An MSU men’s basketball team that loves to push the ball up court and a Michigan team known for its love affair with the 3-point shot each fell victim to unfriendly baskets and lockdown defenses Tuesday night, as the No. 9 Spartans come away with a 54-42 win at Crisler Arena.
“I do think we’re gaining some confidence and I think we’re realizing our defense is the key,” said MSU head coach Tom Izzo, whose team held the Wolverines to 4-for-24 3-point shooting. “I think when you have a game where you don’t shoot as well like (MSU had against) Northwestern … (you learn that) sometimes you have to win ugly.”
With the win, MSU improves to 20-4 overall and 10-2 in the Big Ten, including 6-0 on the road in conference play. The Wolverines fall to 15-10 overall and 5-7 in the conference.
In a slow-it-down game that suited both of their best attributes, MSU senior guard Travis Walton and freshman forward Delvon Roe shined.
Walton, MSU’s standout perimeter defender, held U-M’s 6-foot-5 scorer Manny Harris (17.5 points per game) to seven points on 2-for-10 shooting, including 1-for-6 from beyond the arc.
Roe, MSU’s blue-chip recruit from a year ago, posted his first career double-double with 14 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
“I think I’ve shown you guys what I can do for 40 minutes a game, or however long it is that I’m out there playing,” said Roe, who is coming off two knee surgeries in the past 15 months. “(I’m) showing you that I can be an impact type of player.”
U-M’s second-leading scorer, forward DeShawn Sims, led the Wolverines with 18 points. Sims didn’t start for the third straight game in an effort by U-M head coach John Beilein to bring energy off the bench. And he did just that for the Wolverines down the stretch.
After the Wolverines called a full timeout down 31-19 early in the second half, Sims led U-M on a 13-6 run with thunderous dunks and an assortment of post moves to keep the Wolverines within striking distance.
With 6:13 to go, Harris drilled just his second shot of the game to put U-M within five. The conventional three-point play by forward Zach Gibson that followed put the Wolverines within four at 42-38.
That was the closest U-M would get, after sophomore guard Kalin Lucas nailed a 3-pointer with three minutes to go. Lucas scored a team-high 15 points.
The Spartans shot 7-for-8 from the free-throw line in the last three minutes to hold onto the win, as MSU fans in attendance burst out in chants.
The Spartans now have a full week off before returning to action at 7 p.m. on Feb. 17 against No. 20 Purdue (17-6, 6-4) at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind.
“With these seven days off, our shooting can pick up a lot better (and) that’s going to be scary, because as our defense picks up our offense will be get better,” Walton said.
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