Five takeaways from Michigan State basketball’s win over Ohio State

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Michigan State Spartans forward Coen Carr (55) blocks the shot of Ohio State Buckeyes forward Sean Stewart (13) in the first half at Value City Arena on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.

It was another imperfect win, but a win nonetheless, as Michigan State basketball extended their winning streak to seven games with an impressive road win over Ohio State in a game that they were projected by oddsmakers to lose.

It was a win that included a lot of drama, as the Spartans coughed up a double-digit lead as the game reached its conclusion and gave Ohio State a window to steal the win away (the word choice here is by design), but the Spartans strong defense helped snuff out the Buckeyes comeback attempt.

Below, we put together our five key takeaways from the win.

Szymon Zapala offers MSU something it was lacking

Jan 3, 2025; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Michigan State Spartans center Szymon Zapala (10) passes the ball as Ohio State Buckeyes forward Sean Stewart (13) defends during the first half at Value City Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Szymon Zapala was a rotation player from Longwood and a seemingly unremarkable addition to the roster this year, depending on who you asked. But Zapala has added something to this roster that it has lacked for a few years. He has great size, and he plays with a lot of intensity. I think he would struggle to sustain that energy level if he had to play big minutes, but the Spartans’ three-man center contingent is perfect for him.

Zapala led the way in scoring on Friday with 15 points and he also added two blocks and a steal.

The team defense is excellent

This team defends at a level that could make them dangerous in the postseason. When Ohio State fought back and almost took this game away, the Spartans’ defense locked in and snuffed them out. They had ten combined steals and blocks on the night and were able to overcome some ugly offense.

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/five-takeaways-michigan-state-basketballs-102600545.html

Author : Spartans Wire

Publish date : 2025-01-04 10:26:00

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