The No. 15 Michigan State Spartans (7-3) only held a lead for 12 seconds in their game Friday afternoon. Syracuse (6-4) went on the attack, after Michigan State took a one point lead eight seconds into the game. After pulling ahead in the early minutes of the game, the Orange would do enough to put away No. 15 in the first game of the Florida Sunshine Classic.
With redshirt senior guard Shay Colley still out, sophomore guard Nia Clouden would step up as the Spartans' main source of offense and efficiency in what was a tough night from the field for the team.
Ending the game, the Spartans would just make 36.2 percent of their tries from the field and wouldn't aid themselves when they would get free opportunities, making just 59.3 percent of their free throws.
Clouden would finish with a team-high 20 points.
On the other side of the ball, four Orange players would finish in double figures, including redshirt sophomore forward Maeva Djaldi-Tabdi, who provided 16 points from the bench.
Despite Syracuse pulling out to an early lead with a 27-13 finish to the first quarter, Michigan State wouldn't go away until the end. The Spartans would shrink the deficit to just three with 5:06 left in the final quarter, going on a 9-0 run ending with a Clouden jumper.
From there, the Spartans wouldn't get any closer to a comeback. Forced to send the Orange to the line with the time remaining, Syracuse would capitalize. Pushing the game out of reach with a run of their own, the Orange walked away with a 77-63 victory.
The Spartans will conclude their nonconference play with one final game in the Sunshine Classic, against West Virginia on Dec. 21, at 1:30 p.m.
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