Michigan State takes out Washington, 80-63, now looks for the West Coast sweep
MSU attacked the boards and played with toughness, which they will look to bring with them for their Tuesday night matchup against Oregon.
Michigan State opened its West Coast trip with a Saturday afternoon (evening on the east coast) battle against the Washington Huskies, and walked out of Seattle with an 80-63 win.
The Spartans came into the night riding a wave of momentum from their dominant 21-point win over Indiana in which Jeremy Fears Jr. and Jordan Scott notched their career-high in points.
MSU's strengths this season - defense, rebounding, and unselfish play - were on display in tonight's matchup, with the Spartans outrebounding the Huskies by 11, totaling 14 assists, and dropping in 15 points from Washington turnovers.
Despite not finding a single star to rely on, Michigan State once again showcased its balance in tonight's road win, with different players stepping up offensively when needed.
Jeremy Fears Jr. led the way in scoring with 19 points and once again directed the offense with five assists, while Jaxon Kohler picked up seven boards. The Spartans' ability to spread production across the team has been their approach to wearing teams out - and it kept Washington from keying in on one option.
First Half
Both teams showed early aggression. Washington struck first with a layup, and Carson Cooper countered with an energy play dunk to get the Spartans settled in. The Spartans leaned heavily on their defensive pressure, forcing early turnovers and tough shots.
Following Cooper’s dunk, Jeremy Fears Jr. and Divine Ugochukwu added jumpers and a deep two points to stay neck and neck in this fast-paced matchup. Through the first five minutes of play, neither team could gain separation, with the lead changing eight different times, as Washington matched nearly every MSU basket with a finish at the rim.
The Spartans eventually found their rhythm, taking an arm's-length lead from two back-to-back Kur Teng three-pointers and a second-chance tip-in by Kohler to spark a 10-0 run that surged the Spartans in front by eight points. The green and white continued to capitalize on extended possessions, highlighted by a long offensive sequence that resulted in a Jesse McCulloch three-pointer.
The back half of the first half mirrored the beginning, with both teams matching each other on offense, but the Spartans didn’t let the Huskies get within seven points for the remainder of the first half, with six players scoring four or more points, including a leading eight for Teng.
The separation MSU created early on allowed them to head into the locker room at halftime with a 39-31 lead.
Second Half
Washington opened with a quick basket, looking to chip away at Michigan State’s eight-point halftime advantage, but the Spartans responded with poise.
Coen Carr - who had just one point from the free throw line in the first 20 minutes of play - knocked down a three-pointer early to reestablish momentum. Carr has struggled from behind the arc all season, with just seven on the entire season. The Huskies left him open, daring him to take a shot, but Carr was able to knock it down.
Freshman Cam Ward followed suit, scoring his first points of the night from a jumper.
A Washington three-pointer and a flagrant foul on the Spartans allowed the Huskies to cut the deficit to just five points. However, just as quickly as the lead was cut to five, the Spartans stretched it right back to 15 points, their largest lead of the night.
Jeremy Fears Jr. - coming off a career-high 23-points against Indiana - was quiet in the first half with just five points, but he took over in the second, driving to the lane for tough finishes and conversions on free throws. Carson Cooper added a dunk, and Ward, once again, laid the ball in for a basket down low.
Coen Carr delivered a signature highlight that has become expected from him almost every game, getting the Seattle Spartan fans in the crowd roaring. The dunk wasn’t just a flashy play, but a force that led to a Carson Cooper steal, and a layup for Jordan Scott, extending the Spartans' lead to 18 points.
The Spartans continued attacking the boards and protecting the ball, only allowing for five turnovers, something that has been a problem for the MSU this season. Despite the slow, back-and-forth start, the Spartans maintained the lead they established early on in the first half, and kept Washington at an arm’s length the entire game, only to blow them away in the second half, finishing the matchup with an 80-63 win.
After moving to 16-2 on the season and 6-1 in Big Ten play, the Spartans will look to continue their momentum on Tuesday, staying on the west coast to take on Oregon in Eugene.
