MSU men’s basketball secures its first Big Ten win by beating Penn State

In their third Big Ten game of the year, the Michigan State men’s basketball team defeated the Penn State Nittany Lions 92–61 to start the new year. 

Before the game, Michigan State had lost to Nebraska and No. 21 Wisconsin, their two conference losses, therefore the Spartans were eager to win their first Big Ten game. 

The Spartans took the lead right away thanks to a fadeaway jumper from graduate student forward Malik Hall, and senior center Mady Sissoko won the tip. Using some difficult, well-defended shots, Hall scored nine of MSU’s first fourteen points, proving to be a valuable commodity early on.

On both ends of the court, the Spartans got out to a quick start, making baskets and driving the Nittany Lions into some costly errors.

After around six minutes, head coach Tom Izzo decided to start several younger players, like as freshman forward Xavier Booker and freshman center Coen Carr, in a more expansive lineup. Despite a few points from Booker, Penn State’s relatively inexperienced roster allowed them to gradually cut into the Michigan State lead. 

Izzo brought in his seasoned guards after only a few minutes, and the Spartans took command of the game once more.

Tyson Walker, a graduate student guard and standout player for Michigan State was quiet early in the game, scoring just four points. However, Walker’s back-to-back three-pointers propelled him far into the double figures and enthralled the Izzone Alumni audience. 

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In addition to his scoring output, Walker also recorded six thefts, one rebound, and four assists, one of which was a pass to Carr for a trademark Coen Carr dunk that never fails to electrify the Breslin crowd. 

At the beginning of the game, senior guard A.J. With two fouls, Hoggard was forced to sit, but sophomore guard Tre Holloman rose to the challenge. More importantly, the freshman assisted five MSU point guards in the first half, scoring eight points. 

The Spartans led by 25 points going into the locker room as most things went their way. 

In terms of offensive efficiency, Michigan State was shooting 64.5% from field goal range and 62.5% from beyond the arc, which is about as good as it has been all season.

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After the half, the Spartans kept up their dominance, extending their advantage to 30 points with 15 minutes remaining. However, with 10 minutes remaining, things started to get a bit hairy when MSU committed five turnovers in a row and went over four minutes without scoring. Fortunately, Penn State’s subpar shooting percentages and the Spartans’ commanding advantage allowed them to hold onto the lead to the finish. 

After the brief Nittany Lion scoring spree, the Spartans were able to get back on pace, and the game was almost won. 

Malik Hall had a fantastic game, scoring a career-high 24 points, and as the time ran out, he headed to the bench with the advantage firmly in control for the Spartans.  

Michigan State had a successful start to 2024, but on January 7 at 7:30 p.m., the Spartans will travel to Northwestern in an attempt to extend their Big Ten winning streak.