Michigan State entered today’s game against Ohio State likely in a must-win situation to work towards a 3-seed in the NCAA Tournament. The initial top 16 reveal yesterday had the Spartans on the #4 line. MSU has a brutal closing stretch in the Big Ten regular season that features Purdue, Indiana, and Michigan on the road with just Rutgers at home. Picking up both the home games, along with at least one – maybe two – road victories, depending on what happens in the Big Ten Tournament, is essential for Michigan State.
After a brutal first half, the Spartans were able to get the job done against a short-handed but determined Ohio State team.
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As O noted in the game preview, Ohio State was without starting guard John Mobley Jr. in this game but the Buckeyes still scored an impressive victory against Wisconsin on Tuesday without him. Just prior to tip off, it was announced that Puff Johnson would replace Devin Royal in Ohio State’s starting lineup due to Royal being sick, leaving the Buckeyes even more shorthanded.
MSU was coming off a big win against UCLA where the three ball fell at an above normal rate for the Spartans. A couple of TOC readers, Sgostate1 and wbrianr, pointed out in the preview to watch out for MSU settling for threes in this one and concern that they might drop as much in a second consecutive game. These proved to be valid concerns.
Given that both teams were coming off impressive victories while working to improve their tournament standing, this one just seemed to have the makings of a hard fought contest and that’s how it ultimately played out.
Both teams struggled to shoot in the early going. In the first four minutes, Amare Bynum picked up two fouls for Ohio State and Jaxon Kohler had two for MSU. The Spartans also committed four turnovers and were unable to take advantage of three offensive rebounds. The only highlight by the 16 minute mark was a massive jam for Coen Carr as MSU led just 4-2 at the first media break.
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Coming out of the break, MSU brought Kur Teng, Denham Wojcik, and Cam Ward off the bench. Teng contributed quickly with a corner three for the Spartans but would finish just 1-5 from deep. Six points from Bruce Thornton, who more than carried the load for Ohio State in the absence of Mobley and Royal, kept the Buckeyes close as offense remained difficult to come by for both teams. It was 9-8, Spartans with 11:24 left in the first half.
Ohio State took the lead coming out of the media break on a short jumper from Christoph Tilly and then Thornton continued to provide most of the game’s offense. His three pointer put Ohio State up 14-9 while the Spartans struggled to get good interior looks against OSU’s 2-3 zone.
Carr got fouled going to the rim and hit one of two free throws to end a drought for MSU. Teng put back Carr’s second free throw to get MSU within 14-12 but Ohio State responded from there. While the Spartans continued to struggle inside, Ohio State converted four layups over the next few minutes to build their lead as high as six.
Jaxon Kohler returned with his two fouls and that decision initially paid off for MSU. Kohler hit a three to cut OSU’s lead to 20-17 with 5:40 left in the half. But just two minutes later, Kohler picked up his third foul as OSU held a 22-17 lead at the 3:48 mark.
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Carr missed a wide open trailing three that would have tied it at 22 with 2:30 left in the half and it went to the break with the Spartans trailing 26-23 – a familiar spot for MSU as of late.
The first half really was as dismal offensively for Michigan State as the score indicated. The Spartans shot just 30% (8-27) and went just 2-8 from three after hitting 14 triples against UCLA. After four turnovers in the first four minutes, MSU finished the half with seven giveaways but was getting manhandled inside by OSU with the Buckeyes enjoying a 22-8 advantage in points in the point.
The good news was that the Spartans were only down three at home and Thornton was the only one really hurting them with his 16 points.
With Kohler’s three fouls, Teng started the second half for MSU. He had three pretty good looks from deep in the first few minutes of the second half but couldn’t get one to drop. Thornton, meanwhile, picked up where he left off and put the Buckeyes up 28-23 when he rolled in a short jumper on OSU’s first possession of the second half.
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The Spartans started to chip away from there though. Cooper got a baseline hook to fall and, later, added two free throws. Fears knocked down a three pointer. Jordan Scott got fouled on a long ball and got two of three free throws to go to finally give MSU the lead back at 34-33 with 15:09 left.
Kohler came back in at the 16:08 mark. The Buckeyes went at him on two possessions in a row but Jaxon held strong on defense.
A Fears to Ward jam extended the Spartan lead to 36-33 as MSU was finally starting to find the holes in Ohio State’s zone. Fears got in the middle of the OSU D again and hit over Thornton to make it 38-35, Spartans, but Thornton tied it with a triple at the other end.
Fears went to the bench for a break and Ohio State took advantage. A three from Taison Chatman and Tilly baseline jumper over Jesse McCulloch had the Buckeyes back in the lead, 43-40, with 10:50 left.
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Fears returned for the Spartans and immediately found Scott on a drive and kick triple to tie it at 43. After a Tilly drive put OSU back up, Kohler hit from the soft spot in the zone to tie it at 45. On the same play, Johnson picked up his fourth foul by pushing Cooper under the basket. The Spartans couldn’t take advantage of the extra possession though as Kohler missed an open three.
Michigan State did reclaim the lead a bit later as Fears was fouled on a drive and hit both free throws. We had to wait for the free throws, however. As Fears was fouled, his leg made contact with Bynum’s groin. The referees decided they needed to review it because that’s what happens with Fears now. This time, the groin contact was determined to be simply a result of Fears getting fouled and the original call stood.
A bit later, Fears found Cooper in the paint to put MSU up 49-45 with 8:35 to go. OSU ended the 6-0 MSU run with a couple of free throws at the 7:48 mark as the game continued down to the wire.
An offensive rebound and put back from Scott had MSU back up four but Thornton answered with a short jumper. Cooper found the hole in the zone again with an elbow jumper but Thornton responded again by drawing a questionable foul driving on Scott and hitting the free throws.
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The Spartans finally gained a little separation from here with Scott finding Cooper for a jam and then a beautiful Kohler spin to the rim to make it 59-51, MSU, with 3:36 to go.
Scott hit a jumper with the shot clock running down and the Spartans had a double-digit lead at 61-51. After Thornton got the benefit of the doubt on another drive against Scott and hit both free throws, Kohler hit in the paint to maintain a 10 point MSU lead.
But that wasn’t enough to put it away just yet as Thornton was far from done for the Buckeyes. He drew Kohler’s fourth foul and hit a free throw. Then he hit in the paint to cut the lead to 63-56. After a Spartan turnover, Kohler fouled on on a Tilly drive. Tilly hit on the drive but missed the and-one to make it 63-58. Carr was fouled with 20 seconds left but missed both free throws. Thornton went to the rack and struck again. Suddenly it was a 63-60 game with 14 seconds left.
Scott was fouled shortly after the inbound play and hit one of two free throws to put MSU four. Thornton finally missed for OSU and the Buckeyes fouled Cooper after he grabbed the board. Cooper hit both and the Spartans could finally exhale with a 66-60 win.
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Thornton finished with 32 for the Buckeyes but Cooper had a big second half for the Spartans. Coop finished with 20, going 7-10 from the floor and 6-6 from the line while also pulling down 11 boards. Scott finished with 12 for MSU and continued to provide timely plays for the Spartans.
Michigan State returns to action Thursday at Purdue. Meanwhile, the MSU Women’s team has a huge game a little later today at #23 Minnesota. That game tips at 6 PM on FS1.
