carr near the rim. A spectacular Coen Carr dunk that we’ve enjoyed a lot of so far this year would have been great here, but Coen was fouled. He hit one of two shots to make it a three possession game with 1:02 to go.
Mobley responded with a three to cut it to four with 46.3 seconds to go but those would be Ohio State’s last points. Akins made three of four from the line to close it out for the Spartans.
Zapala did have three turnovers but his big run to end the first half and start the second led MSU with 15 points. Akins was solid again with 14. Carr added 11, with seven of those coming from the line. Booker, while perhaps a little slow to get to some loose balls at times, otherwise stayed with it despite the threes not falling. Xavier was 0-4 beyond the arc, but 4-4 otherwise and scored nine in his 15 minutes. A couple of those buckets sparked MSU when they really needed it.
Thornton had a better second half and finished with 10 points for OSU but he went 0-5 from deep. Parrish led the Buckeyes with 13.
MSU found a way to win again despite atrocious three point shooting (3-18!). OSU was only marginally better at 7-27 (25.9%).
After OSU went ahead of MSU on free throws during their second half run, MSU responded and finished 18-22 (81.8%) from the line. Despite giving up 15 offensive rebounds, MSU still finished with a decided advantage in the point, outscoring OSU 38-22.
Despite 16 turnovers (OSU also had 16) and what seemed like some rather loose handles at times from Fears and Holloman, MSU responded to a big challenge and scored an impressive Big Ten road win.
MSU returns to action on Thursday January 9 at Breslin against new conference foe Washington. The Huskies are coming off a 75-69 home win against Maryland and host Illinois on Sunday before facing the Spartans.