In front of the Alumni Izzone and an electrifying crowd at the Breslin Center, No. 16 Michigan State defeated the Washington Huskies 88-54 in dominating fashion to improve to 13-2 on the season. The Spartans remain undefeated in Big Ten play with a 4-0 conference record, the first time MSU has started 4-0 in conference play since the 2021-22 season.
There were many impressive showings on both the offensive and defensive end in the win against the Huskies. MSU’s defense was the highlight of the win as they set the tone from the opening tip.
The Spartans defense forced the Huskies to start 0-for-14 from the field in the first ten minutes of the contest. MSU also held the Huskies to 13 first-half points, their fewest given up by an MSU team in a first half since the 2009-10 season.
The Huskies shot 32.7 percent from the field and 18.8 percent from three-point range as a result of the Spartans stifling defense from start to finish. Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo mentioned how his team is getting tougher and that the performance on defense against the Huskies showed their toughness as a team.
“I think we are getting tougher, we rebounded and defended well early," Izzo said. "We put our bodies on some people, we are getting better at that. Jeremy (Fears) started some of that with his pressure out front."
Izzo credited MSU’s success on fast break points and how it made a difference in the game. The Spartans recorded 28 points on the fast break compared to the two fast break points that Washington collected. MSU’s defense creating 10 steals allowed for many of those fast break points.
Michigan State has been a great team in transition all season long, and their ability to get out in transition in games moving forward in Big Ten conference play will strengthen their chances to not only win the Big Ten but also compete with some of the country’s top teams. Izzo praised Jaden Akins, Jeremy Fears, and Jase Richardson’s quickness in transition and leadership throughout the game as they made the substitutions.
“I thought Tre, Jase, and Jaden ran their tail off and that opens it up for other guys," Izzo said after the game. "That’s fun as a coach when you don’t have to make the substitutions, they’re making them for you. I thought they deserved to be tired and I didn’t think any of it was because of bad conditioning it was because they ran their tail off."
Akins led the charge for MSU in the win, leading the team with 20 points; he has scored in double figures in seven out of the last eight games. Fears had one of the best games of his Spartan career, recording his first career double-double with 12 points and 10 assists in the win. Fears ability to move the ball around helped the offense to thrive in many moments during the game.
“I thought Jeremy moved the ball the best he’s moved it," said Izzo. "We talked to him a little bit about giving it up earlier on the break. He did it to Jaden a couple of times and got him some great shots."
One of the positions that has plagued MSU the last few seasons has been the forward and center position. So far this season, however, Izzo believes that position has grown with the addition of Frankie Fidler and Syzmon Zapala from the transfer portal and the return and growth of Jaxon Kohler, Xavier Booker, Coen Carr, and Carson Cooper.
The strength of the group of forwards and centers was shown with the way they handled dominant big man Great Osobor from Washington. The Spartans shut Osobor down, allowing him to score only six points and shoot 0-for-8 from the field.
“I’d say Jaxon is so much better than he was last year," said Izzo. "Zapala’s bigger. Cooper tonight got some big-time rebounds and I think our size bothered them a little bit. We still got some things out of Booker, he scored some points, and Coen was great."
Throughout the game, MSU switched between small and big lineups. Coach Izzo believes that their ability to succeed with different lineups is a strength that they have.
“I think that’s one great thing about our team," Izzo said in his postgame press conference. "We have the versatility to play different ways and I was so proud of our players and how they encouraged each other through that."
Michigan State will look to ride the momentum of Thursday night’s dominating win into Evanston, Illinois as they take on the Northwestern Wildcats, an underrated road environment in the Big Ten and a team that has given the Spartans trouble in past seasons. Tipoff from Welsh-Ryan Arena is set for noon on Sunday with the game streaming on FOX.
