Although Indiana State stormed back from a double-digit first-half deficit to take a five-point lead in the second, the Spartans kept their wits about them and fought through the pressure, regaining the lead with nine minutes to play and tightening the screws on both ends to walk away with a 12-point triumph. 

Indiana State’s Isaiah Swope was the force he’s been all year, going for 26 points on 6-for-13 shooting from downtown. The Spartans struggled to contain the lightning-quick guard for all 40 minutes. 

A top-scoring team in the nation entering Saturday, the Sycamores finished the afternoon 14-for-35 from three. They didn’t make it easy on MSU’s defense with their aggressiveness from start to finish, but the Spartans successfully weathered the storm several times in their win. 

MSU’s guards were the key to its victory, as graduate student Tyson Walker, senior A.J. Hoggard and junior Jaden Akins combined for 52 of the team’s 87 total points. Walker tallied 22, Hoggard added 17 and Akins chipped in 13 in the win. Graduate forward Malik Hall was a crucial component as well, scoring 18 points while snagging eight rebounds. 

It was the kind of complete performance from the Spartans’ core that they’ll need more of down the road without heralded freshman guard Jeremy Fears Jr., who was shot in the thigh in his hometown over the break and underwent surgery. There is no timetable for Fears’ return, but he is back with the team in East Lansing and joined them on the bench Saturday. 

On the other hand, Jaxon Kohler’s return to the Spartans following surgery on his left foot is near. Despite being ruled out against Indiana State, the sophomore forward warmed up for the first time this season and was a participant in contact drills. 

Right from the start, the Sycamores played fearless, seemingly unbothered by the bright stage of the Breslin Center for a team from the Missouri Valley Conference. But the Spartans played within themselves, jumping in front early and controlling the lead for the entirety of the first half.

Swope made his presence felt from the opening jump, knocking down two threes and a mid-range, baseline jumper for eight of Indiana State’s first 11 points. Michigan State knew it would be dealing with an Indiana State team that is adept at scoring and shoots with volume from behind the arc. 

Saturday was no exception – the Sycamores put up 11 threes in the opening ten minutes, converting on five. But, the Spartans kept pace with hot starts from Akins and Hall. MSU did an exceptional job limiting any carnage early from the high-octane Indiana State offense by sticking to its identity- defense and rebounding. The Spartans controlled the glass and forced a number of turnovers early on to mount and hold a lead throughout the first half.

They couldn’t find an answer for Swope, who finished the first half with 14 points. Nonetheless, the Spartans led 44-34 through the opening 20 minutes. 

Then, just like that, the game was tied. Indiana State quickly diminished MSU’s lead to three out of the halftime break thanks to a pair of run-out buckets off Spartans turnovers. Swope then drilled a corner three to knot things up at 49. 

The Sycamores kept their foot on the gas, snagging their first lead with fourteen minutes to play. Swope was simply incredible, scoring at will from all three phases to help give his team as large as a 5-point lead. But MSU answered with a run of its own led by Hoggard, re-taking the lead with nine minutes remaining. It was an excellent response by the Spartans, who were in danger of letting the Sycamore lead get away from them before storming back in front. 

MSU strung together enough defensive stops to increase its lead to seven and never looked back. The Spartans tightened up on the defensive end, inducing a six-minute Indiana State field goal drought in the final ten minutes of play to put the Sycamores on ice. 

Now at 8-5, Michigan State has the chance to put its rocky month of December behind and stay consistent. Winning their last four games was the Spartans’ first step toward reclaiming its preseason status as a premier team in the nation. 

The Spartans, 0-2 in conference play, now look ahead to a home matchup with 7-6 Penn State, a must-win for their hopes of eventually climbing back into the Big Ten title conversation with two months and change remaining in the regular season. 

Michigan State wraps up its holiday home stand at the Breslin Center against the Nittany Lions on Thursday, Jan. 4 at 7 p.m.