Second half surge strikes again; Michigan State beats Iowa, earns outright Big Ten Championship

Syndication: Iowa City Press-Citizen — Iowa guard Drew Thelwell (3) reaches for the ball against the Michigan State Spartans during a Big Ten Conference game Thursday, March 6, 2025 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. | Photo by Julia Hansen | USA Today Network

Michigan State followed a script which has worked for the Spartans all year in a championship season, and why shouldn’t it work on a night in which Michigan State clinched the outright Big Ten Championship? The Spartans fought back from a 14-point first half deficit to storm past Iowa, 91-84, Thursday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. Michigan State improved to 24-5 and 15-3 in the Big Ten. The Spartans, who clinched a share of the conference title when Michigan lost on Wednesday night, secured the outright championship with this win. Michigan State will play host to Michigan on Senior Day, Sunday, with a banner likely to be raised to the rafters. More inside.