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If you play with fire, eventually you'll get burnt. That appeared to be the case for the Spartans on Tuesday night, but an incredible finish, that included a clutch three-pointer in the final seconds, saved the day in New Jersey.
Michigan State was outplayed for essentially the entire game, but a late run and dominant overtime performance led to a 88-79 victory over Rutgers on Tuesday. The Spartans trailed for most of the game and overcame a double-digit second half deficit to avoid a massive upset bid from the Scarlet Knights.
Michigan State put forth a miserable first half effort, finding themselves in a large hole at the break. The Spartans battled foul trouble to key players Jeremy Fears Jr. and Jaxon Kohler, and committed 10 first half turnovers that resulted in 17 points for the Scarlet Knights, compared to only one turnover for Rutgers. That combined with poor shooting resulted in Rutgers carrying a 37-28 lead into halftime.
Michigan State trailed throughout the entire second half, with the Spartans constantly trying to cut into the Rutgers' lead. The Spartans trailed by seven points with just under three minutes to play, but they were able to force over time. In the final seconds, Divine Ugochukwu nailed a three to tie the game at 73. The Scarlet Knights buzzer beater floater was no good, forcing overtime. In overtime, Michigan State dominated, outscoring Rutgers 15-6 to run away with the road win.
After a poor start, Fears ended the game with 29 points and nine assists -- coming up huge in the second half and overtime to lead the Spartans. Carson Cooper (14 points), Coen Carr (13 points) and Kohler (10 points) also reached double-digits in scoring.
With the win, Michigan State improved to 19-2 overall and 9-1 in Big Ten play on the year. Next up for the Spartans is a massive in-state rivalry game against No. 2 Michigan on Friday night. Tipoff from the Breslin Center is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET, with the game set to be televised on FOX.
Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.
This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: MSU basketball finishes strong, survives upset scare in OT win vs. Rutgers
Continue reading...
Michigan State was outplayed for essentially the entire game, but a late run and dominant overtime performance led to a 88-79 victory over Rutgers on Tuesday. The Spartans trailed for most of the game and overcame a double-digit second half deficit to avoid a massive upset bid from the Scarlet Knights.
Michigan State put forth a miserable first half effort, finding themselves in a large hole at the break. The Spartans battled foul trouble to key players Jeremy Fears Jr. and Jaxon Kohler, and committed 10 first half turnovers that resulted in 17 points for the Scarlet Knights, compared to only one turnover for Rutgers. That combined with poor shooting resulted in Rutgers carrying a 37-28 lead into halftime.
Michigan State trailed throughout the entire second half, with the Spartans constantly trying to cut into the Rutgers' lead. The Spartans trailed by seven points with just under three minutes to play, but they were able to force over time. In the final seconds, Divine Ugochukwu nailed a three to tie the game at 73. The Scarlet Knights buzzer beater floater was no good, forcing overtime. In overtime, Michigan State dominated, outscoring Rutgers 15-6 to run away with the road win.
After a poor start, Fears ended the game with 29 points and nine assists -- coming up huge in the second half and overtime to lead the Spartans. Carson Cooper (14 points), Coen Carr (13 points) and Kohler (10 points) also reached double-digits in scoring.
With the win, Michigan State improved to 19-2 overall and 9-1 in Big Ten play on the year. Next up for the Spartans is a massive in-state rivalry game against No. 2 Michigan on Friday night. Tipoff from the Breslin Center is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET, with the game set to be televised on FOX.
Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.
This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: MSU basketball finishes strong, survives upset scare in OT win vs. Rutgers
Continue reading...
