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Michigan State, Penn State tied at 35-35 at halftime as Hoggard, Brooks, Kohler provide lift

On3 imageby:Jim Comparoni•12/07/22•

JimComparoni

On3 image
(File photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

AJ Hoggard hit a pair of old-fashioned 3-pointer plays in the final two minutes to help Michigan State battle back from an early 10-point deficit to secure a 35-35 tie at halftime of the Spartans’ Big Ten game at Penn State, Wednesday night.

Hoggard has 10 points at intermission for Michigan State (5-4) against Penn State (6-2).

Penn State leads the nation in 3-point shots made per game and was a streaky 7-of-18 from long range in the first half. 

Five different Nittany Lions have hit 3-pointers. Dread led Penn State in scoring at the break with 9 points. 

Pierre Brooks did not start in this game, as Michigan State went with a backcourt of Tyson Walker, Jaden Akins and Hoggard. Brooks was productive off the bench. He nailed a pair of important field goals as Michigan State was in danger of falling behind by double digits. He backed down his man for a fall-away 10-footer (cutting the lead to 16-8), and hit a 3-pointer from the right wing in transition to cut it to 21-15.

With Michigan State on the ropes early, the Spartans found some offensive relief from freshman center Jaxon Kohler. He hit a face-up 16-footer off an inside pivot, and a righty hook to cut it to 16-10. 

Then Kohler delivered a beautiful righty hook off a drop step move and counter, which cut what had been a 21-12 deficit to 21-17 with 7:40 left in the half. 

Later, Kohler delivered an inside-out assist to Jaden Akins for a 3-pointer which cut the lead to 25-24. 

Akins then hit another 3-pointer off an inside-out pass, this time from Joey Hauser, which cut the lead to 28-27.

Mady Sissoko picked up his second foul with 9:03 remaining on the offensive glass. That foul, and his first on an illegal screen, were questionable. He sat the rest of the half as Kohler, who averages just 12 minutes per game, played 11.

The Nittany Lions missed their first five 3-pointers in this game, but then connected on their next three. And then when Myles Dread was fouled by Joey Hauser while attempting a three, he nailed all three foul shots to give Penn State a 16-6 lead. That capped an early 14-2 run. 

This is Michigan State’s sixth game in 14 days, ninth game in 27 days and 10th game in 30 days. Only two of those games were at home. After this, Michigan State will have five games in 30 days. This is Penn State’s first game in eight days.

* Penn State has never beaten Michigan State in back-to-back games.

* Penn State has five fifth-year seniors and three players who are 1,000-point career scorers in college and will likely have five by the end of the season. 

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