Michigan State finishes strong in crucial victory over Maryland, 63-58

East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State was strong at the beginning and functional at the end in posting a crucial 63-58 victory over Maryland, Tuesday night at Breslin Center.

The Spartans jumped out to a 15-0 lead in the opening minutes, and led by nine at halftime. But Maryland stormed back with a 14-0 run early in the second half and led by as many as 4 at 48-44 with 9:15 left when Jahmir Young finished a lay-up in transition.

But Tyson Walker and Joey Hauser, each battling back from foul trouble, delivered enough offense to guide Michigan State to a valuable Big Ten victory.

Hauser finished with 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range.

Walker scored 17 points, including 12 in the second half to help rescue the Spartans.

A.J. Hoggard scored 8 points for Michigan State, and had eight assists and a team-high 10 rebounds.

Michigan State improved to 15-9 overall and 7-6 in the Big Ten. 

“We’ve been in this situation a bunch this year where we’ve had leads and we’ve let them up,” Hauser said. “This was a game we needed. It was a desperation win. We rallied around each other. I think we looked at some of our recent games and recent huddles when we were kind of splintering a little bit and going separate ways but we really rallied together during our huddles.”

WHAT IT MEANS

A loss would have sent the Spartans careening toward the NCAA Tournament bubble. This victory doesn’t guarantee Tom Izzo’s 25th NCAA Tournament bid, but the Spartans’ chances improve with every win – and they’re difficult to comeby this year in a deep Big Ten and the Spartans still trying to find on-court chemistry with Malik Hall struggling to find a groove in the playing group.

Maryland, which came into the game as one of the hottest teams in the Big Ten having won five of its last six, fell to 16-8 overall and 7-6 in the Big Ten.

Michigan State had lost five of seven games.

“I told them, ‘I’m going to coach you hard today because we were desperate,'” Izzo said. “I like desperate. I really do. I think guys learn something when their backs are against the wall. I thought they did fight through when they were down four.”

TURNING POINT 

With Michigan State leading 59-57, Hoggard hit a pair of massive free throws with :22 seconds left, pushing the lead to 4.

Hoggard missed free throws in similar situations late in games against Purdue and Iowa at Breslin Center. After a crucial miss against Iowa, Hoggard shot dozens of free throws in the empty Breslin Center and promised a miss like that one would never happen again.

Never is a long time, but Hoggard made good on the promise this time.

IT WAS OVER WHEN …

Maryland cut the lead to 3 at 61-58 with :18 seconds left on a Young free throw, after he was fouled by Akins on a drive to the basket. But Young missed the second free throw, and Hoggard grabbed the rebound.

Maryland didn’t foul Hoggard right away. They played tight defense on him and tried to enduce a turnover.

Hoggard, with Michigan State out of time outs, dribbled against pressure and was in the process of getting trapped, 90 feet from the basket, when he saw Malik Hall open deep. Hoggard jumped and sent a soaring, two-handed pass more than 50 feet downcourt toward the wide-open Hall.

Hall flipped it to Akins, who went in for a thunderous dunk with :04 seconds left to seal victory in satisfying fashion.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Jaden Akins and Malik Hall each scored 7 for the Spartans. 

Michigan State was 9-of-20 from 3-point range while Maryland was just 3-of-22.

Maryland had four players in double-figures, led by Young with 17.

Maryland out-rebounded Michigan State 31-30.

FOUL STRATEGY PAYS OFF

During a time out with Michigan State leading by 3 at 59-56 with :33 seconds left, Izzo instructed his team to foul Maryland center Julian Reese if he touched the ball. Reese is a .507 free throw shooter.

After the time out, Maryland’s in-bound pass quickly found Reese, and Michigan State’s Mady Sissoko fouled him.

Izzo hasn’t been one to foul when possessing a small lead late in a game, but he did on this occasion.

Reese, a lefty with a tight, flat shot arc, made the first to cut the lead to 59-57. Then he missed the second. Akins rebounded for Michigan State, setting up Hoggard’s heroics at the foul line.

Izzo’s ploy of fouling Reese worked, limiting the Terps to one point during a trip when a 3-pointer could have tied it. 

THE FIRST HALF

Michigan State blazed out to a 15-0 lead, going 6-of-7 from the field, including 3-pointers from Walker and Hoggard, plus an and-one from Hauser. Meanwhile, Maryland began the game 0-for-5 from the field.

A turn-around jumper by Mady Sissoko in the post made it 15-0. 

In the first half, every time Maryland drew within a touchdown, Hauser had the answer. 

Hauser’s 3-pointer as part of the early offense ended a Maryland run and gave Michigan State a 24-13 lead. 

A pair of free throws from Sissoko established a 12-point lead at 31-19 late in the first half, but Maryland’s Donta Scott hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 31-22 at halftime.