Jason Laplow
Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo claps as his team participates in open practice at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio on March 16.“Go green! Go white!” chants encased Nationwide Arena as Tom Izzo and the Michigan State Spartans clamored their way to a win, 69-60 Sunday, making their way to the third round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019.
Marquette came out strong, stealing and scoring on A.J. Hoggard to claim the first bucket. A minute later, Hoggard retaliated with a quick crossover giving him space to drive the lane and put the Spartans up by a bucket. Hoggard did not stop there and sent both teams into an early timeout after a pullback three that caused the crowd to erupt.
The Spartans offense continued to heat up with big buckets from Malik Hall and Joey Hauser. Marquette, who as a team this season has shot 48.7% from the field and 34.8% from beyond the arc, struggled to find the net during the beginning of the first half as Michigan State quickly crept into a double-digit lead.
Jaden Akins put the Spartans up by 10 with a smashing dunk that rattled in after he was fouled at the rim. Marquette guard Kam Jones was then given a wide open three to keep the lead within striking distance.
Marquette gained some ground going into halftime with a three point basket by forward Ben Gold, immediately followed by a shot-clock violation on MSU. With under a minute left in the first half, Marquette cut the lead down to four.
As the Spartan fans in attendance competed with Golden Eagle fans to see who could be the loudest, the teams shuffled into their respective locker rooms with the Spartans up by two buckets, 32-28.
In the second half, Marquette came out firing. The Golden Eagles took the lead for just the second time of the game after a triple made the score 34-33.
Marquette played tight man-to-man defense that posed a challenge for the Spartans, causing the game to slow down. A series of turnovers led both teams into a scoring drought. Three-quarters of the way through, the game was deadlocked at 42 points a piece before Tyson Walker hit a pull-up jumper from mid-range.
As the game intensified, Marquette forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper was handed a flagrant foul on Hauser, which sent him to the line and gave the Spartans a four-point lead with under nine minutes to go.
Michigan State fans booed at the officials as a string of fouls on Mady Sissoko, Carson Cooper and Malik Hall allowed the Golden Eagles to creep back towards the lead.
Marquette forward Osa Ighodaro then slammed down a dunk, during which he was fouled by Malik Hall and sent to the line. On the other end of the court, Hoggard was fouled, and the fouling pandemonium between the two squads carried on.
Hauser would then hit a corner triple which was instantly countered by a Kam Jones three, leaving Spartan fans little time to celebrate.
With only forty seconds left to play, Tyson Walker stole the ball and tallied his first ever collegiate dunk, giving the Spartans a nudge up and ultimately sealing the victory for the Spartans. Marquette was forced to foul as the arena became overwhelmed by Spartan chants.
“I promise you, that was a damn good game,” Izzo said in the postgame press conference.
Michigan State will continue to dance through the NCAA tournament after a 69-60 victory. For the first time since 2019, the Spartans will advance to the Sweet Sixteen and play at Madison Square Garden in New York City.