Foul Trouble Major Factor in Spartans Upset Loss

The Michigan State Spartans could not stay out of foul trouble against the Indiana Hoosiers on Tuesday night, and it cost them a much-needed home conference win.

Michigan State's Frankie Fidler, left, and Jase Richardson, right, pressure Indiana's Myles Rice during the second half on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The No. 11 Michigan State Spartans (19-5, 10-3) simply could not stay out of foul trouble on Tuesday night as they were upset by the Indiana Hoosiers (15-10, 6-8) at the Breslin Center. Multiple players at the post position were limited due to the early and often foul calls that were suffered.

In a 71-67 loss, the Spartans committed 24 team fouls and allowed the Hoosiers to shoot 28 total free throws, making 20. Three players had four or more fouls, leading to a disappointing performance with a limited roster. Coach Tom Izzo credited Indiana while stating the obvious about his team.

"I don't want to take anything away from Indiana," Izzo said. "They didn't hardly take a shot in the second half, they just pounded the ball inside, pounded the ball inside, pounded the ball inside. And again, we were in so much foul trouble, we didn't guard it very well, and then, we didn't adjust to some of that, and we lost the game."

Following their third upset loss in the past four games, senior forward Frankie Fidler was asked about how the fouls kept some of the Spartans' most impactful post players out of the game. Both junior center Carson Cooper and senior center Szymon Zapala played less than 20 minutes.

"Yeah I think it did," Fidler said postgame. "Both of our 7-footers [Cooper & Zapala] were on the bench, so I think it definitely hurt us tonight."

Cooper ended up fouling out in the final minutes while Zapala had three early personals that limited their playing time and production. As a result, the Spartans allowed 38 points in the paint with Hoosiers' senior center Oumar Ballo and junior forward Malik Reneau combining for 33 points.

The Spartans rolled out some uncommon lineups, specifically in the second half as they continued to navigate the game with so many guys in foul trouble. At one time, forwards Xavier Booker and Jaxon Kohler had to share the floor, and both have not been very prolific scorers this season at that position.

"I would have liked to have not doubled more, but dug down in there and things like that, so that's that's our fault, not the player's fault," Izzo said. "We tried to make some adjustments at halftime, but we had so many strange lineups in there, and we didn't do a very good job of it, to be very blunt and honest with you."

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