Michigan State improved to 4-1 on the young 2024-2025 season despite a scare from a Samford squad who went on several runs throughout the game. In the end, though, the Spartans sent the Bulldogs packing with a 83-75 victory.

Jaden Akins had a great night, finishing with 25 points, a career high, while Jase Richardson finished with 12 points. Szymon Zapala finished with 10 points and six boards, his season high in points, and made an impact defensively. Frankie Fidler had 12 points, and continued to look impressive when drawing fouls. Tre Holloman had a great passing night, finishing with nine assists and adding five points. Coen Carr made an impact beyond just his four points, with two emphatic dunks to help jump start the team.

MSU rolled up with its classic uniforms, paying homage to the 2000 National Championship era. The starting five remained the same as last Saturday vs Bowling Green, with Jeremy Fears Jr., Akins, Fidler, Jaxon Kohler, and Zapala.

The Spartans started poorly once again with the Bulldogs constantly running the floor, helping the visitors to an early 12-4 lead.

With around eight minutes left in the half, Michigan State looked lost. The Bulldogs had increased their lead to 12, forcing MSU head coach Tom Izzo to call a timeout. The Spartan offense was dysfunctional, and the zero-for-nine 3-point shooting was holding the team back once again.

But it changed in a moment, with Xavier Booker hitting a corner trey, and following it up with a layup on the next play to kickstart a run by MSU. Akins then scored seven straight points to tie the game.

Despite trailing 21-8 early on, MSU went on a 30-7 run to take a 38-28 lead at the half.

Akins led the way with 13 points in the first half. Zapala and Booker scores eight and five points, respectively, in the first 20 minutes.

The Spartans started the second half well, maintaining a double-digit lead through the first five minutes of the half. Around that time, Carr was met at the rim by a Bulldog defender, but Carr jammed it right over him the crowd's delight.

Both teams started to hit their shots late into the second half, and, as a result, MSU was unable to put the game away - but Samford was also unable to get it within a single possession.

Still, the Bulldogs made it difficult and refused to go quietly. With just under eight minutes to play, Samford had cut the score to within six, and started to make the Spartans a bit nervous. Two free throws from the Bulldogs brought the lead down to five with 6:27 remaining.

Just when it seemed like things were getting dicey, Akins got hot with his shooting again and hit back to back threes to force the Bulldogs to call another timeout. Not finished yet, Akins responded out of the timeout with a layup off an opponent turnover to push MSU's lead back out to 13, 72-59.

Samford rallied again late to cut it back to a two-possession game with just :31 remaining, but two late free throws from Fears put the game out of reach.

With Samford having earned a bid to the 2024 NCAA Tournament - and expected to make it once again this season - Michigan State powered through, showing resilience in the face of a formidable opponent.

MSU will have a few days of rest before taking the trip out to Maui where it will take on Colorado to start with two more games to follow. Start time is set for 5 p.m. Eastern Time next Tuesday with the first game being broadcast on ESPN2.

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