Michigan State basketball: 3 takeaways from deflating loss to Indiana

Michigan State basketball was back after the short break to play Mike Woodson’s Indiana Hoosiers. With nearly every name in MSU coaching lore in the house, along with QB1 Aidan Chiles, Magic Johnson, Steve Smith, and Steve Mariucci, the crowd was hoping to see Tom Izzo make history. A win on Tuesday would make Izzo the all-time leader for Big Ten wins.

Unfortunately, there is a reason story book endings are found in the papers and not in reality. In a first this year, the Spartans lost a home game.

The Spartans dropped an inexplicable game to Indiana, 71-67.

1. A hot start, but ice-cold finish

The Spartans started the game red-hot, with a 7-0 run, then a 10-0 run to extend the lead out to 20-8. However, their luck and shooting quickly dried up, with fouls and wide open shots failing to fall dooming them. In the final 10 minutes of half one, the Spartans put up nine points, including a 4:11 drought to end the half. Indiana capitalized, but only led by three at half.

All in all, it could be much worse.

What was maddening was that Jaden Akins, Jase Richardson, and Xavier Booker were all among those with wide open threes that did not fall. Thankfully, Indiana had their own gaffes, with four missed free throws, including the front end of a one-and-one, dragging them down.

Unfortunately, the Spartans were just as cold to begin the second half. Indiana was able to drag the lead to nine before the under-16, and the Spartans clawed back. However, they could never even tie the game up, and Indiana was able to drag out the foul game and make their shots on the stripe to outlast Michigan State basketball.

2. No ability to guard inside

On Tuesday night, the Spartans got sunk by their inability to stop the Indiana inside game. Malik Reneau was finally back to full strength for the Hoosiers, and he took advantage of that. Reneau had 19 points and 12 rebounds for Indiana. Between foul trouble and lapses, the Hoosiers converted over a dozen layups. Carson Cooper fouled out well before the under-4, and frankly, a questionable Indiana charge call easily could’ve sent the center before that. Cooper was the best big, but his defense was a little too overbearing to not get the whistle.

Whenever Michigan State could get a stretch together and cut the lead down to 2-3 points, Indiana struck with a 4-0 run of their own, mostly from layups, and the Spartans would have to rally again. It was a losing recipe. By the time the Spartans could get within a single point, it was from intentional fouls with Indiana up three and Mike Woodson draining the clock out.

3. This was a complete letdown

There is no masking it, this game was disappointing. Tons of Michigan State basketball fans flocked to the Breslin to witness Izzo shoot for history, alongside the aforementioned coaches and former players. With the hot start, it appeared that fans would be seeing that history on Tuesday night.

Then, the Spartans went ice cold. Once again, this was not a situation where the other team dominated MSU. Instead, the Spartans beat themselves with their inability to drain an open three, finishing a disgusting 4-for-23. Jase Richardson was not happy with himself post-game, missing multiple shots he felt like he should have made in his second career start.

When asked about this slump and how he wants his team to solve the slump of losing three of the last four games, Tom Izzo had one simple answer: “Make some shots.”

Ain’t that the truth.

What’s next?

Of the remaining games for the Spartans, this was the lone non-Quad 1 game. From here on out, the Spartans face tougher opponents. They travel down to Illinois to face the Fighting Illini on Saturday. The Spartans won 80-78 earlier in the season, courtesy of Illini star guard Kasparas Jakucionis picking up foul after foul and playing under nine minutes on the night.

The Spartans then return to the Breslin next Tuesday, hosting the Big Ten leading Purdue Boilermakers. There is no break or off night allowed for this squad.