Why Michigan State has 'Winning Time' Problem vs. Top Opponents
In this story:
EAST LANSING, Mich. --- One of the certainties of Michigan State basketball last year was that they were going to lean on you at the end. When it was a close game in the final minutes --- a.k.a. "winning time" --- MSU was going to be the team with the advantage.
That has not been the case this season, at least against top opponents. All three of the Spartans' losses so far this season have had two things in common: they are all to teams ranked in the AP top five, and in all three games, Michigan State lost because it got outplayed during "winning time."
With four minutes to go against current No. 4 Duke, MSU was only down by two. The Spartans ended up losing by six. At the final media timeout at now-No. 5 Nebraska, Michigan State was up by three. It ended up losing by two. Now, against third-ranked Michigan on Friday, MSU was within one just before the four-minute mark. The Spartans lost by 12.
Michigan State has shown up in these crunch-time moments before, but not against teams of truly high caliber. It held on for a three-point win against now-No. 15 Arkansas, but MSU only scored three points in the final five minutes of that game. Does anyone feel great about needing late surges to beat Penn State (0-10 against the Big Ten) and Rutgers (2-8 Big Ten)? Me neither.
Players' Reactions
The lack of production against these top teams can be interpreted in several ways. If you're a pessimist, perhaps this means you think Michigan State just isn't very "clutch" during these games. If you're an optimist, maybe you think it means MSU is closer to the top of the country than it may seem right after a home loss to an arch-rival.
Locker room access was more limited than usual (for obvious reasons), but I had enough time to ask Jeremy Fears Jr. and Coen Carr about the commonalities between their three losses.
What Fears Said
"All of our losses have been one or two possessions that didn't go our way," Fears said postgame. "It just shows this is how March will be. A loose ball, a free-throw cutout, an offensive rebound can lose you a game, and your season can be over.
"So just understanding that, now, every play matters. This is winning and losing time, and when you get around that last eight minutes, you almost have got to try to be perfect."
What Carr Said
"Yeah, 100%," Carr said. "It's the little things. We're still a couple of little things away from being a great team. I feel like we're gonna get there."
Michigan State's next game is on the road, as the Spartans take on Minnesota (10-11 overall, 3-7 Big Ten) on Wednesday. Tip-off that night is set for 7 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network.
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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.
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