Couch: 3 quick takes on Michigan State's 86-77 double-overtime win over Kentucky in the Champions Classic
1. For MSU, a telling win over Kentucky that proves this team has something to it
INDIANAPOLIS – You don’t win a game like that against a team like that on a stage like that if you haven’t been through some things as a group.
The sweat equity is just dripping off this Michigan State basketball team.
Four days after blowing a game it largely controlled against No. 2 Gonzaga, MSU found a way to win a game it didn’t against No. 4 Kentucky, 86-77 in two overtimes on Tuesday night. A year after being outclassed in the Champions Classic against Kansas, many of the same dudes looked like a seasoned bunch, up for the fight.
And unlike Friday in San Diego, they made all the plays when it really mattered — at the end of regulation and the first overtime. They dialed up the right plays, too, this time — AJ Hoggard driving to the rim, Malik Hall slipping free from the defense for a dunk on an inbounds play, another Hall dunk to send it to the second OT.
Tyson Walker (nine points in the overtimes), Joey Hauser (23 points on the night), Hall (20), Mady Sissoko (16), Hoggard at times — they wouldn’t let this game end the way so many have for the Spartans recently in the Champions Classic.
As Izzo has said, eventually you have to start winning these games. You can’t be close forever.
Tuesday was eventually.
This team has a lot going for it. A lot of guys who aren’t afraid of the moment, including Hauser.
Indoors this season, Hauser is averaging 20.5 points, hitting 50% of his shots and better than 50% of his 3s, while also averaging nine rebounds in the Spartans' two games not played in windy conditions on a ship.
You can see it when he’s confident, when he’s hunting for his shot. He did that when the college basketball world was watching Tuesday. That’s no small performance. Same for a lot of other guys.
Friday’s showing in San Diego showed that this MSU team was close. Tuesday’s win in Indy proved that this is a team that has a chance to do something.
2. Sissoko’s encore telling of a guy MSU can count on
Mady Sissoko followed up 14 points and nine rebounds in 25 minutes against Gonzaga with 16 and eight in 35 against Kentucky. Against another ridiculously difficult assignment — reigning consensus national player of the year Oscar Tshiebwe — Sissoko again didn’t look out of place. And when Tshiebwe fouled at the end of the first overtime, Sissoko was more than the 'Cats could handle. This much is clear: He’s a capable defensive and rebounding counter to whatever college basketball has to throw at the Spartans. And most nights, it won’t be close to what he’s faced in MSU’s last two games in Drew Timme and Tshiebwe.
Sissoko’s game has improved in every way, including how he sees it. He made a couple terrific passes out of the post Tuesday, one to Hauser for a jump shot that brought the Spartans to within a single point late. His steal and drive to the rim (and near finish) in overtime is a play that never could have happened a year ago. And that was his first of two steals in the first overtime. He hit 3 of 4 free throws in the second OT, was yelling at his teammates before a defensive possession after that, before hauling in a rebound. The game has clearly slowed down for him. He looks comfortable out there against any matchup and in any situation. I didn’t have that on my Bingo card for this season.
MSU, I think, can count on Sissoko for 25 impact minutes — it’s clear he’s going to find enough foul trouble to make more than that impossible. The problem is most games are 40 minutes. And those other 15 …
3. Freshman thoughts – the Kentucky Champions Classic edition
Like Friday, this was not a game built for MSU’s three freshmen. Even more so, perhaps. And, for a while, MSU was fortunate that that’s how it played out. Jaxon Kohler, Carson Cooper and Tre Holloman each played one stint in the first half, combining for four total minutes.
Against Kentucky’s size and seasoned big men, including star Oscar Tshiebwe and Jacob Toppin, the Spartans’ best counter was Mady Sissoko, Joey Hauser and/or Malik Hall. But, like Friday in San Diego, foul trouble eventual struck Sissoko, who picked up his third foul with MSU leading 39-36 with 18 minutes left.
And, like Friday, that was a problem for the Spartans. Smartly, they didn’t turn to Hauser to fill minutes against Tshiewbe. That matchup might have ruined a strong game from Hauser, who stayed at power forward, stayed in rhythm and kept rebounding. So it was up to Kohler and — this time — Cooper to help MSU try to survive.
Those two platooned over the next 10 minutes, hanging in there at times and, more often, looking out of their element. Tshiewbe and Toppin had their way on the glass against them. Too much savvy and strength. Kohler had one nice seal defensively keeping Tshiebwe from getting the ball and, on MSU’s end, dove on the floor to keep a possession alive. But, mostly, it was the struggle you’d expect. Another early education for MSU’s two freshman bigs and a reminder that developing them over the next few months is critical to MSU’s chances in March.
To their credit, the Spartans only trailed 50-47 when Sissoko returned with 8:19 remaining, immediately throwing down a put-back dunk.
Contact Graham Couch at gcouch@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Graham_Couch.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Michigan State basketball beats Kentucky in double OT: 3 quick takes
