Michigan State basketball was flummoxed by tricky scheme USC used. Will UCLA do the same?

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LOS ANGELES – Eric Musselman walked out of his press conference just as Tom Izzo arrived to replace him on the dais, shaking hands and exchanging quick pleasantries.

One a first-year Big Ten coach of a first-year Big Ten newcomer learning about the league. The other a 30-year veteran with 352 conference wins and an entire career worth of film to study.

Yet when Musselman’s Southern California Trojans stepped onto their home floor at Galen Center on Saturday afternoon, in front a decidedly pro-Michigan State crowd, they did something few have been able to do this season.

They flummoxed Izzo’s Spartans from the jump.

“With their drop defense on our ball screens, they had dudes just doing jumping jacks (in the paint),” senior Jaden Akins said after No. 9 MSU’s 70-64 loss to snap a 13-game win streak. “We were stagnant at first trying to figure it out. And then we started to figure it out, but we dug ourselves a 15-point hole. So it was tough.”

USC Trojans guard Desmond Claude (1) battles Michigan State Spartans guard Jeremy Fears Jr. (1) for control of the ball during the first half at Galen Center in Los Angeles on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025.

Musselman’s defensive game plan led to early offensive rebounds and second-chance points, along with presenting a persistent disruption of a fastbreak that has been one of the Spartans’ staples to their success this season. His Trojans also held them to a season-low scoring output.

Fixing that transition attack will be a key to maintaining the Big Ten lead for MSU (18-3, 9-1) as it plays across town Tuesday night at UCLA (16-6, 7-4). Tipoff is 10 p.m. EDT and will be solely streamed on NBC’s Peacock app.

SMALL SLIP: Michigan State drops to No. 9 in Top 25 USA TODAY Coaches Poll

The Spartans entered USC’s Galen Center leading the nation at 18.5 fastbreak points per game. They managed just nine against the Trojans and dropped to second in Division I at 18.05 after their sixth game this season and fourth in the eight games in…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/michigan-state-basketball-flummoxed-tricky-110907883.html

Author : Detroit Free Press

Publish date : 2025-02-04 11:09:00

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