Michigan State basketball: 3 quick thoughts from Kansas State loss

Michigan State basketball lost an instant classic to Kansas State on Thursday night to end its season in the Sweet 16.

Sigh. If you’re anything like me, you needed to sit in silence for about 20 minutes after Michigan State basketball lost to Kansas State in what’s being dubbed an “instant classic.”

I had to sit there for a second to gather my thoughts and put them to computer.

And here’s what I have to say: I’m really (insert expletive here) proud of this team.

Michigan State could have mailed it in earlier this season after the tragic shooting on campus and earlier when it was fighting injuries and just a string of unlucky games that got away from the Spartans. It would have been so easy to just make the NCAA Tournament and call it a season.

But this team didn’t quit.

The Spartans made it to the Sweet 16 with an upset win over Marquette before losing an overtime thriller to Kansas State that could have gone either way.

It was a heck of a run, but let’s get into some thoughts from Michigan State basketball on Thursday night.

1. Defense was the difference

Like it was for the latter part of the season, the defense was the deciding factor. The Spartans just didn’t have it on Thursday night as Kansas State seemed to score on every single possession. They shot over 50 percent from the floor and torched the nets from deep. They allowed Markquis Nowell to dissect them with a record 19 assists.

Scoring 93 points and losing is a tough pill to swallow, but we all knew the defense was going to have to show up against the red-hot Wildcats. It didn’t.

2. AJ Hoggard played his heart out

When Tyson Walker was off, AJ Hoggard knew that he needed to take control of the game before it slipped away from the Spartans. He finished with a team-high 25 points and hit clutch layup after clutch layup down the stretch to force overtime.

Another year of experience is going to be a scary thought for this veteran point guard.

I can’t wait to see what Hoggard is like as a senior. It feels like he’s going to be special.

3. A special team is coming back next year

We had time to be sad for a little bit when the final buzzer sounded on Michigan State’s season, but then the realization that this squad could be mostly intact next year hit. This team will be special.

Along with the No. 3 recruiting class in the country coming in, the Spartans will return Hoggard, Jaden Akins, Jaxon Kohler, Mady Sissoko, Carson Cooper, and Tre Holloman and they could also bring back Malik Hall, Joey Hauser, and Tyson Walker. The entire team could come back if it wanted to.

I can see Hall and Walker returning for one final run with that incredible freshman class and Hoggard/Akins but no matter who decides what, this team is going to be special.