In the most physical game of the year, Michigan State lost a hard fought battle against number one seed Purdue in the Big Ten Tournament.
Michigan State lost to Purdue in one of the most physical games in recent memory. The game looked more like a battle between two heavyweights who refused to back down. Shooting became the Spartans achilles heel in an otherwise stellar performance.
Details of the Curve for this Game: As stated in the post game grades for the first Big Ten Tournament game, at this time of year there are no curves. Everyone is playing their best basketball and everyone has everything to lose.
Offense:
The half court offense started poorly. The strategy was clearly to push the ball in transition and look for early offense. This was a smart strategy on paper but the players looked consistently rushed when they had to switch to actual half court offense. This left them rushing good looks at the basket and not setting themselves to compete for rebounds. Purdue’s dominance on the glass kept the Spartans taking one shot and running backward on defense.
The Spartans offense kept pace because their defense was fouling everything to slow Purdue down. The first real problem arose when Michigan State started fouling on offense. A charge on AJ Hoggard sent him to the bench with two fouls. Jaden Akins picked up a charge a few plays later. Those cost the Spartans valuable opportunities at points and gave the Spartans 8 fouls in the first 8 minutes.
When the fouling finally stopped Michigan State was left unable to hit a shot. They went more than 5 minutes without hitting a field goal and fell behind by 8. Purdue is simply too good in all facets of the game to have the offense go cold like that.
The offense found new rhythm immediately once AJ Hoggard was sent back into the game. He had a drive and dish to Malik Hall that ended in an and-1. It importantly drew a foul on Purdue and broke the drought. It was also the start of an 8-2 run for the Spartans.
AJ Hoggard playing with two fouls looked more aggressive than he has in weeks. The edge he brings to this team when focused like that has been a sorely missed ingredient for too much of the year. Out of the veterans, Jaden Akins was the only disappointing player in the early going. Malik Hall was everywhere and Tyson Walker hit big shots even as Purdue focused its defensive effort on him.
The final thirty seconds of the first half was unkind to the Spartans on offense. Tyson Walker picked up his third foul of the game on a suspect charge call. A play later, Malik Hall picked up his second foul on a moving screen in transition. In what was one of the most physical games of the entire college basketball season, both teams wracked up fouls on defense and offense. Those late first half calls on Walker and Hall though felt like they tipped the balance substantially in Purdue’s favor.
Coming out of half, Michigan State looked much more tentative. They sat back and let Walker hunt for his shot too much. It was a stark contrast to the all out effort seen for most of the first half.
Feeding off the transition, Michigan State started shooting better overall. Scrappy play by Jaxon Kohler particularly helped change the tone. The lineup with Xavier Booker simply looked more aggressive. Malik Hall may have been too hesitant with his three fouls to be as impactful early on.
Even Mady Sissoko found a way to get in on the offensive effort. In the game due to Jaxon Kohler picking up his fourth foul, Sissoko found his way behind Zach Edey and threw down a solid dunk. Sissoko then contributed a tie up for a jump ball and a defensive rebound that he threw ahead for a Malik Hall transition dunk. It was a really impressive stretch for a player who had (appropriately) been shifted essentially out of the rotation.
The physicality continued for the Spartans. Sissoko continued his best stretch of basketball in months, if not all year, when he grabbed multiple rebounds including two offensive. The Spartans were still struggling to hit some open shots (particularly Akins jumper was not falling) but the effort from Sissoko and Hall rebounding kept Michigan State get enough opportunities to keep close on the scoreboard.
While Michigan State kept the score close they also showed signs of getting the yips. Jaden Akins’ jumper wasn’t falling. Malik Hall had a few shots just die on their way up and even Tyson Walker started double clutching shots. It left the offense cold shooting 1 for 11.
Appropriately, Walker broke the cold spell with a three. On the next offensive possession Walker went full beast mode and drove the lane for a hard bucket. It cut the lead to four for Purdue.
The Spartans had an offensive opportunity taken away by the officials. After back to back stops on defense, Tyson Walker drove the lane and ran over a help defender. A charge was called despite the defender clearly being in the restricted zone. Yet another tilt of the game towards Purdue by the officials.
Carson Cooper re-entered the game late after an extended stretch on the bench. Coach Izzo had used Kohler till he got four fouls, then Sissoko till he fouled out and finally Booker for a short stretch before going back to Cooper. Cooper looked fresh and immediately got open for a dunk. It cut the lead to two with 2:21 left in the game.
