Couch: 3 quick takes on Michigan State’s 78-68 win at Northwestern

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Jeremy Fears Jr. of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates with teammates against the Northwestern Wildcats during the first half at Welsh-Ryan Arena on Jan. 12, 2025 in Evanston, Illinois.

1. A telling performance for MSU at Northwestern

EVANSTON – There are points in every Michigan State basketball season that becomes something good when you realize it’s happening. Sunday’s 78-68 win at Northwestern was one of those days, even if the finish wasn’t all that inspiring.

There are loads of challenges ahead for MSU — including a February that could break a team. This one looks like it’ll be in contention to the end. The Spartans have to be one of two or three favorites, along with Michigan and, maybe, Illinois. MSU doesn’t have the type of losses Illinois does — at home Saturday to USC and, in December, at Northwestern. Illinois couldn’t fight off Northwestern the way MSU did.

Sunday should have been a tricky game for the Spartans. It was a tricky game. Northwestern is a seasoned team, a quirky team, a team with some toughness to it, a good defensive team, one desperate for a win, with two of the better scorers in the Big Ten in Nick Martinelli and Brooks Barnhizer, and playing a pace designed to keep scoring down.

MSU had 47 points by halftime and led by 23 just before the break. Barnhizer — guarded by Jaden Akins, Frankie Fidler and Coen Carr (a lot of Akins) — scored just four points, on 2-of-13 shooting, more than 15 points below his average. The Spartans’ blew through Northwestern’s quirks, took the Wildcats’ student section out of it early and let their own crowd take over.

In the second half, MSU’s sense of timing — spurred by Jeremy Fears Jr. (12 points, eight assists, one turnover) — had a lot to do with how comfortable this game stayed throughout, even as the Wildcats kept battling. Every time Northwestern had a moment, MSU had an answer. When Northwestern got within a hopeful margin late, Jase Richardson (13 points) came through with a…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/couch-3-quick-takes-michigan-194621870.html

Author : Lansing State Journal

Publish date : 2025-01-12 19:46:00

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