How MSU’s Last Toledo Bout Mirrors Upcoming Match

Michigan State is going to face Toledo in its 11th game of the season very soon, and they are hoping to extend their record to 10-1.

This should be very feasible with the deep and improving roster the Spartans have, whether it be through guys like Divine Ugochukwu, who have been perfect, or players like Cam Ward that are bouncing back from injury.

MSU, Cam War — Michigan State's Cam Ward, center, celebrates after teammate Jordan Scott draws a Duke foul during the first half on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

However, more than just the players that MSU has, history also says that the win should end up in the Spartans laps, as they have a 3-1 all time record against Toledo with their last loss being all the way back in 2002.

So how did their last game against the Rockets go, and what does it mean for MSU, if anything, in their upcoming match?

MSU's Explosive Start To Take A Large Lead: The First Half

MSU, Toledo — Dec 4, 2021; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Tyson Walker (2) lays the ball into the basket past the outstretched hand of Toledo Rockets forward JT Shumate (32) at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn Images | Dale Young-Imagn Images

The last time that MSU played against Toledo was in 2021, where they dominated the game and swiftly won at home 81-68.

The team saw itself get out to a hot start, pulling vastly ahead by 20 points in the first half, making the score 43-23.

They were capitalizing on turnovers left and right while minimizing the damage done by their own, having 14 points compared to the Rockets' six off of turnovers.

MSU was also making many three point shots in having nine made in the first half alone, greatly contributing to their 20 point lead.

There were many other statistics in which the Spartans thrived during the first half, but it all began to fall apart a bit during the second half.

When MSU Began To Falter Against Toledo: The Second Half

The second half is where MSU began to slip both offensively and defensively, faltering in their lead by the end of the game and winning by 13 when they should have won by much more with their 20-point lead at halftime.

Their three-point attempts and makes both plummeted from 9/17 to 3/9, and if Toledo had made even just a few more of their own three-pointers, the Spartans would have lost the game.

This will be something that MSU will need to avoid in their next bout with the rockets, as a cold finish could cost them mightily just as it did against Duke not that long ago.

However, the Spartans are set to get their 10th win of the season. they will just need to clean up their messy parts from their win against Penn State and keep on grinding throughout the rest of the year.

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