Tyson Walker snaked his way to a floater right over Zach Edey to tie the game at 56. That was back to back plays where Edey looked too tired to get into correct defensive position. At least part of that exhaustion has to be credited to Mady Sissoko’s battles earlier in the half.
Down five with 35 seconds left, AJ Hoggard went strong to the basket and picked up a foul. He drained both free throws to close the lead to three with 27 seconds left.
Down the stretch, Michigan State could not convert enough opportunities and fell short. It was a disappointing end to a game full of fight. In a close game, a team has at least one facet of their play that takes the blame for the loss. In this game it was the offense. Michigan State had at least three extended stretches of scoreless offense.
The team as a whole simply did not shoot well. 39% from the floor and only 22% from three. Even a decent shooting night from outside would have delivered this game for the Spartans. Unfortunately, Hall, Akins, Hoggard and Booker all went 0-for from deep. That statistic was the game.
Offensive Grade: B-
Defense:
The defensive strategy for the Spartans was initially focused on playing Purdue straight up. As Edey scored 9 points in the first 5 minutes, the decision seemed to be to switch to sarming Edey with guards to either foul him or attempt to strip the ball. The strategy cost Michigan State Jaxon Kohler too quickly. He picked up two fouls trying to body Edey. It also brought Mady Sissoko onto the court substantially earlier than he has been in more than a few weeks. Sissoko picked up a foul wrestling with Edey almost immediately. It was the 7th team foul for Michigan State.
The Spartans offense went cold for the middle stretch of the first half and its defense kept them in the game. After letting Zach Edey get essentially everything he wanted in the opening stretch, Purdue’s offense had to work a lot harder. The defense allowed the Spartans to pull back within 2 (18-16) despite going scoreless for more than five minutes in the half.
The defensive effort against Edey improved substantially as Edey tallied only 4 points in the final 15 minutes of the first half, after getting 9 in the first five minutes.
Michigan State went into half down 7. They were competitive and disruptive. Out of the gate in the second half though they looked much more hesitant. Similar to the start of the first half, Purdue looked too comfortable and organized. Some of that was the foul situation for Michigan State, and some of it has to be the impact Braden Smith has on Purdue’s offensive flow. Not having him on the court for much of the first half clearly helped Michigan State.
The defense by Michigan State started turning into a rock fight. A team that has often looked like it didn’t have enough fight showed a physical edge throughout this game. Braden Smith went out with a knee injury (that was admittedly scary for a talented player) after some contact with Tyson Walker. Zach Edey continued to wrestle Mady Sissoko. Purdue’s big man even earned a technical foul for shoving Tre Holloman after some contact by the sophomore guard sent a Purdue player sprawling (note: Holloman earned a matching technical for getting back in Edey’s face, an image that should be immortalized for fans).
Throughout all the physical play, Michigan State slowed Purdue down and allowed their offense to pull within five.
Mady Sissoko continued to use his fouls to great effect. His five fouls allowed him to play incredibly aggressively against Edey. It made the Purdue big man uncomfortable for a key stretch of the game. It also felt unbalanced as a lot of that wrestling between the two players could have been called against Zach Edey. But miles of text has been written on the officiating of Edey the last two years, so it feels simply unnecessary to go too far on it here.
The defensive effort was captured in a late defensive stand where AJ Hoggard had cut off all driving lanes and clapped in the face of a Purdue shooter who was forced to launch a near half court three as the shot clock expired. That type of intensity and attitude is Hoggard at his best.
Michigan State found a way down the stretch to bottle up Purdue. The Boilermakers looked tired and flustered as MSU kept the intensity up. An admittedly injured Braden Smith committed two travels late in the game. One of the few weaknesses for Purdue this year has been their tendency to turn the ball over. Michigan State found ways to force turnovers late.
In the final 90 seconds though Purdue found ways to score. A Fletcher Loyer corner three broke the tie and put MSU on their heels. Deciding to go with an offensive lineup, Izzo put Booker on the floor (who missed a wide open three) and Edey made short work of the freshman for a layup. The five point lead with 35 seconds left felt like the door closing on the upset.
From there it turned into fouling. That ending shouldn’t take away from the excellent defensive effort Michigan State displayed. This may be more impressive than their Baylor performance (though that was one for the ages). Yes, Zach Edey scored big in this game, but Michigan State found ways to keep him under 30, and limited the damage by Purdue’s backcourt. Holding Purdue to 65 points (60 prior to foul shots at the end) is a heck of an effort this year. Purdue’s final 67 points was tied for their lowest total this year.
