How MSU Extended March Ceiling in Victory over UCLA
In this story:
EAST LANSING, Mich. — The version of Michigan State basketball seen on the court Tuesday night is the type of team one can envision going to a Final Four.
That’s part of the battle: just being capable of winning four single-elimination games in a row. MSU and Tom Izzo went into the 2015 NCAA Tournament as a 7 seed and made it. More mediocre teams than this one have done it before.
The key is, and always will be, peaking at the right time. That 2014-15 Michigan State squad won 10 of its final 14 games prior to March Madness, which includes an overtime loss to No. 1 seed Wisconsin in overtime of the Big Ten Tournament title game.
This year’s version of MSU had not been playing its best basketball lately. The Spartans had lost three of their last four games, and really were a bit lucky they weren’t losers of five in a row after needing overtime to beat Rutgers and Illinois (the latter of which is a legitimately good win). It felt like Michigan State turned a corner in some ways in its 82-59 blowout win over UCLA on Tuesday.
What Went Right
Shots Start Falling
The thing that seemed to make everyone say “woah” was all the three-pointers that found nylon instead of iron. MSU went 14-for-27 from behind the arc in this one, which is not only the most made threes in a game for the Spartans this year, but the most in any game for Michigan State since it made 16 at Nebraska on Feb. 28, 2023, nearly three years ago.
“That was the best game they’ve played all year,” UCLA head coach Mick Cronin said after the game. “Fourteen-for-27 from three; they don’t shoot it like that. But not a surprise that we took their best shot.”
Cronin and controversy are growing hand-and-hand with one another lately, especially after kicking his own player out of the game and unnecessarily insulting a reporter during his press availability, but he is right about this thing.
The Spartans took the same number of three-pointers during their blowout loss at Wisconsin last Friday, but only made eight of them. Their previous season-high for threes during Big Ten play was 10 (twice). UCLA entered Tuesday night with the conference’s best three-point defense during Big Ten play. Sometimes, it’s just your night. Sometimes, it’s not.
"You can see why I like football better than basketball," Izzo joked during his opening statement on Tuesday, with his childhood friend and former NFL head coach Steve Mariucci listening. "We go to Wisconsin, and we can't make a shot, and they can't miss one. And we come here, and we can't miss a shot, and they [UCLA] can't make one. And then Wisconsin goes to Ohio State, and they can't hit a three. My sport is harder than yours. It's harder to coach."
Again, the key thing here is capability. It’s tough to see Michigan State stepping up and knocking down a dozen threes a bunch of times in a row next month, but the possibility is there. When MSU finishes off the season at No. 1 Michigan or if it plays a 1 seed in March, it’s going to need something to break its way. Maybe the trey-balls end up being that.
Help Arrives on the Starting Five
There has also been too much Jeremy Fears Jr. lately. He still played great, scoring 16 points and dishing out 10 assists while knocking down a career-high four threes, but he didn’t need to be everything.
Starting with that Rutgers game through the Wisconsin loss, that’s the player Fears played like he needed to be. The Spartans barely scraped together wins against the Scarlet Knights and the Fighting Illini after Fears had 29 points and nine assists and then 26 points and 15 assists in those two games, respectively. He even scored a career-high 31 points with seven assists against UM, but that wasn’t enough for a victory.
When the scoring performances were more mild, MSU was getting blown out. Fears had 10 points and 11 assists at Minnesota, and the Spartans were down 16 late in that one. He had 14 points and 12 assists against the Badgers, and that one was never close.
People stepped up during this one. Three of Michigan State’s other four starters were in double figures scoring the ball. The odd man out, Jaxon Kohler, had nine points and made up for it by grabbing 10 rebounds. That’s how your starting five is going to have to play in March, when coaches want their best possible lineups out there as much as possible.
Keep up with all our content when you follow the official Spartan Nation page on Facebook, Spartan Nation, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be sure to share your thoughts on MSU's game vs. UCLA when you join our community group, Go Green Go White, WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE. Don't forget to give us a follow on X @MSUSpartansOnSI as well.
Never again miss one major story related to your beloved Spartans when you sign up for our 100% FREE newsletter that comes straight to your email with the latest news. SIGN UP HERE NOW
A 2025 graduate from Michigan State University, Cotsonika brings a wealth of experience covering the Spartans from Rivals and On3 to his role as Michigan State Spartans Beat Writer on SI. At Michigan State, he was also a member of the world-renowned Spartan marching band for two seasons.
Follow jacobcotsonika