Michigan State basketball: Rambling thoughts on wild win at Maryland

Calm yet? Need a break from watching Tre Holloman’s half court buzzer beater? Here are some rambling thoughts from the epic Michigan State basketball win over Maryland.

1. Michigan State is as tough as it gets

Given the way Maryland had been playing, and the way the Xfinity Center was rocking on Wednesday night, there may not be a tougher test for the Spartans this season. They were up for it.

Even though they struggled offensively for most of this game, MSU embraced the suck and dug in even deeper on defense. This is a game that the Michigan State coaching staff will be showing to their big men for years. The Spartan front court completely suffocated the Terp’s big man combo. Julian Reese and Derik Queen combined for just 14 points, on 4-of-18 shooting from the field.

MSU dominated the glass 43-30, using it as their best source of offense for most of the game. They seized control of this game in the second half by limiting second-chance opportunities, while making the most of their own.

On the road to a championship, these are the types of games that you have to win. Tre Holloman’s heroics will be replayed for years, but the rest of this game will not. MSU was able to drag Maryland into the mud, and play the type of game they’ve been able to win as of late. For the third game in a row, Michigan State held their opponent without a field goal for the final four minutes.

At this point, it’s not an accident. That type of resolve is only seen from a handful of college basketball teams each season. The 2025 Spartans are one of them. And if you’re playing them, you have to accept the fact that they’re not going to be intimidated.

2. Szymon Zapala was a hero

Imagine watching Longwood get drubbed by 1-seed Houston in the round of 64 last year, and pointing out Szymon Zapala as a guy that would be a key contributor for a top-10 Michigan State basketball team in 2025.

This is a game he should show his kids one day. Going up against a first-round pick in this summer’s NBA draft, Zapala held his own, and then some.

An unsung hero for most of the year, Zapala was there on Wednesday night when his number was called. His minutes vary from night to night, but in the biggest game of the year, he gave Tom Izzo an excellent 20. His seven-point, six-rebound effort won’t stand out to anybody who didn’t watch the game.

But his three offensive rebounds, and the work he did on Derik Queen had as much to do with winning as anything else MSU did.

3. Jeremy Fears Jr.

Jeremy Fears Jr. hit a massive three late in this game, but this was otherwise a subpar game for MSU’s point guard. Prior to that shot, he was 1-for-6 from the field with three turnovers.

The book is out on how to defend Fears. And Michigan State’s half-court offense becomes noticeably stagnant at times with him in the game.

Keep in mind, this was a game that Michigan State had under control with two and a half minutes to go. They allowed Maryland to get back into it with some terrible offensive possessions.

Not all of that is on Fears. But right now, he’s the guy teams are daring to shoot. And until he proves he’s capable, he’s going to continue to see defenses play drop coverage. It will be interesting to see if Izzo sticks with him late in games.

4. Lucky? Nah.

Yes, Holloman’s half-court heave was lucky. No, Michigan State basketball was not lucky to win this game. The Spartans were the better team in the second half. They dominated on the glass. They were tremendous defensively. And they didn’t take a bunch of ill-advised 3-pointers.

This game, like so many other MSU victories, was about the little things. Down to the last play. Maryland guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie — inexplicably — shoots the ball too early at the end of regulation. Jaxon Kohler stays aware enough to grab the rebound, and immediately looks for a teammate up the court. You know the rest.

Those little things add up. You make your own luck. And tonight, Michigan State basketball put itself in position to take advantage of it.