Michigan State couldn't find the baskets it needed down the stretch to clinch its first Final Four since 2019, falling 70-64 to Auburn in the Elite Eight Sunday evening in Atlanta. The loss drops head coach Tom Izzo's career record in the regional final round to 8-3 all time in his program's 11th appearance.
Jaxon Kohler hit a double-double Sunday with the team-highs of 17 points and 11 rebounds along with two assists and a block. Kohler also was 3-for-4 from 3-point range. Jaden Akins added 15 points in addition to the team high in helpers with five, but he struggled from deep as he hit just 3-for-10 from deep while missing his only free throw attempt.
Jase Richardson finished the game with 11 points for Spartans in double figures and led the team in steals with three, but he went just 4-for-13 from the field. Frankie Fiddler came just shy of double figures with nine points but was second on the glass for the team with five boards.
Johni Broome led all scorers with 25 points for Auburn, including 10-for-13 from the field and a perfect 2-for-2 from 3-point range. Broome hit his fifth double-double of his career in the NCAA Tournament with 14 rebounds. Tahaad Pettiford added 10 for Tigers in double figures.
Michigan State started things out even enough with Auburn, even taking a narrow 8-6 lead briefly at the 15:50 mark off a great dunk from Coen Carr. The Tigers were able to seize it back by the first media break, up 10-8 with 14:41 left in the half.
Things got bad for the Spartans from there as the Tigers continued what became a 15-0 run that started before the media break, opening a 23-8 lead. Tom Izzo finally called a timeout to reset his team when Auburn capped the run on a trey from Broome and 10.5 minutes left in the half.
The Spartans went 6:01 without scoring a field goal before Fidler finally snapped it for MSU with a 3-pointer a little under a minute after he snapped the scoring drought with a pair of free throws.
Fidler sparked what evolved into a 13-4 run for the Spartans, bringing the game within five to trail 27-22 with 3:23 left. Kohler capped it off with nothing but net from beyond the arc on an assist from Holloman.
At the half, MSU trailed 33-24.
Richardson led MSU with nine points while Kohler added six alongside six boards.
Broome notched a double-double in the first half, leading all scorers with 17 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
The Spartans opened up scoring in the second half with what technically counts as a dunk by Zapala.
However, the high-water mark of the half would come early as a layup by Fears with 17:39 left would bring the score within five, MSU trailing 35-30. The Tigers quickly pushed it back to eight and it was never closer than that for the rest of the game until just 1:40 remained.
Anytime the Spartans tried to rally, Auburn would find the offense to stall it. This came despite foul trouble early in the second half for Miles Kelly and a brief stretch with Broome being tended to in the locker room for an elbow injury.
Michigan State kept fighting to the final buzzer, going so far as to cut it to just six, but with only :13 remaining, MSU couldn't find the answers it needed or get the shots to fall against the overall number one seed of the NCAA Tournament.
The Spartans end the season with a Big Ten regular season title and a 30-7 overall record following the loss to the Tigers.
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