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Three wins in a row for Michigan State in midst of a late-season Big Ten gauntlet

Following a stunning loss to Indiana at home, Michigan State had lost three of its last four games and was preparing for a final seven-game stretch with six games coming against teams ranked inside the KenPom top 25. Tom Izzo’s squad seems to have everything figured out though, as after finishing the game at Illinois on a 15-0 run, the Spartans have been on a roll.

Jaxon Kohler (8.0 ppg, 7.6 rpg) had a huge night with 23 points and ten rebounds against Illinois in the 79-65 win, while it was a balanced attack that got the job done in Tuesday’s 75-66 win over Purdue in the Breslin Center.

On Friday night, Michigan State picked up its most impressive win of the stretch though, taking down in-state rival and 12th-ranked Michigan on the road. Back and forth through the first 30 minutes, this rivalry game had it all. With Jason Benetti, Robbie Hummel, and Bob Raftery on the call, those watching on TV were blessed with one of the best crews across the country, while those in the arena witnessed one of the best environments inside the Crisler Center in recent memory.

The visiting Spartans got out in front early on the road, leading 16-8 in just over seven minutes after star freshman Jase Richardson (10.8 ppg, 40.0% 3P) scored Sparty’s first five points. Michigan forward Danny Wolf then sparked a run for the Wolverines, as the home team went on a 15-0 run to claim their first lead of the game. The game would even out over the last eight minutes of the first half, with Michigan taking a 38-34 lead into the intermission.

Michigan State came out firing to begin the second half, as Richardson began a three-point barrage for the Spartans on his first shot attempt of the second half. Michigan had an answer for the first eight minutes of the second half, until Tre Holloman (8.8 ppg, 4.0 apg) got on an absolute heater. Leading 48-47, Michigan State found Holloman behind the arc three times in under 90 seconds, with the junior guard knocking down all three and putting Michigan State up for good.

The Spartans would close out the game with a 75-62 win, as timely shot-making from Richardson and a banked-in three-pointer from Jeremy Fears Jr. (7.1 ppg, 5.8 apg) put the game away late. Richardson led the way with 21 points, as the star freshman is now averaging 17.2 ppg over his last five games. Fueled by his nine straight points, Holloman finished with 18 points and four assists off the bench, while Jaden Akins (13.0 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and Fears rounded out the Spartans’ double-digit scorers in the win.

Picking up three straight wins against KenPom top 25 opponents, it doesn’t get any easier for Michigan State as it finishes the regular season with road trips to Maryland and Iowa and home matchups against Wisconsin and Michigan. As Richardson continues to roll, this Michigan State team has finally found an elite-level scorer, and the freshman’s impact is likely the deciding factor on just how much this team can accomplish in March.

Other Things to Note:

• Villanova hits 15 of 26 three-pointers in 81-66 home win over #16 Marquette
• #6 Tennessee, #7 Texas A&M meet for top ten matchup in College Station (12:00 ET, ESPN)
• #5 Houston hosts #8 Iowa State with ESPN College Gameday in town (2:00 ET, ESPN)
• Injury-riddled #17 Kentucky visits #4 Alabama in crucial SEC battle (6:00 ET, ESPN)
• #3 Duke and Illinois meet in rare February non-conference matchup at Madison Square Garden (8:00 ET, FOX)