Defensive Effort: A
Transition:
The opening sequence showed how Michigan State believed it could hang with Purdue: run and gun. After a dunk by Zach Edey, Michigan State pushed the ball fast to a streaking Tyson Walker who hit a transition three in the corner. The best answer to Edey’s dominance under the basket could be that type of answer.
Michigan State’s commitment to running looked aggressive but it also made the offense look a bit chaotic. Every Spartan looked so focused on getting an early look that the ball movement looked frenetic rather than fast.
Once AJ Hoggard went to the bench with two fouls, the Spartans offense slowed in transition. Purdue also dedicated themselves to getting back in defense and taking away opportunities.
Like the first half, transition offense was all Michigan State could get going in the early second half. With the half court offense looking a little tentative, the Spartans found opportunities pushing the ball up the court. Jaden Akins was the beneficiary of that effort as he used his speed to stretch the floor.
Transition kept Michigan State in the game during key stretches but it was not enough to make a difference. Still the advantage was clear and absolutely necessary to keep this game close. Against a well disciplined and athletic team, the performance in this facet was impressive.
Transition Grade: A-
Coaching:
While it is very late in the season, this game saw a glimpse of the rotation Michigan State may have intended to play this season. Carson Cooper was the starter at center and Jaxon Kohler the first off the bench. Tre Holloman came in to spell AJ Hoggard early – a role most likely envisioned for Jeremy Fears, Jr.
Xavier Booker soon joined Kohler in the front court. That particularly has felt like a bench lineup the coaching staff truly thought would be dangerous last summer. The injury to Kohler and the slow development of Booker sabotaged that plan. Still, it is making an impact here at the end of the season.
Booker particularly showed development as he drew two fouls in his early minutes – the second on an aggressive dunk attempt. That type of physical play was simply not available to Booker earlier in the season. The reported 20 pounds he’s gained during this season is a huge part of why Booker is able to play now and wasn’t earlier.
In the second half, Booker and Kohler were paired again off the bench and it looked pretty good. While Cooper looked like the best option defensively on Edey, Kohler and Booker spread the floor and got a few rebounding opportunities that other lineups may not have had a crack at.
Tom Izzo made some big gambles in the second half. After Jaxon Kohler picked up his fourth foul, Mady Sissoko was reinserted to steal some minutes. Izzo then rode Sissoko for an extended stretch that looked like the best basketball of the year for the struggling big man. Eventually Sissoko fouled out, but he took a lot out of Edey along the way and provided crucial rebounding.
After Sissoko went out, Izzo went to Booker for a brief stretch. He even brought Booker back in in the final two minutes. Even more out of character, down three with under a minute to play, Izzo ran a play for the freshman that led to Booker taking a wide open three. While it didn’t fall, it was a gutsy call by a coach all too often criticized for being too conservative.
Izzo’s strategy for this game simply worked. He trusted players he has not all year. He showed faith in Booker and was even willing to adapt to a world where Sissoko briefly emerged as a crucial player. His defensive approach held Purdue to its lowest point total of the year (technically tied for that low point). His offensive game plan gave his players plenty of open shots. Unfortunately, the coach can’t make the shots for his players.
Izzo displayed creativity and aggression in one of his better in-game coaching performances in recent memory.
Coaching Grade: A
Overall:
Michigan State showed the type of fight and effort that was both astounding and infuriating. In isolation, this game was a fantastic effort against one of the clearly best teams in the country. Purdue is a bad matchup for Michigan State. A team with a suspect front court is always going to struggle against a team with a 7’4” reigning conference and national player of the year. Yet, Michigan State dug in on defense and found way to survive Edey, and hold the rest of his teammates mostly in check.
The offensive output unfortunately did not match the effort.
The Spartans had 14 offensive rebounds on their way to actually winning the overall rebounding matchup. That happened because of effort up and down the roster. Sissoko had 7 rebounds in a surprise 10 minute stretch of quality basketball. Malik Hall added another 7 and Akins, Hoggard and Holloman chipped in 4 apiece. Those are the types of effort plays that normally lead to victory.
The lack of shots falling is where Michigan State lost this game. It’s hard to overcome a 4 for 18 performance from long range. Particularly when Michigan State took 15 less free throws than Purdue.
As part of a larger season the positives of this game are infuriating. This effort and ability has been in this group all year long. They may not have had the minutes from Booker much earlier, but they had the rest of this roster available. It will not quiet fan frustration that the Spartans showed they actually can perform at this level.
This effort should be recognized for this game and questioned for what it means for the overall season. But for today, the grade is just about this game.
Overall Grade: A-