Spartans win fourth straight Quadrant 1 game
Wow! I would have had this article out sooner but it took me a while to pick my jaw up off the floor. This is not going to be a post-game article with a detailed recap of what happened, because I don’t want to relive most of it, and I doubt most of you want to either. But there were certainly some highlights that we will get to.
Let me get right to the part you do want to read about. After Maryland erased a nine-point lead in the final five and a half minutes, and even possessed the ball with a chance to take the lead in the final seconds, Jaxon Kohler grabbed a rebound with the clock running out and got it to Tre Holloman. Tre took one dribble, jumped from even before the midcourt logo, and launched a desperation heave. And as the ball dropped through the rim (in front of the Xfinity Center’s “Wall”), Tre just flexed for his teammates, showing no disbelief in the game winner he just hit. His post-game comments to Andy Katz indicated the same, that he was calm and collected as he took the ball with just over two seconds left and aimed for the basket. I’m still not calm and collected.
Tre’s buzzer beater had implications beyond just winning this game. Looking at the big picture, Michigan State came into this game playing their best basketball of the season. Their three-game win streak all against teams contending for a top-four spot in the conference had put them in first place and in control of their destiny. If it were not for um pulling off a pair of road wins by the narrowest of margins, the Spartans would have been alone in first place coming in. Regardless of that, this team knew that the games would just grow tougher as the pressure to win the conference crown grew bigger.
For most of this game, the visiting team looked in control. That statement is all the more impressive when you consider MSU had a pair of four-minute scoring droughts in the first half and two more three-minute stretches without a made FG in the second. What made the Spartans the winning team in this one was the defensive effort. For a team that has become famous for not having a plethora of players scoring over ten points per game and having a ten-deep rotation, it was imperative that defense became the identity of this squad.
I must give some credit to Maryland’s players. Especially early, they were showcasing speed and ball-handling skills, and they were using those to get past their defender. But in most of those cases, the Spartan defense was ready with a rotating defender to interfere with the play at the basket. By my unofficial count, MSU forced Maryland into nine missed shots inside the cylinder. Okay, one of those was a missed dunk by Reese, but the point remains. That is a lot of points left on the board.
That said, there were also a lot of misses down low by Michigan State. In the first half alone, Xavier Booker missed a couple in the lane (or at least just outside of it). Jaden Akins missed a layup. Coen Carr had a dunk blocked. Jeremy Fears, Jase Richardson, and Szymon Zapala all bricked a shot inside the cylinder. And there was also the play where Carson Cooper fumbled a pass as he was cutting to the basket, resulting in a turnover.
Both teams struggled offensively (or shined defensively depending on your point of view), and the game went to halftime with Maryland leading 23-21. That 44-point total was by far the lowest scoring half of basketball that MSU was involved in all season. The only highlight for MSU in the opening 20 was Richardson’s early heater. After giving up the opening basket, Richardson went to work, scoring seven points by the first commercial to pace MSU to an early 11-4 lead.
Unfortunately, Jase would only score two more points before the half. Only one other Spartan had more than two points at the midway point, and that was Frankie Fidler with four.
The second half was only slightly more work for the scoreboard operator. Both teams continued struggling with their shots from all levels. By the time the final buzzer sounded, just as Tre’s ¾ court shot passed through the rim, neither team had a shooting percentage that they will be eager to replicate. Maryland finished shooting 31.3% on FGs (15-48) and 20% from deep (4-20). Michigan State finished with 33.8% (22-65) on FGs, which was 32.8 (21-64) just seconds earlier. MSU’s last FG made before the buzzer beater came with 3:12 remaining, a triple by Jeremy Fears Jr. Prior to that make, MSU was 2-13 from beyond the arc (15.3%). With those two late triples, they got that percentage up to 26.7%. Both teams did shoot north of 80% from the free throw line. The home team did enjoy a decisive advantage in attempts, however, as Maryland took 26 attempts, making 21 of them, while Michigan State made ten of their 12 attempts.
Like we have seen in this recent winning streak, which is now four games, MSU is playing even better in the second half. They have been trailing at halftime in three of the four (and had a two–point lead in the other), but have taken over after halftime. There are two elements to this. Part of it is the depth and having fresher legs than their opponent as the game goes on longer. But the other half is Izzo making adjustments at the break to the strategy. In this one, MSU came out playing faster, looking to force the action down low. This showed up as MSU was able to draw four fouls on Maryland before the under-16 timeout. After taking just two first-half FTAs, it looked like MSU was going to force the refs to send us there more often in the 2nd.
Unfortunately, the foul calls did slow down after that. MSU only got to the bonus when Fidler drew foul #7 at the 8:38 mark. And while MSU was first to hit the double bonus, Maryland got there shortly after. It was the Terrapins’ ability to get to the line which helped them erase much of that nine-point Michigan State lead late in the game. And to be certain, there were some bad fouls by Spartan players in there. Perhaps the worst of them was a call against Richardson with 2:11 left in the game. The two ensuing FTs got Maryland to within five and really sparked their late game run. Yes, the call against Holloman that allowed the Terrapins to tie it at the line was a bad call.
Michigan State did continue the aggressive play throughout the second half, even if it was not getting us to the line as much as we wanted. That aggression really showed up on the defensive side. Aside from Rodney Rice, particularly his three-point shooting, no Maryland player was really able to get into any flow offensively. MSU consistently forced Maryland into tough shots, contesting shots down low, providing help defense, and switching around screens with precision. While it was not a pretty win on the other end, and you could even call it lucky the way it ended (though Izzo was adamant that it was not luck), it is a win against a quality opponent who was trying to stay in contention for the conference crown. They are close to being eliminated now.
And for the Spartans, they won the toughest game left on the schedule. MSU will finish with two home games, albeit against ranked teams, and a game at Iowa. Yes, the pressure will continue to mount for this team, but as Holloman’s end-of-game pose will tell you, they are not going to become unfazed by the situation. Izzo has this team playing in a way that is keeping them all poised and able to handle the spotlight.
Our next game will be in March and this squad looks like it has already gotten into tournament mode.
VICTORY FOR MSU!!!