#8 Michigan State Spartans Fall At The Purdue Boilermakers
Mackey Arena
West Lafayette, IN
The #8 Michigan State Spartans invaded world-renowned Mackey Arena today, a place that the Purdue Boilermakers had won their last 14 Big Ten games. Today that streak continued as the Spartans were blown out 71-42. This loss drops the men in green’s season record to 13-4 (5-1).
The Spartans had two players score in double-digits. They were led by Cassius Winston who had 10 points, turnovers and five assists. True freshman Mark ROCKET Watts had 10 points. There were no Spartans to reach double digits in any other category.
Tom Izzo said of the contest that, “Probably the worst beating that I have taken as a coach. First of all, let’s give 80% of the credit to Purdue.”
Izzo added, “I am just disappointed that a big game and national TV and a great crowd and we played like that. I am disappointed and I thought Rocket Watts played pretty well.”
Matt Painter the Boilermakers head coach said, “The most important thing that they do is their toughness and effort and what they do with it. So to have only had one turnover in the first half really helped. The fact that we didn’t turn it over in the first half was big for us. If you can limit them from offensive rebounding and transition you have a chance and our balance really helped today.”
This was the first time the Spartans have scored less than 50 points since they played Kentucky on November 16, 2016.
The men in the green were beaten by the Boilermakers on the boards by a margin of 35-32 (13 offensive). The Spartans had 18 turnovers. The Spartan defense allowed the Boilermakers to 46% shooting from the field and 36% from three.
The Spartans never had the lead in the 40 minutes in the game. In all Tom Izzo played 14 players. Nine of them scored.
Izzo’s men had seven assists on 18 baskets. The Spartans shot 13% from three, 35% from the field and a disappointing 67% from the charity stripe. It was not a shooting clinic.
The team will return to the hard-court Friday, January 17, 2020, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. That game can be seen on FS1 at 7 PM.
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