The Hoosiers traveled to East Lansing, MI in hopes to stop their current losing streak at just two games but ran into a team just as desperate for a victory as they were. The No. 17 ranked Michigan State Spartans were also facing a two-game losing streak and took their home contest against the Hoosiers as a challenge to set their season straight. MSU defeat the Hoosiers in dominating fashion 76-61.
If there were any questions that Indiana fans were asking going into the contest with No. 17 Michigan State it was about the potential changes in the starting lineup. Coach Woodson made one of the first non-injury or suspension related changes to the starting lineup all season. Trey Galloway started in place of Parker Stewart while Xavier Johnson joined him in the backcourt. Miller Kopp, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and Race Thompson rounded out the starting five.
Jackson-Davis got the Hoosiers on the board first on Indiana’s first possession of the game to get things going in East Lansing.
MSU followed up the first basket with a 7-0 run, but it was Indiana who topped it with a 9-0 run themselves.
At the under-16 media timeout, the game was tied a nine a piece.
Things got chippy and physical early in this one. It seemed as if Michigan State had extra emotional motivation in this contest and it showed from the jump all the way until the whistle. One moment between Race Thompson and a MSU player as they both went to the ground stands out as an example of being physical.
A 16-6 run for the Spartans over an eight-minute span gave MSU a 21-15 lead with 7:31 remaining in the first half.
Foul trouble became a quick issue as Xavier Johnson, Miller Kopp, and Jordan Geronimo picked up two fouls in the first 15 minutes
After Michigan state grew their lead to double digits Indiana went on another 9-0 run over three minutes capped off by a Parker Stewart three, cutting the deficit to just one with 3:21 remaining in the first half.