Michigan State hot from 3-point range in building 36-30 lead at halftime against Rutgers
East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State coach Tom Izzo may have been concerned about a tired Spartan team playing its fourth game in 10 days against No. 23 Rutgers, but Spartan shooters were wide awake through the first 20 minutes.
Michigan State went 7-of-13 from 3-point range in building a 34-26 lead with 2:05 left in the first half as Jaden Akins drilled a triple from the left wing on a baseline out of bounds play.
A late floater, through contact, by Pierre Brooks gave Michigan State a 36-30 lead at intermission.
Michigan State outshot Rutgers 48 percent to 36 percent in the first half. Rutgers came into the game leading the Big Ten in field goal percentage defense and 3-point percentage defense. Rutgers is No. 3 in the country in field goal percentage defense.
Tyson Walker, coming off a 30-point performance against Purdue on Monday, was still hot in the first half of this game. He scored 9 points on 3-of-4 shooting, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range.
Walker also had three steals in the first half, including one that he converted into a run-out lay-up while getting fouled. His free throw cut Rutgers’ lead to 22-20 with 7:00 left.
Rutgers dominated the early moments, taking a 14-5 lead, thanks in part to two early dunks by center Clifford Amoruyi and a second-chance 3-pointer from Caleb MConnell. But Michigan State answered with a 29-12 run.
Rutgers outrebounded Michigan State 21-15 in the first half.
Whereas the Spartans shot 53.8 percent from 3-point range, Rutgers was a frigid 1-of-10 from beyond the arc.
Jaxon Kohler had an active first-half for the Spartans. He scored 10 points on 3-of-3 shooting, had two rebounds and was decent on defense around the rim.
All 6 of his points came early in the game, with his reverse lay-up cutting Rutgers’ lead to 11-5. Later, he hit a lay-up off a touch pass from A.J. Hoggard to cut the lead to 16-14.
Joey Hauser scored 8 points on 3-of-6 shooting, including 2-of-3 from long range.
Hauser’s triple from the left wing, after Akins chased down a loose ball and assisted, gave Michigan State a 31-26 lead.
Hoggard had 6 points, three rebounds and four assists in the first half. He was 2-of-3 from 3-point range.
McConnell led Rutgers with 9 points in the first half.
With Malik Hall due to a foot injury, Michigan State played three possessions with a twin-towers lineup including Mady Sissoko and Carson Cooper. Those two aren’t go-to scorers by any means, but Michigan State survived on offense in those three possessions with Hoggard hitting a 3-pointer which gave Michigan State a 17-16 lead.
Hauser played 18 minutes, as coaches continue to have trouble finding rest for him with Hall not available.
Brooks played 10 minutes at small forward and had mixed results. He was pulled from the floor midway through the first half after giving up an offensive rebound. However, his field goal at the end of the half should lift his spirits. Those were his first points since scoring 8 against Nebraska on Jan. 3.
