Michigan hoops' patented second-half woes return in rivalry loss to MSU
The Michigan Wolverines (7-14, 2-8 Big Ten) lost 81-62 at Michigan State on Tuesday night, losing for the 14th time in the last 18 games since starting the season 3-0.
It was the third road game in a row without sophomore point guard Dug McDaniel, who is serving an academic suspension. Jaelin Llewellyn started in his place, scoring a team-high 18 points in 35 minutes on Tuesday night. Forward Terrance Williams II was the only other player in double digits with 14 points.
Here is the recap from the contest in East Lansing.
First half
MSU’s Jaden Akins got off to a hot start with the Spartans’ first five points of the game, helping MSU out to a 5-3 lead at the 17:56 mark of the first half. Michigan followed it up with a 5-0 run on a layup from Olivier Nkamhoua to jump ahead 8-5 at the 16:34 mark. MSU’s Tre Holloman ended the run with a three of his own that preceded a 7-0 run from Michigan, taking a 15-8 lead at the 12:32 mark of the first half.
Spartan guard Tyson Walker hit a free throw, which was followed by a three-pointer from Tarris Reed to extend U-M’s lead to a game-high nine points. The Spartans went a 5-0 run on a layup from AJ Hoggard and a three from Akins, narrowing the Michigan lead to 18-14 with 10:25 to go.
One of the better sequences of the season followed from Michigan’s Tray Jackson, who hit a pair of layups at 9:10 and 8:26 marks, respectively, to help his squad up to 22-16. MSU big man Xavier Booker hit a three-pointer to narrow the lead to 22-19 before three points in response from Michigan on Jackson’s free throw and jumper from Terrance Williams II. The teams would trade baskets over the next few minutes with U-M maintaining its six-point lead at 29-23 with 5:39 to go after a paint shot from Nkamhoua.
Llewellyn had a few big threes in the final minutes of the half, helping Michigan out to a 35-29 lead with 1:42 to go. The Spartans, however, ended on a 5-0 run that trimmed the lead to a bucket in favor of the Wolverines, 35-33, at the break.
Second half
Michigan guard Nimari Burnett got the scoring started in the second half with a three-pointer, pushing the lead to 38-33 in the first minute. The Spartans got four points back on a paint shot from Malik Hall, followed by a layup from Hoggard. After a Nkamhoua free throw, Michigan led 39-37 with 17:44 remaining.
From there, U-M’s patented second-half woes returned in another game with a double-digit run allowed. MSU went on a 12-0 run to pull out to a 49-39 lead with 15:18 to go. Williams killed the run with a three-pointer for the Wolverines, answered by three more Spartan points (52-42, 14:10). Williams continued his mini-run in the second half with a three-point burst, narrowing the deficit to 52-45 at 13:06. MSU would hold a 56-46 lead at the under-12 media timeout.
Michigan State ballooned its lead to 58-46 on layups from Hoggard and Holloman (11:58-11:14). It would be the start of a seven-point run that included a layup and free throw make from Walker, extending things to 61-46 with 10:44 to play. At the under-8 media timeout, U-M trailed 68-53 (6:05). Hoggared added a layup to push MSU’s lead to 20.
Michigan was able to trim MSU’s lead to 15 a few times over the last few minutes, but never enough to put a dent into the lead or scare into the Spartans.
Michigan vs. Michigan state final box score
