MSU BASKETBALL FALLS IN UCLA, 63-61, LOOSE BIG TEN LEAD: 3 QUICK TAKE

On By Littum

1. UCLA is good, but MSU also did not look like a big ten -master

Michigan State spent December and January driving out to a lead in the Big Ten position. It was a charmed two months, helped by the schedule, but also served with their consistency, versatility and gravel, home and away.

The Spartans looked like they had something for them on their way to 9-0 in conference games. At. 9-2 we find out if this is true.

Two matches in February the BIG Ten lead is gone after a loss of 63-61 on UCLA on Tuesday night, and the Spartans face their first credible doubts about the season. Are they good enough to win the Big Ten? They did not play like that over two matches in Los Angeles.

Yes, the story would be different if Jaden Akins’ last second 3-pointer had not hit the edge. Same maybe if Jaxon Kohler’s hook shot a possession in the past had not been short (or after Kohler got his own rebound if they had called a timeout before he traveled). Or if a few of MSU’s sometimes ridiculous turnover had instead found their goals. Or if a number of open, i-rhythm 3s had fallen.

MSU showed lots of mettle in the last 10 minutes of Tuesday evening’s games and itched back to, even when Frankie Fuilder checked in and Jaden Akins got started. Before that, at no time, after UCLA took control of the game late in the first half, it seemed like MSU would win this thing.

This one will swirl the spartans for several reasons revenue, the solution with the ball, a couple of missed opened shots on key times, a few bad sequences, the shot-bell-boning for big moments, the middle of the game fights with ball screen defense and in-bottom plays , the coaching staff do not find the right answers to matchups in the ways they have all season.

This will also be painful because of what it followed – MSU lost a game on the USC on Saturday that it would have won if it appeared then with the persistence it started with Tuesday. The Spartans needed to compensate for the wrongful thing and had a chance to do it against a better opponent.

UCLA is a really good team that plays well. Some of the Spartans’ problems Tuesday night were caused by Bruins who have a growing 7-foot-3 great man who becomes a problem and collectively does not allow teams to run against them. That’s why MSU’s bare nine quick points and Point Guard Jeremy repeatedly fear in trouble as he tried to force the problem (he will have to learn from it.). Bruins’ time in early January will keep them out of the big ten race, but this team will be a factor in March and win a lot of games before then.

If the Spartans had won this game, they would have done it on the road on one night Jase Richardson missed all six of his shots (before leaving the game after colliding with Xavier Booker), and on a night when they committed 16 Retrafts (for UCLAS TRE) and made only 5 of 22 3-Pointers. They would have done it with improved defense late in the game (UCLA only made 30% of its shots in the second half) and a massive rebound benefit (45-27).

And that would have been extremely useful in the MSUS search for a Big Ten-Titel spartans is now half a play at the back of 10-2 Purdue. However, it would not have burned concerns that this group is not at the level needed to do something special on a national scale or even a conference scale.

There is plenty of time and games left – time for this team to continue to grow and prove themselves in a position … or not. The schedule is mostly reckless the rest of the way. If MSU is good enough we know.

This was not a bad loss on your own. Just a bad trip. It wasn’t the crucial game of a season. But it seems to be narrative.

2. Akins comes to life but there are some shots MSU needs him to hit

MSU Senior Jaden Akins broke out regardless of fog and falls he had been in the last few matches with a particular effort that included some critical plays and shots made. You take 15 points on 6-for-14 shooting, including 3-for-7 from deep, with four rebounds, two assists and two revenue. It’s an ok line.

And he made some important shots – including the early 3s in both halves and seven points in the last nine minutes. He was aggressive in getting to the basket and playing fearlessly down the stretch.

However, if MSU wins the league or four games in a row in the NCAA tournament, however, there are some shots that he missed that he has to make, two who stood out-a open 3-pointer late in the shot when MSU pulled 54- 46 and hardly hung on (he hit one right after that), and another wit open 3 with MSU afterwards 25-24, which became a 3 of UCLA the other way and was the beginning of Bruins separated himself for a while. Akins also had a chance to put MSU ahead with three points on a difficult drive of driving by three minutes left. Again, UCLA hit a 3 at the other end to go back in front.

It’s a lot to ask. But that’s what Akins asked for – to be that guy.

He had the right mindset on Tuesday. It matters. But he-or another one has to hit these key-resistant shots.

3. MSU needed more of Kohler and Fuels

Finding out the best lineup when things don’t work is not an easy dance on a team of 10 viable options. And MSU’s coaching staff have received opposing matchups and pulled the right handles most of the time this season. But I thought they were slowly realizing that Frankie Fidler was a response in the second half and slowly to return to Jaxon Kohler until late, as his fragility immediately created extra possessions.

Fuels were excellent in the back half of the second half. I’m not sure how much he would have played if Jase Richardson hadn’t left the game after running into Xavier Booker. Fuels had played a few minutes earlier in half, but Richardson left was his opening. His three points, four rebounds and one steal over the last 9:41 were as high three points, four rebounds and stealing as I can remember. You felt his influence on the game.

Kohler, who missed a lot of the first half in bad trouble, went on the bench after picking up his third error with 11:40 pm. He did not come back until the 2:42 mark. In the first minute he was in, he had three rebounds and a bucket, although they did not credee him with the loose ball-bottom he got by getting on the floor in traffic. Kohler had eight rebounds (unofficially) in 13 minutes with a plus-minus with plus-nine. He was really good when he was mostly there. I think he could have made a difference before.

Contact Graham Couch at [email protected]. Follow him on x @graham_couch and bluesky @grahamcouch.